Speech House Vintage Show, (14th September, 2026)
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 overall 2025 index.
Officially this is the Forest Vintage Vehicle and Machinery Club's annual event but even their chairman's message on their website calls it 'The Speech House Show' and all the direction signs to it said "Speech House Vintage Show" . After my 2015 visit I wrote "This is a relatively new event, in terms of steam it's not so much a small rally as a mini one, being mainly internal combustion orientated and without space for maybe more than half a dozen steam road engines. The venue is splendid, the grounds beside the historic Speech House in the heart of the Forest of Dean and with it being a one day event there is no room for error with the weather."
The FoD has had its fair share of rain lately but it seems it served only to dampen the top layer. Another rainy morning delayed my departure from home but when it stopped I jumped in the car and arrived in the middle of the Grand Parade, thereafter it remained cloudy and when more rain threatened I slipped away. In fact there was some brightness later but I didn't feel keen enough to return for a few better photographs.
Two of the Forest of Dean's less well known residents were parked together with an appropriate backdrop.
It wasn't the greatest Tug-of-War ever as
there weren't too many children at the show, the weather will have
discouraged many potential visitors.
Those participating will have been very happy
because the rally had overstocked with rewards for the winners (Guess who?).
Again Ken Hickson hadn't brought his 'Alfie' (Aveling and Porter 11448) but again he had brought along a representative sample of his collection of road rolling kit.
Steam Rollers
General Engines
