The Great Dorset Steam Fair

This is an event Dr When and I have been to for the last two years. It is spectacular, it lasts a week and it takes that long to get to see it all!

They have steam ploughing, road building, rock crushing, agricultural engines, a steam fair plus a modern fair. Heavy horse, sheep sheering, crafts marquee, wall of death cyclists and a massive real ale tent.

and while we were there, the Lancaster bomber, 2 spitfires and the Red Devils gave us a fly by.


This is the site as we approached on the free bus. It's a valley full of steam!


A steam powered fire engine. It did a pumping display later.


Dr When shows off his country tweeds.


2 Showman's engines.


At night it's lit by the showman's engines, I think they had over 70 there.


They run the fairground and steam organs.


Dr When poses by a model spitfire with his copy of 'The Chap'


This is 'the playpen' where lots of steam engine, cars, lorries, charabancs and buses buzz around all day. There are rides for the visitors too.


Here we have 4 steam engines pulling a lorry and a train.


Another view.


I want a steam car! Actually, I think it was an invalid carriage but it had a fair turn of speed on it.

Fantastic week out, I recommend it!

 

Amazing show. how womderful it must be to be able to camp out there for the week. Thanks for sharing the pictures, some real good ones.
robert

 

We didn't camp over, we wimped out and stayed at a lovely B&B in Blandford, but there is a huge campsite and the free bus runs from Blandford to the camp site, to the fair and back all day.

The nosie and the steam and the dust is amazing, it's like walking into Mordor.

I did see inside one of the steam organs, it was full of huge stacks of paper and we watched them unfolding into the organ on one side and refolding out of the organ on the other.

Dr When is into steam punk (Victorian sci fi), so we often went around wearing goggles as they are a mark of the steam punker (as well as that cog he wears on his lapel) They came in very handy when we were in the playpen, behind the steam engine.

We got home absolutely filthy every night.

Oh and the Badger brewery is there too :thumb:

 

I so do want to go. I keep meaning to arrange it but ....:dh: you know how it is!

 

I love to go there. Great pics by the way. I love the way all the dogs wear a neckerchief Night time is the most magical bit when it is all lit up. I also know how to get there avoiding the route that the "grockles" take :thumb:

 

Definitely not!
The Chap magazine requests that chaps send in photos of themselves dressed in sartorial splendour in places of peril. Dr When sent off his photo siting the smuts, oil and dust as definite perils.

It's a fun magazine, perhaps some of you would like to apply to them for the status of 'chap'

http://www.thechap.net/content/section_epistolary/am-I-chap.html

 

The free bus is the best way to get in, no queues to get in or out and they go the non grockle route too.

glad everybody is enjoying the photos

 

I've lived in Dorset all my life and have never managed to go to this show but maybe I can persuade hubby next year

 

It's a fantastic show but don't bother if it's been raining for a week before you go:wink:
We went one year and even the tractors were getting stuck in the mud. It was a great laugh, clinging onto the wire fence trying to get to the show from the car park. Not so clever with an 18mnth old and a pushchair hanging on your ears and everywhere else:D

 

We have been there every year for 6 years and camped there for a week but its getting very expensive so we missed it this year !
Its over 600 acres and in 6 years there are still bits we have not seen !!
The evening entertainment is great and the 'choir' is so funny LOL
Its not all steam there is so much and the market is huge !! it takes about a day just to do that !
there are over 60,000 caravans there and they even have there own radio station ! on site they have loo's hot showers and a shop and gas on sale as well as 24hr security !

 

Enjoyed the pics, shame on me, I have never been to it.