Tinkers Park Steam Rally, (30th - 31st May, 2026)
This is one of a series of pages I have uploaded to illustrate facets of the steam rallies we have attended in the UK. Click here for the 2026 introduction and overall index.
Tinkers Park is home to the Claude Jessett collection which is now held by a private trust bearing his name (http://www.tinkerspark.com/) and this was their 60th anniversary rally. When we were last here in 2018, I wrote - "It was again a wonderfully atmospheric event although challenging for photography given a crowded site where engines face north when resting because of the slope. I think the event would benefit from bringing in a few 'entertainment packages', if there was more than a fairground organ opposite the beer tent and a 'pop up' brass band, then I missed them and that meant not a great deal was happening between opening time at 10.00 and the grand steam parade at 13.00."
Compared to some rallies we visit, things here are more than a little anarchic, best exemplified by the failure of almost all the classic cars and motorcycles to respond to a call to come to the arena for a parade, maybe they were just 'too hot'. It was never going to be a great day for photography because it was a family visit with my son and two grandsons and you won't need to look at many pictures to find that it's probably my weakest ever compilation. I was just grateful that two members of the collection had finally been brought into the light of day. Not surprisingly, my only other 'new engine' was a late Aveling and Porter roller. It'snot impossible that I failed to record and photograph every engine present, the somewhat skeletal programme was missing much detailedinformation from several engines.
The nicest moment of the day was re-aquainting myself with Aveling tractor 'The Pirate' which was a regular attendee at the Much Marcle rally when we first started. At least the sun shone for most of the time and the young boys demolished their ice creams and enjoyed their train ride..
Choose the page you are interested in and within that, click on a thumbnail for a larger image. Then click again to return to the page.
