James Brindley with the only Asian exhibit at his museum - a 36-year-old Komatsu FB10R-1 reach truck.

The Derbyshire, UK-based Fork Truck Heritage Centre is appealing for investors to contribute to the forklift museum's expansion as offers of exhibits outstrip available space.

"Interest has been ... worldwide, with some personal visits from as far away as Australia. Such has been the positive response to the centre that plans for an expansion are ready for submission," says the museum's founder and owner, James Brindley.

The eight-year-old museum has received over 25,000 visitors over the years, although Brindley says the number is hard to quantify as visitors to the adjacent Midland Railway Centre can visit the museum (Forkliftaction.com News #281).

In 2007, Forkliftaction.com News reported plans for a GBP80,000 (USD121,192) investment to double the museum's exhibition space and to add a mezzanine floor for a library and archive (Forkliftaction.com News #325).

Brindley says due to investment not reaching the planned target, the size of the museum and its format were reorganised. "The main museum floor area is now 5,000 sqft. (465 sqm), with a planned extension of 2,500 sqft (232 sqm)."

A conference centre is in the pipeline if the museum, which houses the world's oldest surviving forklift, a 1926 Yale, receives adequate funding.

"On the exhibits front, there have been quite a few occasions recently where I have had to turn down ... offers of equipment through lack of space. This action goes against my original aims, but exhibits do need to be viewed in comfort and not in a jumble.

"The plans for expansion will go some way to address this. Funds are in place for the main structure and an appeal for financial contributions for the funding of the conference centre is imminent," Brindley explains.

The centre currently houses 75 exhibits, five of which are awaiting refurbishment. About GBP5,000 (USD7,574) is spent each year on preparing the trucks for exhibition, with additional expenses for maintaining and cleaning the museum and its exhibits.