Welland Steam Rally 2018
Working Engines

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 Welland index and click here for the overall 2018 index.

By working engines, I mean steam engines which did more than sit looking beautiful or amble round the main arena to have their pictures taken. For the most part these were very similar to that which I recorded in 2014/5, nevertheless they remain for me one of the highlights of the show and the organisers are to be commended for this section.

Heavy Haulage

Using road engines in a 'play pen' was an innovation in 2018. The area was occupied by the auction on Friday and the action had barely started on Saturday afternoon when it was halted first for the grand parade and then by rain. I assume that nothing happened on Sunday as it rained all day at home, some 30 miles south-west of the rally site.

The first picture shows Garrett tractor 31210 sorting out some logs.

The 'main business' was provided by Marshall 55924, Ruston and Hornsby 169167 and Foster 14638 with a 38 ton trailer and suitable load. There is a short video of the action on my YouTube channel https://youtu.be/P7sltkl47gs. 

It took a while to start but was comfortably within their capabilities once they got going. This was an experiment that deserves to succeed but it needs better viewing facilities, I was able to observe from the 'back of a lorry' - with permission of its owner couple of course, they were delighted with the unexpected action.

Steam Shovel

The Erie steam shovel was worked enthusiastically in the working area.

Road Making Demonstration

This was a continuation of the previous years' work. The  rollers are Aveling and Porter 11448/1926 (left) and 9024/1919 (right). For more on the group involved search for "Vintage Road Making Team". See http://youtu.be/fkzLxvsO2qg for a video clip for some of the slow motion action in 2015.

Steam Threshing

Foster "Stargazer", (2728/1903) was again powering a thresher. 

Steam Sawing

The Advance (14921/ca 1920) and a Marshall (70321/1916)  were powering the two adjacent saw benches:

Steam Ploughing

As normal, there was no ploughing on Friday as the field was harvested as part of the working demonstration. Sadly, the weather after we arrived meant that I had no opportunity to record Saturday's activity before the rain came. If you are interested to see what would have been happening then check out the 2016 record. Fowlers 2538 and 14257 were again in use.

Steam Crane 

There is a 1950s ex-British Railways steam crane (Smith Rodley 1950s) which is used to move logs for the sawing demonstration. I am pleased to see that it was looking much smarter than in former years and has now been given a suitable shelter from the elements.

Steam Locomotives

Hunslet was working the standard gauge Great Welland Railway and Roger the 610mm railway. There are no prizes for guessing my favourite of these two.

	Maker	Number	Notes
	Kerr Stuart	3218/1918	"Roger"
	Hunslet	3839/1956	"Wimblebury"

Centre Engine

		Maker	Number	Notes
		Savage	638/1895	Savage centre engine "John Bull" was driving a traditional set of Gallopers. See Strumpshaw Rally 2016 report.