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Hands on 2023 1

Hands On Weekend 14th-15th September 2024

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We are pleased to announce a Hands-On event for 2024 over the weekend of the 14th-15th September 2024 near Uppingham in Rutland by kind permission of Joe and Mary Nourish.  Participants will be given expert tuition on the handling of steam ploughing engines and the implements.  Camping and caravan space is available on site, lunch packs and soft drinks are provided, and an evening dinner will be arranged for the Saturday night. 

The weekend will conclude at 5pm on the Sunday.  There will be two sets of BB1 tackle working a plough and cultivator with space for eight participants.

The cost for the event is £200 with all fees going to the cost of coal and transport for the engines. For new participants, the cost includes an instructional DVD – “An Introduction to Two Engine Cable Cultivation” that provides detailed information in preparation for the weekend. Places can be secured for a deposit of £75 which will be returned in full should the event have to be cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.  The event is open to all experience levels, the only requirement is that all participants must be current members of the Steam Plough Club for insurance purposes, the cost is £30. 

If you or someone would be interested in taking part, please apply as soon as possible to George Hawkswell, 189 Fulham Palace Road, London, W6 8QX, email: ghawkswell@hotmail.co.uk, tel: 07512181212.

George Hawkswell,

17 April 2024

Hands On Weekend 14th-15th September 2024
Hands On Weekend 14th-15th September 2024
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Hands On Weekend 9th-10th September 2023

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Arrangements are well advanced to hold a Hands On event over the weekend of the 9th-10th September, 2023, at Goblands Farm, Hadlow, Tonbridge, TN11 0LT by kind permission of the Pierce Family.

Participants will be given expert tuition on the handling of steam ploughing engines and the implements to be used. Numbers will be limited to 12 participants so everyone has the opportunity to drive and crew the engines, ploughs and cultivator. A note seeking expressions of interest was sent out in early January by email and social media with a healthy response back. Those who responded to this note should receive an email in the coming days.

Caravan space is available on site, lunch packs and soft drinks are provided, and an evening dinner will be arranged for the Saturday night. The weekend will conclude at 5pm on the Sunday.

The cost for the event is £250 with all fees going to the cost of coal and transport for the engines. For new participants, the cost includes an instructional DVD – “An Introduction to Two Engine Cable Cultivation” that provides detailed information in preparation for the weekend. Places can be secured for a deposit of £75 which will be returned in full should the event have to be cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.

This year, the Steam Plough Club has partnered with the Steam Apprentice Club to offer subsidised places for steam apprentices aged 16 and over to £25. It should be noted that membership of the Steam Plough Club is required for insurance purposes for all participants of the event.

If you would like to attend, or know someone who would, please apply as soon as possible to George Hawkswell, Gonville & Caius College, Trinity Street, Cambridge, CB2 1TA, email: ghawkswell@hotmail.co.uk, tel: 07512181212.

George Hawkswell,

18 February 2023

Hands On Weekend 9th-10th September 2023
Hands On Weekend 9th-10th September 2023
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Hands on Weekend Report – September 2021

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Joe and Mary Nourish kindly hosted this year’s Hands On held over the weekend 4th-5th September – the third they have staged since 2018. This was the 17th such event to be held. 
Twelve members participated, four having attended previous Hands On weekends while the rest had no steam ploughing experience. There was a late withdrawal due to unforeseen circumstances and the paid-for place was donated by a generous member to the Club in the hope that it could be used by a youngster. The Steam Apprentice Club was approached and they put forward two candidates, both of whom were offered places at no cost.
Hands On engines, crews and participants line up (Photo: Victoria Kocher)

Hands On engines, crews and participants line up (Photo: Victoria Kocher)

Three sets were available – the two BB1s of Joe Nourish and Peter Wilson, Brian Knight’s two BB1s, Howard Bolton’s BB1, and Hal Debes’ single together with two ploughs and a cultivator.
Joe also made sure that three additional participants were able to attend a Hands On “Extra” over the weekend 11th-12th September at which two sets of engines were available. This provided the opportunity to put to work Joe’s mole plough.
6 furrow plough with land press (Photo: Rob Dickinson)

6 furrow plough with land press (Photo: Rob Dickinson)

Thanks have been received from many of those who participated, in particular to the owners, instructors and helpers who gave up their time to make the event a success and to ensure everyone enjoyed their time on the engines and implements. Not everyone found it easy going and there were some exhausted bodies by mid-afternoon on Sunday. Several required rather more guidance than others and were most appreciative of the one-on-one instruction provided.
 
