Record-breaking parade celebrates 60 years of the Ford Transit
It’s not every day you get the chance to participate in a world record attempt. So, when Ford asked us if we’d like to take a van along to their Dunton Technical Centre to help set a record, we jumped at the chance.
The world record attempt was part of a day of celebrations to mark the 60th birthday of the Ford Transit. The record in question was a new one: the world’s largest parade of vans. To set the record, Ford invited owners from all over the country to bring their beloved Transits, old and new, along to join the convoy. This was followed by the short trip to Chelmsford City Racecourse to continue the celebrations.
System Edström representatives Michael Milne and Joff Brown hopped into one of our recently converted TrustFord mobile service vans to make the trip. After assembling for the driver briefing at nine in the morning, they headed back to the van and on to the test track to make the attempt. After much slowing down and speeding up to get the parade rolling continuously, (required to make the attempt valid) the team succeeded in setting a new Guinness World Record.
Afterwards, Guinness World Records Adjudicator Carl Saville, who oversaw the event, told us: “There were 201 vans in the parade. To qualify, there needed to be 100. It’s always exciting taking part in these attempts and it’s a privilege to adjudicate them.”
The convoy made a truly impressive sight, with Transits covering pretty much the full 60 years of the van’s history represented, including some very old examples that have clearly been well loved by their owners. The vans were a mix of models owned by businesses, converters and enthusiasts, including the Transit Owners Club. All then made their way to Chelmsford, where we got the chance to check them all out up close.
Alongside the display of vans, the festival featured music, talks, workshops, games and much more, providing a great day out for the many families in attendance. Our thanks go to everyone involved in organising a fabulous day and for inviting us to take part.
