| Archive for The Unofficial Mamod and Other Steam Forum The Original Unofficial Toy Steam Forum Established 2006 The biggest, most popular global steam forum around! Accept NO imitations! We have a growing community of regular posting members who chat about all aspects of toy and model steam. |
| pauly |
why? Dorset steam rally is just.........?Remember when steam rallies where just about steam engine? they would drive them around to demostrate them?well at Dorset they appear to have adopted the use of stupid, stupid stunts! do they do this every year? is it a tradition? they ran an old working piano over with a steam roller, why? are those who go to the Dorset steam rally so imature the only way the day could be a good 1 is if something is crushed? are steam rollers so boring to the general public that they need to do this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n60omejQ_hc and I know you could say that its all just a bit of fun but its just really silly and it makes it all look so unprofessional. I mean what is the point? to prove that steam rollers are heavy? where steam roller ever used in the commercial crushing of pianos? no, then why the hell do it! I mean whats next? steam car demolition derbies? or dropping unrestored steam rollers from a great height to see if it survives? I dont no I really dont 
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| steamyjim |
Re: why? Dorset steam rally is just.........?[quote="pauly"Remember when steam rallies where just about steam engine? they would drive them around to demostrate them?[/quote] Not so, at lots of rallies I have been to they have engine games. Things like driving around to get as many barrels as you can pick up off the floor, driving as fast as you can without nocking things off and obstacles courses etc. I have also seen rugs attached to the backs of engines with a person stood on it trying to maintain their balance in a race. Also, don't forget, the first traction engine rallys were essentially races. Look up Arthur Napper and his Marshall traction engine; Old Timer. This is generally considered as the starting point of the traction engine movement. 
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| bessytractor |
personally I found it quite funny | ||||
| Jay_Minor |
total waste of time, why it was even filmed is beyond me?? | ||||
| johnreid |
I know that in the late 1800s the biggest draw at many fairs was an intentional head on crash with two steam Locomotives, Boilers did explode and people did get hurt and killed. But each time it was the attraction that got the biggest crowd. I suppose that stunts etc are done to both draw a bigger crowd, and to let people "let some steam off". | ||||
| made-in-england |
Pauly,
steam rallies are about having fun! Yes all well and good show them as where for the public but I can tell you sat there all day looking "traditional" is bloody boring! Theres no point in bitching and moaning as at the end of the day that was their roller. their minatures and their piano. It is theres to do as they wish!! The dorset steam fair is the biggest social event for the steam boys and often the only time of the year they meet with certain friends and aquainences, so having a good laugh is high on the agenda. Along with the fun im sure that for the hardcore enthusiast there was enough what you would call "real steam action" going on for you to watch.. Saying its pointless is untrue, it was a bloody good laugh and a break from what is essentially performing all week for the public, to take a break for 10 minutes to do somthing off the wall and silly I would say is completly acceptable! Rant over! |
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| Roly Williams |
Early steam ralleys used to involve various stunts. Tug-of-wars and races were quite popular. Owners soon realised that they were risking damage to their engines so they went out of fashion. By their very nature, fashions come and go.
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| Atticman |
I was lucky to go to a fair few steam ralleys in the 1970s, even have a few programmes somewhere in the attic. As Jim says, there were usually races, tug of wars and other things going on.
Our roller was usually the looser in all races other than the loudest whistle competition 
Suppose each to their own. It does show the weight and power of these things pretty well 
EDIT- posted at the same time as Roly, funny the same things mentioned
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| alan2525 |
MORE HOT PIANO ACTION HERE!
Personally the piano crushing was a little bit daft, Pianos aren't particularly sturdy structures so it obviously wouldn't offer much of a challenge. It's a bit like how they always get tanks to crush cars at WW2 re-enactments and shows. |
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| scorpion2nz |
well the last steam thing we went to the had a tug of war between us versus a steam roller and we won !! admittedly a roller has problems getting traction in the wet | ||||
| MooseMan |
I like a bit of fun, I like stupid stunts and I like a bit of competetiveness.
What I don't like is that we now are in a society where we are so flush with material goods that we can afford to wantonly destroy them for the amusement of crowds. Gladiators, anyone? |
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| Compound |
Re: why? Dorset steam rally is just.........?
It the same at Gala days at preserved railways, Its something different for the operating staff and fun! Epescially the in the pub after the last day
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| bessytractor |
the best thing I've ever seen was a steam waggon race in an event arena. By golly Fodens are fast.
The best thing I've ever DONE road steam wise was go into a slip road with a tight bend on a Super Sentinel at 40 mph! Its all good fun at the end of the day. I'd rather be mucking around like that than chuff past the commentary box with a very solemn look on my face having all the engines specs read out by a bloke like you get at the Thames Traditional Boat Ralley! |
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| alan2525 |
There is a certain comedy factor from elderly upright pianos coming to an untimely end though, I think it's from all those years of watching slapstick comedy from the likes of Laurel and Hardy... |
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| made-in-england |
Gotta love Sultan eh matt haha! |
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| Keith S |
I have a book about train accidents (morbid, I realise), and they have a chapter on this type of spectacle. They were known as "cornfield meets". Spectators would occasionally be killed. All part of the fun. I sort of agree with Pauly however. Unlike many people, I can enjoy watching a steam roller in steam without the piano. |
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| alan2525 |
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| alan2525 |
It makes me laugh that the car parks at the Dorset Steam Fair turn into a bog when it rains, with all those steam rollers on hand they could quickly lay some temporary hard surfacing! |
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| AzRob |
Oy, those old train crashes make me think "What a waste of a locomotive." | ||||
| johnreid |
Locomotives were run to the point that they were worn beyond economical repair.
The thing about big fairs is that some thing has to be done to make them more "Spectacular" some walk away thinking that the Piano was the coolest thing they ever saw and come back next year to see what else they can do. People of varied interests show up too, some like Traction Engines Some like Showmans and others Rollers., then there are those who like the stationary and Toys, plus, a good deal of the people couldnt care less about the Steam, they are there for the event and all of the excitement that happens when a big event is held. |
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| Compound |
I Dont think their doing 90mph in the first video. | ||||
| Les |
Maybe their combined speed is 90mph.
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| Compound |
Im still not to be convinced, when that bloke jumps off its hardley moving, and when you look at it later its still doing the same speed by looking at the wheels |
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| Ross |
CRUNCH! 
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| xlchainsaw |
wow. i find this thread amusing . stunts have always been used to promote things. people enjoy stunts. who wants to pay to see a lineup of traction engines (not in steam) a school education field day maybe but not the general public. we want to keep steam alive. we find our steam shed very dismal without some action. our model displays are based on steam stunts!!! i can take a oxy torch to one of my models!!!!  liz has a mini steamer around her neck!! its all for fun. we all pull apart our steam toys!!!!! in some hands its as bad as wrecking a piano!
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| verithingeoff |
Do I have to bring something sacrificial on Sunday ---
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| Meths |
This is because the rally site is turned back to a working farm within 8 days of the end of the rally. Temporary hard standing isn't feasible over such a large area (100 acres +) if the team only have such a short time frame to return it to a field suitable for animals or cultivation. |
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| alan2525 |
[quote="Meths"]
I appreciate that it's a working farm - but it's ironic all those steam rollers there laying a short stretch of metalled road as a demonstration when certain access routes in the car parks would really benefit! |