Onslow Sunday

[davidje]

What a great day out we had with the family. It was our grand daughters first rally at the age of one and we have Jack to thank for accelerating hard out of the starting blocks and baptising her with Betsy's smokebox effluent. Her mother is buying her overalls for the next one. The photo of Blackjack and Sawman is just after their failed attempt at arm wrestling.
The highlights for me were Basils brass bucket, the grand parade with David's excellent commentary and Tony's playpen.
If you look at the last photo with eyes screwed up at the triple train of engines and trailer in tandem, you might be forgiven for thinking that you were at Dorset.

[Matt S]

Great to see so many 'out of action' engines, back on the rally field.

[pursy]

Great photos, we were there sunday and we all enjoyed it, just hope Dorset will be even better

[contractor]

Just got back, what a cracking rally, what a superb engine line up and when they entered the arena to the tune of Land & Hope of Glory and then the poem was read,, I have to admit it made the hairs in my neck stand up and brought a tear to my eye thinking of those true engine men no longer with us, lovely to see old faces and TTrs present, a credit to the organisers.

[YYS4BOB]

Have to agree with the above post. 500 mile round trip for me, and worth every yard.

[Rod Boesing]

A very enjoyable rally, i had hoped to stay until the end but someone had to be home before they turned into a pumpkin !.

Apart from the usual suspects it was nice to have a chat with other T.T members who i only see now and again, i had hoped to pass comment on the efforts of the lot using the rack saw in the working area but i never managed to make it back to the working field !.
I thought the display of pictures was nice and thanks to BlackJack for a spin on his Fowler and Mrs B.F for several cups of tea !.

[steamboy]

Originally Posted by contractor

Just got back, what a cracking rally, what a superb engine line up and when they entered the arena to the tune of Land & Hope of Glory and then the poem was read,, I have to admit it made the hairs in my neck stand up and brought a tear to my eye thinking of those true engine men no longer with us, lovely to see old faces and TTrs present, a credit to the organisers.

excellent rally, excellent selection of engines, the only rally i have been to where the crowds for the grand parade were 4 or 5 deep. plently of photos taken, which i will post when i get home. roll on dorset now.

glen

[8_10 Brass Cleaner]

I just got back home.

Big thanks to Edward, Alastair and everybody at COSSES for organising a fabulous road run, just the right distance, fabulous lunch, and superb stuarding along the route. Thank you all.

Then COSSES had organised an even better rally, what can we say, but I expect those now on their way to Dorset will be a little dissapointed when they get there.

Good company and tremendous atmosphere, with a fabulous turn out of engines. There was still engines driving about the field when I left at 930PM!. It was nice too to see a good number of engines roading away.

That weekend will take some beating. What an anniversary for the show.

[ethel]

I can only echo Hedds comments above. We were a first time visitor to Onslow and wow what an event the COSSES put on.The road run on Friday was a great day in itself, the rally on Sun/Mon had so much on offer and was really well organised, nothing appeared to be overlooked, even the toilets were kept well serviced and clean, night time entertainment was great and a decent fairground was availalble for all. I only managed a late visit this afternoon to the working field, this in its self could comfortably have kept me entertained all day. The selection of steam was superb and the ring parade of steam engines done to classical music somthing quite differant and wonderful to be involved in. Every section of this show appeared to be well supported and it is certainly a steam rally i would reccommend to anyone. Thanks to all the people involved for putting on this great event and for inviting my family and our engine to your special celebration road run and rally. Heres to your next 50 years.

[Mine Explorer]

What a weekend!

Afraid I only managed to take some snaps on the Thursday afternoon on the build up to the road-run, and on the Saturday during the preparations for the rally itself. I found myself otherwise occupied during the actual event days themselves. Hey ho.

Thursday

Saturday

As Matt says, it was nice to see a number of engines return to the rally after a few years out of action, together with a whole host of 'first timers' joining many of the regulars. Fortunately the one casualty of the road run which ended up being carried back on a stretcher was seen up and about again during the rally . But alas, commiserations to the engine crew who on Saturday discovered serious mechanical damage had been sustained (possibly during the road run?) resulting in the rest of the weekend spent out of action .

I don't how others found it, but I felt there was a wonderful atmosphere out on the road run, and it was nice to see so many local residents along the route in their gardens waving everyone by. Thanks to the organisers, and of course to those who helped along the route at road junctions and water stops - not the most glamorous of jobs, but certainly appreciated by those out and about.

Roll on Onslow 2012!