This August Bank Holiday sees the return of Shrewsbury Steam Rally at Onslow Park (August 27th & 28th) - and this year, there's a special 75th Anniversary Land Rover Celebration.
The County of Salop Steam Engine Society’s 2023 Rally takes place at Onslow Park, Shrewsbury on the August Bank Holiday (Sunday 27th & Monday 28th August) with over 1000 exhibits set to excite and delight steam enthusiasts and day-trippers alike.
Visitors can expect to see a wonderful spectacle of working steam engines and beautifully preserved classic vehicles from yesteryear. Throughout each day, spectators will enjoy moving convoys of historic commercial vehicles, including: buses and fire engines; vintage cycles; working horses; vintage tractors; pre-and post-World War II cars; classic motorcycles and perambulators.
The Main Arena is the centrepiece of the event, with the ‘Grand Parade of Steam’, set to nostalgic music and poetry – a memorable highlight of the two-day event. The Olde Time Fair offers lots of fun, with steam-powered rides for all, accompanied by vintage fairground music.
Kids are sure to love the miniature steam engines and for those who aren't such a fan of moving parts, there's a popular craft marquee and six acres of trade stands. The Golden Age of Victorian Farming proves ever-popular and pride of place is the Working Field, which welcomes both pre-1940 and post-1940 tractors and a team of beautiful shire horses. Enjoy the spectacle of watching them harvesting with reaper binders, chaff cutting and threshing box. They usually steal the show! As if all this weren't enough, there will be 240 tractors of various marques (some static) on view on the showground.
The family-friendly event provides some enjoyable entertainment with a full arena programme on both days, including the majestic cavalcade of showman’s engines, traction engines, steam rollers and steam cars.
In addition this year, there will be a special Land Rover Celebration, commemorating the heritage of this iconic brand and its 75th anniversary (see below!).
Full information from www.shrewsburysteamrally.co.uk and visitors can buy tickets online.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the introduction of the Land Rover. The first Series One models rolled off the production line in 1948 and the Land Rover soon became the vehicle of choice for use in the British countryside and the furthest most remote reaches of the World. The Land Rover dominated the market until the late 1970s/ early 1980s. It was used by the military all over the world but predominantly in Commonwealth Countries.
The original design was so good it remained in production until 1983, albeit constantly evolving from Series One to Two and onto Series 3. The more boxy 90 and 110 were introduced in 1983. The Land Rover Defender as it eventually became known ceased production on 29th January 2016.
To Celebrate Land Rover, the COSSES are having a special display at this year’s rally over August Bank Holiday weekend. There will early models from 1948 up to more models registered on or before 31st December 1989. Entries so far include short and long wheelbase models, civilian and military versions. There will be some special versions including models adapted for special uses in agriculture, ambulances and fire engines. The earliest models attending are 2 Series One vehicles registered in 1949 during the first year of production.
As well as the traditional Land Rover the original Classic Range Rover will be well represented. This model, Land Rovers second production vehicle went into production in 1970. Various versions will be on display including an ambulance now converted to a camper.There will be beautiful restored vehicles as well as some every day working vehicles in worn but well maintained condition.
There will be a World War II JEEP on display, the inspiration for the Land Rover as well as one of the competitor vehicles, the Austin Gipsy, which never achieved the commercial success of the Land Rover. The Land Rover display is being sponsored by Britpart the Land Rover Parts specialist who have their headquarters in Craven Arms. They will be providing a rolling chassis and working on it over the course of the weekend.
