The 1.5 acre site, open April to October, offers 80 well-sheltered pitches nestling on the edge of ancient woodland and within easy walking distance of the showground’s events area.

Roger Moore, executive manager at Kent Showground, said: “The site is ideal for caravans, tents and there is limited hard standing for motorhomes. Its convenient location makes it a perfect base to explore Kent, visit London and take advantage of the county’s easy access to France.

“Shower facilities have recently been introduced and the site also offers toilets, shopping basics and a number of electricity hook-up points. There is also a 24-hour, on-site warden who can help with queries, maintenance and security.”

Campers wishing to book a pitch at the site should call 01622 631298.

Lucy Hegarty event organiser, said “We had over 5,000 people on site on Saturday and there was a marked increase in the number of vintage vehicles.  The Maidstone and District and East Kent Bus Club Diamond Anniversary saw almost 100 buses and coaches forming a display that helped celebrate the milestone.”

The M&D and EK 60 brought together a large collection of buses and coaches that represented the local fleets from Kent and East Sussex.  The Clive Emson Conference Centre housed thirty-nine trade stands and sixteen displays as well as guest speakers and a reunion and refreshment area for former employees.

Despite the marked change in temperature on Saturday, the threat of a transport workers strike and an unnecessary fuel crisis panic, over 450 vehicles made the journey to exhibit at the Kent Showground, Detling.

The free bus rides around the Showground proved extremely popular and despite the every five-minute timetable the vehicles were full of passengers enjoying both the ride and the trip down memory lane. In addition to the short hop journeys, some buses were running longer trips up and down the A249.

For the first time, tickets were being sold on line in advance and this proved very popular with show goers who took advantage of the £2.50 saving on the gate price.

Bernard Pike, Chairman of the Heritage Committee and organiser said, “We are delighted with this year’s success.  We were confident that it would be a wonderful Show and it certainly lived up to expectations. Even with this year’s weather being much cooler, it did not detract from the increased number of vehicles and I believe that the Heritage Transport Show has established itself as a major event in the heritage calendar.”

The event on 31^st March was widely promoted by media partner, Kelsey Publishing who ran features in many of their specialist monthly vehicle titles.

Lucy Hegarty said, “Our partnership with Kelsey Publishing helped to increase the number and variety of vehicles on the day.  The reputation of the Show and the increased publicity encouraged entries from all over the country and abroad.”

In addition to the Diamond Anniversary of Maidstone and District and East Kent Bus Clubs, MGB, Massey Fergusson and Lambretta celebrated major milestones.

The Show, which takes place at the County Showground in Detling, has grown over the past few years and is attracting vehicles from around the world.

Nadia Wind from France will be bringing her 1950 Bedford Truck, which spent the majority of its working life in New Zealand. The wooden caravan that sits on the original chassis was made by Kiwi craftsmen.  The truck was repatriated by boat to the UK in 2002 and used to tow a canal barge that was berthed in the South of France.  It was several years ago that Nadia and her husband Michael bought the truck and registered it in France as a collectors item.  Nadia explained “the inside of the caravan is very comfortable with a double bed, copper sink, shower and even a solar panel.  We are really excited about bringing our vehicle to the Heritage Transport Show and will look forward to showing visitors this well travelled little caravan”.

Another vehicle that spent its life thousands of miles away is Charles Tassell’s 1948 Field Marshall, series 2. This returned to the UK after more than half a decade in Argentina.

Peter Jones from Canterbury will be bringing his 1949 Buick Roadmaster 76c Convertible.  Other American exhibits include a Ford Fairlane 500 and a 1966 Ford Mustang.  Many of the vehicles have an exotic and exciting history and their owners are more than happy to chat to visitors about their heritage.

Malcolm Roots will be bringing a 1993 MG RV8. Whilst its year of registration excludes it from technically being a classic car it has been granted special dispensation as a vehicle of special interest.  This particular make of MG has an international pedigree. MGB stopped production of their cars in 1981 however British Leyland had already designed this model so they went ahead and the first two cars off the production line were exhibited at the Tokyo Motor Show.  The sports car was received so favourably by the Japanese that by the end of the event they had 1,400 orders.  It was in 1995 that production halted after only 1983 cars had been made of which 1583 were exported for the Japanese market.

