Steaming into summer - Article by Don Anderson
Purists in Steamy debate about heavy metalHow does spring enter summer? For some it is the first cuckoo, for some the first bird they see with a dozen worms in its beak, or the first convertible car with its hood down. For a lot of people, it's the first big steam rally. Shane's Castle estate on the north shore of Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland's biggest lake -and one of Europe's biggest - hosts one of the most notable events.
Strictly speaking, they shouldn't call it merely a steam rally. Sure there are wonderful big steam traction engines, dwarfing all around them. The kings are the fairground engines with their magnificent plumage. The 'worker' traction engines drive hay balers, massive circular saws to make planks out of tree trunks and quarry stone crushers. And there are real steam rollers!
Electric fairground organs, stationary engines which a century ago powered pumps and other mechanisms, old farm tractors, funny old cars with gear levers behind the steering wheels, old caravans from when caravanning was the preserve of the well off.
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