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The Great Dorset Steam Fair

Dorset hosts all steam engines in Everley 

News 1980 2 mins Silent

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Logo for South West Film and Television Archive

Overview

The Great Dorset Steam Fair, originally known as the Great Working of Steam Engines is set on Everley Hill. Since 2010 the fair is called the National Heritage Show. The annual show features steam-powered machinery and equipment, looking at traditional farming techniques and vintage equipment. The event runs for five days after the August bank holiday. Founded by Michael Oliver in 1969, the show is now run by his son Martin. 

With over 200,000 visitors, there can be up to 30,000 people on site at Tarrant Hinton at any one time. Traction engines, steam rollers and farming equipment sit alongside vintage cars, shire horses and a fun fair. The Dorset Sound Festival started in 2008 and includes five stages catering for different musical tastes. The fair has set and broken its own record for the number of vintage steam rollers in a procession travelling over a newly built section of road. The number is now 103 steam rollers, workers at the fair build a section of road using vintage equipment specifically for this record.