History Features

More than 7000 visitors are expected to attend this year's Gloucestershire Steam & Vintage Extravaganza (widely referred to as the Kemble Show, because of its location). Organisers say it will be the largest ever, with a record entry of over 800 vintage and classic cars.

Originally conceived for steam enthusiasts, the show has grown to include a huge array of motorcycles, military vehicles, classic cars, tractors, aircraft, buses, commercial vehicles, traction engines and historic caravans. It takes place at Kemble airfield, near Cirencester, from Friday 1st August to Sunday 3rd August 2008.

This year's steam section will be the largest ever with more than 60 full-size traction engines, steamrollers, showmans' engines and steam wagons and a special theme for 2008 of the Sentinel Steam Waggon.

The Military section consists of over 100 vehicles of all sizes and ages. Including some unusual ones, like the Swiss made Saurer 6M signal van which was built in 1942, that came in cargo and house van bodies and a very rare 1984 ex RAF Scammell and 1965 Commer TS3 Cargo 1, one of only three built to military specification.

Other highlights will include American classic cars, a 1939 Delage D675 Vita Sport (imported from a Dutch museum), a 1955 Rolls Royce Silver Dawn, a 1926 Morris Cowley, a 1934 Austin 16 Berkeley, Austin 7 Ruby, a 1923 Model T Ford, a 1933 Vauxhall Cadet Coupe (one of only two in existence) and a very rare 1921 Italia Tipo 50B. Plus new to the show a 1954 Ford Zodiac used in BBC TV Drama “Heartbeat” by Nick Berry.

The huge motorcycle display area will contain more than 150 models – the most ever assembled at Kemble. There will be motorcycles from England, Italy, Japan, India and the USA with all the great makers represented – Honda, Yamaha, Harley Davidson, Moto Guzzi, HRD, AGS, James, Triumph, Royal Enfield, Rudge, Norton, Velocette, BSA, Panther, Francis Barnett, Matchless & Greeves.

John Keedwell, director of the Gloucestershire Steam & Vintage Extravaganza, says: "Each year, we make the show bigger and better and for 2008 we've surpassed ourselves. Kemble is definitely the best vehicle show in the south-west."

Advance tickets are available from Local Tourist Information Centres including: Stroud, Cirencester, Chippenham, Swindon, Malmesbury, Gloucester, Cheltenham and Tetbury.

All profits donated to the Cobalt Appeal Fund, Diabetes UK & The County Air Ambulance. Click on the 'Steam Extravaganza' link at the top right of this page for more information.