WW1 Convoy from Bovington to the Great Dorset Steam fair.

Thanks Ploughman
Very interesting and enjoyable
DH

 

Interesting !

 

Superb!

 

Absolutely brilliant! Wonderful to see so much stuff out on the road under its own power instead of being ferried on the back of a low loader as is the norm these days.

 

The Great Dorset Steam Fair takes place this year on August 23rd to 27th. To celebrate the fact that this years event is their 50th, the organisers have arranged for 500 full-size steam engines to attend, a world record.
If you've never been, there's no need for directions - just get to Dorset and follow the car in front!

Stef.

 

It rare you see a traction engine being worked hard.

 

At rallies many arrive on a low loader, unload, steam up and then simmer for the duration before dropping the fire prior tin loading on the lorry to go home. Never seen the point in that. A bit like going to a heritage railway to see a loco sit on shed all day in light steam.

 

Clearly you've not come across the "Horsham Traction Company" group of owners. Prior to the WW1 event, they took some engines around the Isle of Man with a large trailer and load, and are known for finding reasons to work their engines. They partake in the London to Brighton run most years with a suitable trailer and load.

 

I don't disagree, but isn't this a deficiency of the rallies rather than those who bring their engines? Friend of mine who rallies a traction engine for the family who own it usually drives it to/from local rallies, but even then having driven it there it will often spend the rest of the time simmering in a field until it's time to drive home again. He also has a low loader for those rallies which are further afield - in the end rallying has to fit in with 'real life' and that means it's a luxury to have the time to spend multiple days driving to/from events, and the low loader makes it practical to attend more rallies.

 

Some on here have clearly never experienced the Playpen at GDSF.

Stef.

 

It doesn't necessarily take a heavy trailer and a large object to load up an engine, in fact some of the "large loads" seen out on trailers aren't actually as heavy as they seem (transformers and old boilers which are hollow shells aren't uncommon).

Whilst it's true many engines are moved on prams, there are also a great many that travel out on the road. They might not be dragging heavy haulage trailers, but just a standard traction trailer and living van loaded up with enough to be self-sufficient can equate to a fairly normal loading, especially considering the roads traveled. It isn't unknown for engines to be in full gear with wide regulator when slogging up a steep road, and on occasion reaching for judicious use of double-high on compound engines to drag over the top as well. Just because nobody's selling tickets or lining up photographers to watch doesn't mean to say engines aren't getting worked hard.

If you want to see heavy haulage at Dorset, then it isn't when you have two or three road locos barred up to the front of a modern low loader carrying a standard gauge loco up the hill, it's when you see the likes of the big Mac's drag it up alone. Three is an impressive spectacle, singularly is impressive power! (and sound!!!)


Last Saturday the Prout's Ransomes made an impressive sight and sound dragging Russell Cook's recently outshopped Foster back up Comberton Hill to Kidder station follow a bearing issue. It was just part of the route back, but put the engine under a bit of load and left the bark of the exhaust echoing up the street turning heads.

 

Fantastic spectacle- if there's one thing that seems a shame its that the streets are hardly packed with young families where kids could be getting the best free show of the holiday.

Jon

 

Even the grand parade is done at walking pace so even if they had fewer engines and this the time to display them all, you'd barely hear them working. I suppose rallies want more and more locos form further and further afield to keep attracting the punters. A big line up may look impressive but not enough work to go round. GDSF is having a 500 engine line up. To see that lot even parade round the show ground, you'd need a month to get through that lot. Our local steam collection attends a rally in Cornwall, one in Wales and then one in Yorkshire on consecutive weekends. No way can they do that lot without recourse to ow loaders but to me it takes away the spectacle of working steam.

 

Probably for the reason I was not there even though I only live a few miles away. Knew nothing about it at all until the first post on here.

 

I haven't but I'd like to. Perhaps they'd like to demonstrate their prowess with a run to Bedfordshire.

 

I always enjoy watching the videos of steam attacking "The Hill" at the GDSF. Local rallies have demonstrations of steam power but the locos can seldom be unleashed within the confines of the rally field.

 

I am curious as to why in the video there is a single traction engine pulling a trailer carrying a tank but another trailer with apparently not a very big load has two engines at the front and a third one behind.

And a completely separate question. It seems to me that the power-to-weight ratio of a diesel tractor is very much better than that of a steam traction engine, but the power-to-weight ratio of early diesel railway locos was similar to that of steam locos and it's only about twice as good for even the most modern diesel locos. Am I right, and if so why is the difference much less on rail?

 

It does help that Mr Saunders has a small fleet of low loaders though!

Old Warden steam rally is fun, especially the little play pen, but not as massive or intense as GDSF.