Johnsons Tractor Driven Thresher

In my endeavour to practice, practice and practice some more with my new camera we visited the “Steam & Vintage Rally” at Riverside Touring and Holiday Home Park, Banks, Southport, which was just up the road from where we live which we’d seen advertised on a few road side signs the previous few weeks.

Even though the ‘park’ is only a few minutes away I’ve never had any reason to visit before and I was pleasantly suprised by the overall cleanliness of the place and the facilities on offer to the visiting camper. If you’re thinking of visiting the Southport area I definately consider looking at the Riverside Park.

We had a wonder around for a couple of hours in the glorious weather, looking at all the steam engines, trucks and tractors from the past decade. Some of the tractors had been used by the same families for five generations, a testiment to the manufacturing quality rather than how tight we are up here in the North West, or at least that what I’m saying.

There was a display of custom bikes with amazing paint work on them, the one above being a three wheeler converted from an old VW Beetle.

Tucked away in a corner, out of harms way, we came across a demonstration of wood carving using a chainsaw. I’ve never seen anything like it, the finished pieces, once treated and varnished for protection, were amazing and you’d think they’d been sanded but it was all done with a chainsaw.

In another corner of the event was a falcon display. We’d hoped these guys would be here and it was fantastic to see a the birds up close, the one above is a Bengal Eagle Owl which no matter what the handler did would not look into the camera.

RSPCA Steam Engine

It just goes to show – sometimes it’s worth taking notice of the signs that spring up all over the place advertising this or that event.