45 years ago David was asked to take his Aveling and Porter steam roller down to his local village, Slaidburn, which is very close to the border of Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire. It was on the occasion of the annual May Queen festival and after the event he parked the engine outside the village pub, the Hark to Bounty, where it attracted a great deal of interest.
A fellow steam enthusiast suggested that if David were bring the engine the following year, then he would bring his Clayton and Shuttleworth along too; another enthusiast was keen to bring his fairground organ and steam engine. From these humble beginnings, the event has grown in size and popularity. Entry to the event is free with donations gratefully received and funds thus raised have benefitted local groups and organisations including the primary school, the parish church, Young Farmers, Slaidburn Silver Band and the bowling club. Donations have also been given to North West Air Ambulance, the British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research.
As the event grew in both size and popularity, the temptation to move to a larger site was resisted, as it was felt it would thereby lose the local charm that had developed over the years. Until this year the event took place in the car park of the village pub and adjacent land. Now that the pub is up for sale the venue is the village green and the village hall, maintaining the essentially local flavour.
There are usually a dozen steam engines, anything up to 50 vintage and classic cars, and 40 vintage tractors, two of which are owned by David now that he has sold his steam roller. There are also demonstrations of threshing and baling, basket weaving and clog-making. As admission is free, it’s difficult to know the exact number of visitors each year but it brings in visitors from far and wide, as well as being well established on the steam rally calendar.
To have not only started this event but to have remained in touch with it over so many years is a remarkable achievement, even more remarkable when you learn that David ‘s career was a a master mariner, and master mariners do not spend much time at home. He has skippered supply boats in the North Sea, short sea freighters and Irish ferries. Since retirement he keeps his hand in with the historic steam-powered the the Daniel Adamson. A lifetime of achievement.
