Haddenham
Steam
Rally 2004
by Michael
Pumfrey
The 31st Haddenham Steam Rally took place on September
11th and 12th. Apart from high winds on Saturday night and a breeze at
other times the weather was fine, contrary to that forecast, and attendance
was very good.
Attractions included a matched pair of working
ploughing engines. Fowler Sevington, owned by the Piggott family
was joined by her sister engine Linkey, owned by A. & M. Jones,
working with a Fowler anti-balance plough. Vintage Tractors and Heavy Horses
joined them in the Working Field, ploughing and cultivating. Barry Peacock
and Peter Hatton gave a demonstration of Steam Threshing, while the Middleton
family from Holcot in Northamptonshire demonstrated wood-sawing using their
10 nhp Foster Portable belted to a William Reed rack saw bench. Richard
Parrott used his Burrell Spitfire to drive his Blake Marsden Stone
Crusher.
Among the steam entries were no less than four
engines that attended the first-ever Haddenham Rally in 1971. These were
Burrell Showman’s Earl Haig, owned
by Stan Burgess from Haddenham, Foster Lord of the Isles,owned by
Waling’s of Wisbech, Aveling Aquarius, owned by Brian Camps and
Ruston Proctor Success, owned by the
Pumfrey family.
Three of the engines attending, Earl Haig,
Lord
of the Isles and Burrell Showman’s Margaret were previously
owned by Darby’s of Sutton, which is about 2 miles from the Rally Field.
Earl
Haig stood derelict beside the Sutton Road until purchased by Stan
in 1962.
By contrast, some of the engines were new to
the event or returning after a long absence. Matthew Peacock’s Marshall
Traction Engine Iron Horse was only attending its second rally ever.
This engine is still under restoration, and had attended the Great Dorset
Steam Fair as a static exhibit. At Haddenham, however, it was able to complete
the ring parade on both days, thanks to Jonathan Wheeler, who used Ruston
Success
to push the engine around.
The Holman family had their Fowler Traction Engine
there for the first time in 17 years, and looking very smart after a full
restoration.
The Durling family from Staffordshire exhibited
their Aveling Tractor, which did not attend last year as it was undergoing
repair work.
Steam waggons were represented by Sentinels Vectis
Knight, owned by Melvyn Camps, and The Old Man, owned by EATES
Chairman, Sue Doncaster. These both arrived under their own steam. John
Forshaw, Andy Caldow, Jimmy Key and Stan Burgess exhibited Foden waggons.
The Swain Brothers were present with both their
Aveling Rollers, Gentle Annie and Lady Lucy.
Graham Atkinson from Scarborough once again presented
his “Grand Electric Palace of Variety”. Featuring the Julie Hatton dancers
and the Munich Oktoberfest Gavioli organ, the show is compered by Dave
Temple and provides excellent entertainment. At Haddenham, it was
flanked by Graham’s Showman’s engines Iron Maiden, His Lordship
and Princess Maud as well as the Garrett British Hero, owned
by Saunders and Whately of Huntingdon, and Island Chief, a 6nhp
Burrell Showman’s owned by Jamie Clark of Scarborough.
From the Saunders Collection in Stotfold came
the 10 nhp Burrell Special Scenic Showman’s Engine Ex-Mayor in the
capable hands of Nigel Underwood. This was accompanied by Garrett 4CD Showman’s
Tractor Little Billy which worked for the Cole family and was restored
by Stan Burgess in 1974. 
Ted
Saunders also brought along the Gavioli Military Band Organ.
There was an extensive fair, including Rule’s
Savage steam gallopers, which are driven by a Tidman centre engine and
feature a Gavioli organ.
"Off the Record" on Friday night and "The Big
Up Band" on Saturday provided live entertainment in the Beer Tent. Unfortunately
Saturday’s entertainment was cut short when the Committee decided the wind
had reached such a high speed that it was no longer safe to keep the beer
tent open. Several tents and awnings were taken by the wind and it was
only due to the hard work of committee members and some of the exhibitors
that more damage was not done.
Sunday saw the annual Haddenham Heavy Horse show
taking place. This year there was also a Heavy Horse display area with
demonstrations of shoeing, and a special tea-room set up in that area of
the field.
In the Vintage Vehicle section there was a wide
selection of both commercials and cars, while there was also a large number
of Vintage Tractors and Stationary Engines. Two vintage dragline excavators
were working in the corner of the field, while on the lake, the Fenland
Marine Model Club and the Cambridge City Sub-Aqua Club gave demonstrations.
Cambridge Fire and Rescue Service was also in attendance.
In the craft marquee there was a wide selection
of crafts and bygones to be seen, and there was also a small animal tent
for the 
children. The Land of Prince Bishops Falconry Display gave displays in
the Ring on both days.
Special guests "Dennis from Grunty Fen" and "Winston
the Singing Farmer" were entertaining the crowds all weekend, and on Sunday,
Deena Payne, "Viv Hope" from ITV’s Emmerdale, opened the rally and spent
some time walking round the Site meeting exhibitors and public.
The event went very well and preparations are
already well under way for next year’s
32nd Haddenham Steam Rally, to be held on 10th
& 11th September 2005.
