The Cold War Network
As the popularity of post war vehicles increases, the MVT have become part of a important initiative to promote Cold War History:
The Cold War Network emerged from a research project hosted at Leeds Beckett University and has been established to facilitate collaboration and knowledge exchange among individuals and organisations with an interest in the Cold War era and who own, manage or curate a Cold War site or collection or are involved in related research.
What They Do:
What They Do:
- Share Best Practices: Learn from the experts and stay updated on the latest in Cold War studies.
- Connect with Experts: Network with like-minded individuals passionate about the Cold War era.
- Secure Funding: Discover opportunities to fund your Cold War research, exhibitions, and projects.
- Shape the Future: Contribute to discussions on critical Cold War themes and help preserve this important part of history.
- Engage and Educate: Support the recording of oral histories and the preservation of Cold War photo collections.
To access the Cold war network newsletters, please click on the links further down the page.
Our MVT Cold War Network representative is Steve Parker
The Cold War Network is growing!
Many of our members will have lived though the Cold War, myself included, I find this period of history quite fascinating as much of the history was kept secret and is now only being released, so we are in a unique position to explore these details as they still relevant in today’s world.
At the last count there are over 375 members of the network; any interested person can join if they have a relevant vehicle or are an ex services personnel. The two people that created the Cold War Network Dr Peter Robinson and Dr Milka Ivanova have published a book called "Britain’s Cold War Heritage." They both work at Leeds Beckett University. They have students working on hospitality and marketing using the Cold War as a theme for their studies. They hold webinars, (usually during midweek daytime) I am trying to change this to evenings to get a wider audience.
This May saw their first Cold War Heritage week. This year 14 Cold War sites hosted events, hopefully more will join in next year.
See https://coldwarnetwork.co.uk/cwn-heritage-week-debut/
We hope to have more MVT members with vehicles there to support their events, these include presentations about the site and much more on the Cold War.
Steve Parker
MVT Cold War Network
Many of our members will have lived though the Cold War, myself included, I find this period of history quite fascinating as much of the history was kept secret and is now only being released, so we are in a unique position to explore these details as they still relevant in today’s world.
At the last count there are over 375 members of the network; any interested person can join if they have a relevant vehicle or are an ex services personnel. The two people that created the Cold War Network Dr Peter Robinson and Dr Milka Ivanova have published a book called "Britain’s Cold War Heritage." They both work at Leeds Beckett University. They have students working on hospitality and marketing using the Cold War as a theme for their studies. They hold webinars, (usually during midweek daytime) I am trying to change this to evenings to get a wider audience.
This May saw their first Cold War Heritage week. This year 14 Cold War sites hosted events, hopefully more will join in next year.
See https://coldwarnetwork.co.uk/cwn-heritage-week-debut/
We hope to have more MVT members with vehicles there to support their events, these include presentations about the site and much more on the Cold War.
Steve Parker
MVT Cold War Network
CWN News and Updates
Click on the image to download
the newsletters in pdf format
the newsletters in pdf format
LATEST NEWSLETTER
PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS AND PRESS RELEASES
National Cold War Heritage Week 2026
The National Cold War Heritage Week 2026 launches at the Yorkshire Air Museum with nationwide programme & development of new resources
The UK's Cold War heritage community came together at the Yorkshire Air Museum for the official launch of National Cold War Heritage Week 2026, organised by The Cold War Network, marking the start of a nationwide programme running from 18 - 24 May 2026.
The launch event brought together representatives from museums, archives, universities, volunteer‑run sites and independent researchers from across the country. The event also featured a live, immersive presentation by guest speaker Iain Betson on the Wartime Broadcasting Service, offering attendees a rare and compelling insight into Britain's emergency communications during the Cold War.
National Cold War Heritage Week 2026 features a broad range of free and paid activities from sites including Scotland's Secret Bunker, Kelvedon Hatch, Hack Green, The Tank Museum, RAF Radar Museum, Orford Ness, Barnton Quarry, and dozens more. An interactive map and full listings are available on The Cold War Network website.
