Greetings Cards
A variety of Steam Themed Greetings Cards have been added to the shop.
These are priced at six cards for £10.00 including P&P.
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News
Steam Plough Times Back Issues
Want to see how it all started? For the first time, back issues of Steam Plough Times are now available dating back from Issue Number 1. Available in sets of 10, in both digital form which can be emailed to you as a Word Document or PDF, or printed out for you to enjoy. The sets currently available are:
Set 1 – Issues 1 to 10, 41 pages
Set 2 – Issues 11 to 20, 43 pages
Set 3 – Issues 21 to 30, 47 pages
Set 4 – Issues 31 to 40, 59 pages
Prices per set are £10 for the digital copies or £12.50 for a printed copy to be sent to you by post.
Order now on our Shop page .
Annual General Meeting
The 2023 Annual General Meeting will be held on Saturday 22nd April at 2:00 pm, in the Conference Room of the Museum of English Rural Life, University of Reading, Redlands Road, Reading, RG1 5EX. A meeting of the Trustees of the Steam Plough Property Trust will follow the AGM.
The Museum opens at 10:00am and closes at 5:00pm. Members are free to tour the Museum facilities before or after the meetings within these times.
We have the offer of a guided tour of the museum before the AGM, and, a presentation by the Principal Archivist together with a display of objects of interest. Details will be available on the day. George King, Woodturner, will be displaying his scale model ploughing engine and implements which he showed at the Great Dorset Steam Fair last year. A selection of publications, books and DVDs may also be available for purchase.
Refreshments will be available from the café in reception. They stock a range of sandwiches & cakes. If you want something more substantial, hot and cold lunches are also available in the University of Reading bar “The Dairy” next door. Please note that “The Dairy” operates cash-less tills. Also, everyone is welcome to bring a picnic to enjoy in the MERL garden where several picnic benches are available for your use.
Please let the Secretary know if you are coming along so we can arrange seating and advise the café staff. Looking forward to seeing you.
Dick Eastwood,
19 February 2023
Your Club Needs You
As you may know we are now in need of a Club Secretary. The role is a very straight forward one and requires a few hours of commitment per week and full training and support will be given. You will be involved in helping our club continue to run efficiently and work with the committee members to make sure that everything happens when it should. If you are interested in helping the club continue operating then please get in contact with Dick Eastwood.
The outline of the role is :
- Being a point of contact for enquiries via the Club, primarily via email system
- Organising and attending Club Committee meetings (including Annual General Meetings)
- Prepare and distribute Agenda
- Taking and distributing Minutes
- Dealing with correspondence
- Maintain up to date records and correspondence (via digital and paper method where appropriate)
Steven Whittingstall,
18 February 2023
Hands On Weekend 9th-10th September 2023
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
Great Dorset Steam Fair 25th -29th August
Thanks to some of the regular volunteers and a couple of new additions, the Club will be represented at the Great Dorset Steam Fair between 25th and 29th August – the first show since 2019. Thanks to Sean Symons who has secured sufficient helpers to manage the Club marquee. The team will be in the usual spot adjacent to the Steam Ploughing field.
In addition to Club sales, it is planned to have on display the Fowler Motor Cable Ploughing Engine which is on loan to the Club from the Leeds Museums and Galleries. In addition,George King, woodturner, will have on display a selection of his outstanding scale reproduction models including a Superba ploughing engine, plough, cultivator, mole plough, Living Van and Water Cart.
We look forward to meeting and greeting you and persuading you to purchase some of the items produced by the Club! We are always grateful to receive second-hand books for sale at the event – please drop these off anytime.
Anyone joining the Club at GDSF will enjoy 16 months membership.
Dick Eastwood, 1 st July 2022