1,100 models in dioramas
The barn displays miniature lorries, scale-model trucks and curiosities from transport firms and truck brands. The dioramas include now-forgotten names once familiar on the roads: the milk truck that collected churns from farms, the coal merchant and Van Gend & Loos. A donation of more than 150 miniatures brought the total to 1,100 models.
Wim Al’s story
The Al family ran a transport firm in Zaandam, begun in 1920 by Wim’s grandfather with barges. In the 1950s, his father replaced them with trucks. At 18, Wim drove across the country in his first truck, a Bedford; later came Kromhout, Verheul, Magirus and DAF models from the 1960s and 1970s. That family story runs through the museum.
Trading with model builders
Wim exchanged several model trucks with model maker Klaas Wieringh of Valthermond, who has been doing this for more than 45 years. Miniatures on loan from Wigchers of Schoonoord and Nijhof-Wassink of Coevorden are also on display.