A big thanks to everyone who turned up to help over one or both weekends, to the members who turned up to observe and photograph the proceedings, to the Steam Apprentice Club, and to Joe and Mary for once again making the event so enjoyable.
 
Hands On Extra Steam Apprentice Jack Potter (Photo: Ron Johl)

Hands On Extra Steam Apprentice Jack Potter (Photo: Ron Johl)

Some of the comments from those who attended:
  • A massive thank you for the Steam Plough Clubs hands-on weekend and to the engine owners, crews and the various owners who did not have engines present, but still gave up their time to help out.
  • It was a fantastic weekend with fantastic weather, I really enjoyed myself and got a lot out of the weekend. My sincere thanks to everyone who helped make the weekend go ahead.
  • Well, what a brilliant weekend! It might take a couple of washes to get all the grease and oil out of my overalls, along with some gentle exercise and stretches to get my aging body back into some sort of order, but who cares – it was a fantastic way to spend time out in the glorious Rutland countryside with a great bunch of folk, all determined to have a good time and happy to share knowledge and experience with some absolute rookies like me. Please pass on my sincere thanks to all of the ‘black badge holders’ and anyone else involved behind the scenes, for a wonderful experience.
  • I just wanted to say a massive thank you for the Steam Plough Clubs hands-on weekend to the engine owners, crews and the various owners who did not have engines present, but still gave up their time to help out. I met so many nice people, who genuinely just wanted to help everyone. 
  • I enjoyed myself greatly at the weekend. The participants were interested and interesting, and all those I instructed made visible progress over a very short time. 
  • A very worthwhile event. 
  • Please pass on my thanks to everyone that was involved in the Hands On, especially Joe without whom it would not have been possible at all.
 
Dick Eastwood, October 2021
 
Paul Johnson under instruction with Richard Playdon (Photo: Ron Johl)

Paul Johnson under instruction with Richard Playdon (Photo: Ron Johl)

Archie Sains preparing the Mole Drainer at the Hands On Extra weekend (Photo: Ron Johl)

Archie Sains preparing the Mole Drainer at the Hands On Extra weekend (Photo: Ron Johl)

Presentation of participation certificates (Photo: Rob Dickinson)

Presentation of participation certificates (Photo: Rob Dickinson)

Hands On Participants (Photo: Victoria Kocher)

Hands On Participants (Photo: Victoria Kocher)

Paul Johnson under instruction with Richard Playdon (Photo: Ron Johl)

Paul Johnson under instruction with Richard Playdon (Photo: Ron Johl)

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HANDS ON WEEKEND REPORT- September 2019

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Another very successful SPC Hands On event took place on 7-8 September near Itchingfield, West Sussex. Fourteen participants attended in fine weather assisted by tutors and helpers from the club.  A  wide range of engines and implements were in use:
Fowler single cylinder 8 hp engines 2861 and 3195
Fowler/Burrell 16 hp single crank compound
Fowler BB 14 hp compound 14233
Fowler AA6 16 hp compound 13877
Fowler AA/ZA 18 hp compound 15365
Together with
Fowler 6 furrow anti balance plough
Fowler 4 furrow balance plough
Fowler 9/11 heavy cultivator
John at the plough with instructor Peter

John at the plough with instructor Peter

The first day started with a safety briefing and a general explanation of the event followed by a maintenance and lubrication talk on the six furrow plough.  The engines were soon well polished, tubes swept, and in steam then work started.
Saturday evening was marked by the usual celebratory dinner in a nearby local pub and Sunday morning saw participants lighting and preparing engines for the second day.
George, left and Charles, right with instructor Paul on the Fowler Burrell

George, left and Charles, right with instructor Paul on the Fowler Burrell

John takes a close look

John takes a close look

After it was all over a participant commented,
“You and your colleagues who organised and ran the Hands On weekend deserve a massive thank you for all your hard work. Everyone was friendly and helpful and although the atmosphere was quite laid back we were treated to two days of non-stop activity and the chance to get real experience of steam ploughing and cultivation”.
I would like to add my thanks to David Exwood who so enthusiastically loaned the land, Bob Jameson who assisted so much, the engine and implement owners who provided the tackle, those who transported them, and the tutors and helpers without which we could have not succeeded.
John Billard
Saturday morning line-up

Saturday morning line-up

Sunday assembly with helpers, tutors, and participants

Sunday assembly with helpers, tutors, and participants

L-R Ruben, George, Charles with instructor Paul 2nd right

L-R Ruben, George, Charles with instructor Paul 2nd right

Joe explains the plough

Joe explains the plough

Lunch break

Lunch break

Ruben polishing

Ruben polishing

Pulling out the rope to start the day

Pulling out the rope to start the day

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2016 The Year of the Steam Plough REPORT

