Great Dorset Steam Gathering

[Geedee]

Havent been to this event for more years than I care to remember.



It used to be called just 'Stourpaine'... The Great Dorset Steam Fair - Attractions and it nearly always rained. The event runs for a week and attracts the full monty of road vehicles from the bygone ages....Traction Engines, Commercial Vehicles, Tractors, Military vehicles, Motorcycles, Horses, Cows, Pigs...actually just about any farm animal, craft stalls, Birds of Prey....the list goes on and on.

Its huge !!!

Only spent the day today and with the weather playing hot and sunny, it was quite a slog towards the end. I'll start of with some general shots of the Military vehicles. There was something in the region of 300 plus ranging from wreckers, staff cars, tanks, utilitiy and specialised. I didn't bother with the modern stuff (see enough of that lot in the surrounding countryside.... I live slap bang in the middle of the largest Military training area in the UK !) and was pleasantly surprised at the amount oif WW2 stuff there. All of which was fully road legal !. I dont know all of the makes and models there, but you'll see that what was on show was in bl**dy good condition.

[Geedee]

Heres some of the varied commercial vehicles at the show. Interesting to note that some of them are ex Military jobbies. We had the full range of early Brit heavies...Seddon Atkinson, Foden, Scammel, Bedford and a few big names from across the Pond.

I have to say that some of the travelling 'showmen' caravans where works of art, all beatifully turned out. And then there were the modern caravans....40 foot ISO Containers with sitting rooms, fully equipped kitchekns, running water, even patio's fer crissakes !!!. To think that the Showmen would travel all over the country in these lorries, bringing the travelling fairgrounds to everywhere, simply fantastic.

[Geedee]

Showmens Engines !. These babes are the real eye candy of the Traction Engine lineage. Polished to perfection, powerfull, and normally sporting a huge 'genny' in front of the stack, powered by a drive belt from the flywheel to power things like the Gallopers, Merry Go rounds etc. To see a rank of around 40 odd Showmens engines all gleaming in the sun, is sight to behold. And as for the value ?.....my calculator doesnt go that high !

Back a number of years ago, i was lucky enough to be able to drive some of these beauts. I've driven them all from the Ploughmans engines, through the Showmens and onto the road hauliers. You havent lived until you've been behind the wheel with hand on the reguilator of a full blown Showmans engine. Its one vehicle that absoulutely everyone staop to stare as you chuff by. Beautifull !

[tail end charlie]

Showmens Engines !. These babes are the real eye candy of the Traction Engine lineage. Polished to perfection, powerfull, and normally sporting a huge 'genny' in front of the stack, powered by a drive belt from the flywheel to power things like the Gallopers, Merry Go rounds etc. To see a rank of around 40 odd Showmens engines all gleaming in the sun, is sight to behold. And as for the value ?.....my calculator doesnt go that high !

Back a number of years ago, i was lucky enough to be able to drive some of these beauts. I've driven them all from the Ploughmans engines, through the Showmens and onto the road hauliers. You havent lived until you've been behind the wheel with hand on the reguilator of a full blown Showmans engine. Its one vehicle that absoulutely everyone staop to stare as you chuff by. Beautifull !

My Great uncle used to have a traction engine (just a normal tractor type) and used to open the local show, what you cant photograph is the smell and the sound of the engines and music. Its great, takes me straight back to my childhood.

[vikingBerserker]

The Showmen's Tractors alone would have been well worth the trip, thanks for posting Gary!

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

WOW!!!! I don't know where to start.....I'd have to spend the entire week, there's no way I'd leave!! That is fantastic Gary!! Thank you for sharing and and exceptional shot sir!!!!

[CharlesBronson]

Great photos, being in the middle of those machines must be quite an experience, look like a good place for picnic also.

[Geedee]

Thanks guys. Certainly a very 'atmospheric' place to be with smoke from the stacks and the smells from the fireboxes...a wonderfull place to be. Picnic ?...absoultely right mate....all that smoke kept the wasps and fly's well away !.

Here's a few shot to show how the heavy stuff used to be moved on our roads. I'll start off with a road train using 'modern' diesels and then some of how it used to be done before that advent of lorries. It was common practice to use upto three of four tractor units at the front of the load to provide the tractive effort and then hang a few units at the back for braking assistance. Interesting to note on the big Pickfords trailer that the rear wheel bogey had its own donkeyt engine to provide power to the steering axles.

If I had a prefernce, I'd say without doubt that train hauling the Sherman, just oozes class and power with the three Road Engines working up that incline.

And finally, just to show how things have progressed.... a modern unit pulling small engine

[Vic Balshaw]

Hardly know where to start with this lot Gary. I just think it's amazing that there are people out there who are willing to spend time and money on not only making these magnificent machines work but also storing and maintaining them and then getting them to the shows. For this we should all be thankful I also think all these vehicles on show could partly solves a lifelong mystery I've had as I recall many a road trip with my parents that took us over Salisbury Plain in the late 40s early 50s and the place was littered with wrecked military vehicles. Now I know where they all went.................whipped into people's garages when no one was looking.

What a great day you must have had and for a change it looks so warm and dry, no wonder it was such a long day. They are great stack of pictures my friend and many of them remind me of my long lost youth and bring a lump to my throat. Thanks so much for sharing.

[Wayne Little]

friggin' amazing...thanks for sharing Gary!

[Gnomey]

Good shots!