On the last Saturday of September streams of cars lined the narrow country roads around Blandford in Dorset, bringing some of the 40,000 people who came to enjoy this 'steam spectacular' - a gathering of some 200 working steam tractors, show-man's engines, roundabouts, organs, threshing machines and resurrected vintage farm machinery of all kinds.
Mike Oliver is the organising secretary of this unique charity show. We join him on a tour of the showground as enthusiasts raise steam to show the children and remind old-timers of that special combination of smoke, smut and polished metalwork which, barely half a century ago, was a familiar part of the country scene.
(from Bristol)