Welcome to the 2006 Stradsett Vintage Rally. This year's show, the annual spring event for the East Anglia Group of the National Vintage Tractor & Engine Club was another excellent show for the vintage enthusiast in this corner of East Anglia. Entry levels were high with some classes virtually full to capacity with a vast variety of machinery and collections to view.

The Bygones, Models & Collections section in its new position bordering the car-park had over a dozen displays of 2-gallon petrol cans, cast iron implement seats and nameplates, Fenland ice-skating memorabilia, horticultural implements, Triang tin-plate toys, model steam engines, matchstick models and the brand-new model country show within the country show.

This led neatly into the six rows of trade stands which were selling a multitude of general merchandise, collectables, tools, engine & tractor spares & parts, plants & shrubs, sweets, cross-stitch kits & accessories, books, manuals, engraved glass-ware, leather goods, the list goes on and on. Across near the corner of the ring was the usual small amusements, catering and bar facilities.

With a ready-made fenced arena, the working demonstrations were moved into the centre of the main ring this year. These comprised of a Field Marshall tractor driving a stone crusher and a Massey Harris (with a period trailer of straw) driving a chaff-cutter, which made light work of chopping the straw during its demo each day. This meant there is no room to line up machinery but the continuously moving rolling parade works very well and certainly holds the attention of the public.

The tractors here are always lined up in age and order of make, and this year there were very few entry swaps to confuse our esteemed commentator. There were a considerable number of the popular little Allis Chalmers model B, also almost a dozen Fordson Model N and a couple of Model Fs. Veteran tractors were represented by the IHC Titan 10-20 and Farmall F12. The bright yellow Sun Mechanical Cart made another appearance this year, as did a John Deere liveried Lanz Alldog tool carrier.

The commercial vehicles were out in force with a variety of makes and models such as Ford D-series, Bedford TK, Dennis Pax, AEC Mammoth Major, Leyland Comet (in 2 different guises), Ford & Reo tippers, Leyland artic in BRS livery and a small selection of military vehicles. The classic car section was mainly made up of just that, classics from the 1960s and 70s, with just a handful of proper vintage cars. Motorbike entries were healthy with examples of BSA, India, Triumph, Norton, Ducati, Ariel, Vincent, Honda and Suzuki classics.

This really only leaves the stationary engines to discuss. This is probably the most popular class at this event, and space is always at a premium. The new display line at the far end of the tractors was full to capacity and I guess a limit on entries is not far away. Verticals on show were Lister, Petter, Wolseley, Fowler, Bamford, Ruston Hornsby, Capel, Victoria & Monitor. Horizontal engines offered more variety with examples of Crossley, Bradford, Hercules, Fairbanks Morse, Amanco, Ruston Hornsby, Bamford, Hornsby Ackroyd, Stover, Galloway, Gray, Jaeger, Economy, Jumbo, International & Ogle, what a superb selection. Small power engines were not to be ignored with examples of Lister Wisconsin, Villiers, BSA, Jap, Norman and a mystery engine carrying the initials JLO. Many engines ran machinery such as corn mills, cattle cake mills, generators, water pumps, etc.

In November 2005, the NVTEC East Anglia Group Committee donated a total of £3620 to three local deserving organisations. £2000 raised at the 2005 Stradsett rally went to the Break charity which offers holidays to children & teenagers with special needs so their parents can have a break themselves, £1470 raised at the Beachamwell tractor road run was presented to the East Anglia Air Ambulance and £150 raised at the September working weekend went to the Tapping House Hospice. Lets hope 2006 will build on that success.