ALL it needed was the Tardis to complete the illusion we were back in the 1980s and everything was well at the dockyard.

Twenty-five years after Chatham’s 450-year links with the Royal Navy were severed with the closure of the dockyard, a transport festival brought hundreds of cars from the decade that fashion forgot back to the yard.

Rovers, Scimitars, Ford Populars and even a Vauxhall Velox purred their way in front of the dockyard museum.

Steam trains and steamrollers puffed, chugged and tooted their way through the crowds, with an estimated 6,500 passing through the gates over the two days.

A traditional Thames barge vied with the paddlesteamer Kingswear Castle for attention on the river.

Routemaster buses have gone after half a century on London’s streets, but made a return appearance in Medway.

Maidstone and District buses reminded us of the way people travelled in the 1960s when the future of the dockyard was under wraps.

But it was the cars which brought home the changes since the dockyard became a living museum.

Surrounded by new developments at neighbouring Chatham Maritime, Sunbeam Rapiers and Riley Imps joined Bond Bugs and Austin-Healey Sprites as the centre of visitors’ attention. All were current in 1984 - none of the manufacturers survive.

The dockyard festival reminded people of how much Kent contributed to the transport revolution.

There was a 1912 Hallford doubledecker, built at Dartford and one of Maidstone and District’s first buses.

Martin Walter coachwork and Dormobile camper vans, Tilling Stevens lorries and Beadle bodies, plus the inevitable Aveling and Porter steamrollers and traction engines, kept the home-grown transport revolution going.

None of these Kent products is built today.

With HMS Ocelot representing Medway’s contribution to the Royal Navy’s fighting fleet, all that was missing was a Short Sunderland flying boat flying over the scene.

• For more pictures don't miss Friday's print edition of the Medway Messenger.

To email us your videos and pictures from the day email medwaymessenger@thekmgroup.co.uk marking it Steam Rally - Readers pictures or video.