Motors & Miniatures Mill, England

Welcome to Motors & Miniatures, a fascinating and eclectic collection hidden inside an abandoned English mill. From the outside, this building appears to be just another old industrial structure, similar to many others found in rural towns across northern England. The mill closed down sometime in the 1980s and was subsequently stripped of almost all its machinery from this former life. Over the decades it has been used as storage, gradually being filled with items both treasure and trash.

Exploring the treasures Inside this abandoned British mill

When I explored this location a few years ago, it felt like wandering through some sort of museum. Completely uncurated, the collection represents a slow-growing archive of antiques, cars, bric-a-brac, and forgotten miniature projects. I wander through this immense collection, that is spread across three floors and several connected buildings. Some areas are piled high while others are more neatly arranged.

Most of the mill collections were a little too chaotic for my photography tastes. Although I thoroughly enjoyed wandering the entire site, my photographs are mainly from two areas of the mill: the ground floor car collection and the miniature/diorama room found on one of the upper floors.

A treasure trove of Classic cars from 1920s – 1980s

Unsurprisingly, the ground floor houses the car collection. The bulk of the collection lies in a large single-storey building with a sawtooth roof (or a north-light roof to us Brits). The collection spans a fascinating chronological picture of decay, which spans the entire length of this large room. In the far corner lie 1930s old-timers, rusted and rotting and surrounded by moss and ferns. In an adjacent room are a couple of 1960s cars in similar condition. Returning to the main room, the next block consists of closely packed cars, mostly from the 1980s, with their prominent angular body lines. The final area contains three cars that were clearly undergoing work more recently and are clearly the most valuable models in the collection.

From Citroëns, to Jaguars

The oldest cars in the mossy fern corner are three 1920s/1930s Citroëns. The first, a pick-up style body with no trace of original paint colour, is totally rust-covered. It appears to be a Citroën B14 or B15; manufacturers produced both between 1926 and 1928. Next to this are two similar pick-up-style Citroëns sitting next to each other, this time with yellow and blue paint jobs. The yellow model looks a little different; perhaps this is the later Citroën AC4 from 1928-1932.

A 1959-1962 Ford 500E Popular stands in the middle of the adjacent room. Nearby, the nose of a curious looking car peers out at me. The vehicle is a 1950s Panhard Dyna. Curiously, only the car’s front is present; someone appears to have cut away the rear portion. A large piece of curved metal, perhaps the roof, sits next to it.

The more recent cars, mostly 1970s/1980s judging by the styling, sit packed close together, making them awkward to shoot. One that caught my eye is an Oldsmobile Delta 88, one of the few American cars in the building. Produced over multiple generations from 1949 onwards, this specific model is an eighth-generation (1977–1985) variation.

Lastly, there is a 1976-1986 Mercedes 200 W123, which appears to be in great condition! Next, there is a pair of stunning Jaguars, a black 1959–1967 Jaguar Mark 2 and a red 1961–1974 Jaguar E-Type. The Mark 2 has the hood removed, exposing the engine. The E-type is up on blocks, frozen mid-tyre change.

A collection of detailed dioramas and miniature worlds

The upper floor of the mill holds another surprise, shifting perspective and scale. Some large tables hold several large dioramas of varying themes.

The largest features a colourful amusement park, complete with fairground rides. There’s a swing ride, a helter-skelter, carousels, rollercoasters, and a collapsed Ferris wheel. One area has an Egyptian theme. The adjacent table diorama is a battle scene. Waves of foot soldiers and cavalry, with flags flying, are portrayed mid-advance on the battlefield.

A nearby table features a delightful British village scene. A row of terraced houses look out over cobbled streets, and tiny people are captured going about their daily business. Tram lines cut across the cobbles, complete with a yellow and a red tram. Some little details I love are tiny posters lining the red brick wall in front of the houses and the repair shop sign painted on the cable of the end house.