Traction-Talk - Rallying in the Czech Republic... sort of.

Last week, we drove to the Czech Republic in a gaggle of knackered old Land Rovers and as part of the weekend's fun we attended the 'Great Grandfather's Tractor' event at the Museum of Farming Machinery at Čáslav (http://www.nzm.cz/en/caslav/).

This was mainly a showcase of the museum's exhibits but there were also visitors from other museums and enthusiasts. Mostly tractors - and some very interesting ones - but there were some engines there too, both in steam and on static display in the museum's sheds.

This portable was gorgeous. It's a Kratky, no. 1370 of 1916. No, I hadn't heard of them before, but luckily I packed my Euro TER *geek

It ran like a watch and the bloke driving it spoke just enough English to confirm it was a 'nice engine'.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/_MG_9343.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/_MG_9254.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/_MG_9255.jpg

Trundling around was this Zettelmeyer roller, I didn't jot the number down but she was 1936 I think. Single crank compound piston valve and sounded quite nice.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/_MG_9264.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/_MG_9272.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/_MG_9339.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/_MG_9341.jpg

Also in steam was this freelance ploughing engine of sorts, very ingenious construction with dog clutches for drive and winching and car conrods used for the water pump drive.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/_MG_9345.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/_MG_9346.jpg

Plinthed-up boiler.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/_MG_9348.jpg

The stuff in the museum sheds was amazing, all sorts of unfamiliar makers and the amount of machinery in original paintwork was incredible. Here's a few snaps

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_9400.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_9377.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...IMG_9369-1.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_9361.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_9360.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/_MG_9453.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...IMG_9444-1.jpg

Now check out this thing.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...IMG_9380-1.jpg

It's a Ceskomoravska-Kolben (CMK) type V 15 tonner and it is bloody huge. You could throw a party on the footplate. Didn't look like it had been steamed for years and there were a few bits missing.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_9398.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_9378.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_9382.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_9397.jpg

A lot of the tractors were in action, with little or no H&S in evidence it has to be said! Great fun.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...IMG_9409-1.jpg

Now I had done my homework before leaving and I knew there were a pair of Fowler ploughing engines on site. The museum appeared very proud of them and they appear on a lot of merchandise and posters around the museum.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_9371.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_9372.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/_MG_9446.jpg

Eventually we found them, getting decent pictures was very difficult as they are well packed in and look like they have been there for years. According to the Euro TER they are a Z4 and Z5 from 1909, certainly big old girls and very interesting.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_9440.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_9423.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_9443.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_9442.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_9441.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_9438.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_9433.jpg

Highly recommended if you ever find yourself in CZ....!! We did plan on visiting a Fowler roller in Beuron but ran out of time, we did however find a derelict narrow gauge railway at a campsite near Zwickau in the former East Germany. A good trip!