THOUSANDS of people took in a slice of Basingstoke’s past at the weekend at the town’s 19th Festival of Transport.

The Thornycroft Society, a group of enthusiasts who organise the festival, estimated that more than 20,000 people came to War Memorial Park on Sunday for one of the town’s top events.

The crowds were able to get a close-up look at more than 700 vehicles on show which included vintage fire engines, classic sports cars, buses and tractors.Among them were 19 commercial and military vehicles made by Thornycroft of Basingstoke, the vehicle manufacturer which once occupied the site where the Morrisons supermarket stands today.

These vehicles included the Mighty Antar, a mammoth vehicle that was used to transport large oil pipes in Iraq in the 1950s.

Rally organiser John Bond, who started out as an apprentice at the Thornycroft factory in 1949 at the age of 15, said the event was a big success.

He added: “People just love to come and look at the vehicles, and certainly from Thornycroft’s point of view, this is Basingstoke’s past.

“A lot of people’s families worked in those factories – Thornycroft during the Second World War, and afterwards, was the biggest employer in Basingstoke.”

Visitors were also able to enjoy an advanced motoring skills competition and sample some of the wares on offer at 106 stalls on the site.

Councillor Brian Gurden, mayor of Basingstoke and Deane, also attended the event to present awards to some of the enthusiasts who had brought their cars to the event from all over the country.

Trevor Burrows, of Warwick Road, Winklebury, brought out his 1967 Jaguar 420 as chairman of the Basingstoke Classic Car Club. He said: “This is probably the best event in Basingstoke. I always enjoy it.”

Dave Partridge, 45, of Abbey Road, Popley, Basingstoke, came along with his 15-year-old son Graham. He said: “I think it’s an excellent event. I was born and bred here so I think all of this sort of stuff is part of the history of the town.”