Traction engine to take centre stage at Shrewsbury Steam Rally

It will be amongst hundreds of other vehicles, trucks and lorries at the two-day show which kicks off on Sunday (25).

Final preparations are being made for the rally, which takes place at Onslow Park, near Shrewsbury.

Thousands of people are expected and organisers are hoping that the fine weather that is forecast will appear.

Each year, steam powered vehicles from all over the country come to Shropshire to take part in the event.

And for Little Gem, a Foster steam traction engine, it will be a case of coming home.

The engine originally hails from Shropshire before it was moved to the West Midlands and then on to Staffordshire.

It was nearly scrapped, but saved by the late Peter Hough and is now owned by his son Simon.

Rally chairman Edward Goddard said: “This is a great example of one of the famous Foster engines, and we are delighted that Little Gem will be coming to the Rally to join in with the celebrations with around 70 other engines – and making a grand entrance in the Main Arena when their cavalcade will be announced by a fanfare by the Light Infantry Bugles association.”

Little Gem was delivered new to FJ Timmis of Forton West Farm, Montford Bridge, Shrewsbury in 1909 and was owned by them until the 1940’s. It then ended up at a farm in Newtown, Bloxwich.

It was last seen in public in 1969 at Bloxwich Carnival and has never been to a traction engine rally in its life.