A piece of 'reel' history: last remaining mobile cinema

Say hello to Audrey. She may look like a campervan on steroids, but in fact she is the sole survivor of a Ministry of Technology initiative in the 1960s to promote 'modern' production techniques to British industry.

Seven Bedfords were customised into mobile cinemas on wheels to tour the nation's factories showing films on a screen, accompanied by exhibitions in a trailer, all operated by PERA, the Production Engineering Research Association. Visitors will be able to take a tour of this piece of history as part of Heritage Open Days, on Sunday 13 September when Audrey will be on display in King's Lynn, Norfolk.

Our vintage mobile cinema

Our rescued and restored 1967 mobile cinema is the last working example of its type.

The cinemas were bought for £1m, a significant amount in 1967, by the Ministry of Technology, then headed by Tony Benn.

The Government sold off the mobile cinemas in 1974, and it's thought that Audrey is the last survivor of the seven. The vehicle has had a variety of owners since then; first bought to accompany the re-patriated Flying Scotsman steam locomotive, then donated to the Transport Trust, who owned it for a further 15 years before selling it on to Peter Rawlings of Essex in November 1990.

Despite best intentions the unit then didn’t see the road again until October 2003 when it was rescued from a field by Rob Howell and Nancy-Rose Mills, minus the 4 speed Turner gearbox, and gearstick, both stolen from it. The Bedford 300 petrol engine had also seized in this time, meaning the only way to recover it to its new home in Somerset was by means of HGV low load.

And if you think Audrey looks familiar, it's because the Bedford chassis used cabs supplied by Plaxtons, whose coaches were a familiar sight in the 70s. The remote control projection equipment was placed in the steel framed, perspex-glazed dome above the cab.

Hundreds of buildings that are normally closed to the public open their doors from 10-13 September for Heritage Open Days, which aims to help local communities discover the hidden history on their doorstep.

While more familiar buildings like cinemas, theatres, pubs and hotels reveal hidden areas; civic and council organisations put on talks, tours, vintage fairs and family activities.

This year, there's a record-breaking 4,800 events taking place around England, all of them free. Last year three million visitors took part.

Find a free event near you by visitng Heritage Open Days, a Get Creative Champion.

In March 2005, Rob and Nancy had realised the scale of the project to restore the mobile cinema was too great for a young family and so sold it to Oliver Halls, of Devon who, over a period of years, slowy - and lovingly - restored the vehicle.

After the second HGV low load, this time to Devon from Somerset, the unit was moved yet again to Southampton in January 2007, where it was intended for the work to be completed. Sadly the work never happened and Malcolm returned the vehicle in May 2009 to its original workshop in Devon. The vehicle was then re-fitted with a Bedford 330 diesel engine, 5 speed Turner box and restored brakes, and re-emerged in 2010 ready for service once more.

Audrey is now owned by Ben Moorhouse and lives at Bicester Heritage, alongside many other vintage vehicles and surrounded by craftsmen and lovers of all things historic.

Up to 22 people at a time will be able to tour this piece of history as it is stationed in King's Lynn on Sunday 13 September for the Heritage Open Days weekend.