Fordham Vehicle Show 2022

The Fordham Vehicle Show returned in August 2022 for the first time since 2019, bringing a welcome burst of activity to this corner of the Colchester area. Despite a scorching, humid day that kept some owners away, the turnout was respectable — and the sheer variety on display was what made it worth the trip.

Something for everyone

The real charm of Fordham is the mix. Bikes, cars, vans, a handful of lorries, tractors, racing cars, buses, Land Rovers and American vehicles all shared the field, alongside a Harley Davidson club meet. Whatever your particular interest, there was something to catch the eye.

The heat did take its toll. A fair number of classic owners chose to stay home rather than risk overheating their pride and joy, which is entirely understandable. With luck, next year’s show will be back to full strength — and it would be good to see a few more commercial vehicles on the field.

The pick of the field

For sheer looks, one vehicle stood out above all: a Chevrolet pick-up. Its owner spotted it for sale in Virginia, USA, in exactly the condition it appeared at Fordham and decided he had to have it. With patina now very much in fashion, this example carries all the natural rust patches you could ask for. It looked superb, and it would have been easy to imagine taking it home.

Working trucks and classics

Pallet Plus brought the only genuine working trucks on show — a pair of new MANs that looked excellent in their red paint under the sunshine.

The Scammell on display is a regular at the event, and is thought to come from a local railway museum at Chappel, near Colchester. It is a proper old-timer, and notably hasn’t been over-cleaned or over-polished; it simply looks tidy and original.

Then there was the Flatman Bedford. For anyone who appreciates a classic British truck, this is the one. Flatman is a local egg company, and its owner keeps a large collection of classic cars, but this was the first appearance of the Bedford. Like the Scammell, it was very tidy without being restored to within an inch of its life — it genuinely looked as though it had just finished a day’s work collecting empty boxes.

Planning ahead

The show takes place in mid-August. If you’re anywhere near the Colchester area, it’s well worth a visit next year — and you never know, the Bedford may have had a fresh coat of paint by then.