Torbay Steam Fair - Friday

[Steam Scenes]

I went down to Torbay Steam Rally on Friday, to attend the rally but also to see the engines travel through Brixham and tackle the sharp incline to the green above the town where the fair was historically held. This recreates the job showman from Anderton & Rowland, Whitleggs and Hancock's had to tackle each time the fair came to town.

Burrell's Gladiator, and Princess Marina tackled the hill with two trailers and McLaren Collossus took a trailer on it's own.

You really had to be there to appreciate how steep it is, how tight the corner is and the anticipation before they climb the hill. Proper impressive. One of those times when still pictures just don't cut it, so I took a video:



We are used to seeing heavy haulage in playpens like at GDSF, but when you have narrow streets with tricky twists and turns plus such a steep hill it really does add another dimension. One can only imagine how difficult it most have been with engines during working times with a full load, on strakes and possibly in the wet.

Well done to the engine owners/drivers and the rally organisers for coordinating road closures without which it could have never happened. If they do it again I shall be there without doubt.

Some more pictures of the run through the town:




















The decline was almost as impressive as ascent, as these pictures of Collossus demonstrate:












Then the big load came very slowly next:










And some more pictures taken earlier in the day at the rally:

[cocky_1987]

You beat me to it David! It was a brilliant spectacle in Brixham on the Friday night, and many thanks to Robin for the lift too!
Here's a couple of my photos too:

Firstly the engines on the Thursday night




Then Friday morning we need to shift the cultivator


More general engines on site










Preparations for the evening


Causing a stir on the quay side






Spot the engine


The run back




The Friday night

[steam snapper]

Hi cocky, can you please tell me the engine number of the Mclaren in Robert Winns livery. Thank you

[sparkright]

Great stuff, thanks guys

Good old Marina... my favourite Burrell

[steaming my way]

Originally Posted by sparkright

Great stuff, thanks guys

Good old Marina... my favourite Burrell

What the others missed is the two Burrells storming out of Brixham up the hill to Churston, with regulators wide open! I was on my bike and I was being caught up so Les slowed down so I didnt pass out ha!

[cocky_1987]

Originally Posted by steam snapper

Hi cocky, can you please tell me the engine number of the Mclaren in Robert Winns livery. Thank you

Hi Steam Snapper, it's actually a 6" miniature that came into Devon over the winter from Cornwall. It really is an impressive engine!

[Arfursteam]

Thanks to David and Steve for two great sets of photo's and the video. Looks like I shall have keep going further afield next year.

Arthur

[GRUFFER]

In one of the pictures the trailer wheel is off the floor on the trailer colossus was towing !!!!!

[Steam Scenes]

Originally Posted by GRUFFER

In one of the pictures the trailer wheel is off the floor on the trailer colossus was towing !!!!!

Yes!

It was a bit of a heart in the mouth job to say the least.

Originally Posted by steaming my way

What the others missed is the two Burrells storming out of Brixham up the hill to Churston, with regulators wide open! I was on my bike and I was being caught up so Les slowed down so I didnt pass out ha!

I'm going to get a bike so you can't get all the exclusives

[Steam Scenes]

Tony Brooks, organiser of the Torbay Steam Fair and who originally thought up the idea of recreating feat of engines climbing the hill to the green where the fair was held was telling me about a photograph that exists of engines tackling the incline during their working days. I'm not sure if this is the one he was speaking of but I've managed to find this one of Anderton & Rowlands Lord Nelson taking trucks to the Brixham Regatta in 1928:



Lord Nelson is pictured from the other side of the road exactly where Princess Marina is in cocky_1987's pic here: