Beds Steam

There, that's got your attention!

"Beds Steam" or The Bedfordshire Steam And Country Fayre, held in historic Old Warden Park, is one of the biggest gatherings of steam-driven traction engines and their enthusiasts in the country. I didn't even realise that there were so many of these smoke-breathing monsters still around.

As well as traction-engines of all sizes there was all manner of other farm machinery, steam-rollers and steam-driven vehicles of all sorts, fairground organs and fairground rides - powered by steam of course - as well as heavy horses, country crafts, sheep-shearing demonstrations, a beer tent, fish and chips......Much impressed by all this John took more photographs than he really knows what to do with, so here's another...

The event runs for three days and by getting there reasonably early you can see the amount of delicate tinkering and vigorous polishing required to keep these great beasts looking good.

This is not a static museum display so, while you can wander around and get up close and personal with the machines, you can also see them in action, moving slowly and carefully through the crowds or going through their paces in the big arena (or "playpen" as they refer to it!)

Understandably with so many steam fans present there is much to discuss and they are only too willing to answer questions, often with longer and more detailed information than you expected!

Everything is so well loved and spruced up that it's unusual to find something like this...

A fine old rusty steam-roller, presumably found in a shed somewhere, and as yet unrestored. Somehow the power and strength is even more apparent when seen in this state. It was a magnet for the many photographers present, in fact it was difficult to get this clear view of it. 

Lets look at some more of these fine vehicles...

I'll be back in the next few days with candid portraits of some of the characters there...

                                                                                                                                                 
....and quite possibly some of the interesting and colourful details....              

There might even be a video too if I can whittle down an hour or so of footage into something more digestible. And as I mentioned the heavy horses I'd better show you at least one picture of those in case a certain person should read this post.

Take care.