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Norfolk
Classic Bus & Coach Show
& Road Run
to be held at
Thursford Steam Museum
Thursford Green, Fakenham, Norfolk
Sunday, 23rd June 2024
11am to 5pm
WELCOME to the home page of the brand new Classic Bus & Coach Rally for Norfolk, which will be held on Sunday, 23rd June 2024 at Thursford, the home of the nationally acclaimed steam and fair organ museum, nestled in the heart of the delightful North Norfolk countryside, between the pleasant historic market towns of Fakenham and Holt.
This event is designed to replace the long lost and much missed rallies which were once held at the Norfolk Showground, Bressingham Steam Museum and Old Buckenham Airfield and will be completely free of charge for vehicle exhibitors and the general public to attend.
If this inaugural event proves popular and successful, it is hoped to make it an eagerly anticipated and much looked forward to annual event in the classic bus & coach enthusiasts calendar!
We are delighted to announce that the proprietors and management of Thursford Steam Museum have very kindly agreed to host this event on their extensive hard standing car park, where there will be ample space for exhibits to be displayed on generous pitches to allow maximum opportunities for photography.
ROAD RUN
The event will feature an optional 16 miles circular road run, which all exhibited vehicles are invited to participate in. The route will pass through the historic market town of Fakenham and along the main A148 road, allowing plenty of opportunities for photographers to capture some excellent mobile shots of the entered vehicles as they pass by at approximately 2 to 3 minute intervals. Road run route sheets will be issued to participating drivers prior to the start of the run at 2pm and hi-viz clad marshalls will be posted at strategic junctions to aid smooth passage.
SALES STANDS
The event warmly welcomes anyone who wishes to set up a classic bus & coach related sales stand, regardless of whether they are entering a vehicle in the show or not, as an added attraction to enhance the overall enjoyment of the event. We are very pleased to announce that we have been offered excellent undercover accommodation for all sales stands at no extra cost to the stallholders. Charges for all sales stands will be just £20 per 6 feet length. Lengths are in multiples of 6 feet (ie. 6, 12, 18 feet etc).
OPENING TIMES FOR EXHIBITORS AND SALES STAND HOLDERS
The gates will be open from 10am for exhibitors and sales stand holders to allow adequate time for vehicles to be sited and for stalls to be set up before the show opens to the public at 11am.
VEHICLE JUDGING & PRESENTATION OF AWARDS
It is intended to hold a short trophy presentation session towards the end of the day, where sponsored cups will be awarded to the best preserved double decker, saloon and coach, with winning exhibits being decided upon by a poll of the vehicle entrants. Exhibitors will have the choice to opt in or out of vehicle judging, but it is hoped that as many as possible will participate.
It is envisaged that there will be six vehicle classes as follows:
A: Preserved double deck buses B: Preserved single deck buses C: Preserved coaches
D: Modern double deck buses E: Modern single deck buses F: Modern coaches
(Please note, the term 'modern' refers to all new vehicles or vehicles still in regular passenger service).
We are confident that this new venture will prove highly popular with classic bus and coach owners, operators, enthusiasts and visitors local to the East Anglia region, whilst also attracting plenty of interest from further afield too!
ENTRY TO THE SHOW AND THE STEAM MUSEUM
All vehicle exhibitors and their passengers and all sales stand holders and their assistants will be issued with special wristbands upon arrival, which will entitle them to half price admission (currently £8 pp) to the nationally famous and highly acclaimed Thursford Steam Museum. This is an ideal opportunity to visit this fine museum containing a large collection of steam traction engines and road rollers, historic fairground rides and a fine collection of fair organs. The highlights of any visit to Thursford are the twice daily 30 minute concerts (12.30pm & 2.00pm) by nationally acclaimed resident organist, Robert Wolfe, presiding over the magnificent console of the museum's very own 'mighty Wurlitzer' cinema organ!
Various cafes and a souvenir and gift shop are also available to museum visitors.
WCs will be available to all without the need to access the museum.
ENTERING YOUR VEHICLE IN THE SHOW
If you would like to enter a vehicle in this inaugural classic bus & coach show, please click here to download an entry form (pdf document).
You can also submit additional details of your vehicle for inclusion in the catalogue by email and also attach a recent .jpg photograph of your vehicle for publishing in an online entry list which will be compiled as the entries are accepted. Click here to view the online entry list.
ENTERING YOUR SALES STAND IN THE SHOW
If you are interested in bringing a classic bus & coach related sales stand to the event, please click here to download a sales stand entry form (pdf document). Sales stands charged at just £20 per 6 feet length.
ROAD DIRECTIONS TO THE SHOW
Thursford Steam Museum is situated approximately 2 miles east of the main A148 King's Lynn - Cromer road.
The postcode reference for sat-navs is NR21 0AS
You can download and print off a fully detailed directions sheet by clicking here.
SHOW POSTER/FLYER
You can download and print off an A4 size show poster/flyer by clicking here.
ONLINE ENTRY LIST
View the vehicle entries as they come in by clicking here
FURTHER INFORMATION
If you require any further information about this event please click here to send a message to a show organiser.
We are very much looking forward to welcoming you and your vehicle(s) to what hopefully, will be a very interesting and enjoyable classic bus & coach show, hosted at an excellent venue set in the heart of the beautiful North Norfolk countryside!
Thank you for your initial interest! We sincerely hope to have the pleasure of your company at our event on Sunday, 23rd June '24.
With very best regards...
Patrick Burnside & Michael Kingston ~ Your event organisers.