ACE Winches hosts private event for steam enthusiasts at Towie Barclay Works.
The torrential rains last week meant that the annual Bon Accord Steam Fair at Castle Fraser had to be cancelled. The ground conditions on site would not have coped due to the heavy weights of the displays scheduled and therefore the Bon Accord Steam Engine Club had no alternative.
A number of steam exhibitors had gone to extraordinary lengths preparing engines for the annual steam fair. As keen enthusiasts, a number were hosted by Alfie Cheyne at a private event at ACE Winches on Saturday and Sunday. Around 300 people gathered at ACE Towie Barclay Works for a working display of 20 steam tractions, wagons and rollers in addition some fine vintage army vehicles and around 30 vintage tractors. The hard standing concrete yards and roads at Towie Barclay Works allowed a safe display to take place.
The highlight was the display of a new build steam powered motor cycle, designed, built and owned by Mr Chris Wedgewood. This motor cycle was worked on at the weekend by one of the scrap heap challenge engineers. It will be on display shortly at Grampian Transport Museum prior to being transported to America to Nevada Saltflats to challenge the world land speed record for a steam powered motor cycle. Chris travelled all the way from Isle of Man with a Stanley steam car, Fowler traction engine and Sentinel S4 steam waggon.
Owners of engines travelled from Leven in Fife, Stirling, Elgin, Aberdeen and Oldmeldrum to take part in working displays of steam road rolling, steam driven stone crushing and steam driven saw milling. Additionally steam pulled heavy haulage by road locomotive took place on the hill road behind Towie Barclay Works.