County showground to host festival of transport

A cavalcade of vintage and modern vehicles will be on display next summer when the County Showground hosts the inaugural Shropshire Festival of Transport.

The event, taking place on August 7, 2011, at the Berwick Road site in Shrewsbury, promises a fabulous treat to thousands of visitors – with classic cars, military and heavy goods vehicles, buses and vans, as well as modern motors on show.

The driving forces behind the festival are local businessmen Ken Williams, from Shrewsbury, and Ray Searles, from Telford. The duo found that many other car shows excluded newer vehicles and decided to create a more inclusive event.

Mr Williams said: “We want to include all types of transport as well as lots of other entertainment for all the family – dog obedience and motorcycle display teams, wonderful local food and competitions to enter.

“Many of the established events for car enthusiasts exclude post-1980s cars. We want to allow individual owners and clubs and associations to exhibit their cherished cars of all ages.”

Mr Williams is chairman of the Shropshire branch of the Jaguar Enthusiasts Club who were, he says, the inspiration for his ambitious plans. The club will be using the event for their West Midlands Day and to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the iconic Jaguar E-type.

All of the major car dealerships in Shropshire have been approached to showcase their latest models, and around 20 local car clubs have already expressed interest in attending.

The main arena will host displays and vehicle judging, with family-friendly attractions throughout the showground.

The organisers are currently working on securing sponsorship and anyone interested in marketing opportunities or having a trade stand at the show is invited to contact Ken Williams on 01743-851199. They also welcome people who would like to help with the organisation of the festival.

Visit www.shropshirefestivaloftransport.org , sign up for the Twitter updates www.twitter.com/shropfestoftran or find Shropshire Festival of Transport group on Facebook.