The Landford n Hamptworth show.
On Friday 13th of all days Phil, Dave (Phil's brother) and I went down to Landford, (that's is on the A36 between Salisbury an Southampton) to there annual country show. One of the main features at the show is......... TRACTOR PULLING. What a surprise I hear you say. Some of the gang were all ready there when we turned up. The site was a bit on the damp side and when Steve an Rachel arrived in their transit van pulling a caravan it soon got stuck, thankyou Manny for pulling it out. We soon put up our tents an after a wonderful spaghetti bolognaise cooked up by Lisa, we went to the beer tent. The rain started, looks like it will be for the night.
Saturday morning, the rain had stopped. Gaffa (who owns the Mad Massey) turned up with the Mad Massey an the Gopher on the back of his Foden artic. Soon was unloaded just in time for breakfast, a full English fry up from Lisa. The show opened at 10am. We started pulling about 2pm so there was plenty of time to sober up from the booze from last night. Squirrel was on the mic an I even got a mention.
Steve Knight giving the Mad Massey a run.
Phill Parker on Major Aggro trying out the newly fitted back axle from a 72 tonne 8 wheeled airport de-icer lorry. At the Astwood bank pull they broke two half shafts on the last back axle. Oh by the way they have done in 8 clutches in 6 meetings, one was at this show.
A very powerfull Massey Ferguson.
"Go on Shaun all the way", Shaun Mcginn who owns the Gopher back pulling again after having a operation on his back. The gopher is run on that Bio diesel that is made from cooking oil. Its smells like a chip butty when it drives past.
Gaffa looking back to see how far the weight box is up.
Here my very good mate Squirrel (Mark). He is the Commentator at the tractor pulls plus he is the creator of the uk tractor pulling web site. (www.uktp.co.uk) Squirrel duz a fantastic job in keeping the spectators entertained with facts on all the tractors an there drivers. Phil stood in for him at Astwood bank he was all right but not a scratch on Squiggle..erm...sorry Squirrel.
Here's Steve giving Rachel a few pointers before she go's out on the track.
This rabble are the Dorset sledge crew.
Here's Rachel on the pull. The photo looks a bit blurd cuz she wasn't hanging about. Well done Rachel.
Nice warm spot to watch the pulling, sat with James Yardley on Noise Pollution.
Saturday night, Back in the beer tent.... with the entertainment being laid on by this very drunk lad who was playing around with a FM radio, flicking channels, turning up the volume when he found a tune, then trying to sing along with it. The chap who was running the bar lent across and yanked the plug out. The lad didn't see him do it, he then spent an hour playing with all the nobs an buttons on the radio, thumping it, shaking it, he eventually realised that it was unplugged. It was fun watching. I left for bed leaving Phil, Phill Parker an a few others telling jokes,
I've heard them!
Sunday.... Here's more that was at the show.
A selection of finely restored tractors.
A collection of working sationary engines
Some speedway bikes. Nutters with no brakes.
The Austin A30 club with a lovely selection of motors.
A steam roller Phils size.
And a steam roller my size.
A diddy little tank engine.
Some very smart american army Jeeps this one had a most inpressive gun bolted on it.
While looking around the army vehicles I made a new friend. This is Charlie (combat ted) he showed me around all the army vehicles like this 1944 Morris van.
It was a shame the rain came in hard about 1.30pm, so we packed away an headed home.
I finish this page with I think a cracking photo taken on the Saturday evening by Phil of Shaun an the Gopher.
A great time was had by all over the weekend, looking forward to the next one, hope to get my tractor out on a pull.
