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 Press Release from WSRA 13 August 2003

Sunshine and soaring temperatures brought record crowds to the 17th Annual Steam Fayre and Vintage Vehicle Rally at the Station Fields, Bishops Lydeard.

After a week of dismal weather the skies cleared and thousands of visitors were treated to scorching summer weather on both Saturday and Sunday.

In the continued development of providing more family entertainment there were displays by the Heavens Gate “Rescue Dog” Agility team plus, on the village green area magic shows by Professor Popcorn and Kids R’Us kept the children amused. Statutory face painting was also provided along with swing boats and other amusements.

Visitors to the site who wanted to leave their cars at home were ferried to and from Taunton town centre courtesy of the Rexquote Heritage fleet of buses. Examples of vehicles on this run were Bristol LD6g open top double decker and a Leyland Tiger Cub.

Entertaining the main arena on Saturday were Sheelagh Leigh Ewers from Somerset Sound and Jenny of the “Black Thunder Team” from Orchard FM when they tried their skills at driving a steam roller and a road locomotive.

On the Sunday Orchard FM’s station controller Steve Bulley tried his hand with a road roller and provided a “live link” with the radio station to say what a great show it was.

Features at this year’s rally included working steamrollers, road locomotives plus the much loved “road gang” exhibit.

Music across the site came courtesy of fairground and street organs, which added to the show’s atmosphere of fun in the sun.

Stalls and static displays of parked vehicles clustered around the show’s arena, which filled with parades of vehicles and displays by “The Gentle Giants” of the horse world, Heavy Horses.

No event at Britain’s longest heritage railway would be complete without some very special steam events. An 1870 Fowler Ploughing Engine owned by Andy Melrose of Stoke St. Michael and featured in Channel 4’s Salvage Squad and a 1901 Waltham steam driven dog cart were two of many exhibits in the ring.

On the track on Saturday evening to mark the 35th anniversary since regular steam train services last ran on Britain’s main line, Kinlet Hall and Dinmore Manor hauled the highly popular Severn Coast Express from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead with in excess of 450 delighted passengers on board enjoying the party atmosphere.

Guest engine, Kinlet Hall – the oldest working engine of its class – will remain on the line until the Autumn Gala.

Two businesses we should not forget are our two main sponsors, whose support to the rally is invaluable. They are the Taunton division of Newsquest, the Somerset County Gazette and Ian Allan Publications.

Of course there are many other class sponsors and local groups too numerous to mention who contribute to the success of what is surely a major event in Taunton Deane.

Norman Hawkes