The Museum acquired its first battery-electric road vehicle in 1986. Since then an important collection of these vehicles has been established with a sustained restoration programme.

Our unique collection of these humble vehicles contains many reminders of a way of life that is rapidly disappearing. The dairyman delivering door to door every day is still found in most areas, although declining in numbers. Once upon a time the bakeries carried out similar rounds, also using battery-electric vehicles which were ideal for such stop-start work, not using any fuel during the very frequent stops. Birmingham Co-operative Society was locally very important in this field, also using battery-electric vehicles on laundry rounds, all their customers receiving a dividend on everything they bought from the Co-op, to spend later. Another very important regional dairy was Midland Counties Dairy with many depots. Our battery-electric collection portrays a number of dairies now lost to the conglomerates.