The 39th annual Gloucestershire Steam and Vintage Extravaganza made a welcome return to South Cerney Airfield this summer, offering three days of exhibits and entertainment, displays and demonstrations, stalls and much, much more.
It took place from Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th August 2013, more than 15,000 enthusiasts and families were expected at this year’s extravaganza, which is regarded as one of the biggest and best steam, vintage and countryside events in the UK.
The steam section was the heart of the show and was be packed with more than 100 full-sized engines, including some that have never been displayed in the country before, while the vintage section featured an array of buses, tractors, military vehicles, static aircrafts, classic cars for us to feast our eyes upon – it was also a chance for visitors to learn the rare and remarkable stories of some of their restorations and histories too.
Highlights of the exhibitions included a 1904 CGV Talbot, one of only two left in existence; a rare 1970 Mini 9x Prototype designed by Alec Issigonis; a 1933 Stanford 9; a record-breaking Jensen 541 Prototype, chassis number 1; a restored 1929 Cadillac; and an iconic Bedford OB bus.
Alongside the hundreds of vintage vehicles were steam-driven vintage and modern fun fairs, complete with dodgems, a big wheel, waltzers and a ghost train; ‘electric yachts’; steam-driven ‘gallopers’; and face painting; plus the return of the Ken Fox Wall of Death, which wowed the crowds with tricks, acrobatics and high-speed chases on 1920s Indian motorcycles.
There was also an Animal and Countryside area which played home to a diverse range of animals, from Shire horses to ferrets, but also drew families in with horse logging, falconry, and Paws for Thought dog displays.
