Scout restored for Antiques Roadshow

A historic, hundred-year-old Scout car will take pride of place outside Salisbury Museum today.

The car, first built in Salisbury in the early 1900s has been kept safe and secure in the museum’s offsite store for several years, but is being unveiled to the public to celebrate the visit of the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow to Salisbury Cathedral.

Now, by working together with MG Cannon, the museum is making this rare piece of automotive history available for public viewing.

MC Cannon will be loaning a driver and transporter vehicle to Salisbury Museum in order to bring the car, which is believed to be one of only two Scout cars remaining in existence, from its offsite location to the front of the museum.

Made by the Burden Brothers, the model rolled off the production line at a purpose-built factory in Bemerton, Salisbury before spending the next several decades on a truly fascinating journey that eventually saw it rescued from a scrap yard in 1950.

Partially restored, the car was rallied throughout the mid-1950s, even taking part in the famous Coronation Rally of 1953, held to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

After changing hands several times throughout the remainder of the 1900’s the car finally made its way back home to Salisbury in 2012, when Salisbury Museum purchased it thanks to private donations and grants from Salisbury City Council and Wiltshire Council.

Robert Snook, group director MG Cannon said, ‘As a Salisbury-based business, we’re proud to be part of a local automotive industry that dates back over a century and equally as proud to be part of this unique occasion.

‘We’re delighted to lend our support to Salisbury Museum so that this fascinating piece of local history can finally be enjoyed by the people of the city.’