Banbury Steam Rally, 2019
 

I visited the Banbury Steam Rally yesterday - Saturday 29th June 2019.

As always, it was an excellent show although I found the heat difficult to deal with. From the experience of previous years, I know that photography of the engines is best left until late afternoon as the sun is in a better position. You also have the added bonus that it is mostly engine people or enthusiasts that are still around the engines at this time - your average "how much is it worth" punter has gone home to get the barbie going! With less people around taking some half decent photos of the engines is a little easier.

Below are some photos taken by myself yesterday. They have all been cropped slightly but nothing else has been changed.

The first three photos are of a newly purchased roller - it was collected from the yard where it had been standing the weekend before. I do know a little about the background to the purchase - but I do not know if the people involved want the story in the public domain. So for this reason I will let others post the info if they wish.

http://www.tractiontalkforum.com/pic...ictureid=54720

http://www.tractiontalkforum.com/pic...ictureid=54721

http://www.tractiontalkforum.com/pic...ictureid=54722


I took over one hundred photos but the majority are for artwork projects. For this reason, while they hold a lot of information for myself, to other people they look like poorly taken pictures. There are some that work well though, and a few of these are below.

http://www.tractiontalkforum.com/pic...ictureid=54726

http://www.tractiontalkforum.com/pic...ictureid=54725

http://www.tractiontalkforum.com/pic...ictureid=54724

http://www.tractiontalkforum.com/pic...ictureid=54723

http://www.tractiontalkforum.com/pic...ictureid=54719

All in all, a very enjoyable day. I thank the Banbury Steam Society for putting the show on and gathering a good selection of engines together. Great stuff!!!!

Michael

Cracking photos Michael. Thank you for taking time to post them. Late afternoon to early evening is my favourite time at a rally as well both as a punter and when with the engine.

The Burrell, AF 3836, is a beautiful looking engine! Credit to the owner and crew there.

I havn't seen any recent photo's of Burrell 3395 The "Dalesman".
Was it at Banbury this year ?

Phil

Yes.

Here you go Phil, "The Dalesman" looking absolutely gorgeous, as ever! The field where the engine line is situated at Bloxham is on a hill. At the one end of the line, the engines are parked on the brow of the hill and if you walk in front of them you are actually looking up at them. This changes the perspective slightly and the engines look absolutely magnificent, they stand very proudly. I perhaps have not explained that very clearly - in which case just enjoy the photo!

http://www.tractiontalkforum.com/pic...ictureid=54852

I must admit to being torn between The Dalesman and the Burrell that belongs to the Saunders as the subject for a new drawing. I did have a composition in which to depict the engine but I have decided not to take it any further - literally back to the drawing board! I will come up with something though.

Michael

Also at the event was this dynamometer . My photo shows the Marshall agricultural owned by Dave Wothers. The amount of flapping about by the belt was amazing - and I managed to capture it in this photograph. The belt came off once, I did not see it happen but heard the effect on the engines exhaust.

http://www.tractiontalkforum.com/pic...ictureid=54853

Someone should tell Dave, diplomatically of course, that the half length cab on his engine - how can I put it... it does not look right. It probably only needs a bit of tweeking here and there... Any volunteers to tell him? :D ;) :confused:

On a more serious note, I would like to add a comment about the coal the engines were burning. I am assuming the situation was created deliberately and not down to a coincidence or fate.

Given all of the bullshit about the burning of fossil fuels, put out by the Government and other organisations - and accepting that there is a risk to us continuing to enjoy our hobby in the future, it was very good to observe the lack of visible smoke. I think this is a very good and positive step forward taken by the organisers. I do not know what the coal was like when used in anger, so to speak, once in a firebox it may have been awful stuff.

The lack of smoke may have been a bit annoying for photographers. It was not a problem at all for myself as an artist - I can add as much smoke as I like to my drawing. In fact I never work from photos when it comes to smoke; I gauge how much the picture needs from the picture itself.

Michael

Thanks for that super photo of the Dalesman.

Mr Freeman promised he would look after it when he bought it from us all those years ago, and he has done just that, it looks just as good as ever. I have not actually seen it in the flesh since it left our farm in North Yorkshire on a low loader in summer 1986 *cry.

Phil

How long has Pride of the West been green?

Cheers Carl.

Not long Carl, only recently painted.

Thanks Steve. It looks great in that colour!

Cheers Carl.