1. 1. Despite comments to the contrary there were many times that the sun did shine down on the annual event and this first image illustrates the vast numbers of visitors and some of the entrants on display in front of one of the hangars.

2. As far as the eye can almost see. An excellent line-up of coaches shows how the location leant itself to some interesting displays. Some years it would be a particular vehicle type, others a celebration of companies. The odd tail of plane can also be observed.

3. The Bristol marquee was the celebratory subject one year and a fine set of such vehicles were lined up or posed in groups in and around the main arena area. Here three full fronted models were parked up in the front of one of the domed buildings, from left to right the LS type demonstrator along with a couple of later MW models all with Eastern Coachworks (ECW) bodywork. All were associated with the West Country Bristol Omnibus or the Bristol Greyhound company.

4. Another fine line-up of Bristols on the concrete included SC, MW and RE types. Companies represented here were Crosville, Eastern National, Bristol Omnibus, North Western and Wilts & Dorset.

5. An Eastern National LS type looked rather dated against the younger REs here, but illustrated how ECWs’ design changed from the 1950s to the mid to late 1960s.

6. (3385 – JVW 430) Leaden skies greeted this ECW bodied Bristol K as it arrived one year. Showers had already wetted the ground, which sort of added to the atmosphere here, but despite this the ground was in such good condition, that few if any vehicles encountered a problem on the tarmac or especially on the grassed parking areas. Nothing happened like at Woburn when tractors were needed.

7. (HNP 165S) Looking nothing like it, but this really is a Bristol VR, albeit without a good proportion of bodywork. What happened to the top deck I have no idea, but it turned up to Duxford when in the hands of East Anglian operator Carters.

8. Another fine line-up was these various examples from the Bedford stable. A 1960s full fronted version nearest to the camera contrasts nicely with older bonneted OBs at the far end of the line all of which appeared in immaculate condition.

9. (GAL 967) And talking of immaculate condition, this one in the hands of the Derbyshire based Johnsons of Hodthorpe operator sort of epitomised the OB type. Here with other varying aged types from the same company, the bus sparkled in the September sunshine alongside a Comet aircraft from the former British Overseas Airways Company.

10. A line-up of double-deckers from Leicester Corporation was another of the grouped exhibits and illustrated development by the company of their fleet from the 1950s to the 1970s. Here there were examples of halfcab types from AEC and Leyland and a later more modern Metro-Scania.

11. No reasonable bus event certainly in the south of England, would be complete without a representative or three of the ubiquitous Routemaster built by AEC with Park Royal bodywork. Whilst the majority of such buses were red liveried with London Transport, a certain proportion were delivered to the former ‘green’ country area. Upon the creation of the National Bus Company (NBC), so along came the London Country Bus Services (LCBS) subsidiary into which a number of Routemasters were transferred. Amongst them were some of the longer RML and shorter RMC classed types. Both in NBC livery one sported the bare double-N motif, the other a bolder more colourful version.

12. By 1986 the NBC had been disbanded and Routemasters now found themselves in private hands, the LCBS broken up into four different companies. However, at one stage a small number of the 30-foot long RML type were repainted into a lighter green livery with a yellow cantrail as shown here on RML2323. Alongside is another famous AEC the Regent RT type, of which around 4000 were built with either Cravens, Park Royal, Saunders or Weymann bodywork.

13. (971J – CXX 457) There are few examples of ancillary vehicles present at these events, but one such attendee in September 2008 was this tree-lopper now in the hands of a well known preservationist. Formerly an STL-class bus in the London Transport fleet this AEC was converted, repainted into this green livery and placed into the service vehicle fleet during the 1950s. It is probably the only bus of its type in existence and sports a centre entrance, and the owner’s intention is to restore it to original closed top condition.

14. (AMX 8A) Time to go home. As the afternoon drew to a close vehicles began to drift away from the event. Representing the early 1960s era of coaching was this beautifully restored Harrington bodied AEC Reliance from the north west London based Valliant-Cronshaw company. Complete with white antimacassars topping each comfortable seat, this would have been a comfortable ride to the seaside from the capital’s suburbs.

15. (UAR 593W) One of the last buses to leave the event at 5.35pm from the September 2008 event was this NBC-liveried former Eastern National Bristol VR. Here it wended its way passed one of the hangars towards the exit gate with little else left on the site.

16. (116 – XDH 516G) Heading home at the end of a long day, and no doubt after an early start, was this former Walsall Corporation Daimler CRG6 with Northern Counties bodywork. It was spotted with a fine turn of speed travelling west along the A14 near Fenstanton, a road notorious for its hold-ups, but on this occasion flowing quite freely.

17. (430 – SHL 930S) And finally. You may have been curious as to what was the illustrated heading at the top of each part. Wonder no more. It was one of those odd Van-Hool McArdle double-deckers once operated by the South Yorkshire Transport company in Sheffield back from the 1970s. As its revenue-earning days came to an end number 430 was given a new lease of life as a promotional and exhibition unit within the company and turned up as such at the September 1986 event complete with extending side canopy.