Deal Classic Car show/Sellindge Steam Festival

Saturday 25th May saw our little 'convoy' make its way through the East Kent Countryside to the Deal Classic Car Show.
This would be the first time that I had attended this rally, which was in aid of the RNLI, on the seafront at what is known as the Strand.
Over 500 vehicles were on display, from vintage to modern, classic to campers, motorbikes to scooters, and - of course- a small number of military vehicles.
There were also a selection of stalls selling various goods as well.
At any one time, there was something happening on either one of the two sound stages, from an X Factor finalist (very good) to Elvis (ok) to a choir (not so good!) plus other entertainers as well.
It was a good day out but, unfortunately, the oil filter gasket on my Jeep, decided to give out on the way home, and with the help of the others and good old gaffer tape, made it back home with an eighth-of-an-inch of oil showing on the dipstick! The rest was over the engine and trickling down inside the bulkhead.
Once at home I fabricated another gasket and sealed it with silicone, re-filled with oil and everything seems to be tickety-boo again!
Sunday the 26th I decided to test my repair out by going to Sellindge Steam Rally.
Getting the Jeep out the garage, the windscreen caught on the inner garage door handle, bending the 'screen back onto the steering wheel.
I bent the 'screen back over onto the bonnet and tied it down and drove off!
After the show, I returned the Jeep into the garage and will set about fixing it this week.
The show itself was better than the last few years, mainly due to the weather, but the number of stalls had fallen to a new low, and there were at least three charity stalls and no auto-jumble!
12 Classic cars, 4 lorries, an apparent abundance of miniature steam engines,a few stationary engines, lovely old farm horses, tractors and the Invicta Off Road Club showing their abilities with about 10 vehicles.
The IMPs side of things was better than last year, but nowhere near the numbers that we used to get when I first started to visit this show in 2005 'ish.
Since the show was handed over to the present organisers, it hasn't seemed to so good.
Although there could be more support from IMPs members, it does make a relaxing weekend -subject to the weather,but it does need have something more to bring it up to par with -say - Preston Rally.
Thanks must go to Barry Unthank for his organising of the military side of the show, which he does every year, making a good job of it too.
Let's see what happens next year!