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Throughout the history of REME and its predecessors, hundreds of different makes and types of specialist vehicle have been used in the mobile repair and recovery roles. Many of the vehicles inherited when the Corps was formed soldiered on till long after World War 2. However, newer types, sometimes locally improvised, were utilised. REME built or adapted many trucks and trailers to suit its special needs as well as issuing specifications to have purpose built versions supplied by manufacturers. During World War 2 many US and Canadian built vehicles were also used.
When the REME Museum was set up in 1957, only two preserved World War 2 vehicles were available, these stood outside the old museum in Arborfield, vulnerable to vandalism and the affects of weather. Eventually they were sent to a more secure unit in Bordon where they joined various relics either used for training vehicle tradesmen or as ornamental 'gate guards'. By the early 1980s only about half a dozen vehicles actually belonged to the museum and no active policy existed for adding to the collection.
A new initiative followed the increase in Museum staff in Arborfield in the early 1980s and the growing interest generally in the preservation of old vehicles. The enthusiasm of serving and ex REME officers and soldiers enabled a more purposeful approach to be made to the enhancement of the vehicle collection. At the same time covered space became available at Bordon to house it. The Ministry of Defence was asked to provide sample vehicles as they came out of service while others were donated by private individuals. The collection has grown enormously over the years and now numbers over 100 vehicles and trailers. Most have some special connection with REME either as repair vehicles or recovery vehicles. Together they form the Historic Vehicle Collection.
Gradually each vehicle not received in full working order is restored and as far as possible all will eventually be made to operate. Those which can be legally driven on public roads are licensed as civilian vehicles, insured, and are then taken to public events such as military vehicle rallies where they are seen and admired by many thousands of people. At most events the vehicles are driven into the arena and sometimes it is possible to give recovery demonstrations. In addition the collection provides a training facility for vehicle mechanics showing the progress in vehicle design and technology over half a century.
From the Thornycroft Hathi Tractor, used for vehicle recovery later in its service, to a prototype of the Challenger Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle, the collection spans 70 years of motor vehicle technology and recovery equipment. From within the collection it is possible to reconstruct part of a beach recovery section, as operated on D-Day, with the Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicle and examples of two of the wheeled recovery vehicles used by such units. Other combinations of vehicles can be made to represent specific campaigns and periods of history. The collection is widely acknowledged as being of national importance, as no other British military or transport museum has an equivalent range of vehicles in this specialised field. It is unlikely that such a collection exists anywhere in the world.
The maintenance and display of this unique collection depends very much on the interest and enthusiasm of a small number of people but help is provided by the Army where it can legitimately be counted as training or public relations work. The cost of fuel and of maintaining the collection is financed from REME's private funds.
A selection of vehicles from this unique collection is now on display at the REME Museum of Technology at Arborfield Garrison in the Prince Philip Hall. Visits to the reserve collection are by appointment only whilst it remains stored within a secure Army unit. The best opportunity to see the vehicles is at vintage and military vehicle shows in the summer months. At these events, in one year, as many as 80,000 people have seen the collection.
On the accompanying pages, the Historic Vehicle Collection is described and illustrated in more detail and includes lists of Accession (Acc) and Entry (E) numbers.
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Page produced by Peter Eldred - Last updated 24 July 2004