Lucy Hegarty, Show organiser on behalf of the Heritage Transport Committee said “Each year the Show gets some really interesting exhibits.  Visitors this year will see a huge number of commercial vehicles due to the Maidstone & District and East Kent Bus Club Diamond Jubilee and to have a huge range of classic cars is an added bonus.”

Kelsey Publishing who currently produces a large number of specialist monthly vehicle titles will promote the event on 31st March. Lambert and Foster will conduct an auction during the Show in association with Kelsey.  Details of the auction lots will be available from both Lambert & Foster and Kelsey Publishing prior to the sale.  A large number of tractors, commercial vehicles and cars will be available as well as other associated memorabilia.  The Auction preview will start at 9am and details can be found at www.heritagetransportauctions.co.uk.

Advance tickets are available to purchase at www.kentshowground.co.uk or by phone on 01622 630975 (£1.50 booking fee per transaction applicable). Advance tickets will be £5 per person, children under 12 free.  Gate prices £7.50 per person under 12’s free.  Gates open from 10am – 4pm.   For more information please contact the Kent Showground on 01622 630975 or follow us on www.facebook.com/Kentcountyshow or www.facebook.com/MDEK60, Twitter – kentcountyshow.

The progression from the Kent County Show to the Detling Steam Rally to the new Heritage Transport Day was an opportunity for the exhibitors to parade their vehicles at a stand-alone event.  The next generation of enthusiasts are often visitors who identify with the care and attention bestowed upon the vehicles and share a common respect for the simple yet robust engineering that has historically kept a nation fed, on the move and allowed them to take for granted the rapid modernisation of the world.

One such visitor to the Kent County Show in the early eighties was Robin Andrew.  At age two and a half he was mesmerized by the Stationary Engines at the July event.  His father did not have any connection to the classic vehicle fraternity although he was a good mechanic and had rebuilt a number of Land Rovers.  It was a few years later, in 1985 Robin and his father bought their first engine, a Lister D which had been used to run a milking plant vacuum pump.  Even as a small boy the thrill of restoring and watching this majestic machine was something that Robin remembered fondly.  Over the next decade he bought another eight stationary engines and each year joined the Heritage Section of the County Show.

Robin bought his first Massey at age 16, the 1956 TEF 20, which was a non runner and had been in a barn near Borough Green.  It took him two years to get it into working order.  He undertook a complete engine rebuild, replaced the clutch and other worn components. Robin did not re-spray this particular tractor as he decided to sell it once it was running.  His passion for Massey was now firmly rooted and his second venture in 2000 at the ripe old age of 20 was a 1962 Massey Fergusson 35.  This was the last of the 35’s and this particular vehicle was in excellent condition and ran beautifully.  The tractor had been dry stored with the log book indicating it had completed a mere 1900 hours over 38 years.

Whilst the engine and bodywork were sound, it had no service history and still needed some love and attention.  Robin and his father gave the tractor a good service as well as replacing two perished water pipes, fan belt and a strainer from the hydraulic lift system.  Robin was able to take the tractor to a number of events but it was at the Detling Steam Rally and Kent County Show that he felt most at home.

Over the next decade Robin bought a number of other vehicles to complement his nine stationary engines and his Massey 35.  He is currently restoring a 1956 David Brown 25D and a Ransomes Crawler MG6 Diesel from 1958 and has fully restored a 1956 Benford Dumper Truck and a 1939 Fordson Standard with three working Drake and Fletcher orchard sprayers.  He is particularly proud of his 1938 Allis Chalmers M Crawler.

Robin sees his vehicles as more than a hobby and works at Hadlow College teaching mechanics, the same course he himself attended as a student.  His family life revolves around his love of classic farm vehicles and although he now has a young family they share his passion and commitment.  His two and half year old daughter takes a keen interest in the tractors and enjoys nothing more than sitting on his lap when he takes them out.

Robin will be bringing a selection of his vehicles to the Heritage Transport Day and Auction on Saturday 31^st March.

The KCAS, formed in 1923 to stage the Kent County Show, is a pioneering charity promoting farming and horticulture throughout the county. Students in full-time education up to the age of 21 and young farmer members can join the society for only £18 a year – compared to the usual £50 membership.

