Garden Wildlife UK

Photos of some of the steam fair from 2024, I didn't take many this year as it was mostly video of my small granddaughter having a wonderful time on her first carousel rides etc but it gives an idea of how much is going on - it's truly wonderful and seeing the younger generation getting involved is fantastic. The punch cards for the musical ones are still being produced

Germain wrote: Thu Sep 18, 2025 10:14 am Photos of some of the steam fair from 2024, I didn't take many this year as it was mostly video of my small granddaughter having a wonderful time on her first carousel rides etc but it gives an idea of how much is going on - it's truly wonderful and seeing the younger generation getting involved is fantastic. The punch cards for the musical ones are still being produced

It looked wonderful indeed with carousel, music machine and all! And all the vintage bikes! I have a post WWII military bike in my basement built by 'Panther'. In my younger days I was Chief Engineer for a medium wave radio station with a big 4-tower antenna array on 50 acres. They had a 1938 Ford 9N with duals plus baloon floatation tires up front as not to sink into the marshy land and it was also my chore to mow around the towers with this tractor I so loved!
(But my emjoi here is an International! Haha!)

I went to the Bedfordshire Steam & Country Fayre at the Shuttleworth Collection last Sunday. Some impressive machines and a great atmosphere.

Bloody hate steam fairs. Where we used to live was on the main drag to "The Great Dorset" version. Couldn't get in or out of the village for 3 days, even the supermarkets refused to deliver over the weekend because of the traffic. We had to lock everything up, neighbours had 2 ceramic urns, that were about 5 foot tall and full of earth and plantings nicked one night, sheds and garages broken in to. Traveller encampments sprung up in any unbarricaded field. Complete nightmare

Edit: Not forgetting the damage the engines did to the roads, gouging up long tracts that our council tax had to pay to repair!

2nd edit... link to web page https://www.gdsf.co.uk/

PimperneBloke wrote: Thu Sep 18, 2025 11:57 am Bloody hate steam fairs. Where we used to live was on the main drag to "The Great Dorset" version. Couldn't get in or out of the village for 3 days, even the supermarkets refused to deliver over the weekend because of the traffic. We had to lock everything up, neighbours had 2 ceramic urns, that were about 5 foot tall and full of earth and plantings nicked one night, sheds and garages broken in to. Traveller encampments sprung up in any unbarricaded field. Complete nightmare

Edit: Not forgetting the damage the engines did to the roads, gouging up long tracts that our council tax had to pay to repair!

2nd edit... link to web page https://www.gdsf.co.uk/

Is that better noo youve got that all off yer chest PB , sounds like you been holding it in for some time

PimperneBloke wrote: Thu Sep 18, 2025 11:57 am Bloody hate steam fairs. Where we used to live was on the main drag to "The Great Dorset" version. Couldn't get in or out of the village for 3 days, even the supermarkets refused to deliver over the weekend because of the traffic. We had to lock everything up, neighbours had 2 ceramic urns, that were about 5 foot tall and full of earth and plantings nicked one night, sheds and garages broken in to. Traveller encampments sprung up in any unbarricaded field. Complete nightmare

Edit: Not forgetting the damage the engines did to the roads, gouging up long tracts that our council tax had to pay to repair!

2nd edit... link to web page https://www.gdsf.co.uk/

I will admit they were very clever about where this one is placed in relation to the villages and field entrances are blocked. Given the condition of some of the roads I think the steam roller guys could have done us a few favours sorting them out.
I think fairs and events always attract an unsavoury element, some subtle and some outrageously blatant. An acquaintance found an AirTag on her horse box, in a place where is couldn't have been accidentally dropped.
The blatant was the woman who tried to walk off with a beautifully crafted wooden dog cart at a show where some of my Leo friends were giving a demonstration - big signs saying not for sale etc - oh and the 3 lads - one acted as the distraction while the other two tried going through vehicles and kit behind the event shelter - they were found and stopped

Linda257 wrote: Thu Sep 18, 2025 12:56 pm

Is that better noo youve got that all off yer chest PB , sounds like you been holding it in for some time

Yes ta It built and built over several years, then just exploded for about the last 5 years we were there