Bill Richardson Transport World
{{Short description|Transport museum in Invercargill, New Zealand}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox museum
| name = Bill Richardson Transport World
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| logo = Logo_of_Bill_Richardson_Transport_World.png
| logo_upright =
| logo_alt =
| logo_caption =
| image = Invercargill - 27176073404.jpg
| image_upright =
| caption = Viewed from corner of Tay and Inglewood St
| alt =
| former_name =
| established = {{start date and age|2015|11}}
| dissolved =
| location = 491 Tay Street
Invercargill
New Zealand
| coordinates = {{coord|-46.40955|168.380442|display=inline}}
| type = Transport museum
| key_holdings =
| collections = Vehicles, machinery, petrol pumps, transport memorabilia, wearable art, social history
| collection_size = Over 300 vehicles
| visitors =
| founder = Jocelyn O'Donnell
| owner = Transport World
| parking =
| website = {{URL|transportworld.co.nz}}
| network =
| embedded =
}}
Bill Richardson Transport World is a transport museum in Invercargill in Southland, New Zealand. The museum is a {{convert|15,000|sqm}} complex of vehicles and transport-related objects.{{Cite news |last=Leonov |first=Tatyana |date=6 October 2019 |title=Driving passion in Invercargill |work=The Canberra Times |page=43 |id={{ProQuest|2300968557}}}} A highlight of the display is a rare 1940 Dodge Airflow truck.{{Cite news |date=7 December 2024 |title=Fits the Bill |work=The New Zealand Herald |page=F.8 |id={{ProQuest|3141428737}}}} Bill Richardson Transport World also displays wearable arts and social history objects. It also has a construction zone for children, a library with a focus on transport and manuals, and an events and conference centre. The facility includes a restaurant, The Grille Café. The museum is operated as a tourism venture by Transport World, an Invercargill-based business.
History
Bill Richardson, a Southland businessman, had a transport company called Southern Transport as his first business. Under his guidance, it grew into the HWR Group. When he bought trucks for the business, he had to concede that sometimes he, in his words, "bought a truck more with our hearts than with our heads." Transport World's collection began in 1967 when Bill Richardson began collecting old trucks, which by the time of his death in 2005 had grown to 150 vehicles including both trucks and farm vehicles.{{cite book | last1=Richardson | first1=Bill | editor=Clive Lind| title=Wheels & Deals | year= 1999 | publisher= Craig Printing Co, Ltd | location= Invercargill | isbn=047306278X}} He also collected petrol pumps and other transport-related memorabilia, such as signs and toy models.
Richardson's daughter Jocelyn and her husband Scott O'Donnell decided to open up the collection to the public. Building consent was granted in December 2014 for a {{Convert|5333|m2|abbr=on}} building on the Tay Street site to house the collection. The design featured art deco styling, to fit in with other buildings in the area.{{Cite news |date=4 December 2014 |title=This Morning; Transport museum OK |work=The Southland Times |page=1 |id={{ProQuest|1629663142}}}} A new extension was built and in November 2015 Bill Richardson Transport World was opened.{{Cite news |last=Woolf |first=Amber-Leigh |date=17 November 2015 |title=80 new jobs created in major new businesses |work=The Southland Times |page=1 |id={{ProQuest|1733218290}}}}{{Cite news |date=26 November 2015 |title=Inside Bill Richardson Transport World |work=The Southland Times |page=3 |id={{ProQuest|1735993290}}}}
Collections
Bill and his family collected many rare and unusual vehicles, along with popular classic vehicles. The collection spans from a 1904 Ford Ac car to a 2016 Dub Box caravan.
Collections focus on:
- American pre and post-war trucks
- British post-war trucks
- Kombi vans{{Cite news |date=1 November 2023 |title=Day 3 Invercargill to Queenstown |work=The New Zealand Herald |page=A.16 |id={{ProQuest|2884199495}}}}
- Pre-Model T Ford cars
- Ford V8 cars
- Classic and modern race cars
- HWR company trucks
- Agricultural tractors and machinery
=Vehicle highlights=
File:1940 Dodge RX70 Airflow Texaco Tanker.jpg
Most of the vehicles in Bill Richardson Transport World are rare, unusual or significant. Highlights include:
- A 1940 Dodge RX70 Airflow truck: {{cite web |last=Lyons |first=Dan |date=11 March 2013 |title=Rear View Mirror: Dodge Airflow Tanker |url=http://blog.timesunion.com/classiccars/rear-view-mirror-dodge-airflow-tanker/1370/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130316075639/http://blog.timesunion.com:80/classiccars/rear-view-mirror-dodge-airflow-tanker/1370/ |archive-date=16 March 2013 |accessdate=25 May 2017 |publisher=timesunion}} This is one of only several hundred made{{cite book | editor=Clive Lind| title=Trucks: A vintage collection | year= 2006 | publisher= Craig Printing Co, Ltd | location= Invercargill | isbn=0908629672}}{{cite web |url=https://www.hemmings.com/blog/?p=46801 | title=SIA Flashback – 1939 Dodge Airflow Truck: Streamlining Goes Heavy-Duty | last=Strohl | first=Daniel | date=25 September 2011 | publisher= Hemmings Blog | accessdate=25 May 2017}} and one of only three known to be restored in the world.
