ferguson_tom Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 Next week is the Great Dorset Steam Fair and this year is a steam roller special with over 160 rollers attending one of those being ours The roller is leaving on a lowloader tomorrow night for the 150 mile trip. This is the first (and probably only) time the roller is going and also the first time since my dad bought her in the mid 80s its been on a lowloader - 150 miles at 4mph we though was a bit much to go under own steam. Me and my family are going down this Saturday and staying on site for 10 days till the following Monday- I cant believe my wife has given us the go ahead to go to a steam rally for over a week. Is anybody on here planning on visiting or any exhibiting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 Went a few years ago for the first time, and I was blown away by the scale of the show and the number of engines there, amongst other stuff. Great day out, just a pity I had to drive the beer tent looked equally as awesome, as was the roast pig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keg Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 Proper Dibnah buggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roscoc180 Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 Been going for the last twelve years and its awesome. The last couple of years I have just gone for a day due to my wife's illness, we used to stay for a week in a caravan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royboy Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 (edited) I'm a Dorset steam Virgin but ill be going this year ! Driving down Thursday morning and staying till Sunday ! So plenty of scrumpy will be consumed ! Nice steamer by the way very bonny Edited August 20, 2013 by Royboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimlet Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 Haven't been for a fwe years. I tend to steer clear because of the traffic chaos, but as I only live about seven miles from the site I keep promising myself I'll restore a BSA Bantam or something so I can get in and stay as an exhibitor. Exhibitors night, before the public arrive is supposed to be a bit of a highlight. I grew up with the show when it on the original site at Stourpaine. They had a wall of death and a boxing booth. I love the old cars and farm machinery as well as the steam engines. The last time I went there were implements on display that I can remember my grandfather using when I was a nipper, and I'm only 46. Its frightening how fast times change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonLuke Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 My childhood is littered with memories of this Be sure to catch the racing of the cutting of logs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markws80 Posted August 21, 2013 Report Share Posted August 21, 2013 Keep you hand on your wallet pick pockets about!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson_tom Posted August 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2013 May see some of you there then, our roller is called William so if you see us feel free to come up and say hello. Really cant wait for it now the days at work are seeming really long. Royboy I am sure you will have a great weekend, I have been a couple of times as a visitor and still cant believe the scale of the place it is huge and so much to see. We went for 3 days before and still didnt see everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted August 21, 2013 Report Share Posted August 21, 2013 Can you tell us a bit about your engine Tom? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson_tom Posted August 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2013 (edited) Can you tell us a bit about your engine Tom? Yer of course. Aveling and Porter BS class single cylinder 10ton steam roller built 1920 called William, Works number 9246, Reg CE 9188. Originally supplied to Cambridge Corporation rolling roads in and around Cambridge city. Was ordered with heavier plated rolls as was mainly used for rolling road foundations because of the rolls and the fact the plated weights are never true and actually weighs in closer to 15tons when full of water and coal etc. Cambridge Corporation is where it spent all its working life until the late 50s when it was sold into preservation to a gentlemen in Waterbeach just north of Cambridge, my dad then bought William around 1985 ish and after doing some mechanical work rallied him until 1992 when it got pulled off the road for a major overhaul including new firebox and tubeplate. The overhaul took somewhat longer than expected and really for the first 10/12 years not much happened as me and my brothers were all young and so dad spent time with us rather than on the engine. Really most of the work was done from about 2004 onwards as me and my brothers were old enough to help. We did all the boiler work ourselves which included hot riveting the firebox and tubeplate in and also drilling taping and staying the firebox, my dad knows off top of his head but it was something like over 200 rivets and 150 stays we did. Just after the boilerwork was finished we were then offered a new yard which meant we had a barn, the boiler stayed outside and all the rust removal cleaning and painting of all the other parts started and the engine started to come together. Finally in August 2010 she moved under her own steam again and since then we have taken her to quite a few events all driven under own steam. William at work in cambridge: William at Knebworth park steam rally in the late 80s still in working clothes Another picture of my dad in the 1990 roading between rallies The bare boiler during the move The first day the motion turned under own steam Then the motley crew with our award for best restoration from our steam club. Edited August 21, 2013 by ferguson_tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted August 21, 2013 Report Share Posted August 21, 2013 Great pictures and re-build, no wonder you all look chuffed :thumbs: Thanks for posting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royboy Posted August 21, 2013 Report Share Posted August 21, 2013 Great story behind the old girl . Not long now !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rimotu66 Posted August 22, 2013 Report Share Posted August 22, 2013 Great work Tom, you should feel very proud of your work, I have just had a weekend at the Driffield show and it was great to see the steamers again. I see the Wall of Death has been mentioned, Ken Fox Wall of Death was at Driffield and was great to see, I tried to talk Ken into taking me round as a pillion but as much as he would of liked to he couldn't because of our blessed health and safety exec, he said he would be at the Dorset fair as well. Word of warning to anyone going, keep everything locked up when you are away from your caravans etc, the ****** where in force at driffield and gas bottles,batterys and solar panels went missing as well as other stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lees Posted August 22, 2013 Report Share Posted August 22, 2013 (edited) Small world, I went to college with Jamie, nice work on the roller. Edited August 22, 2013 by lees Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimlet Posted August 22, 2013 Report Share Posted August 22, 2013 Word of warning to anyone going, keep everything locked up when you are away from your caravans etc, the ****** where in force at driffield and gas bottles,batterys and solar panels went missing as well as other stuff. Its not just the site unfortunately. For locals the steam rally is alarm your garage and empty out your shed week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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