Brooklands Bus Museum

Sunday 18th April 2026.

My books were ready, and off we headed to Brooklands Museum in Woking, Surrey.

Some of my books are already on sale at the Museum. Mainly the red bus books: ' Maggie’s Red Circus Bus’; ‘Bus Rhymes and Playtime’; ‘A Ticket to Ride’. Also, for some reason, Barty Barton's story, too. I was told there had been a teddy bear on the bus display, which sounded fun.

Arriving on the lovely sunny morning, there were already quite a few buses, some ready to take passengers on trips.

There was even a bus with ‘East Grinstead on its destination board, that’s where I will be next weekend.

Setting up my book display, I was ready and even managed to sell a few early copies.

I was in the children’s area, which had plenty of things to amuse the little visitors.

I was next to the balloon man. He did say at one point that he wasn’t busy. Famous last words! From then on, he was completely in demand. His queue of children and parents lined up patiently over the ‘zebra crossing’ road markings.

Nonstop, he made his balloon creations to order.

Aliens were widely popular, and an invasion was underway.

The Octopus was also an impressive creation, as well as the monkey up the palm tree.

He worked continuously, and it was fascinating watching him create each model as requested, in the colours the children might choose.

With groups of Scouts, Beavers, and Squirrels plus scout leaders, the line seemed to go on and on.

It was as much fun watching the excitement and awe on the faces of the children as well as the adults as they watched each model unfold

Who was the most excited?

Benjamin, an excited Boy Scout, was enthusiastically telling me how the alien head was made. The ‘balloon man’ blew up two balloons at once. Starting with the clear balloon helmet, then the green alien head inside, then both together before attaching to the alien body.

‘Wow!’

“I know, I’ve been watching those aliens arrive all day!”

I had hoped to take the alien display balloon home with me, but it disappeared at the end. However, I did manage to get a unicorn for a little someone.

Meanwhile, grandad made an aeroplane for, a little, someone else.

People passing by stopped to look at my books, and over the day, parents and children headed off with a signed bus story book, to go with their balloons and bus models.

It was a lovely sunny day with plenty of sunny smiles and happy people.

There were a few quiet times for me, but I was certainly entertained by the balloon man and his queue of visitors.

Packing up, we headed home, still smiling, and still a few buses to see on the way out.