25th September 2009

The Beamish Agricultural Show took place last weekend, and saw an injection of steam to the mechanical power on display. As well as tractors (including them powering the thresher and baler), Dave Antell’s Robey Portable was belted to the corn mill which crushed the oats brought up from the threshing field. Michael Davison’s Marshall is back, resplendent in more new paint and fresh from its star turn at the Great Dorset Steam Fair. Michael brought along a thresher and baler to enable a touring contractor’s threshing set to be paraded around the museum site.

Below: Dave Antell’s Robey Portable at Home Farm, belted to a corn crusher which produced the winter food for the museum’s pigs. All home grown, threshed and crushed.

Below: The Marshall is overtaken by Gateshead 10 on the descent to Foulbridge tram stop.

Below: A contractor’s threshing set passes through the town… A timeless scene with little to date it!

Below: If there was ever any doubt that steam was a popular attraction…!!!

Below: Autumnal sun sets of the Marshall’s improved paintwork and glorious condition.

Below: Two views of our new (!) 1874 Clayton & Shuttleworth Portable engine, still to be unloaded – the third Portable on Dave Antell’s trailer in as many weeks!

Below: On the main line railway steam fans always enjoyed the climbs over Shap, Beattock, the Lickey Incline, Dainton, Rattery, Hemerdon, Stainmore etc. At Beamish we have Pockerley Bank, a quarter of mile of 1 in 16 and a trial for all traffic up (or down!) it. Mostly confined to tramcars, it makes an interesting challenge for road steam, as seen in the short clip below as Michael’s 1889 Marshall effortlessly strides up the gradient…