Ian Fleming

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

It sails the seas and flies through the air: it can only be Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, “our fine four-fendered friend”. Ian Fleming’s “fantasmagorical” creation was based on two original Chittys built in 1920 by Count Zborowski at Higham Park (privately owned) near Canterbury. Both the original Chittys won races at the famous Brooklands racing track in the early 1920s (Brooklands Museum open every day). The 1968 film version was partly filmed in Buckinghamshire, and famous Buckinghamshire resident Roald Dahl co-scripted the screen adaptation. On a steep hill outside Turville you can see Ibstone Windmill (privately owned) which was used at the home of eccentric Caractacus Potts, while in the village you can sit on the bridge where the spies try to blow Chitty up. In nearby Russell’s Water, Oxfordshire, is the duck pond that Truly Scrumptious is seemingly incapable of avoiding.

Head north to Cumbria and you’ll uncover not one but two of the cars used in the film (six were made). Cars of the Stars (open Easter–December) in Keswick has the “hovercraft” car which was lighter than the others, and the main road car in near original condition. It can be hired – but you might consider the price just too fantasmagorical! The magical musical version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (and yes, the car really does fly) is on the road at the moment, touring from Liverpool to Bristol and Southampton – you’ll love it. Truly fabulous.