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Brooklands returns to your screens as super-successful Secrets of the Transport Museum gears up for second series

26th January 2022

Brooklands Museum will return to the nation’s screens on Tuesday 1st February as the hugely popular Secrets of the Transport Museum returns to UKTV’s Yesterday channel for a second series.

The first ten‐episode series, produced by Middlechild Productions for UKTV and filmed at the iconic motorsport and aviation venue in Surrey, brought to life the stories of pioneers both past and present that continue to make Brooklands a mecca for so many.

Series one launch strongly for the channel in March 2020, opening with a consolidated audience of 558,000 (2.6%).

Alex Patterson with the Halford Special at Brooklands Museum. Episode 1. Credit: Edward Beadel of Astracolour Ltd

The spirit of Brooklands has always been fueled by entrepreneurship, giving rise to a huge variety of businesses over the years. Among the fascinating stories captured in this second series, viewers will get an insight into the dynamic world of Brooklands in the 1920s as Mark Wardill recreates the motorbike that his great‐grandfather hoped would revolutionise the industry, only to watch it crash in front of two American investors on a rainy day in 1The spirit of Brooklands has always been fueled by entrepreneurship, giving rise to a huge variety of businesses over the years. Among the fascinating stories captured in this second series, viewers will get an insight into the dynamic world of Brooklands in the 1920s as Mark Wardill recreates the motorbike that his great‐grandfather hoped would revolutionise the industry, only to watch it crash in front of two American investors on a rainy day in 1927.

Fred Wade and Bill Whiteley with the Empire Star Bike. Episode 1. Credit:Edward Beadel of Astracolour Ltd

The early years of aviation saw Brooklands take its place as the spiritual and physical home of those magnificent men and women and their flying machines; however, one of the most spectacular aviation challenges took place 30 years after the Track had closed for good, and the site had become a dedicated aircraft factory.

In 1969, Tom Lecky‐Thompson was the winner of the Daily Mail Transatlantic Air Race, making use of a Royal Air Force Harrier Jump Jet to travel from London to New York in just six hours and twelve minutes. In episode two we see Tom reunited with the Harrier he flew at Brooklands Museum and relive this breathtaking experience that is hard to imagine today.

Brooklands has been the home of innumerable innovations over its 114‐year history, epitomised by the two outright lap record holders, the Napier‐Railton on four wheels and Brough Superior on two. In episode five we marvel at these feats of engineering as, for the first time, these two Titans square off against each other.

RAF Pilot and 1969 Daily Mail Race winner, Tom Lecky-Thompson takes his seat once again in his Harrier XV 741. Episode 2. Credit: Brooklands Museum