Much Marcle Steam Rally (18th - 19th July, 2026)
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 overall index for 2026.
After Rempstone's 70th the previous week, the 'world and his wife had upped sticks and moved east to Weeting. Despite the somewhat variable weather we had had a successful visit there in 2025 and an immediate return was not a high priority, it's a fair old hike from our part of England and I'm willing to bet that there wouldn't have been many new engines this time around. I'm hoping for a list in the next few days although I have had a brief sight of a copy of the programme.
My last visit to Much Marcle had been in 2022, at the time there had been a sharp decline in the quality (and quantity) of the steam section of the rally and I said 'never again'. This year was advertised as the rally's 40th anniversary and I decided that the time had come to again dip my toe in the water. I feared for the worst, having heard rumours of further decline but what I found was marginally better with the distinct bonus of a Burrell showman's tractor which I had not previously recorded. The working field appeared to be functioning well, but without one key attraction - there was no steam power involved.
The next two likely future dates for this rally are provisionally allocated to Masham (60th anniversary) and Weeting but maybe, deo volente, we will be back here in 2029.
Some things never change. This shows the Grand Parade line up, but the man on the mike forgot to ask for the whistle blast at least on the Sunday, he also called Fowler 14950 a ploughing engine...
As always the children needed no encouragement to join in the 'Tug of War'.
Steam Rollers
General Engines
Showman's Engine
|
Maker |
Number |
Registration |
Notes |
|
|
Burrell | 3202/1910 | TA 1973 |