Weald of Kent Steam Rally (14th - 15th August, 2021)
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 2021 introduction and overall index.
Weald of Kent Steam Rally 2021 was very nearly the rally that wasn't. Having refused to succumb to the threat of Covid 19, it was almost washed out by heavy rain. So much that with just 4 days to go, organiser Bill Giles was faced with the uncomfortable choice of outright cancellation or postponement for a week with the forecast promising warm, dry and breezy weather. He chose the latter, it was the right decision and the amount of work needed and carried out as a result can be judged by the fact that everyone of what I can imagine were dozens of signs in the area had had the date amended (by Bill himself as he recounted to me). In the event, the sun shone on Saturday (and probably on Sunday, we were heading home via Great Dixter), the picture below is a little misleading as it was taken at 17.00 on the Saturday when most of the crowds had already gone. Yuehong 's smile says it all, for us it was just great to be back out enjoying a steam rally.
Inevitably many of the exhibits had prior commitments for the new date and just 19 of the planned 34 full size steam exhibits were present. On Sunday, we bumped into one of the 'no shows', Tasker 1424, on its way home from an event at Sheffield Park. After a quiet start on Saturday, we went over to the nearby garden at Sissinghurst at midday and when we returned we found the car park nicely full and a certain amount of movement taking place. However, the ground was soft and even damp in places; in particular it was not safe to use the grass airstrip which is usually an unfenced playpen but there was a Grand Parade in the arena as scheduled in the late afternoon.
Hopefully, the weather will have encouraged enough visitors into their cars to have covered all the costs and the rally will be able to return stronger than ever in 2022. There are precious few steam events now in Kent and Sussex now that Wiston is, at best, looking for a new home.
One of the highlights for me was Sentinel Waggon 8850 in an apparently finished state, I had seen it progressing through a complete rebuild during my two previous visits to the rally. Known as 'The Lion' it was displayed with a fellow Sentinel which is, in fact, a reconstruction.
Steam Rollers
|
Maker |
Number |
Registration |
Notes |
|
|
Aveling and Porter | 5156/1902 | TU 874 |
"Lydia" Tinkers Park Rally 2015 Picture Wiston Rally 2015 Picture Great Dorset Steam Fair 2018 Picture Wiston Rally 2019 Picture Weald of Kent Rally 2019 Picture Great Dorset Steam Fair 2019 Picture |
|
Aveling and Porter | 7080/1911 | E 5346 |
"Bostin"
Old Warden Rally 2017 Picture Great Dorset Steam Fair 2018 Picture Old Warden Rally 2018 Picture Great North Steam Fair 2019 Picture Weald of Kent Rally 2019 Picture |
|
Aveling and Porter | 10762/1923 | MF 4008 |
"Ebeneezer" Tinkers Park Rally 2015 Picture Tinkers Park Rally 2018 Picture |
|
Aveling and Porter | 11556/1926 | MK 6933 |
"Gentle Annie"
Weald of Kent Rally 2019 Picture |
|
Aveling and Porter | 12103/1928 | SM 7013 |
"Janet" SteamScenes Link Old Warden Rally 2013 Picture Old Warden Rally 2014 Picture Old Warden Rally 2016 Picture Old Warden Rally 2017 Picture Old Warden Rally 2018 Picture |
|
Aveling and Porter | 14073/1930 | FV 1326 |
Weald of Kent Rally 2019 Picture |
General Engines
Steam Wagons
Sentinel 8848 was not present on the Saturday but attended on the Sunday, so I didn't see it. The picture here actually shows the wagon at the Steam on Rutland Water event in 2018. It has since changed its livery.
|
Maker |
Number |
Registration |
Notes |
||
|
Sentinel | 8448/1931 | UX 8724 |
Shrewsbury
Rally 2015 Picture Weeting Rally 2017 Picture Weeting Rally 2018 Picture Great Dorset Steam Fair 2018 Picture |
|
|
Sentinel | 8850/1933 | FJ 9248 |
Weald
of Kent Rally 2016 Picture Weald of Kent Rally 2019 Picture |
Ploughing Engine
|
Maker |
Number |
Registration |
Notes |
|
|
Fowler | 14213/1914 | HK 9840 |
"Bob" Tinkers Park Rally 2018 Picture Great Dorset Steam Fair 2018 Picture SPC Great Challenge 2018 Picture Weald of Kent Rally 2019 Picture |
Portable Engine
|
Maker |
Number |
Notes | |
|
Marshall | 47590/1907 |
Weald of Kent Rally 2019 Picture |
