Hollowell Steam & Heavy Horse Show 2017
Last weekend, I went to the Hollowell Steam and Heavy Horse Show, it was so good that I thought I’d write about it. I had only ever been once before and that something like a decade ago - long before this website existed - and so you won’t have read about it on these pages before.
Since January this year, I happen to live just around the corner from the event and Mrs Baldwin suggested that I pay a visit. She didn’t want to go and neither did the kids, so I went on my own and spent a glorious three to four hours wandering around in the sunshine.
The show was massive, covering hundreds of acres and was so much wider in scope than the event name would suggest. I’d go with with something more akin to a festival of transport because in addition to the traction engines and shire horses, there were classic cars, bicycles, motorbikes, vintage commercial vehicles (trucks, vans, buses), tractors and army vehicles. Even a Hurricane from the Battle of Britain squadron flew over. Magnificent.
And then there were the fairground rides, the stalls/concessions, the animal interactions, the music stages, the camp sites, the car parks, Titan The Robot…and thousands of people. I go to a number of “field” based events every year but this was bigger than anything and by a significant magnitude too. The show was like the Northamptonshire equivalent of Glastonbury or Glorious Goodwood…and it was brilliant.
The cost of entry was a tenner and it was worth every penny. The amount of effort that must get put into organising it is mind boggling. There was something to suit everyone and I am certain that if my wife and children had come along, they’d have found plenty to occupy them. Of course by not coming they gave me the freedom to completely please myself and saved me a chunk of cash into the bargain. I’d have been £30 lighter at the gate and God knows how much down later in terms of food, drink, ice cream, rides and spending money.
I can’t remember the last time I actually saw a full size, road going traction engine, let’s face it they are relics of a bygone age and you’re highly unlikely to see one on your commute to work. At Hollowell, there were a few dozen on display and all operating. They had come from all over the country, were big and impressive and surrounded by a fug of oil, grease, smoke and heat. The smell around the machines was appealing too, like creosote but a bit more barbeque-like. As to the operators, mostly older blokes with flat caps and oily overalls but there were some lady drivers as well.
In addition to the goliaths, there were a significant number of exhibitors with smaller scale traction engines. These things were big/strong enough to pull people around on trailers but small enough to fit in the average garage. Arguably more practical and most likely more affordable. But a bit less dramatic.
When it comes to the full size machines, it clearly takes a certain type of character to own one. You must need a lot of money and a lot of space – an owner is most probably a wealthy farmer with outbuildings or the proprietor of a haulage company, you’re not going to find one on your average housing estate.
But the average housing estate could be home to the smallest of the steam powered engines on display (all would fit in a small trailer). There were loads of enthusiasts displaying little engines that didn’t seem to have much purpose other than looking/sounding (think putt-putt) interesting. They probably ran small bits of workshops in the past (pumps, pulleys, belts etc.) but looked rather forlorn and incongruous in isolation. I’ll be frank, I didn’t understand the fascination with these things. For me, it felt like owning a set of alloy wheels but not the classic car to fit them to. But each to their own; I collect all sorts of crap that others wouldn’t appreciate (Mrs Baldwin included).
During the afternoon I walked for miles and took loads of snaps. A number are shared below; one I want to comment upon - the shot of me in a tin helmet holding a Thompson submachine gun with 100 round drum magazine. This photo was taken for me by a chap on a stall purporting to represent the Northamptonshire Home Guard. There were three British Army (WW2) uninformed chaps running the stall which included a display of various guns (Lee Enfield and other rifles, a Bren Gun, a Sten Gun and two Tommy guns, one with drum magazine and one without), uniform items, ration books, war memorabilia etc.
I asked one of the chaps if he would take a photo of me with a gun and he was very obliging. I have a shot of me with a Lee Enfield as well. Like seeing traction engines, holding a Tommy Gun (which was a lot heavier than I was expecting) is not something that you get to experience every day.
Eventually it was time to go home, I was out of money, had caught enough rays, had taken more than 150 photos and still had chores to do at home. I’ll be back again next year though. The Hollowell Steam and Heavy Horse Show is now going to be an annual event, a bit like the VBOA National Rally…
…which I’ll be writing about next week.
