A POWYS vintage rally celebrated its 40th anniversary earlier this month with a fantastic array of classic machinery.
The rally, organised by the Three Cocks Vintage Society, took place on Sunday, August 14.
Powys County Council leader and the society’s president, James Gibson-Watt, was on hand to officially open the packed-out rally.
The rally continued with the impressive parade of traction engines, from the 1903 Wallis & Stevens traction engine of Lee Miles, from Painscastle, which had originally been used to haul stone in Cambridgeshire, to the almost hand built 6” inch Burrell traction engine owned by Elfyn Williams of Pumsaint.
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Elfyn had christened the engine Cothi Maid and had virtually built it all himself, completing it in 2018.
The nearest to the rally field were two of the D & J Williams and family steamers, a big Fowler BB1 ploughing engine christened Johnny of 1919 circa and a Fowler Gun Haulage and Winding Engine from 1917. This engine has an unusual history as it had been part of a batch ordered by the Russian Army but was never delivered and eventually sold by the ministry into civilian use.
Rob Henderson was driving his family’s Fowler ‘Pride of the Wye’ and father and son combo Ian and Lewis Mason had their very rare Gibbons and Robinson traction engine on display which is believed to be the only survivor of the marque.
There was a remarkable display of commercials vehicles as well, all with interesting histories. Section leader Mike and wife Gill Chandler, of Llandrindod Wells, had their 1978 AEC Mercury, which was supplied new to the Stoke on Trent area. Roger Young, of Brecon, had his 1959 Ford Thames Tipper which had spent most of its working life in Presteigne at W J Taylor & Son until 1972.
Haulage firm Lloyd’s of Ludlow had two of their heritage vehicles on display, a 1965 AEC Mammoth Major, which had previously been a fuel bowser with the MOD before being used on timber haulage, and a 1966 AEC Mandator supplied new to Pfizer Chemicals of Avonmouth. Both vehicles had been restored by Tony Lloyd.
Jack Cook, of Brilley, had his Foden S21 tractor unit which was formerly of Bulmers Cider. Tommy Williams, from Llandeilo, had two Bedford’s of his fleet of 5 lorries on display.
There was a large assortment of classic cars from an Austin Seven to a modern day classic of an MG Montego together with Jaguar owners club, Austin Seven owners club and Landrover club stands. The only Rolls Royce on display was the Pop Larkin roller from the TV series Darling Buds of May. Dave and June Watkins, from Rhayader, had their 1967 Austin A40. Also exhibiting was the Herefordshire registered Austin 1000 van owned by Bertie Burford.
There were over 60 stationary engines on display with the usual Petter, Lister, and Ruston Hornsby. The motorcycle display had everything for the enthusiast from a 1964 Honda CB race bike of Roger Mason, the 1940 Royal Enfield WD CO owned by Malcolm Bates with a tremendous history.
The bike had been supplied by the National Fire Service to Rhayader Fire Station, used for gate opening and relaying messages. Ownership was transferred to the Brecon & Radnor Joint Fire Brigade after the war and was used until being decommissioned in 1970. It was bought by tender for £15 and has yet to do 4,000 miles.
However, the tractor section saw some real veterans. There were four International Titans on display circa 1919, two restored ones, one owned by David Thomas, of Llandysul, and Edward Price, of Bucknell; the other two were in original condition, one owned by Brecon’s Colin Lewis and the other by David Williams, of Hay, who had only started it on Saturday after being stored for 40 years. Also, there was three club marques stands displaying at the rally; the Ferguson Club had various models on display, including Tom Mason, from Hereford, with his Breconshire registered 1955 Ferguson TED as well as Eric and Janette Watson's 1959 Massey Ferguson 735 combine.
Meanwhile, on the David Brown stand, the club paid homage to the foremost David Brown dealers in Mid Wales, the Automobile Palace, with a huge sign from their parts department. The club had collected a varied display of tractors, including Nigel Hantschar, of Hereford, with his 1958 David Brown 25D, Peter Williams, from Ross-on-Wye with his 1952 David Brown Super Cropmaster and Brecon's Gareth Alexander with his 1972 David Brown 885.
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