The 31st annual Cavalcade of Transport & Country Show over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend was confirmed as our choice of the opening rally of the season. As always, there was a superb selection of cars and military, a representative line-up of commercials and steam, and both the buses and tractors saw more numerous entries this year. In addition, trade stands and catering offer so much more choice than is the norm.

The few missing letters in the A-Z (see 2008’s report) are gradually being filled in as awning displays have now become Class Y with the true miscellaneous left in Class Z. We arrived late due to work commitments at the new job, but still found space available in the usual place, albeit at the expense of an earlier arrivee who had apparently been turfed out into the back field. One development this year was to place one’s towing vehicle in-between the caravans in the line to provide a firebreak, very creditable.

The model tent displayed an excellent selection of model fairground, circus, transport, railway, boats and dioramas, many of them scratch-built. Most of the owners of the latter were only too willing to talk and share ideas, which is great for someone like myself who is not particularly creative in modelling, but likes to take an idea from here, another little bit from there, and combine them together to create more interest for a display.

Both the model and craft marquees, and indeed the military displays in their marquee, all had adequate walkways this year to allow free access for disabled people in wheelchairs or mobility scooters. Talking of space, the stationary engine boys (and girls) seemed to have a little extra area this year as well.

Entertainment wise, the vintage fairground was up to the usual standard with Savage’s steam-powered Gallopers, Orton & Spooner Waltzer, the only known working surviving Mojo and the Swinging Gyms. In the main ring, a creditable motocross demonstration, the Duston Pacesetters Dog Display Team and the Midland Bernese Mountain Carters all took turns. Elsewhere, a badly acted (or mimed?) western re-enactment provided amusement.

As mentioned last year, every half-a-dozen stalls were interspersed with a variety of catering units offering a variety of meals including traditional fish and chips, hog roast, burgers and hot dogs, Cornish pasties, doughnuts, chicken tikka, American pancakes, baguettes and waffles, Thai & Chinese cuisine, Bratwurst continental sausages, yams & sweet potatoes, and of course ice-creams. The stalls themselves offer a variety of goods, both new and second-hand, with several different clearance or tat stalls to browse around.

What of news of the vintage vehicles and exhibits? Well, we’ll let the pictures tell you what was there. Suffice to say that according to the RHTS website (see link above), total entries are claimed as being over 50% above 2008 levels, with all classes full to capacity. Book early for 2010.