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Celebrations at the Great Dorset Steam Fair and at the World Ploughing Championship,
Crockey Hill, York and Celebration Lunch – A fabulous 50th
 
The Steam Plough Club has celebrated its fiftieth Anniversary at two notable events at the Great Dorset Steam Fair on 25 – 29 August and during the World Ploughing Championships held at Crockey Hill, York on 8 – 11 September.
The club created two quite different displays.  The first, in Dorset, mounted a wonderful exhibition explaining the history of steam cultivation from the earliest times.  The National Traction Engine Trust marquee was largely given over to full size engines, some being under construction or repair. There were also models and a most comprehensive series of information placards by Melanie Fisher setting out the story of steam cultivation.  And outside was assembled something rarely seen these days, a full size road train consisting of engine, living van plough and watercart, assembled by Alan Sparkes.
By contrast, the Crockey Hill event really showed what members could do with a truly marvellous collection of engines and implements.  It wasn’t all steam either with Fowler motor ploughs and the surviving great Fowler Gyrotiller in evidence.  There was plenty of land available for ploughing and cultivating, and a chance for visitors to try their hand at driving an engine or steer an implement. Harry Williams had his award winning model clip drum engine and apparatus on show. And almost unbelievably there was the hugely significant Smith windlass system released from the Milton Keynes Museum.
I can well believe that this was one of the greatest collections of historical cable cultivation artefacts displayed in history, and most unlikely to be repeated in the near or even distant future.
It is invidious to give credits but I must include Simon and Melanie Fisher for the Dorset exhibition and for Dick Eastwood taking the brunt of the organisation at Crockey Hill.  But above all it was the club and its members that must be congratulated for marking the anniversary in such an unforgettable way.
As my all too short visits ended I could not but think of our old club founder Harold Bonnett and what he might have thought of it all.  He would have been delighted and thrilled, but knowing Harold, not speechless!  
John Billard
“The Wilder”, in the display tent at Dorset, owned by James Hodgson
“The Wilder”, in the display tent at Dorset, owned by James Hodgson
Paul Ransley’s immense rebuild of Fowler 1908 of 1873
Paul Ransley’s immense rebuild of Fowler 1908 of 1873
Fowler K7 14256 owned by the Farwells, faces Fowler BB 12413 under restoration
Fowler K7 14256 owned by the Farwells, faces Fowler BB 12413 under restoration
Another view of 14213 showing extensive boiler repairs
Another view of 14213 showing extensive boiler repairs
Celebration Lunch
Celebration Lunch
Fowler single cylinder K5 11082 owned by Robert Goodwill
Fowler single cylinder K5 11082 owned by Robert Goodwill
Fowler Tractor 14805 with a Fowler 4 wheel water cart on duty
Fowler Tractor 14805 with a Fowler 4 wheel water cart on duty
Part of the extensive pattern making by Paul Ransley for his Fowler rebuild
Part of the extensive pattern making by Paul Ransley for his Fowler rebuild
Dorset organisers Simon and Melanie Fisher with Roger Luck and their Fowler A4 9691
Dorset organisers Simon and Melanie Fisher with Roger Luck and their Fowler A4 9691
Fowler singles 2861 and 3195 owned by Peter Stanier and Richard Pierce
Fowler singles 2861 and 3195 owned by Peter Stanier and Richard Pierce
14213 again
14213 again
Engines at York used some of the very last coal from the recently closed Kellingley Colliery, the last deep mine in England
Engines at York used some of the very last coal from the recently closed Kellingley Colliery, the last deep mine in England
Fowler motor ploughing engine of 1929 on loan from Leeds Museums and Galleries
Fowler motor ploughing engine of 1929 on loan from Leeds Museums and Galleries
Models and engines and “read all about it” in the Dorset marquee
Models and engines and “read all about it” in the Dorset marquee
Unusual Fowler Fowler B4 11637 owned by Warner Bower
Unusual Fowler Fowler B4 11637 owned by Warner Bower
Fowler DD “My Delight” owned by Chris Griffiths partly hidden by the K5
Fowler DD “My Delight” owned by Chris Griffiths partly hidden by the K5
The Fowler road train assembled by Alan Sparkes led by Fowler BB1 15222
The Fowler road train assembled by Alan Sparkes led by Fowler BB1 15222
Fowler’s great 170 hp Gyrotiller owned by the Ward Bros
Fowler’s great 170 hp Gyrotiller owned by the Ward Bros
Unique Foden Agritractor 13630 of 1930 owned by John Sawle
Unique Foden Agritractor 13630 of 1930 owned by John Sawle
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