Wednesday 13 March 2024

Sheffield Steamfest

Being a slow learner we (I) decided to take another shortcut…which wasn’t, didn’t matter as the main road was very very scenic anyway.

Arriving at Sheffield we couldn’t get accommodation anywhere as we had to be  self contained, we managed to do a dodgy deal with a local and camped stealth behind a house….perfect.

Wandering into town there were 5 steam engines at the pub, glamour old girls of yesteryear puffing away when suddenly one popped and started spraying steam and hot water out.

 


The girl standing on the steam engine bailed off quicker than a thieving magpie and a young fello piled on just as quick steering the machine away from the pub and into the carpark, them was a scurry of activity and they cleared out everyone from the rear bar covered area in case it let go completely.

The young fello cranked the engine up to use the energy to try and deplete the now fully fired and furiously burning boiler as it was essentially turbo charging itself.

The quick action of one of the steam engine drivers with a bottle of C02 from the pub and he quickly poked the gas bottle pointing into the burner to try and extinguish the fire to drop the heat.

This worked very well but alas it built up considerable heat so took 20 odd minutes more to stop it fizzing at the seam.

They then towed (pushed with another steamy) back to the show grounds for repair.

For a few minutes it looked nutcase but the reality is these guys seriously knew what they were doing and took care of it quickly, full marks to all.

The following day at the steamfest event we had a chat to the fella again and he said it was being repaired, we also saw ol mate with the 5/8 Landy and many more.



Hot dogs, chips, iced coffee and some donuts we were eating very well with no salad in sight …some days ya just get it right.