About The Steam Plough Club

A HISTORY OF THE STEAM PLOUGH CLUB

How It All Started

The Steam Plough Club was founded on 3rd December 1966 by the late Harold Bonnett. 

Twenty six persons were present at the inaugural meeting of what was to become the Steam Plough Club. Held at the Great Northern Hotel, Peterborough, on 3rd December 1966, the chair was taken by the late Harold Bonnett and after discussions on whether to compile a register or form a Club it was agreed to form the STEAM PLOUGH CLUB. 

The appointed Chairman was Harold Bonnett, the Secretary Michael Goodman, the Treasurer Brian Parsons, The Assistant Secretary Alec Ibbott, and, Assistant Treasurer Richard Jackson. [Mike Goodman and Richard Jackson both sit on the present committee, and Brian Parsons has missed only one AGM -through illness – since the Club was formed].

The objects of the Club were agreed to be a focus on plough engine matters with the aim of promoting more working demonstrations of ploughing by steam. A number of actions were proposed, in particular to  compile a list of all owners of ploughing engines; to offer traditional skills to those  desiring help for practical demonstrations; to get at least one ploughing engine into a museum for permanent preservation, and, to provide advice to members. 

There were 39 members enrolled by the end of 1967, 57 by the end of 1968, 65 by 1970. The Club currently has over 300 members world-wide who share an interest in steam ploughing, the engines and implements, the personalities and its rich history. 

The Great Challenge 

Over the past 18 years the Club has organised six events for steam ploughs, the crews competing for the Steam Plough Challenge trophy awarded to those judged to have produced the best work in a set time. 

The first Great Challenge took place in 1994 in conjunction with the Boddington Vintage Association at Lower Boddington after Michael Davies invited all comers to a steam ploughing match. Robert Pelly, great grandson of Robert Fowler (John Fowler’s brother) presented the Club with an original trophy awarded to Robert Fowler in 1883 for his shooting prowess. Richard Pierce and Peter Stanier readily took up the challenge – hence the title – and won the trophy with their Fowler single cylinder engines. Five sets took part.

The second challenge took place in 1998 at Preston Capes in conjunction with the National Ploughing Championships. Heavy rainfall occurred in the week prior to the event only easing sufficiently to allow the competition to start this time with 10 sets competing. The trophy was won by Michael Davies and his team with the Z7 engines that he repatriated from the Sena Sugar Estates in Mozambique.

The third Challenge in 2000 was unluckily faced with a national fuel strike which caused major problems for competitors in the run up. However this did not stop a magnificent 11 sets competing near Lincoln against all the odds. This was held as part of the World Ploughing Championships of that year. Once again rain played its part causing emergency arrangements to be undertaken to allow the competition to start.

The fourth Challenge in 2002 saw a return to the Boddington Vintage Association event at Lower Boddington where the Challenge took place in dry and peaceful conditions. This time the trophy went to a team led by Michael Beeby from Rempstone. 8 sets competed.

For the 50th anniversary of steam ploughing at Rempstone and the 40th anniversary of the Steam Plough Club the Challenge in 2006 was held at Rempstone over a dry and sunny weekend. On this occasion no less than 13 sets competed in the line up of 27 engines on the Saturday evening producing a magnificent sight. The trophy was won by Richard Vernon and his Howard tackle. This was by far the most spectacular Challenge so far and included the use of a helicopter to film the occasion.

The sixth and the most recent Challenge was held in Sussex in August 2009 with 8 sets competing. A glorious summer weekend saw the trophy go back to Kent with Roger Luck steering the plough and a Fowler/Burrell/Aveling single cylinder and a BB engine providing power. 9 engine classes and the makers John Fowler, R.H.J. Wilder, Burrell/Aveling and McLaren were represented.

Plans for the seventh Challenge to be held this year are well in hand, and fingers are crossed for better weather than was experienced in 2010 when the event had to be cancelled as the ground could not be cleared of crops. 

The Hands On

One of the Club’s most rewarding events is a ‘Hands On’ Weekend providing participants the opportunity to try the plough as well as to drive the engines under supervision. Complete beginners are always welcome and the focus is on safety during operations. 

This event has been hosted at different locations which provides experience on a variety of engines and tackle and adds much to the interest and enjoyment of all concerned. Last year was the thirteenth, at which normally 10-12 participants take part, and the Club encouraged the attendance of two younger men by subsidizing the costs of arrangements.  With four engines, two ploughs and a range of implements to examine it was another splendid event spread over three days.

More Hands On Event information

Engines & Tackle

The Club owns no engines or implements of its own. Amongst its members are owners of some of the 165 ploughing engines existing in the UK and Ireland which include those manufactured by John Allen, Aveling & Porter, Burrell, Fowler, Heucke, Howard, Kemna/Ottomeyer, McLaren, Fowler/Wilder. The earliest engines were built circa 1868/9.

Membership

One feature of the Club’s early being was the production of a newsletter Steam Plough Times. Photographs were soon offered for sale. Members contributed by producing operating instructions, assembling engine records and by donating photographs and tales of the engines and crews at work.

Today, the Steam Plough Club provides its members with:-

• A quarterly journal – the Steam Plough Times – 16-20 pages with photographs.
• Maintains a website www.steamploughclub.org.uk providing both general information and material exclusively to members
• Technical advice – on all aspects
• Working instructions for steam ploughing machinery
• Safety guidelines for crews and event organisers
• Engine & implement records
• Engine classes identification
• In-house publications & DVDs 
• The opportunity to meet like minded enthusiasts 
• Visits & meetings

Buy Membership

Working with Others

The Club is affiliated with the National Traction Engine Trust, and is a member of the Federation of British Historical Vehicle Clubs. 

The Club is about keeping the tackle operating; not just the machinery but passing on the old skills too. Members of our Club would be pleased to have your help and assistance so that together we can give the steam plough engine its proper place in the history of British agricultural engineering.

“Together we can give the steam plough engine its proper place in the history of British agricultural engineering”.