After some remedial work to the field since the 2008 event, fine and sunny weather greeted both exhibitor and visitor alike on Saturday, and although it was colder and windy on the Sunday, most importantly it stayed dry for the whole weekend. Steam, and in particular showman’s, engine attendance was perhaps tempered a little whilst the event builds back up its reserves but there were some exciting exhibits, and a special display commemorating Darby’s of Sutton.

On the vintage vehicle line-up, were two truly veteran vehicles, namely the International Harvester and Scammell motive unit from the Gowler stable, usually displayed with a bitumen tanker. Elsewhere, the former Payne’s Atkinson appeared in smart Bannold livery and also carried a load very relevant to the new owner’s landscaping business. An excellent display of motorcycles and a nice variety of classic and vintage cars complemented the commercials.

The Darby’s also display included a couple of lorries, an ERF A-series 4-axle chassis cab still in Darby’s livery, where the tar-spraying kit had been transferred to another vehicle, and the former Peacock Thames Trader. Darby’s eventually became part of Norwich-based May Gurney. Former Darby-owned steam engines on display included Burrell showmen’s engine “Margaret”, Fowler “Lord of the Isles” and Foster Scenic Showman’s “Success”. A dumper and photographic memorabilia completed the display.

The balance of the steam section was made up largely of steam tractors and traction engines, with only a few rollers, and an occasional steam lorry and portable engine. With threshing and baling, rock crushing, wood sawing and corn-milling all being demonstrated over the weekend, one could see some of the engines working.

Moving on to the tractor section, these have been split into two separate areas over the last few years, but again there was a nice mix of makes and types. Most were presented to quite a high standard and when presented with an appropriate implement, such as the early John Deere muck-spreader, are all the more interesting for it. However, the most unusual was the Austin 7 converted into tractor form at the end of WWII due to new tractors being unobtainable for smallholders. Elsewhere around the site several vintage tractor restorers had their own stands advertising their services and standards achievable.

The stationary engine section was in its usual place and followed the same formula as previous years, with a few horticultural and bygones displays mixed in. However, there were very few other bygones, model or horticultural displays, apart from a few in the craft marquee. With the Heavy Horse Show taking part on Sunday, there was an excellent tribute to the late Mick Massey posted near to the gate into what was in previous years a working field, and although this would have been his spiritual home for the weekend, many more people would have appreciated (and seen) it if it had been posted near to the horse ring or forge!

The dance troupe were fewer in number than usual which led to some awkward fill-ins whilst they performed their costume changes during the routine and with only one showman’s engine in attendance, the traditional gathering outside the beer tent on Saturday evening was note quite the same, but the excellent traditional and vintage fairground and attendant Wall of Death helped make up for it in daytime. All in all, a successful weekend.