Tag: van

Portland Steam and Vintage Show

I managed to get to Portland Steam and Vintage Show at Southwell on the Isle of Portland this year. Its an annual charity event held around mid July and since 2004 has gradually grown into a lovely small scale event in a truly stunning location – not many places can boast 360 degrees of sea views! This year my favourite exhibits included the showman’s living vans which have been lovingly restored to give a real sense of what it would be like as a travelling showman around 50 years ago.

I particularly liked the quaint inside views of the kitchen areas – complete with fully working wood-and coal-fuelled aga and of course a very shiny brass kettle and huge teapot. Absolutely necessary supplies for a life on the road!

For more pictures of the steam and dirty side of the show (this being the bit that Steve was most interested in – though he was also quite taken with a horse box converted into a camper van!) then visit their website www.theportlandsteamshow.co.uk – like the show itself – its not terribly fancy – but it does have some genuinely quirky and authentic vintage stuff!

In anticipation of more steam and vintage we’ll be readying our picnic for the Great Dorset Steam Fair.. hopefully we can find a little stove for our own tea!