Were you in the Nailsworth Boy Club between1959-1978?

August 4, 5 and 6, 2017

South Cerney Airfield, Cirencester

Were you in the Nailsworth Boy Club between1959-1978?

Do you remember trips on the Bus?

Take a trip down memory lane and visit the bus after 21 years of refurbishment at the South West’s largest Festival of transport.

August 4, 5 and 6, 2017 will see the Stroud Vintage Transport & Engine Club (SVTEC) stage their Annual Show at South Cerney Airfield in Cirencester, Gloucestershire.

The show is widely regarded as one of the biggest and best Steam, Vintage and Countryside events in the UK and attracts thousands of exhibitors and visitors from across the county actively raising thousands of pounds for both national and regional charities each year.

We are delighted to announce that after a staggering 21 years of restoration the AHU803 bus formally used by the Nailsworth Boys Brigade will be reunited with its former passengers to take them on a trip down memory lane.

We are keen to reunite any former members of Nailsworth Boys Club or indeed anyone that either drove or maintained this bus during its history at the forthcoming Gloucestershire Vintage and Country Extravaganza on Sunday, August 6.

For further details, or to register please contact John Hitchings jhitchingsbus@blueyonder.co.uk

The bus was originally a Bristol J type built by the Bristol Tramways & Carriage Company in 1934 for their own use as a 26 seater luxury coach.

As luxury coaches weren't needed during World War II, it was demoted to bus work.

It spent much of its service life based in Weston Super Mare until being withdrawn in 1958.

In 1959 dealer FJ Miller of Whitchurch sold it to Nailsworth Boys Club to use as a mobile caravan.

The bus became well known in the Stroud Valleys conveying members of the boys club on outings and could often be seen transporting canoes.

The club used the bus until June 1978 when it was sold to the Bristol Vintage Bus Group who then spent the next 21 years painstakingly restoring it back to 1947 condition.

It is likely to be the oldest bus at the show this year.

We are very proud to welcome back a huge array of Bedford OB buses.

Possibly the bus with the least distance to travel is an iconic Bedford OB from Cirencester.

The wonderful example was registered in 1951 by Paul’s Tours of Ryde, Isle of Wight but sold to Alexcars, Cirencester in 1959 where it stayed for three years before being sold back to another operator in the Isle of Wight.

It passed to a convent in London before being sold to a scrapyard in Thame, Oxon.

The vehicle was rediscovered in 1993, by the owner of Alexcars who was looking for a Bedford OB to restore and happened to visit the scrapyard to find the same vehicle owned by the business 30 years earlier.

The coach was returned to its home in Cirencester where it was rebuilt and returned to service in 2009 and continues to be actively used and can be seen many a weekend transporting people to and from events.

John Hitchings, section leader said ‘due to popular demand, we will have two open top vintage double-decker buses providing free passenger rides around the showground on all three days.

There will also be a free bus link to and from the show from Kemble Railway Station and South Cerney Village too’.

Other Show Highlights Include:

• Vintage displays of nearly 700 classic cars from pre and post war, including over 70 Classic American, plus 230 Motorbikes, scooters, 70 bicycles from 1903 - 1980, 30 miniature steam engines, 90 stationary engines, 70 full size steam engines, model engineering, 200 Tractors, over 80 Buses and Coaches, 120 Military Vehicles, 240 Emergency and Commercial Vehicles, 60 Industrial Trucks, 30 vintage Caravans and a large model Aircraft flying display.

• Live Arena with non-stop demonstrations from steam to dancing tractors and much much more. Plus the opportunity to drive a steam engine and see the spectacular Showman’s Engines.

• Vintage Fun fair with the popular Fairground Organs, 'electric yachts', waltzers, big wheel, Punch and Judy Shows, steam-driven 'gallopers' and traditional penny arcade games, plus a ride on a model stream train, or ‘Chuffy the train’, and traditional games.

• Countryside Arena featuring a dog show (yes please come and enter your fury four-legged friend!), ferret racing, rare breeds, animal conservation, alpaca’s, shire horses, horse logging, sheep shearing, falconry displays to sheep dancing and reptiles!

• Massive Trade stand area with over 100 trade stalls, models tents, craft marques and specialist displays of memorabilia from a bygone era.

• The showground site is sprawling, with plenty of food and drink ‘pit stops’, a firm favourite is the vintage tea room with regular music and 1940s inspired Lindy Hop dancing (both days). 2017 will see the first visit of the songstress Betsy Harmony, performing a delightful selection of 1940s songs from Andrew Sisters to Vera Lynn, to a right old ‘knees up’ singalong plus regular sets by the ‘Steamed Up Brass’

• Battle of Britain memorial Dakota fly-past on Saturday and Sunday (weather dependent). Plus Jump4Heroes parachute display team will descend into the arena on all three days of the event. Jump4Heroes is The Royal British Legion Extreme Human Flight Team, made up of serving and former members of the Army, to support and raise awareness of the Armed Forces charities.

• free vintage bus rides around the showground on all three days

Chairman of the Stroud Vintage Transport and Engine Club (S.V.T.E.C) Martyn Slater, said: ‘Our goal has always been to give the best value for money family day out in Gloucestershire, with something for all of the family to enjoy. The show has evolved allot over the past 40 years, but the mission remains the same - to inform, educate, entertain and celebrate our unique transport history and the preservation of historical vehicles. We actively encourage interaction between exhibitors and visitors, and have a nifty on-site Wi-Fi to enable visitors to find out more history and information about specific vehicles displayed. The dedicated Wi-Fi code can be obtained from the show program, and available for use on phones, tablets and laptops’.

The Extravaganza is organised by the Stroud Vintage Transport and Engine Club. This non-profit making organisation raises money for national and local charities and up to 30 will be represented on site raising money and awareness of their respective causes. The rally is one of the largest events of its kind run entirely by volunteers. All section leaders strive to bring something different to this year’s event. With so much to see and do, one day just isn’t long enough.

For further information or to purchase advance tickets please visit: glosvintageextravaganza.co.uk