The International Steam Pages


South Cerney Steam Rally (3rd - 5th August, 2018)

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 2018 introduction and overall index.


In 2015 I wrote "What was previously the Gloucestershire Steam and Vintage Extravaganza is now the Gloucestershire Vintage and Country Extravaganza which says it all, it reflects more accurately the show's current offering. After several years of mediocre weather, harsh economic reality appears to have led to a reduction in the (expensive) steam section while other (cheaper?) sections have increased (commercial vehicles exhibits being 50% up on two years ago). Steam, it seems, on a large scale is maybe not the attraction it once was."

After missing the rally altogether in 2017 as we had a weekend in North Yorkshire including a visit to the Whitby steam Rally, we were back on what is effectively home ground for me. My initial steam experience was the famous Chalford Railcar and my misspent youth included many hours trainspotting in the vicinity of Standish Junction. It's amazing how life goes round in circles and as I celebrated my 'three score years and ten' this weekend, apart from my university days and my spells living in Malaysia, Kenya and China, I have lived in Stroud, Mitcheldean and Monmouth all my life.

I felt that the (steam) rally side was looking in much better health than a few years back. The number of engines has increased and this year featured more than a few newcomers to the show, at least as far as I was concerned. There was plenty of movement to and from the 'playpen' although with the high temperatures, no one stayed very long, most made repeat visits spread over the day. The area soon became quite dusty so I didn't attempt to take any photographs there. My commiserations to the commentator who was stuck in a tent in one corner by the entrance while most of the spectators were on the far side! While Friday was quiet as usual, the huge car park was almost full when we arrived at 11.00 on Saturday having been held up by the notorious Over Roundabout road works outside Gloucester. The limitations of the site, essentially the surface cannot be disturbed much as with a showground event, mean that the 'working area' will always be limited. 

Earlier in the week, I was privileged to follow the Brown family's Burrell road locomotive Empress (4010/1925) from Welland to here. There is what I would consider a delightful video of the occasion on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0n4TRtdq4M - the caption explains the significance of the route followed along the A 435 from Cheltenham. The picture below shows a 'water stop' for the crew of three at Colesbourne:

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.

General Engines
Part 1
General Engines
Part 2
Rollers Other Steam  Engines

Rob and Yuehong  Dickinson

Email: webmaster@internationalsteam.co.uk