Beaulieu Steam Revival

[four-inch-samson]

I think I‘ve just been to steam heaven!

What an amazing event. We had a brilliant day (Saturday), just in the steam areas – no time left for the Motor Museum or other attractions. Great location, excellent facilities – but what made it was the range & variety of exhibits. Not the number of them, (although 60+ in show guide), but the selection. A derelict portable, a highly polished SRL and a taste of everything in between. We were just blown away by the woodland area – was it 6 or 7 working saw benches? Every one different. Worked by crews in period (period-ish ) dress and loaded by RL crane engine (Fowler, The Great North).

One interesting thing – having visited many rallies over the years – here we saw lots of engines driving round the site, full-size, miniatures, steam cars, light engine and with various trailers – gave a real working feel, to the site. So where were all the JWs in Hi-Vis vests? Didn’t see one all day, except a few first-aiders. Did the world come to an end? No – just a crowd of steam enthusiasts all being sensible. It looked like the event ran itself, so relaxed. Clearly it did not – a lot of people must have worked very hard to achieve this.

The icing on the cake for us was the field foundry – casting the rally plaques I think (not 100% on that). For a £10 donation to charity you got to make up a sand mould and they cast it, while you watched, in iron. That was a souvenir my lad just had to have.

Beaulieu Steam Revival 2011: Totally Brilliant.

Thank you to everyone who had a hand in bringing it together.

Rob S