The Golden Age of Victorian Farming proves ever-popular; and the annual County of Salop Steam Engine Society’s Rally taking place this year at Onslow Park, Shrewsbury on Sunday 28th August and Monday 29th August. Pride of place is The Working Field and this year will see ‘new’ vehicles making their debut, with everything from heritage tractors, and a Claas Columbus combine harvester to a Simplex 1960’s operational 4 cow field milking bail complete with cows!
Working Field Secretary – Martin Lane is looking forward to what promises to be a highly successful two-day event, and to welcoming owners of both pre-1940 and post-1940 tractors.
Martin Lane said: “This year we will have a 1916 Clayton chain rail tractor, a 1919 Case Cross Mount 10/18, a 1921 Austin R and a 1929 McCormick Deering 10/20 coming so heritage tractor enthusiasts will be delighted! This year we will be celebrating a theme based on Nuffield marque tractors (the earliest model dating from 1949), then 1970’s Leyland tractors, and then Marshalls into the 1980’s. I am pleased with the support we receive from tractor owners and enthusiasts, and many tractors will take part in active work on the Working Field to delight visitors and enthusiasts alike, so please come along and enjoy the spectacle!”
The Working Field has a full programme of agricultural activities, and is valuable and integral part of the annual Rally. There will be demonstrations of some wonderful original farming skills and techniques. Visitors can take a nostalgic look at the farming of ‘days gone by’ and see an exciting mix of impressive working machines that capture the history and heritage of farming. The Working Field will play host to craftspeople demonstrating everything from stone crushing, butter making, live blacksmith demonstrations, and cider making.
Nick Onions the Working Arena Section Secretary said: “We have a great selection of skills from a bygone era and the sawing benches show how timber was worked in times gone by. There’s everything from bees to bodging! The Shropshire Beekeepers Association will be providing a superb display and the bodger (from the Association of Pole Lathe Turners & Greenwood Workers) will be showing how traditional greenwood craftsmanship can create many familiar items using fresh wood. Shropshire Mines Trust stone crushing in the Working Arena is also highly popular. We will have a selection of hand held seed drills and a milk churn collection to view. Of course it’s the beautiful team of shire horses harvesting with reaper binders, and chaff cutting plus a threshing box (with the baler on the end) that steals the show. People love it!” Also new to the section this year is a Simplex 1960’s operational 4 cow field milking bail complete with cows!
Looking for some excitement! …then look no further than Tractor Pulling! It is a highly popular demonstration where tractors and even military vehicles take their turn to see how they can pull a heavy sledge. Watch some smoke – and see some sparks fly!
Over 240 tractors of various marques (some static) will be on view on the showground. Visitors can take a step back in time, explore original farming skills – and literally live and breathe the past.
Full information and tickets are available online from www.shrewsburysteamrally.co.uk