The programme aims to broaden public understanding of the Cold War's impact on communities, infrastructure and culture, while supporting the organisations working to preserve this history.
Dr Peter Robinson, Chair of The Cold War Network, said:
"The launch event at the Yorkshire Air Museum demonstrated the strength, diversity and ambition of the UK's Cold War heritage community. National Cold War Heritage Week is now firmly established as a national programme, bringing together organisations of all sizes to share stories, research and public engagement. This year's schedule shows just how much momentum there is behind telling this history in new and accessible ways."
During the launch, The Cold War Network also highlighted progress on two major sector resources funded by The National Lottery Community Fund's 'Awards for All' scheme. These toolkits are being co‑created with member organisations to support long‑term capacity building across the heritage sector.
The Education Toolkit will help sites deliver curriculum‑linked sessions for GCSE and A‑Level Cold War studies, as well as local history learning for younger audiences. The Engagement Toolkit will support volunteer recruitment, event planning, interpretation, community engagement and organisational sustainability. Both will be accompanied by training webinars later in the year.
Ryan John Ellis, Vice Chair of The Cold War Network, said:
"Alongside the public programme, we are investing in the long‑term resilience of the sector. The National Lottery Community Fund–supported toolkits are being developed collaboratively with our members to ensure they meet real needs and strengthen capacity across the UK. National Cold War Heritage Week is about public engagement, but it is also about supporting the organisations who keep this history alive, and this year marks a significant step forward."
The UK's Cold War heritage community came together at the Yorkshire Air Museum for the official launch of National Cold War Heritage Week 2026, organised by The Cold War Network, marking the start of a nationwide programme running from 18 - 24 May 2026.
The launch event brought together representatives from museums, archives, universities, volunteer‑run sites and independent researchers from across the country. The event also featured a live, immersive presentation by guest speaker Iain Betson on the Wartime Broadcasting Service, offering attendees a rare and compelling insight into Britain's emergency communications during the Cold War.
National Cold War Heritage Week 2026 features a broad range of free and paid activities from sites including Scotland's Secret Bunker, Kelvedon Hatch, Hack Green, The Tank Museum, RAF Radar Museum, Orford Ness, Barnton Quarry, and dozens more. An interactive map and full listings are available on The Cold War Network website.
The programme aims to broaden public understanding of the Cold War's impact on communities, infrastructure and culture, while supporting the organisations working to preserve this history.
Dr Peter Robinson, Chair of The Cold War Network, said:
"The launch event at the Yorkshire Air Museum demonstrated the strength, diversity and ambition of the UK's Cold War heritage community. National Cold War Heritage Week is now firmly established as a national programme, bringing together organisations of all sizes to share stories, research and public engagement. This year's schedule shows just how much momentum there is behind telling this history in new and accessible ways."
During the launch, The Cold War Network also highlighted progress on two major sector resources funded by The National Lottery Community Fund's 'Awards for All' scheme. These toolkits are being co‑created with member organisations to support long‑term capacity building across the heritage sector.
The Education Toolkit will help sites deliver curriculum‑linked sessions for GCSE and A‑Level Cold War studies, as well as local history learning for younger audiences. The Engagement Toolkit will support volunteer recruitment, event planning, interpretation, community engagement and organisational sustainability. Both will be accompanied by training webinars later in the year.
Ryan John Ellis, Vice Chair of The Cold War Network, said:
"Alongside the public programme, we are investing in the long‑term resilience of the sector. The National Lottery Community Fund–supported toolkits are being developed collaboratively with our members to ensure they meet real needs and strengthen capacity across the UK. National Cold War Heritage Week is about public engagement, but it is also about supporting the organisations who keep this history alive, and this year marks a significant step forward."
Thanks to members Steve Parker, Steve Farley and Jim Dixon who are featured in the video
Upper Heyford: Blast doors that are opened when the aircraft engines are fired up
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Upper Heyford: Building with Jet engine deflector
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Upper Heyford: The inside of the Hardened Aircraft Shelters, (HAS)
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BRIXMIS G Wagon and Russian ZIL truck with communication equipment
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Chicksands Military’s Intelligence Museum
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