Hay-on-Wye Steam Rally (11th August, 2013)
Working and Other Engines
This is one of a series of pages I will be uploading to illustrate facets of steam rallies we have attended in our part of the UK. Such events occur all over the country in the summer months, they are easily found by using your favourite search engine and may have anything between a handful of steam engines and hundreds (as at the Great Dorset Steam Fair which could probably be fairly described as having an excess of riches). Click here for the index.
Once again we hired a car, this time the excuse was the possibility of a trip to through the southernmost part of the Cotswolds to Bath where a cunningly constructed Gloucester Rugby team surprised everyone (and probably themselves) by winning the pre-season Premiership Rugby Sevens. A degree of success which at the time of writing (mid-September) seems unlikely to be replicated in the full size game this season.
Hay-on-Wye is a classic 'small show', held just outside the town. It makes limited appeal to the committed enthusiast, I went mainly to see the steam ploughing because this is the 'home ground' for the Williams and Henderson families whose engines I had seen at Marcle. It was frustrating trying to take video as the show included an air display and helicopter rides and there were (noisy) vintage tractors at work nearby. Throw in the sun which came and (mainly) went and a video camera which didn't tell me it wasn't working for the last 80% of the shooting and you might be forgiven for thinking I didn't enjoy myself. Not true, this is a lovely part of the world, everyone is friendly and I got to ride on the plough, mercifully I managed to salvage this part of the tape and what I got is very pleasing http://youtu.be/nBZcy-940CI.
There were just a round dozen engines in all with just one (the delightful small Mann) which I hadn't seen at other recent shows in the area. As always there were several 'no shows' compared to the programme but that was irrelevant as I hadn't seen a pre-show list.
Steam Sawing
A large Fowler was demonstrating steam sawing, alas this video did perish. It's an engine designed for gun handling and also winding (NOT a steam plough!).
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14950/1917 |
VF2984 |
Shrewsbury
Rally 2013 Picture Welland Rally 2013 Picture Marcle Rally 2014 Picture Hay Rally 2016 Picture Marcle Rally 2017 Picture |
Steam Ploughing
The same pair of engines that we had seen at Marcle were at work, the video is here http://youtu.be/nBZcy-940CI..:The plough is of the 'balanced type' constructed by Fowler in the 1870s.
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Fowler | 15231/1919 | AC 9511 |
"Prince"
Marcle Rally 2013 Picture Marcle Rally 2014 Picture Marcle Rally 2015 Picture |
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Fowler | 15333/1919 | AL 9855 |
"Charlie"
Marcle Rally 2013 Picture Shrewsbury Rally 2013 Picture National Ploughing Championships 2013 Picture Marcle Rally 2016 Picture Hay Rally 2016 Picture Marcle Rally 2017 Picture |
Steam Tractor
Steam Rollers
I missed the grand parade, otherwise they never turned a wheel, not really surprising as the show had no other space for them and there was a goodly footfall.
Other Engines
I missed the grand parade, otherwise they never turned a wheel, not really surprising as the show had no other space for them and there was a goodly turn out.
