WESES Cornish Steam Fair

[Fowler_Man]

Someone tried holding a rally there before, it failed

[Charlie D]

Originally Posted by Fowler_Man

Someone tried holding a rally there before, it failed

I think failed is not quite true. The CTPC held three annual rallies there in the late 60's. The lure of permanent toilets,hard access roads,turnstile entrances at the pay gate, and, yes a public telephone box was, attractive. The first two events were good. However the third event was ruined by heavy rain and reinstatement costs were astronomical. The club could not afford to go back there.

Permanent sites such as this and Stithians have many advantages but the greatest disadvantage is that the show cannot be set out the way it should be. At the latter engines are not allowed on the areas where they should be- either side of the entrance gate. There is no room for the working section to be in the same area as the engine park and the enginemens camping area is in the middle of the show!

It is easy to forget that the previous field used by WESES at Tywarnhayle farm was much more weather friendly; the land had not been worked over for years and was much harder. I recall driving engines through puddles of water getting to the parade ring.However the policy of allowing the rally to be overcome by hundreds of non steam vehicles dictated a move to the larger field which had been worked over annually for many years.Even in dry weather this field was soft, one year when we had our ploughing engines working there I found the Fowler making heavy weather of pulling the cultivator out of the field in big wheel at the end of the day.The wheels were leaving ruts 3 or 4inches deep in the unworked part of the field.As I knew there was a move afoot to move the rally into this field I reported this fact but it fell on deaf ears.

Charlie D

[Fowler_Man]

Originally Posted by Charlie D

I think failed is not quite true. The CTPC held three annual rallies there in the late 60's. The lure of permanent toilets,hard access roads,turnstile entrances at the pay gate, and, yes a public telephone box was, attractive. The first two events were good. However the third event was ruined by heavy rain and reinstatement costs were astronomical. The club could not afford to go back there.

Charlie D

So it failed.... Didnt make enough money over 2 years to allow for a wet year on that site.

[Fowler_Man]

Originally Posted by Charlie D

It is easy to forget that the previous field used by WESES at Tywarnhayle farm was much more weather friendly; the land had not been worked over for years and was much harder. I recall driving engines through puddles of water getting to the parade ring.

The rally at its best!

[3816]

Originally Posted by Fowler_Man

Someone tried holding a rally there before, it failed

Not quite true Jake, the Cornish traction preservation club had its biggest gate ever at the royal cornwall showground, over 8,000. Too many ground restrictions forced the club to leave that site.

Steve

[Charlie D]

And I assume that it is ground restrictions that control the layout of the show at Stithians, and this is what makes it disjointed.

The much reduced working section this year was again at the opposite side of the site to the engine yard and more than anything there is no adequate main ring. The main ring was where the rally happened, the commentator communicated with and entertained the public and exhibitors alike.
.
On another topic modern PA systems seem to be very loud but directional; at another rally our caravan was in a direct line with a speaker and the volume was annoying to say the least, ten yards either side of the speaker there seemed to be no sound at all.

Charlie D