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This is one of a series of pages which I have uploaded to
illustrate facets of steam rallies we have attended in 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 Hollycombe Steam Rally 2024 index and click here for
the overall index for 2024.
It's a large site, although it's well signed, it would
have been easy to miss out on some attractions. Necessarily I was looking
for 'working full size steam' as, to be honest, I don't get turned on by
miniatures (sorry!). Here are some of the things which will live on in the
memory.
Fairground
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The Golden Gallopers are THE iconic ride in any old time fair ground. In
this case there's a Tidman centre engine powering the show.
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Calliope
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A calliope is a poor man's steam organ, essentially a set of whistles
which can be programmed. However, there is only a small degree of
control which doesn't seem to include the volume. Steam was provided by
Clayton and Shuttleworth 44140 which was powering the (now dismantled
for repair) big wheel in 2024.
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Railway Ride
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There is a small miniature railway operated by a local society which
runs near to the fairground, a much longer 2ft / 610mm line runs around
a loop in the woodlands at the far end of the site. Some of the trees
have been cleared to afford a splendid view out over the West Sussex
countryside and trains stop briefly for passengers to take it in.
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Steam Ploughing
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The plan was to plough a field at the top of the site. It's not under
regular cultivation and it seems that nobody told the weeds beforehand.
In practice the soil was knitted together by their roots in such a way
that ploughing was impossible. The 'cultivator' ran to and fro but it
didn't 'dip its toes in the water'.
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Saw Bench (and Road Making)
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There were two working saw benches. The one I saw working (with WS 7625)
was not well placed for photography. One way and another I didn't get
round to photographing this one which was made by Stenner and Gunn and
driven by Marshall portable 28810. Crane engine RSJ 31066 'Hooky' kept
the operation supplied with raw timber. The road making in the nearby
woods was interesting but not very photogenic.
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Succession Planning (or not)
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There were three very old engines present, from left to right, Allchin
669, Marshall 14242 and Marshall 15590. 15590 is said to be the oldest
working road locomotive in the world and was repatriated from Australia
relatively recently. 14142 is the oldest working Marshall traction
engine and the Allchin is said to be the oldest complete engine by that
manufacturer.
The current owner of 14142 is the great, great grandson of the
original owner although it was not in the keeping of the family between
1970 and 2002. However, 'some things are meant to be...'
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