Our Work
On the buses
As proud sponsors of the Norwich City of Ale Festival, the team at Signs Express (Norwich) were delighted to play a part in one of the city’s most celebrated annual events by transforming a piece of local history into a moving advertisement.
The project saw us working with the Eastern Transport Collection Society (ETCS), an educational charity that owns and maintains a collection of beautifully preserved vintage buses from the 1950s to the 1970s.
To help promote the festival, the ETCS offered one of their standout vehicles, a 1954 Bristol double-decker, to take centre stage at the event’s press launch and travel around the region as a mobile showcase. Signs Express Norwich was asked to create and install the promotional graphics for the bus, helping to bring the campaign to life in a truly unique way.
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Challenges and solutions
The Society wanted to use their vintage bus to promote the event but needed a solution that wouldn’t damage the existing permanent vinyl graphics already fitted to the vehicle.
The bus itself is a valued piece of local heritage, so it was crucial that any temporary signage could be applied securely, look professional, and be removed easily without leaving marks, residue, or causing any damage to the original surface.
To achieve this, we chose to use Phototex, a cutting-edge self-adhesive fabric material that’s ideal for temporary signage applications. Phototex offers a range of benefits that made it the perfect choice for this project:
- It adheres smoothly to almost any surface, including vehicles.
- It can be removed and re-applied multiple times without tearing or leaving sticky residue.
- It’s lightweight, durable, and weather-resistant so its perfect for both indoor and outdoor use.
Using large-format printing, our team produced a vibrant, full-colour promotional poster for the City of Ale Festival, precisely sized to cover the existing advert panels on the vintage red double-decker.
The application was completed at the Signs Express Norwich centre, where our installers fitted the new graphics with precision and care to ensure a seamless finish.
The Outcome
The result was a perfect example of modern print technology meeting traditional craftsmanship. The vintage red bus, featuring the bold City of Ale branding, became an instant head-turner. It was spotted across Norwich and throughout Norfolk as it toured the area in the lead-up to the festival.
After the campaign ended, the Phototex graphics were gently removed, leaving the original vinyl completely untouched.
Encouraged by the success of the project, the Society is now considering using this same semi-permanent method on another one of their classic buses, a 1952 double-decker currently being restored, as a way to create custom adverts and raise funds for ongoing preservation work.
Our Testimonial
For Signs Express Norwich, this project was about more than just producing a sign. It was about finding an innovative, practical solution that respected a piece of transport history while helping to promote a community event that celebrates Norwich’s independent spirit.
It’s a great example of how signage innovation and local pride can come together to create something memorable, effective, and meaningful.
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