The International Steam Pages


Old Warden Steam Rally (September 13th - 15th, 2024)
A Triumphant Return

This is one of a series of pages I have uploaded to illustrate facets of the steam rallies we have attended in the UK. Click here for the 2024 introduction and overall index.


By 2018 the Bedford Steam Engine Preservation Society's annual Old Warden Steam Rally had become second only in size to the Great Dorset Steam Fair. However, it seems that there were problems behind the scenes and, after a planned break in 2019, the pandemic intervened and when the BSEPS moved to Turvey for the 2022 and 2023 events, the rallies were on a reduced scale. Not surprisingly, the announcement of a return to Old Warden was greeted with much anticipation.

How many times has it been said 'Never go back..'? It was a bold decision given the massive inflation in the cost of putting on a show in recent years but it was rewarded with the kind of weather organisres can normally only dream of. There was a fair attendance on Friday, Saturday looked to be very busy to me and Sunday at least again started bright as we made our way home. What did the punters find? Broadly, it was similar to the 2018 event, albeit with somewhat fewer engines, which meant lots of 'steam' activity in what is glorious parkland. There were traditional arena attractions and a revitalised working area but on the other hand 'steam ploughing' here seems to be history and there was no 'entertainment' outside the beer tents. I was well satisfied, it was up with the best rallies I have attended in 2024 and I hope to be back for more in 2025. The organisers deserve congratulations for mounting a great 'come back' in a difficult financial environment. With the help of Paul Gilbey and Rod Smith I can say that there were at least 116 complete traditional full size road engines on show, which was marginally ahead of the total I saw at Welland in July.

Choose the page you are interested in and within that, click on a thumbnail for a larger image. Then click again to return to the page.

David Collidge's Steam Scenes website (http://www.steamscenes.org.uk/) is a fount of information and was a great help in compiling these pages.

Rollers General Engines, Part 1 General Engines, Part 2 Steam Wagons
Showman's Engines Miscellaneous Engines Working Steam Saturday Night Fever

Rob and Yuehong  Dickinson

Email: webmaster@internationalsteam.co.uk