Quick trip to Thatcham

Its the season of childrens birthday parties at the moment. Lily has three to go to this weekend which meant only a short trip to Thatcham for the Classic & Sportscar show was possible. The camper was fired up for the first time in weeks and we plodded along the A4. The field was already half full so we got a space and went for a wander.








Show organiser Martin is a keen Land Rover man and several were parked up with his along with an old favourite, a classic QTR truck.







Classic bikes were also out and the owner of this 1954 BSA Bantam let Lily try it for size.



From the bikes we started a long walk back through the show to the playground.













 Cars of the show for me were the pair of Lancias that arrived just after us. A Flavia and Flaminia.











A group of Lotus arrived together and showed a wide range of the latest cars from Hethel.















With time running out we had a last look around and Lily practised numbers and letters by reading numberplates.







With it being five years since her first visit, we took another photo of her in front of the camper, this time she didn't need carrying!



Steve. 

Thames Valley Buses 100

In 1915 the British Automobile Traction started a bus service from Reading to Maidenhead. To celebrate 100 years of the occasion the Thames Valley and Great Western Omnibus Trust decided to organise a display of buses that ran the route through the years on the new pedestrian area outside the recently renovated Reading Station. Walking through town we saw the first of the buses on its run.



As we approached the station there were hoards of bus spotters, they seem to breed them strange with an interesting aroma and no manners, pushing and shoving to get everyone out of the way was the order of the day sadly. We had a look around the trio of 1920s machines before climbing on the top deck of the the old WW1 London bus for a birdseye view.









After a quick lunch we headed to the bottom of the hill and the free rides. There were half a dozen buses do rides along the A4 on the old route. We opted for a fantastic ride on a 1962 Bristol coach to Twyford and back. There was no real queuing system and I could see we would soon get swamped by the stinky camera carriers, fortunately the cream and blue single decker pulled up next to us and we followed a couple on and headed straight for the back seat! The three of us safely at the back in the shade of the rear while the rest of the bus was bathed in sunshine from the greenhouse style roof.



Through town it was getting a bit warm, but on the A4 with the throttle open the cool breeze was lovely and we saw a different side of town before stopping in Twyford high street for a chance to get off. Lily and I nipped off to stretch our legs and get a photo before getting back on for the drive back.





Back down the A4 we had a  convoy of Bristol buses with photographers at every junction snapping away. Back at the station we got off and headed for a cooling ice cream.







It was a trip back in time for us and a fun ride for Lily.

Steve.

Berkshire Motor Show

With it being the first Sunday of the month, we'd already planned a trip to the steam trains at Prospect Park. But an advert on FB showed there was a car show there all day as well. Kim set off on a 8.5 mile walk and after making a picnic Lily and I set off in the Beetle. We were too late in the day to join LTV on the field as they wanted cars in at 8:30am and not moving until the end. I'm quite glad we didn't in the end! Parking in general we met up with Kim and walked around. There were a few big rigs.







The car show itself was weirdly split from an area in the middle, some odd bits at the side, two clubs by the trees and a couple of lines at the end. From looking at photos from previous years I was expecting some nice classics.....there were a few, but it mainly seemed to be some rather dodgy moderns. I'm not one to be snobby, but the Hyundai Coupe Club stand did nothing for me at all. Anyway, we had a look round some of the cars.











Lily had a go on hook a duck and was pleased with her sweetie haul, which she munched until we got to the reptile tent. Then the lure of hold a big snake was too much. The man did offer something smaller, but she was insistent on getting to grips with the 10kg Boa Constrictor.





A few more cars and we made it to the LTV stand. Some slightly cheesed off members had the same thought as us about the content of the show and were planning to leave ealry.













With our picnic under the trees over we clambered aboard the Beetle for the short drive down the the trains. For 50p a ride we hurtled round the two tracks and had  drink before heading home.







We'll be back for more trains in the future. The same can't be said for the car show sadly.

Steve.