- 1914 Stewart 1 ton truck: This truck was built by the Stewart Iron Works of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA who made trucks from 1912 to 1916. This is the only truck of this make believed to exist.{{cite book |title=Trucks: A vintage collection |publisher=Craig Printing Co, Ltd |year=2006 |isbn=0908629672 |editor=Clive Lind |location=Invercargill}}
- 1932 Mack BG: the first truck to use the Mack Bulldog mascot. 2904 units of this model were made.{{cite book |title=Trucks: A vintage collection |publisher=Craig Printing Co, Ltd |year=2006 |isbn=0908629672 |editor=Clive Lind |location=Invercargill}}
- 1907 Ford Model K car
- 1924 Gotfredson 20B truck
- 1936 Maple Leaf HY: Unusual make, a Chevrolet made in Canada with a Maple Leaf badge on it.
- 1962 Kenworth Log Skidder
- 1974 Begg 018 Formula 5000{{cite web |author=Transport World |date=18 May 2017 |title=George Begg race car zooms in |url=https://www.transportworld.co.nz/general/latest-news/#show/george-begg-race-car-zooms-in/19 |accessdate=25 May 2017 |publisher=Transport World}}
=Exhibitions=
The following exhibitions are on display at Bill Richardson Transport World:
- Pork Pie Corner: an exhibit displaying extra footage from the 2017 Pork Pie movie and real movie props, including the 2016 Mini Cooper S used during filming in Invercargill.{{cite web |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/89007623/pork-pie-stars-wrap-tour-and-unveil-movie-exhibition-at-transport-world | title=Pork Pie stars wrap tour and unveil movie exhibition at Transport World | last=Nicholl | first=Dave | date=2 February 2017 | publisher= Southland Times | accessdate=23 March 2017}}
- Richardson Family story: It tells the story of the Richardson family from when they first came to New Zealand several generations ago to the present day. It also tells the story of life in early New Zealand and Southland business.
- Ford exhibition: exhibit about the Ford Motor Company and Henry Ford.
- Mobil exhibition: tells the story of Mobil's history, from its beginnings as Standard Oil to its present structure as ExxonMobil. This is included in Transport World because HWR is the New Zealand distributor for Mobil.
- Wearable Art: gallery showcasing wearable art pieces from FibreOctave, an Invercargill event.
- A collection of around 1,500 McDonald’s Happy Meal toys{{Cite web |last=Girao |first=Luisa |date=13 July 2021 |title=New toys for transport museum |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/southland/new-toys-transport-museum |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=Otago Daily Times |language=en-NZ}}
=Interactive elements=
Bill Richardson Transport World has several interactive elements to its attraction:{{Cite web |date=8 August 2024 |title=Be ready, at the Bill Richardson Transport World |url=https://www.drivencarguide.co.nz/news/we-toured-bill-richardson-transport-world-so-should-you/ |access-date=14 January 2025 |website=Driven Car Guide |language=en-nz}}
- Construction Zone: children's room full of Lego and tablets with educational games.
- Pork Pie Police car: a real decommissioned police car used during the filming of Pork Pie. One of the only decommissioned police cars with accessories still attached.
- Replica Goodbye Pork Pie 1978 British Leyland Mini 1000 car: has been reconstructed as it appeared at the end of the movie, with many parts missing.
- Jail Scene: 1925 Ford TT Replica Paddy Wagon and mock jail set with dress ups for children. People can access the back to recreate what it was like for a prisoner.
- Majestic Theatre: a replica of Invercargill's Majestic Theatre that plays old movies.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons}}
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6Rw6rhvXeY&t=11s Bill Richardson's Transport World - Invercargill NZ - Classic Restos Series 33] at YouTube
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsDMdTE4dK0 The Largest Vintage Vehicle Museum | Bill Richardson Transport World | Invercargil , New Zealand] at YouTube
{{Invercargill|state=collapsed}}
Category:Transport museums in New Zealand
Category:Buildings and structures in Invercargill