SHOWS: Stafford show celebrates in ’40s style

The Carole Nash International Classic MotorCycle Show was founded in 1980 and is now deemed the largest classic bike show in the world of its kind. It’s 40^th year will be celebrated on April 25-26 at Stafford County Showground and show organiser Mortons Media Group is planning a one-off 1940s-themed event in recognition of the 75^th anniversary of VE Day, which falls on the following weekend of the show.

Highlights for the weekend include a 1940s-themed hall, with a Spitfire and Hurricane taking centre stage, surrounded by an abundance of privately owned classic motorcycles and incredible displays from owners’ clubs too. Organisers have been in contact with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight to hopefully secure a flypast from the Lancaster, Spitfire, Hurricane and Dakota with confirmation due in March 2020.

Classic motorcycle clubs are encouraged to theme their stand and make the most of the fancy dress element, with increased prize money up for grabs for the top three, courtesy of show sponsor, Carole Nash Insurance.

Showgoers and traders will also be in with a chance to win a cash prize for joining in the theme, with two £100 prizes to be won per day for the best-dressed visitors, and a £300 prize for the best trade stand too.

Outside, the popular Classic Racer GP paddock will undergo a facelift and transform into a bigger and better Firing-up Area, with all manner of different machines and engines making some serious noise over the two-day event. Show organisers have teamed up with Historic Aero Engines – a group of enthusiasts who restore and display historic aero engines on a non-profit basis to encourage public interest in iconic aero engineering. The team will be bringing a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine and an Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah engine to showcase and start up in front of the crowds.

The show will still be sticking to its roots as a classic bike show, with thousands of classic motorcycles to see, a huge indoor and outdoor autojumble and more than 900 traders in attendance. The Bonhams auction will be as spectacular as ever, with exciting news on the lots on offer coming soon.

Advance tickets are on sale now, with a 20% saving on the gate price: https://www.classicmagazines.co.uk/stafford