14 best photos from Basingstoke Festival of Transport 2026

The festival, which returned to the War Memorial Park on Sunday, May 10, was organised by the Rotary Club of Basingstoke and Deane, and once again drew crowds of all ages to enjoy more than 800 vehicles on display, from gleaming pre-war saloons to rumbling vintage tractors, with free entry for pedestrians.

Our Camera Club members captured it all, and what a collection they have produced. From shimmering chrome details to sweeping lineups of motoring history, these 15 images showcase the extraordinary variety on show at one of Hampshire's most beloved transport events. Below, we present our favourite 14 photos - and remember, one of these photographers could be walking away with a £50 Marks and Spencer gift card.

Lewis Bond shared this photo of a car reflected in a chrome moon hubcap (Image: Lewis Bond)

1. Alan Trott turned his lens on a close-up of a vintage MG A in eye-catching red, showing off the car's beautifully polished bodywork. The MG A was produced from 1955 to 1962 and represented a bold stylistic break from MG's earlier designs, with the 1959–60 1600 series being among the most sought-after variants today .
2. Lewis Bond captured a wonderfully inventive shot of a car reflected in the curved mirror surface of a chrome moon hubcap. Moon discs. Smooth, full-coverage wheel covers became iconic accessories on hot rods and classic cars from the 1950s onwards, and their mirror-like finish makes them a favourite subject for creative photographers.

3. Lewis Bond also photographed the Spirit of Ecstasy mascot adorning a Rolls-Royce bonnet. First presented to Rolls-Royce in February 1911, the famous silver figurine of a woman leaning forward with arms outstretched has graced the marque's cars for well over a century, and remains one of the most recognised hood ornaments in the world.

   Walter Pirraglia shared this photos of the Flying B on a Bentley and a lineup of vintage cars (Image: Walter Pirraglia)

4. Walter Pirraglia photographed several icons in one frame: the Flying B mascot on a Bentley, alongside a lineup of vintage cars stretching into the background. The upright Bentley Flying B hood ornament dates back to the 1920s , and is cast as a single piece of high-grade stainless steel in a process that takes 11 days to complete.
5. Anthony Hutchinson photographed the imposing front end of a Rolls-Royce, with the Spirit of Ecstasy taking centre stage. It is a fitting tribute to a mascot first registered as Rolls-Royce intellectual property in 1911.
6. Walter Pirraglia photographed a 1964 Volkswagen Type 2 Split Screen Campervan in classic green and white livery. The VW Type 2, with its distinctive split windscreen, went into full production in 1949, and the Split Screen variant, much loved by campers and collectors alike, ran until 1967.

7. Mihaela Ardei — Last year's competition winner — photographed a display of restored vintage Automobile Association patrol vehicles. The AA began deploying motorcycle patrols in 1912, and by 1923 around 650 cycle and motorcycle patrolmen were a familiar sight on Britain's roads . These lovingly maintained vehicles are a reminder of a golden era of roadside assistance.

   Mihaela Ardei photographed these restored vintage Automobile Association (AA) patrol vehicles (Image: Mihaela Ardei)

8. Mihaela Ardei also turned her camera on the interior of a vintage bus, capturing the atmosphere of a bygone era of public transport in a single evocative frame.
9. Tracey Bond photographed a Maserati GranCabrio, the Italian grand tourer that oozes open-top glamour. Introduced in 2009, the GranCabrio was powered by a 4.7-litre naturally aspirated V8 and offered a rare combination of four-seat practicality and outright performance in a convertible body.
10. Steve Wares captured a green and white Austin A35 Van in fine fettle. The A35 van was produced by BMC from 1956 all the way through to 1968 and became a staple of British commercial life, with its later 1,098cc engine making it the most powerful variant in the A35 range.

11. Tracey Bond lined up a row of vintage tractors, including a Nuffield Universal in bright red. The Nuffield Universal was the first tractor to roll off the production line from the former Wolseley factory in Birmingham in 1948 , born out of a post-war government drive to boost British agricultural mechanisation.

    David Peter Coppin shared this photo of a blue Ford Granada Mark I (Image: David Peter Coppin)

12. Walter Pirraglia photographed a 1963 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe in a stunning metallic gold finish - a true slice of American automotive grandeur. The Series 62 was powered by a 390 cubic inch V8 producing 325bhp , and 16,786 coupe examples were built for the 1963 model year alone.
13. David Peter Coppin shared his shot of a blue Ford Granada Mark I - a car that was once the gold standard of British executive motoring. Launched in 1972, the Mk1 Granada more than held its own against rivals such as the Rover P6 and the Triumph 2000, and became a cult classic thanks in no small part to its starring role in The Sweeney.
14. Alan Trott rounds off the gallery with a striking black and white image of a vintage Citroën HY corrugated steel van. Produced from 1947 to 1981, the HY was the first mass-produced commercial van to feature monocoque construction , with its distinctive ribbed bodywork inspired by the corrugated aluminium panels of German Junkers aircraft .