This year’s SHOWBUS international, the 45th event in the series:  an expected colourful display of around 400 buses and coaches, 50 stalls and a crowd of around 5 000.

This year sees SHOWBUS back at its exciting new venue at Donington, next to the famous race track, East Midlands Airport and nestling between the centres of Nottingham, Derby and Leicester.  This new central venue last year attracted entrants from parts of the country that have been too far from our southern venues and we saw a number of buses that have never made it to SHOWBUS before.  The new venue offers what is described as a 40000 square metre tarmac lake of hard standing and separate entrances for visitors and exhibitors.  Building on last year’s success there will be much enhanced catering and additional toilet facilities. The site has easy disabled access.

A major attraction this year is the Plaxton 110th Anniversary.  We will also be working with Bartons PLC so expect another  heritage display of vehicles from this famous and much loved fleet.  Other special displays are also being planned – details later.

Thanks to our sponsors the event features loads of prizes comprising a mixture of cash and individual model buses from Jotus, trophies and souvenir rally plaques for all entrants. SHOWBUS is the world's biggest and best bus and coach display.  The added attraction of the huge stallholders' market provides opportunities to buy a diverse selection of bus paraphernalia.  

The Donington site provides excellent facilities for enthusiasts, exhibitors, their families and the public. 

SHOWBUS international welcomes enthusiasts and buses from around the world.

A popular SHOWBUS attraction this year will be free tours of the area on selected entries.  Please let us know if you would like to help on that, an allowance for diesel can be claimed, fuller details on the entry form.  Your vehicle must be suitably taxed and insured.  National Express coaches and Trent-Barton skylink services from Nottingham, Derby, Coalville, Leicester and Loughborough serve East Midlands Airport.  A connecting shuttle will link to SHOWBUS from the Donington Park entrance by the skylink bus stop.  The stop will also be served by a dedicated bus service from the nearby East Midlands Parkway Station.
 
Access to Donington is excllent.  The site is situated off the East Midlands Airport Junction 23A of the M1.
 
Please note dogs are not permitted on site, but there are a number of local day kennels.

Over the years, one thing stands out above all else at SHOWBUS - it is a great day out for friends and families, with plenty to see and do, and that opportunity to meet friends and acquaintances associated with Britain's bus industry from all over the country – and abroad.   'See you at SHOWBUS' is now a familiar phrase, use it and you're sure of a welcome.

SHOWBUS Committee	e-mail rally@showbus.com	
Phone/SMS 07518 624034 this line is open from May 10th
Dr Martin Isles (Entries & Parking Reception)
20 Castle Rise, Castle Street, HIGH WYCOMBE. HP13 6FQ 
Mr Charlie Nicholson (Parking Display & tours)		Mr Dave Reid (Rally Control)
Mr Rob Passaway (Parking Display)				Mr Dominic Spooner (Trade stands)

SHOWBUS international 2017 PRIZE CATEGORIES
A new approach to judging this year means we will be allocating one judge per class.  
We hope this will make the judging fairer, though we have had to reduce the number of judging classes there will be new Highly Commended certificates and bigger cash prizes
Preserved vehicles	Non Preserved vehicles	All vehicles	
Best in Show Shillibeer Award £100 prize
Best Doyen double & singledecks £75 prizes	S Best Modern Vehicle
T Best Post 2009 bus
U Best Post 2009 coach
W Best big group bus or coach
 
Premier Operator Award
For the best pair of entries 

	4 Pre 1950 & before £60 prize
5 Best 1951-59 vehicle £50 prize
6 Best 1960-69 vehicle £40 prize
7 Best 1970-79 vehicle £30 prize
8 Best 1980-1989 vehicle £25 prize
9 Best 1990-1999 vehicle £25 prize
10 Best 2000-2009 vehicle £20 prize
P Best Plaxton/NCME/Duple vehicle

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Admission arrangements for exhibitors
The person driving, anyone under 16 and up to FIVE other passengers on all buses entering the site are admitted FREE.

Free admissions will only be valid at the entry gate and are only valid for those physically on board a bus.  All other bus passengers, aged 16 and over will pay £10 per person at the pay booths.  
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All entrants will receive final joining information in early September
All entries will be acknowledged by email, enclose an s.a.e. labelled AC if you require acknowledgement by post.
If you do not receive your paperwork check showbus.com/display for emergency paperwork under “info for entrants”.
Please send your entry form early as we cannot guarantee dispatch of admission packs in time if your entry is received less than a week before the event.

There is no closing date for entries, but entries after late August are unlikely to be included in the programme.

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The SHOWBUS Market
Arrangements for entrants with stalls.  
All such entrants will park together in a designated area near where other stalls will be located.

Trading from or in front of your entry anywhere else on site is not permitted.  There is no restriction on distributing free items from your vehicle.  Care must be taken not obscure buses from public view as photographers get very upset.

If you wish to have a stall in the main trade area then normal rates apply and you will need to request the appropriate form from Dominic Spooner at dom@showbus.com, who can also be contacted via the form’s return address: 
20 Castle Rise, Castle Street, HIGH WYCOMBE. HP13 6FQ
or directly at 9 Herons Place, Court Road, MAIDENHEAD. SL6 8LA or SMS 07835 289454 

We encourage the sale of items of transport interest and the organisers reserve the right to ban the sale of certain items on the day. Undercover accommodation is not available.  To avoid mess left in the stall area, stallholders are requested to provide a litter bin by their stall and ensure the area is left clear afterwards. 

FEE for 3m frontage £40 (larger stalls must be sighted in the main trade area at commercial rates).   
Advance booking fee only £30 for bookings received before July 1st. (Cheques payable to SHOWBUS DIGITAL)

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UK COACH HIRE DIRECTORY
All entrants of vehicles available for hire are entitled to a free entry in the UK Coach Hire Directory at showbus.com/bookacoach.  Check out the site and provide the required details for your entry including contact details & vehicle types for hire.
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SHOWBUS EXCURSIONS
Contact us if you are planning an excursion to SHOWBUS so we can include details on our website
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SURF THE NET WITH SHOWBUS
www.showbus.com
the SHOWBUS international website is updated weekly.
It contains latest news on the event - with a list of all entrants -
Pages for enthusiasts & industry – Tens of Thousands of Photos - latest model bus news – Timetables & Coach Hire directories 
- and more! 
australia.showbus.com