UK Steam Rallies 2026
Click here for the Surviving Steam Road Engine Index.
Click here for the "UK Steam Rallies" index page.
David Collidge's Steam Scenes is back (7th October 2026). After quite a few years when it was first not updated and then later taken down because it was crippled by 'bots', it is gradually being restored to its former glory as the gaps are being plugged by further uploads. Set aside an hour or two and check out https://steamscenes.org.uk. Note that at the time of writing, the site is still being revised and updated. David would be delighted to receive feedback and ideas to further enhance the site.
The 2026 UK steam rally season is here and we went to our first rally in mid-May. Uncertainty is the order of the day and at the moment that goes well beyond the UK's weather. Strumpshaw Rally has breathed its last, Quorn is taking a year off and the treasurers of others will be wondering how the bills will be paid. There is some good news, Elvaston will return, Tinkers Park, Rempstone and others no doubt will celebrate significant anniversaries and some long term restoration projects will be completed.
Many / most / all of us have our own personal battles related to ageing. Earlier in the season, I was diagnosed with a cataract in one eye. It would have been be relatively easy and quick to correct, even on the NHS, but in the event it was found to be a case of extreme 'dry eye' which responded well to an intensive (and now continuing) course of lubricant eye drops.
However, at the time I was very glad that Yuehong had passed her driving test well before. In any case, longer trips now need careful planning and are necessarily more expensive than before, meaning we missed what looked to have been a superb Trevithick Day celebration. Now, if only it was possible to deal with climate change and the death wish of UK politicians so readily, life would be very good and I could safely retreat and hide away in my beautiful garden between steam rallies. Nothing in life is perfect, the aforementioned garden is, as of August, parched and dry and on 'life support' but now it's raining again much of it has made a 'death bed recovery'.
Choose the rally you are interested in which will generally take you to a further index page. Within each linked page click on a thumbnail for a larger image. Then click again to return to the previous page.
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We
started visiting steam rallies in 2013. |
I make no claim to artistic beauty in what is essentially a set of record shots. Two dedicated enthusiasts have done that in classic books, both of which are readily available at a modest price through AbeBooks or Amazon. Yuehong has sat drooling over my copies. I have added a third book which is very approachable study which covers mainly threshing and ploughing.
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Traction Engine Album by Malcolm Ranieri (2005) - ISBN 9781861267948
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Classic Traction Engines by Paul Stratford (2010) - ISBN 9780857040541
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Steam on the Farm by Jonathan Brown (2008) - ISBN 9781847970527
Historic Steam Rally Lists (2024/2025/2026) (latest addition 13th October 2026)
I now have data available which lists engines attending
many rallies in 2024, 2025 and 2026 which are not included in the
standard
illustrated reports. If you have your own such data which you would like to
share, then please get in touch.
Castle Combe Steam Rally (16th - 17th May 2026) |
Moreton Morrell Open Day (16th May 2026) |
Abergavenny Steam Rally (24th - 25th May 2026) |
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Tinkers Park Steam Rally (30th - 31st May 2026) |
Hollycombe Steam Festival (6th - 7th June 2026) |
Stoke Row Rally (13th - 14th June 2026) |
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Ashby Magna Vintage Rally (20th - 21st June, 2026) |
Bloxham Rally (27th - 28th June 2026) |
Elvaston Rally (4th - 5th July 2026) |
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Great Rempstone Steam Show (11th - 12th July 2026) |
West Oxon |
Much Marcle |
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Welland |
Gloucestershire Vintage |
Shrewsbury Steam Rally |
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Steam Plough Club 60th Birthday Party |
Speech House Vintage Show |
Old Warden Rally |
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