Click on any image to enlarge. Higher resolution images available, just get in touch if you'd like one.
Since January this year, I happen to live just around the corner from the event and Mrs Baldwin suggested that I pay a visit. She didn’t want to go and neither did the kids, so I went on my own and spent a glorious three to four hours wandering around in the sunshine.
The show was massive, covering hundreds of acres and was so much wider in scope than the event name would suggest. I’d go with with something more akin to a festival of transport because in addition to the traction engines and shire horses, there were classic cars, bicycles, motorbikes, vintage commercial vehicles (trucks, vans, buses), tractors and army vehicles. Even a Hurricane from the Battle of Britain squadron flew over. Magnificent.
And then there were the fairground rides, the stalls/concessions, the animal interactions, the music stages, the camp sites, the car parks, Titan The Robot…and thousands of people. I go to a number of “field” based events every year but this was bigger than anything and by a significant magnitude too. The show was like the Northamptonshire equivalent of Glastonbury or Glorious Goodwood…and it was brilliant.
The cost of entry was a tenner and it was worth every penny. The amount of effort that must get put into organising it is mind boggling. There was something to suit everyone and I am certain that if my wife and children had come along, they’d have found plenty to occupy them. Of course by not coming they gave me the freedom to completely please myself and saved me a chunk of cash into the bargain. I’d have been £30 lighter at the gate and God knows how much down later in terms of food, drink, ice cream, rides and spending money.
I can’t remember the last time I actually saw a full size, road going traction engine, let’s face it they are relics of a bygone age and you’re highly unlikely to see one on your commute to work. At Hollowell, there were a few dozen on display and all operating. They had come from all over the country, were big and impressive and surrounded by a fug of oil, grease, smoke and heat. The smell around the machines was appealing too, like creosote but a bit more barbeque-like. As to the operators, mostly older blokes with flat caps and oily overalls but there were some lady drivers as well.
In addition to the goliaths, there were a significant number of exhibitors with smaller scale traction engines. These things were big/strong enough to pull people around on trailers but small enough to fit in the average garage. Arguably more practical and most likely more affordable. But a bit less dramatic.
When it comes to the full size machines, it clearly takes a certain type of character to own one. You must need a lot of money and a lot of space – an owner is most probably a wealthy farmer with outbuildings or the proprietor of a haulage company, you’re not going to find one on your average housing estate.
But the average housing estate could be home to the smallest of the steam powered engines on display (all would fit in a small trailer). There were loads of enthusiasts displaying little engines that didn’t seem to have much purpose other than looking/sounding (think putt-putt) interesting. They probably ran small bits of workshops in the past (pumps, pulleys, belts etc.) but looked rather forlorn and incongruous in isolation. I’ll be frank, I didn’t understand the fascination with these things. For me, it felt like owning a set of alloy wheels but not the classic car to fit them to. But each to their own; I collect all sorts of crap that others wouldn’t appreciate (Mrs Baldwin included).
During the afternoon I walked for miles and took loads of snaps. A number are shared below; one I want to comment upon - the shot of me in a tin helmet holding a Thompson submachine gun with 100 round drum magazine. This photo was taken for me by a chap on a stall purporting to represent the Northamptonshire Home Guard. There were three British Army (WW2) uninformed chaps running the stall which included a display of various guns (Lee Enfield and other rifles, a Bren Gun, a Sten Gun and two Tommy guns, one with drum magazine and one without), uniform items, ration books, war memorabilia etc.
I asked one of the chaps if he would take a photo of me with a gun and he was very obliging. I have a shot of me with a Lee Enfield as well. Like seeing traction engines, holding a Tommy Gun (which was a lot heavier than I was expecting) is not something that you get to experience every day.
Eventually it was time to go home, I was out of money, had caught enough rays, had taken more than 150 photos and still had chores to do at home. I’ll be back again next year though. The Hollowell Steam and Heavy Horse Show is now going to be an annual event, a bit like the VBOA National Rally…
…which I’ll be writing about next week.
Click on any image to enlarge. Higher resolution images available, just get in touch if you'd like one.
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