Johannesburg - Finding forgotten Mandela notes in a pair of jeans, right when the month feels like it has been dragging on for too long, is always guaranteed to put a kick in your step.
Equivalent to finding some lost treasure is a visit to the James Hall Transport Museum which aims to get enthusiasts and visitors a bit wide-eyed at all the museum’s large and varied automobile collection.
With more than a century’s worth of automotive history, the James Hall Transport Museum, just a short drive outside Johannesburg’s CBD at Pioneers’ Park, Rosettenville Road, La Rochelle, is the biggest of its kind in Africa. It has six sections and, like a kid in a candy store, car-lovers can expect sights such as a 1963 Porsche 356 C Coupé, and a black 1959 mayoral Rolls Royce Silver Cloud that just needs a cigar-puffing fat cat with a suit in the rear to complete its look.
A personal favourite to see is the BMW Isetta.This bug-like car with its opening door, was BMW’s first mass-production vehicle.
A 1960 Valiant and its more luxurious Dodge sibling both stand out on the history-laden floor where stories unfold behind a number of cars.
A 1967 Mercedes-Benz, for instance,was donated by the Bamburg sisters after their passing. Interestingly enough,the Benz stood parked in a garage for years after the sisters had purchased it, and has never been driven. The pleasure must have come from owning and not necessarily driving it.
The musuem’s Model T Ford is also an attention-grabber and yes, as per company founder Henry Ford’s decree (“You can have it any colour you want as long as it’s black!”) this one is black.
Four centuries of SA transport history
In another hall, the inception of transport amazes with the evolution that it has undergone. From the first wheel (made of wood), animal-drawn wagons, to carts and finally, self-propelled horseless carriages, the transformation is a wonder to see, especially for the kids who have been taught about transport in South Africa.
Visitors can also see an assortment of South African trams, buses and emergency transport, and are also allowed to explore them inside while role-playing too.
The museum aims to preserve and promote the history of more than 400 years of transport in South Africa, and was established in 1964 by Jimmie Hall.
His son James took over the museum in honour of his father, and together with the Johannesburg City Council provides a collection of memorabilia, rich with South African transport history.
The open-top red double-deckered buses cannot be missed as they drop off tourists and locals.
The museum has no entry fee and relies on the help of the City Council, as well as donations by the public and other external institutions.
Johannesburg is full of interesting hidden gems that are not as hard to find as some extra cash in your pocket. Take a cab, a bus or a car to explore this motoring gem; transport options are plenty.
Find out more on the Museum's website .
Star Motoring