We had been invited to be part of a road making demonstration at Welland Steam Rally on 26th – 28th July 2013. This involved our Simplex shuttling up and down a short length of temporary track hauling stone (from a steam-driven stone crusher) to the road head where a steam roller ‘did the business’. The Welland showground is a number of large fields in the lea of the Malvern Hills, a beautiful location with plenty of space for ‘working steam’ to go through its paces.

Previously we collected some track panels to use on the occasion and on 23rd July 2013, we transferred the track, Simplex and wagons to Welland in preparation for the event.  Rob Dickinson attended on the Saturday to make a record of the operation.

The demonstration was well organised and very popular with and appreciated by the visitors. The Ruston Proctor portable engine provided constant power for the WS Barron stone crusher. Unfortunately, although it had worked on Friday and would work again on Sunday, the Ruston Bucyrus crane was not operational and most of the stone was shifted using wheelbarrows, extremely hard work up hill in the warm sunshine. However, trains were run from time to time as can be seen, although it wasn’t much fun loading them!

Video Clips

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZM96P137Qg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WMIkNcIC-A