Membership entitles holders to:

• Free admission to all three days of the Kent County Show – held July 13, 14 and 15 in 2012
• Free admission to the members’ facilities during the show, including the Members’ Restaurant, Grandstands and rest rooms
• Free parking in members’ car park during the show
• Discounts at specified agricultural suppliers
• Discounted entry to other events at Kent Showground

George Jessel, KCAS chairman, said: “We hope this excellent discount will encourage more young people to become members of the society. Agriculture and horticulture play hugely important roles in the life of the county and young people represent the future of these roles. We are also keen to get some new young volunteers to steward at the annual Kent County Show.”

The society is keen to support young people who would like to make a career in agriculture, horticulture or rural industry within the county. It presents the Hooson Award, a £500 bursary to assist the successful student to pay for their studies.

It also presents the Irene Lady Astor Award – named after the society’s president – of £200 to the ‘Best Kent Young Farmer’ for the year. To qualify nominees must be paid up members of a Kent Young Farmers Club.

KCAS hosts The Living Land at the Kent Showground, a free one-day event which attracts more than 3,000 schoolchildren aged 7 to 9. It aims to educate children in the areas of farming, agriculture, the countryside and healthy eating.

It also supports Farming Futures, an event which gives students an idea of the variety of careers within the land-based sector.

For further information on memberships, call 01622 630975 or email info@kentshowground.co.uk.

The show, organised by the Kent County Agricultural Society, has been chosen by the Maidstone & District and East Kent Bus Company Club to celebrate its diamond jubilee. It will include bus displays, trade stands and free vintage bus rides with stops positioned around the showground at Detling, near Maidstone.

There will also be displays celebrating the 50th anniversary of the MGB Roadster and the Massey Ferguson 35X as well as celebrating 100 years of AEC buses.

Buses, ranging from 1912 to 1989, will include such examples as a Leyland Titan in Kent Freedom Pass livery, 1945 Bristol K6A Weymann, 1963 AEC Reliance Harrington Grenadier single-deck coach, 1969 Daimler Fleetline Park Royal, 1972 Leyland Leopard Marshall and 1984 MCW Metrobus 2.

The Heritage Transport Show & Auction is a must for enthusiasts, featuring a wide range of vehicles, stands, competitions and guest speakers. The auction, hosted by Lambert & Foster in partnership with Kelsey Publishing, will feature tractors, commercial vehicles, cars and memorabilia.

Roger Moore, Kent Showground’s executive manager, said: “The Heritage Transport Show & Auction was a tremendous success last year and the 2012 event promises to offer enthusiasts even more in the way of fascinating displays and entertainment.”

Tickets for the Heritage Transport Show & Auction can be bought online via www.kentshowground.co.uk or call 01622 630975. Advance prices are adults £6.50, with under 12s free. Tickets on the day cost £7.50.

Roland Graves from Vigo, Kent has been interested in buses for as long as he can remember and was fascinated by them as a small child. As he grew older, this fascination turned in to a desire to preserve the vehicles.  This journey must be familiar for most people who now have a passion for commercials.  It was during Roland’s time at Wrotham Young Farmers Club that he met a like-minded individual Rob Durrant who had just purchased a 1948 ex London Transport AEC Regent III. RT 542.  Together they set about their first refurbishment project in 1975.

Over the next few years the duo purchased two more buses a single and a double decker, although once Rob married his commitments increased so two of their buses were sold.     Roland kept a Leyland PD1, which came from Barton’s of Nottingham.  This particular bus was unusual because it was originally manufactured as a single decker but was re-bodied as a double decker with a low bridge body in the mid 50’s.

In 1978 Roland and eight other enthusiasts founded The North Kent Vehicle Preservation Group, which now boasts 25 members, 10 buses and a collection of vintage cars and vans.  His enthusiasm for vintage vehicles does not end with the group he helped to form. In the mid 90’s he became involved with the Heritage Transport Show and Auction’s predecessor, The Detling Steam Rally that took place at the Kent Showground during the summer months until 2006.  His role as a steward at the Detling Steam Rally and Kent County Show and his committee involvement with the Heritage Transport Show is something that Roland enjoys immensely. He could not attend the first of the re-branded Transport Shows in 2010 due to a clash with an event that the North Kent Vehicle Preservation Group was helping to organise at Cobham Bus Museum in Surrey.

