The Gloucestershire Vintage and Country Extravaganza is widely regarded as one of the biggest Steam, Vintage and Countryside events in the UK and is run entirely by volunteers. The show attracts thousands of exhibitors and visitors from across the country and helps raise money for national and local charities. Up to 30 charities were represented on site over the weekend raising money and awareness of their respective causes.

The show recently announced that one of the selected charities to benefit from this year’s show is The Fire Fighters Charity. Whether injured, ill or in need of psychological support the Fire Fighters Charity exist to support the everyday heroes of the UK fire community.

Whilst the show has evolved a lot over the past 42 years its mission remains the same - to inform, educate, celebrate and preserve our unique transport heritage. The show features thousands of exhibits, the ex-Emergency vehicle and Commercial section had over 240 entries alone displaying a diverse array of historical fire service appliances.

Prior to the event a press call was held at Cirencester Community Fire and Rescue Station where Stewart Edgar QFSM, Chief Fire Officer of Gloucestershire Fire & Rescue Service got to see several of the impressive EX-Emergency vehicles that were on convoy to the show. The vehicles included:

Owner Chris Wannell the former Mayor of Royal Wootton Bassett (and firefighter for over 30 years) visited with his 1943 Austin K4 Turntable Ladder Fire Engine. Mr Wannell bought it from a scrap yard in 1975 and has since fully restored it. He actively uses it to raise money for the Fire Service Charity and has raised in excess of £80k over the years.

Dave Povey from Hertfordshire attended with a 1988 Ford C8000 American fire truck from Flemington New Jersey Fire Department. The vehicle served for 20 years until its retirement in 2008. It was one of the principle vehicles to attend the World Trade Centre terrorist attack on September 11 2001. Sadly they had to sell it to pay for their station new doors! It now resides in the UK and has appeared in a Jonny Depp film.

The shows Emergency Vehicle Section Leader, Ron Varnam brought his 1989 GMC V3500 Telehoist Rapid Intervention Vehicle which was formerly used by Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service.

Plus a CDD121 1937 Fordson E27N Fire Engine originally commissioned by R A Lister & Co of Dursley, Gloucestershire. The vehicle remained largely unused in their large factory premises for several decades, which it never left until just before it closed around 45 years ago. The engine was fitted with a 500 gallon two-stage self-priming Drysdale pump, designed to deliver 500 gallons per minute and included a polished brass bell!. With only 1370 miles on its clock, current owner Gary Pritchard has recently restored it back to its former glory and made an extra special journey from Croydon, South London to commemorate the 150th anniversary of R A Listers.

You can download images here.

The Gloucestershire Vintage & Country Extravaganza will return to South Cerney Airfield, Cirencester on 3-5 August 2018 - for further information visit: www.glosvintageextravaganza.co.ukhttp://www.glosvintageextravaganza.co.uk