I thought this year I would put it to you readers, to see what was your favourite UK (that’s in the UK) truck show that you attended. I gave a list of options and also the “Other” option where you could name your own show if required. It is a little worrying that a couple of you put Truckstar Festival, Assen, Netherlands, Europe as your best UK truck show but I guess those votes may have been cast by fans of twat sat nav who haven’t realised there is a sea between us and the Netherlands. As with all votes not many took part but there were over 100 participants which gave a good average. The results for best UK truck show in 2014 were as follows;

1st Place: Retro Truck Show @ Gaydon (74% votes)

3rd Place: Peak Truck Show Uttoxeter (6% votes)

I think it’s fair to say in this particular Poll the Retro Truck Show is a run away winner. I don’t know if it’s just the readers on here or what but even so 74% of votes to just 8% for 2nd place is what some would call a landslide victory! For me the Retro Show was a great show to visit. All the trucks of my childhood, Scania 2 and 3 series, Volvo F’s, ERF’s what more could you want. A family BBQ type atmosphere? Check. No stupid irrelevant market stalls? Check. People just talking trucks and drinking beer? Check. A few brand new trucks parked next to their ancestors so you can compare and contrast? Check. What more could you want? Classic Amercian trucks?? Check. Retro trucks from the Continent? Check. The list is endless. Hopefully the 2015 show will be just as good if not better, with a couple of new top sponsors I would expect the show to be near the top of next years Poll too. The photo above and the amazing line up below are just a couple of examples of the fine trucks on show at the Retro Truck Show held in September.

Not only are there all types of truck from the UK but there is an increasing presence from the continent. It seems that our European friends are just as keen to preserve the trucks from the golden years as we are. For me there were 2 German trucks and a Belgian that caught my eye in particular this year. A Scania 141 in full Middle East spec including Arabic writing on the front and chunky grip desert tyres. This truck has the look, although it is clean it’s not over polished or tyre foamed, giving it that “just got back to the yard” look.

The other German was a big 3 axle MAN 20.361 with a silo trailer. The trailer looked like it might have done a job to pay for its trip to the show, even so the truck was just what retro trucking is all about. Well preserved, could still earn a penny or two, no shiny wheels, just an everyday workhorse that has been lived and restored by a truck lover like all of us!

Finally the Volvo F12 Globetrotter. A truck that has been there and done it in all cases and liked by most if not loved. I remember seeing trucks like this on the motorway when I was a young’un, the yellow headlights and a Les Routiers sticker were always a true sign of a continental trucker! However you look at these trucks there will be a few that bring back happy memories I’m sure. The premiss of the show is all trucks manufactured between 1960 and 2000, with special entries to anything newer being arranged by the show organisers. A worthy winner of best show for 2014 and I look forward to going again this year. Definitely a fun show with something for everyone.

If your running a truck show in 2015 or you know of one that others need to know about, then please send me a flyer in .jpg or .pdf format and I’ll add it to the new “Truck Shows 2015” section on the Truckblog website. The more I’m sent the more shows we’ll all know about which can only be a good thing. It seems to me that smaller higher quality shows organised by truck people for truck people are becoming much more appealing that the huge truck festivals organised by promotional companies to make them money.