Well look no further than the British Lawn Mower Museum in Southport, Merseyside. Founded in 1990 by ex lawn mower racing champion Brian Radam, the museum plays host to one of the largest collections of new and vintage lawn mowers in the world, as well as exhibits dedicated to celebrity lawn mowers and lawn mower racing. The museum has lawn mowers belonging to Prince Charles and Princess Diana, Brian May and Paul O’Grady, to name but a few.
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In addition to housing examples of the earliest lawn mowing equipment, it is also the leading authority on vintage lawn mowers, supplying parts and documentation for nearly every make and model ever created. It is also the go-to place for valuations of antique and vintage lawn mowers and lawn care equipment.
Brian Radam is the man who wrote the Haynes Lawnmower Manual, and his unique expertise with lawn mowers has seen him appear on Scrapheap Challenge and the BBC game show Epic Win, where his talents helped him claim victory. His task was based on the very specific skill of determining which brand and model of lawn mower had cut five different patches of grass just by looking at the finish. Amazingly, he got all five right, which is no mean feat for the average person but perhaps for an expert of Radam’s calibre it is a walk in the park. Radam’s early interest in lawn mowers came from his involvement in the family business; a lawn mower sales and repair company that started in 1945 and is still going to this day.
Although the primary focus is on lawn mowers, the museum celebrates British engineering in the field, with examples of lawn mower engines being used in snow scooters and as outboard motors, the fastest lawn mowers ever made as well as industrial machinery from the Edwardian period, when steam technology was becoming more widely available and put to use in all manner of applications.
If you have a vintage lawn mower or other piece of lawn care machinery then the museum archives can supply you with information, copies of adverts, spare parts information and instruction manuals for almost any garden equipment. If you have no idea what the function, or even make or model of your equipment is, then the museum archives can help identify what you have, and then provide a wealth of information about it. Spare parts for these vintage machines are available, and there is the facility to manufacture rare parts that cannot be found elsewhere. When you visit, take advantage of the blade sharpening service and get your shears, lawn mower blades, axes and chainsaw chains sharpened while you browse the museum.
The gift shop (online shopping is available) has a range of lawn mower paraphernalia and souvenirs perfect for any landscaper, keen gardener or lawn mower enthusiast and they also sell spare parts, reconditioned and restored vintage machines, as well as books and DVDs on lawn mowers and lawn care machinery.
The museum is in Southport, Merseyside and is open from 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Saturday. Guided tours are available for the enthusiasts among you, or you can view the collections at your leisure. Entry is £2 which includes an audio tour. TripAdvisor reviewers gave it 4/5, declaring it well worth a visit!