The Great Dorset Steam Fair, 2nd - 6th Sepember 09

[tazet]

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[tazet]

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[tazet]

www.gdsf.co.uk

[voodoo]

Was thinking of going to this until I saw the price of the tickets!!...so do I get to take home a steam engine for that price?? lol

[f100]

How much is it to get in then?? i can't see the price.

[tbone]

£16.00 on the gate or £13.50 pre booked   

[Manky Monkey]

Sounds a lot but it's a huge show -biggest steam show in Europe I believe. It'd take you 2 days to properly walk round the lot. 600 acres of machinery & animals. Where else can you see literally hundreds of traction engines fired up & running together? There's also 3 or 4 music tents with some stonking bands playing all weekend, a huge autojumble plus trade stalls, an enormous funfair etc etc.
If you've never been it's well worth experiencing.
I hope to be there for the day on Sunday.

[voodoo]

I am probably the odd one out here and a few of you will bitch about me but...I really cant see the attraction of steam engines? or even worse stationary engines....custom cars ,bikes or trikes I can appreciate all the work thats gone into them and the fact that someone is out there driving them....but steam engines just dont float my boat.....its not like you could jump on your steam engine and pop down to Tesco's for the weekly shop!...yes yes I know someone has put a lot of time and effort into restoring them and a lot of people like to see them trundling down the road but all I think when I see one on the road is " sheesh I hope I dont get stuck behind that" lol....
Ive been to the show a couple of times before and yep there is a huge amount going on and way too much to get around and see it all...I would recommend going at least once just to satisfy your curiosity but its not my thing....
Enjoy if you go as its huge!!!....Voodoo.....

[Manky Monkey]

Maybe it's a middle age thing, but the older I get, the more I enjoy steam shows. Always a very laid back friendly atmosphere -you don't get many attitudes or posers in the steam crowd, & very enthusiastic owners who love to tell you all about their machines.
I love the smell of the wood smok & hot oil, the sounds, the sight of those huge beasts lumbering around. Actually, as I witnessed at the main arena of the Dorset show last year, traction engines can shift a lot faster than I ever realised. I watched about 30 of them racing up & down the field. Maybe not drifting or doing handbrake turns but still an impressive sight. I'm also fascinated by the design of the engines -huge cogs & push rods & worm drives but moving with such precision, like a giant watch movement. Amazing.

[Chevy Rick]

Had intended to go on the Wednesday but rain stopped play so JJ and I went on the Thursday.  Still wet at times but not too bad overall just the mud we had to wade through!

As per usual, I thoroughly enjoyed the event.  It was JJ's first visit though and she was very impressed by the number of exhibits and the sheer size of the place.  We didn't get to see it all as it is not really possible in one day but we did well and did our best to see about two thirds of it.

Here is a taster with the rest to follow via Manky:

The Great Dorset Steam Fair, 2nd - 6th Sepember 09

The Great Dorset Steam Fair, 2nd - 6th Sepember 09

The Great Dorset Steam Fair, 2nd - 6th Sepember 09

The Great Dorset Steam Fair, 2nd - 6th Sepember 09

The Great Dorset Steam Fair, 2nd - 6th Sepember 09

The Great Dorset Steam Fair, 2nd - 6th Sepember 09

[Manky Monkey]

Love the off road caterpillar barrow.
I really enjoy listening to those fairground organs -again, probably an old age thing, but it's just a nice sound -especially when they play renditions of modern pop & rock classics. You know you know the tune but can't quite put your finger on it. Heard one last year playing a brilliant version of a Meatloaf track.