The Southland Steam Engine Club are having a 60th Anniversary Rally this weekend at Brydone, not far from Gore. I’ve wanted to visit the property anyway – it has an old Dairy Factory on site. We spent the morning there and both enjoyed our visit immensely! The event is also on tomorrow (Sunday)
Banner, strung up on a big blue steam engine at the entrance
The dairy factory dates back to 1905, the green machine is a chaff cutter. Later we saw it being used in a chaff cutting demonstration
Interesting drive wheel and shadow
Name plaque detail
The chaff bags get secured to these hoppers for filling
Let’s see it in action.. here’s the chaff cutter powered by a drive belt run from a steam tractor. First, the chaff cutter on its own. Wispy smoke from the tractor drifts across the sky and you can just make out the drive belt that powers the chaff cutter (coming in from the left of the frame)
This shows the drive belt connection more clearly
The whole operation – a team of people working together
And now you want to see more of the baby steam engine?
A photo I’d taken earlier, the machine was stationary when photographed
Did you notice that one of the people feeding the chaff cutter (from the wagon) had pink overalls? She’s from Gore and very kindly allowed me to take photos for my blog
I just love the pink! She’s been involved with steam engines for eight years and has had her “ticket” for three years (from the late Russell Glendinning no less, the man who drove the famous Kingston Flyer from December 1971 until it stopped in 2013. Incidentally, she was the first female to gain her ticket from him
When we left home this morning I warned Nigel to wear old clothes because it’d probably be pretty smoky and he might drive a steam engine. “Oh no, not me” was his reply. I took a ride on a trailer towed by a steam engine and when I got back, what did I spy from the trailer? Yup, Nigel at the steering wheel! Reversing in this shot..
Moving forward in this photo (taken a little earlier than the previous one)
We both had a GREAT morning out and learned lots about steam. Many thanks to the Southland Steam Engine Club!
Text and photos by Liz; Exploring Colour (2019)
Exploring Colour 
What a great account and as always lovely photos.
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Thanks so much Kay! and although you can’t see it, that sentiment comes with a big smile of appreciation 🙂
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Looks like Nigel was having a good time! 🙂 Steam engines are popular round here. (It’s a farming area.) There are lots of events they come to, so I often here them trundling past…usually manage to run out and have a look. There’s an annual rally just a couple of miles up the road too. (That mini steam engine was cute!)
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Interesting Ann! Seems to be lots of steam engines around the south here and always a good turn-out at events. I love seeing the old engines all done up, turned out nice, and in good working order. Most of them probably look lots nicer now than what they did when working in the old days!
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Yes, I love to see them looking so well looked-after too. In the old days they were probably being used too much to have the time to have them looking good!
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