Plans submitted for motor museum

Plans to open a motor museum – featuring 27 cars belonging to Lord Doune – were revealed.

He had applied for planning permission for the reconstruction on his estate near Doune, of property in which his £20,000 collection of vehicles were to be located.

Lord Doune, a motoring enthusiast, bought the first of the cars to be shown in the collection in 1953.

In 1968, he built the one-mile Doune Hill Climb course in the grounds of his estate. Lothian Car Club used it for events including the British Hill Climb Championship.

Buildings at the foot of the climb were to be converted for the museum project and new offices and a tea room were also planned as part of the £10,000 project.

Among cars in the collection of particular interest was the 1924

Hispano-Suiza sports tourer built for Count Louis Zborowski but delivered to his widow when the Count was killed in a racing accident.

Count Zborowski cars were dubbed `chitty, chitty, bang, bang’ and his exploits inspired the children’s book of that name by Ian Fleming, and later the musical featuring Dick Van Dyke.

Lord Doune was the eldest son of the Earl of Moray and was, according to the Observer, born and brought up in the Bechuanaland Protectorate until 1943 when his father succeeded to the Earldom of Moray. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge and lived at Doune Park and Darnaway Castle, Moray. In 1964, he married Lady Malvina Murray and they had two children.

Doune Motor Museum opened in 1970 but closed in 1998 because of falling attendances.