As Mark Oliver opens the roller door and invites FlyPast into the hall that houses his family's private collection, it's hard not to take an audible intake of breath. There are two large rooms at the Olivers' premises in Knutsford, Cheshire, each full of astonishing aeronautical and automotive splendours - the fruits of a genuine passion for engineering and heritage. Mark and his father Michael run the successful Oliver Valves on Knutsford's Parkgate Industrial Estate, but when not concentrating on the business they've focused their efforts on preserving and restoring vehicles, engines and aircraft. They've also collected a remarkable cache of memorabilia, ranging from a menu signed by the Dambusters to German and British military uniforms. Perhaps the most famous non-aviation item in the collection is a 1912-built steam traction engine formerly owned by the late Fred Dibnah.
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