The 7th Walpole Steam & Country Fayre in 2007 put another £2000 into the coffers of the East Anglian Air Ambulance, which as always is the nominated charity for 2008. Sunday was the better day for public attendance this year but when they did come out, they came in droves to support this NTET-approved rally. With a dozen full-size steamers, a static trailer-mounted engine making up the baker’s dozen on the steam engine line-up, Dale Walker’s steam engine on the barn engine line and a number of not-so-miniature miniature engines, Walpole retains its reputation as being a true steam engine rally.

There was just the one full size showman’s engine this year, the Foster “Lord of the Isles” but the Waling family also exhibited their 1946 Aveling Barford steamroller. Both engines have undergone considerable work over the last few months, the roller being reconditioned since being laid up in the mid-1980s. In total there were eight rollers comprising two Aveling Barford, five Aveling & Porter and a solitary Fowler. In addition, you had the Marshall “Old Nick” and Ruston Proctor “Success” traction engines, plus the Foden steam lorry. Waling’s Chiappa organ entertained alongside their engines.

In front of the steamers stood the tractor lines, with the odd horticultural Trojan & our own Barford Atom mixed in amongst the bigger stuff. There were a few veteran tractors on show that seemed to have appeared this year, namely the large 1924 Case 25-45 and 1926 Eagle model H. Also on show was the original condition Farmall F12 which I had the pleasure of driving at Stradsett some years back, and also the excellently presented 1933 model in gleaming red from the Carson-Beba stable. The Ford 641 Workmaster from the same owners parked alongside is also a machine that you don’t see every week around the shows.

Alongside the tractors were parked the commercial vehicles and for a small show, Walpole usually debuts a vehicle or two not seen here before. Last year we had the pair of Seddons from Jack Richards and Derrick Salter, this year an Albion Chieftain in the livery of North Heigham Sawmills Ltd and a Leyland Comet in the livery of John Milner & Sons Ltd, of Leeds & Dundee. In the intervening weeks since Morton, Richard Grattan had found the time to paint his ex-army living van into a tasty silver with red roof and chassis to mirror his Volvo rigid bulker lorry – very smart.

Moving up the field, a number of charity stalls, bygone and model displays bordered one side of the field, leading on to the stationary engines, via a small horticultural display from members of the Vintage Horticultural & Garden Machinery Club. As well as the common British and more expensive American engines, there were also a couple of French engines on show, the Renée we had at Holbeach and a Dolle. A few engines were being run on LPG, including a Petter A-series, a novel way to present these rather under-rated air-cooled engines.

Directly in front of the barn engine lines were the classic caravans and campers including a lovely little Ford Escort Suntor. This period panel van conversion with its elevating roof would be very cosy for two. The local Wisbech & District Historical Vehicle Club were well represented judging by the pennants on show in several cars. The club holds its annual road run around the area on the second week of August, open to all types of classic & vintage vehicles. The cars themselves ranged from 1930s Fords through the sweeping curves of the Bristol to the modern Sebring replica of the Austin Healeys. A small but varied selection of motorbikes and a similar number of military vehicles completed the vehicle line-up.

For the first time in some years neither the Sterling Helicopters pleasure flights nor the visit by the air Ambulance took place, but with the cost of all types of fuels on the increase, most people would prefer the latter to conserve their resources and make best use of the aircraft for the purpose it is financed to do – saving lives. It has been noticeable so far this year that some exhibitors have been picking and choosing which shows to attend due to high travel costs.