Abbey Hill Steam Rally - Day 1

We arrived yesterday afternoon with the caravan, which we set up, complete with little awning and then we had to travel back to Horton to collect our stationary engine from the unit.

On the way back, we stopped off at Tescos and stocked up with supplies for the weekend!

We eventually got back to the caravan around 1930, I unloaded whilst "M" finished off unpacking the caravan.

A quick meal of pork chops on the cadac, and an early night, we were both shattered!

It rained during the night, but only briefly.

At around 1000 hrs I set about sorting out the new generator, so that "M" could watch the wedding on our TV. As the gene was brand new, I had to fill it with oil and learn how to get it going. A simple bit of kit to operate so was soon up and running.

However, we could not get a good picture, it just kept pixelating, so eventually gave up and "M" went next door and watched the wedding in their caravan.

I, in the meantime, had to get my stationary engine fired up! I havent done anything to it at all over the winter. Last time I used it was back in September at Berwick St John Vintage Fayre.

I filled up with petrol, checked the oil, and lubricated all the bits that needed it, primed the fuel and with a turn of the starting handle, up she fired first time! Not bad for a 60+ year old engine!

Its a Wolseley WDII 1.5hp stationary engine, designed for running sheep shears. However, it can be used for running more or less anything. Im currently running a Lister Domestic water pump that pumps 250 gallons of water an hour. Thats alot of water!

I pump it from a bucket back into the same bucket!

Everything was fine till late this afternoon, when it suddenly stopped running, thankfully, the guy I bought it from was just opposite when it stopped so him and his mate helped me to try and get it going again.

We cleaned out the fuel pipe, which involved me getting a mouth full of petrol, we removed the float chamber and checked to make everything was ok there, we checked the magneto, and gave it a good clean, a good spark was being produced so we knew it wasnt that.

We then tested the spark plug, and that was the cause of the problem, or so we thought!

I managed to find another spark plug up on one of the auto jumble stalls and came back and fitted it, but still no joy, so the guy next to me, took the plate off the magneto and we gave it another good clean out. All fitted back on, and it fired up!

So fingers crossed that it will go tomorrow.

Whilst we were doing this our friends from Shaston 007 Herbert and Cat Woman Jo turned up! It was lovely to see them both. Neither of them had seen the van, other than on the blog. "M" gave them the guided tour of the caravan and then we had a quick wander around the show, in search of spark plugs!

This evening a couple of beers as "M" russled up a spag bog, which tasted lovely.

The weather doesnt look good for tomorrow, but the forecast for today wasnt brilliant and it turned out ok, all though not as warm as it has been, with little sun and a bit breezy!

Ive added a few pictures that Ive taken so far below:

Cooking tea thurs night, note useful cooking implement - hammer!

Bunting up, windbreak up, and engine covered!

Engine running smoothly, China acting as foreman!

Day 2 tomorrow, it may be a bit busier as its been a bit quiet today, but thats really only to be expected.

Generator seems to be working fine, a bit noisy, but there are plenty of others chugging away, so not bothered!

Well, till later....................