The North West Museum of Road Transport at St.Helens, in Merseyside, is holding a Transport Fair and Class Bus Running Day on Sunday, 8th March from 10 am to 4 pm.

During the day, there will be free rides on heritage buses, as well as a bus link to the Rainhill Model Railway Club’s exhibition, being held at Rainhill High School. The Transport Fair will feature trade stalls with transport books, photographs, collectables, and models.

The museum is located at 51 Hall Street in St. Helens, and admission to the fair is £7.50, with free entry for accompanied children aged under 16.

The museum building was built in 1881 to house St. Helens’ horse-drawn trams, and until 1985 was used for steam and electric trams, trolleybuses and motor buses operated by St Helens Corporation, and later by Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive.

Although operated by Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive, St Helens Council retained ownership of the building, and after it closed in 1985, the museum society obtained a lease on the premises.

The society moved into the run-down building in 1986, but in 1994 had to close it to the public because of the poor condition of the roof the poor condition of the roof although society members could still access the building to work on the exhibits.

Grants from the Single Regeneration Budget, European Regional Development Fund, Neighbourhood Renewal Funding, North West Coalfields Community Campaign and the DTI, and a substantial contribution from the museum, enabled the building to be renovated and the roof replaced, allowing the museum to reopen in 2006.

Other museums dedicated to road transport include Crich Tramway Village in Derbyshire and Tramtown at Blackpool in Lancashire.