In 2011 he was very much involved when the Heritage Transport Show linked with Maidstone & District Bus Company’s Centenary. Roland saw a wonderful opportunity to have a large number of buses in one place; in fact in the end there were around 140 buses and coaches at the site in Detling.  Roland explained, “The Showground at Detling is an ideal venue for a big show where enthusiasts enjoy talking to the public as well as other commercial vehicle owners.  It is wonderful to exhibit and quite often we will get approached with charmingly nostalgic stories from the general public who remember travelling on particular buses”.

It is such a shame that there isn’t the same interest from younger generations for these wonderful commercial vehicles as there is with vintage cars.  Many of the stalwarts involved with commercial vehicles painstakingly restore these majestic vehicles themselves, part by part and can take years to complete.  The Historic Commercial Vehicle Society are looking to address this problem and events like the Heritage Transport Show and Auction is a good way to talk to visitors and hopefully spark an interest with a younger audience.

Without doubt one of the most popular attractions is the ability to run the buses at the Showground.  Last year visitors queued at stops around the 72-acre site to take a ride on a variety of buses and coaches, single and double decker as well as some fine open top exhibits.  Owners are able to take passengers on a real trip down memory lane.

Roland now has part ownership of two commercial vehicles; the first being a 1963 AEC Reliance Coach that spent most of its working life locally in Sevenoaks, Kent for Camden Coaches.  With its blue and white livery, the fully restored coach is the only remaining vehicle from the Camden fleet.  His other bus is a 1958 Albion Lowlander from South Notts Bus Co. Nottingham, where the co-owner actually drove the bus as a way of earning money whilst studying at Loughborough University.

Roland’s newest passion is for a 1950 Lanchester LD10 which has featured in two editions of Kelsey’s publications once in August 2004 and again in September 2006.  This unique vehicle caught Roland’s eye whilst holidaying in Wroxham, Norfolk.  The small commercial van was tucked away in the corner of a classic car showroom and after returning home and doing some research, Roland took possession of the little green van in November 2002.  The van had been built for Gordon Thoday, a Haberdashery firm who used the vehicle to deliver supplies to a number of its stores in and around the Cambridge area.  This particular vehicle is unusual in the fact that it has a fluid flywheel and a pre-select gearbox more commonly found in larger commercial vehicles such as the original London Transport RT bus that started it all back in 1975.

Roland will be using his van as one of the support vehicles for the Heritage Transport Show and Auction on 31^st March and will also be working with Maidstone and District and East Kent Bus Clubs to help celebrate their 60^th Anniversary.

Trade Stand application forms are available to download so if you want to have a stand at the 2012 Show you will need to start applying now.

Each year Members of the Society can nominate employees from Agricultural businesses for a Long Service Award.  This year we had one recipient Margaret Gilbert from Biddenden Vineyards.  Margaret joined the vineyard around 1961, when the farm was still apple orchards.  She started work outside apple picking, but was soon asked by Mr Barnes, the owner to help in the packing shed, and so stayed with the farm, picking, pruning and packing apples.

The first vineyard plantings took place in 1969, with just 1/3 acre as a trial, that today has grown to 22 acres of vines – most of which Margaret helped plant and her hard work and dedication shows in the high standard of the wines now produced by Biddenden Vineyards.

Margaret retired in June this year after 50 years working at the farm and her experience and knowledge will be hard to replace.

Lady Astor of Hever was delighted to present Margaret with her award on the Friday

Many schools took part and it is hoped that next year even more Kent schools will enter.  The competition this year was won by All Saints CEP in Chatham who managed to grow £99.99 worth of produce.  The rules of the competition dictate a monetary value for the different produce grown and is adjudicated by Headteachers and Governors who verify the amount of produce weekly leading up to the Kent County Show.

Second place went to Mereworth Primary and third place Teynham Primary.  The winning school was presented with a trophy on Sunday 17^th by George Jessel, DL, Chairman and will be visited by Roger Moore, Executive Manager in September.

Details of the project can be found at www.growninkent.co.uk