‘Before’ and ‘After’ - Ian’s trusty Fergie T20’s at the Bridford Tractor Rally and Beer Festival

Chugging down the road all of a mile and a half to the Dunsford Straight on the first of my 2 antique exhibits was a ‘Boys Joy’ - with trailer in rear to house the trusty bike to get me too and fro over the W/E I hit top  ‘comfortable’ speed of about 15mph as I approached the muddy but drying rapidly site entrance………………..traffic wardens aplenty I bounded in and took up station in the second field with about 30 other far smarter agricultural tractors and similar engines ranging from 1905 to the more modern 1960’s I suppose.

I pedaled back via the Beer Tent and my first sippers of the day looking for the Secretary in order to book in and register my 2 x trusty charges………..and then went back home to collect the other and returned………bike in the link box this time on Fergie 2.

This was the second Bridford Rally and building on last years show, the organisers are to be congratulated on another excellent event…………although still sufficiently damp underfoot for the Steam Engines to remain on their trailers sadly and despite a glorious warm dry and sunny Sunday there they remained because at 65tons dead weight they simply wouldn’t do anything but churn up the field wherever they went and their modern trailers would invariably get stuck whilst manoeuvring in and out of the site entrance on the damper Friday afternoon.

The Beer Tent run by The Bridford Inn team was magic………….20 odd real ales to sample, locals propping up the bar and many a long tale was spun across the Weekend.

I met up with a Teign Valley Pedal Basher called Father on the Sunday afternoon and we regaled in stories of yesteryear when he was working the land and used to drive the likes of my T20 for real ploughing and earning a living from the soil………..he’s a great character and he and his wife Mudsie have sampled many a drop of Scrumpy Cider at my place over the years pulling in at various Cycle Cider  Gatherings.

It’s always a fun day out at these events and this years Bridford Vintage Tractor Rally and Beer Festival was no exception - roll on next year!!

Ian and a Teign Valley Pedal Basher called ‘Father’ line up with Fergie T2O’s at the Rally