The Golden Age of Victorian Farming at the 2025 Shrewsbury Steam Rally’s Working Field
The Golden Age of Victorian Farming proves ever-popular; and will be celebrated at the annual Shrewsbury Steam Rally; organised by the County of Salop Steam Engine Society, which takes place this year at Onslow Park, Shrewsbury on Sunday, 24 August and Monday, 25 August. Pride of place is The Working Field.
This welcomes both pre-1940 and post-1940 tractors; and a team of beautiful shire horses, harvesting with reaper binders, chaff cutting and threshing box. They steal the show and people love it! Over 240 tractors of various marques (some static) will be on view on the showground.
The Working Field has a full programme of agricultural activities, and is a valuable and integral part of the annual Rally. There will be demonstrations of some wonderful original farming skills and techniques. Visitors can take a nostalgic look at the farming of 'days gone by' and see an exciting mix of impressive working machines that capture the history and heritage of farming. The Working Field will play host to craftspeople demonstrating everything from stone crushing, butter making, live blacksmith demonstrations, and cider making.
Nick Onions the Working Arena Section Secretary said: “We have a great selection of skills from a bygone era and the sawing benches show how timber was worked in times gone by. There’s everything from bees to bodging! The Shropshire Beekeepers Association will be providing a superb display and the bodger (from the Association of Pole Lathe Turners & Greenwood Workers) will be showing traditional greenwood craftsmanship and can create many familiar items using fresh wood. Shropshire Mines Trust stone crushing in the Working Arena is also highly popular. We will have a selection of hand held seed drills and a milk churn collection to view. Of course it’s the beautiful team of shire horses harvesting with reaper binders, and chaff cutting plus a threshing box (with the baler on the end) that steals the show. People love it!”
Looking for some excitement?
…then look no further than Tractor Pulling! It is a highly popular demonstration where tractors and even military vehicles take their turn to see how they can pull a heavy sledge. Watch some smoke – and see some sparks fly! Hundreds of tractors of various marques (some static) will be on view on the showground. Visitors can take a step back in time, explore original farming skills – and literally live and breathe the past.
Full information from shrewsburysteamrally.co.uk and visitors can buy tickets online. Enquiries: info@shrewsburysteamrally.co.uk 01938 570874.
Postal address: COSSES, PO Box 4706, Shrewsbury. SY5 0WT.
