Cars Galore in Barbados

Having booked a trip to Barbados for a spot of winter sun, I spent some time Googling around to see what there was to do as I can’t abide lying around on holiday.

I wasn’t expecting to find a car museum and I didn’t – I came across the Mallalieu collection.

My wife, Fiona is no stranger to the surprise that can occasionally pop up at the most unlikely juncture such as a cold war nuclear missile bunker in the depths of a Lithuanian forest therefore she wasn’t fazed when on day one, I suggested that we should pop in and have a look as we accidentally came across the sign……..

I said that it isn’t what I would categorise as a a museum as it flows from the curiosity and dedication of a single individual who has put together this shed-full of joy with no agenda beyond “it runs” and “I like it”.

The collection is housed in Pavilion Court in Hastings which is just outside the capital Bridgetown – it’s an assembly of buildings that used to be part of the military garrison area and housed the military hospital and it has a Georgian feel to it like “Nelson’s dockyard” in Antigua.

Anyway, less of the architecture, let’s talk about the cars.

The owner is Bill Mallalieu - a distant relative of Derry Mallalieu so that there are 2 Bentleys in the collection, a tasty pillar-box red Mallalieu special and the ravishing “Prince Bernhard” Mark VI drop-head.

Those 2 would make a pretty decent morning’s outing but as you wander through the various spaces, the smiles, giggles and whoops of delight just keep coming…..

If he’s in residence, Bill Mallalieu is an immediately engaging host and he sparks off on stray comments and enthusiasm, especially when he’s pointing out the finer points of one of his charges.

There were so many personal recollections here, from a relatively humble MK1 Ford Escort that was similar to one that I drove through Braemar in during the week when that village recorded the UK’s lowest ever temperature to a host of vehicles where you just had to point and say “my dad/uncle/teacher/brother had one like that” - all rescued from misery and restored to fine running condition.

One of Bill’s personal favourites is his drophead Damiler which turns up the decadence level to max, with its almost baroque bodywork.

The Mallalieu special sports not a flying B mascot but a rampant M as the company was going through a disagreement with RR-Bentley regarding intellectual property rights when this special was being created. As you can see, at the time of my visit, it was having a fettle so that all of its delights were exposed to view.

All the cars are regularly driven, although local conditions can be harsh, with every speck of dust carrying a load of destructive saltiness and every road (and “highway”…..) offers an interesting selection of surface defects to test suspension, as well as which the roads can get pretty busy, more suited to a nice wee modern runabout with an auto-slush-box, as opposed to a 1950’s machine with a clutch like a bear-trap.

Personal highlights for me included an ultra rare Beardmore taxi, although I kept coming back to the princely Mark VI as it is a truly fine specimen, with delicious upholstery and the most elegantly gorgeous body in the garage.

Hours passed.

Fiona didn’t even complain therefore this hidden gem is well worth seeking out if you find yourself on Barbados and want something really special to do, apart from diving, golfing, rum-tasting, loafing et al.