Thanks for posting this. I attended this rally on my first trip to England some twenty years ago. On subsequent trips, I managed to visit some other ones, including the Great Dorset Steam Fair, but the Bedfordshire rally has remained my favorite. I am glad to see it returned to Old Warden and I hope to visit it again someday.
Unfortunately, the GDSF is no more, I believe due to the COVID lockdown and the cost of living crisis, and some of the other large events have gone the same way. Still a fair number of smaller ones on the calendar though. And I can only agree regarding the Bedfordshire rally being back at Old Warden. It had a couple of smaller years at Turvey, but it definitely returned to its spiritual home with a bang. I genuinely would have needed three days to capture everything on show for the weekend.
@@The_Andy_B Yes, I heard about the GDSF's demise. Several of the larger shows in the USA are facing similar problems inasmuch as it is difficult to find the volunteers to staff the set up, tear down and general operation of the event. I was recently at a small country show show in Missouri and was surprised when I pulled up to the gate to find no one charging for admission, but instead found an open top five gallon bucket with a good amount of cash in it. Affixed was a hand lettered sign asking for donations. I asked one of the show committee men about it and he said everyone who used to work the gate was either too old or had died and trying to staff it with youth organizations was problematic as few of them knew how to make change.He later told me they did as well, if not a little better, than before and plan to stick with the donation scheme. I suggested they at least find a lid for the bucket and chain it to the gate post. Thanks again for posting this.
Thanks for posting this. I attended this rally on my first trip to England some twenty years ago. On subsequent trips, I managed to visit some other ones, including the Great Dorset Steam Fair, but the Bedfordshire rally has remained my favorite. I am glad to see it returned to Old Warden and I hope to visit it again someday.
Unfortunately, the GDSF is no more, I believe due to the COVID lockdown and the cost of living crisis, and some of the other large events have gone the same way.
Still a fair number of smaller ones on the calendar though.
And I can only agree regarding the Bedfordshire rally being back at Old Warden. It had a couple of smaller years at Turvey, but it definitely returned to its spiritual home with a bang.
I genuinely would have needed three days to capture everything on show for the weekend.
@@The_Andy_B Yes, I heard about the GDSF's demise. Several of the larger shows in the USA are facing similar problems inasmuch as it is difficult to find the volunteers to staff the set up, tear down and general operation of the event. I was recently at a small country show show in Missouri and was surprised when I pulled up to the gate to find no one charging for admission, but instead found an open top five gallon bucket with a good amount of cash in it. Affixed was a hand lettered sign asking for donations. I asked one of the show committee men about it and he said everyone who used to work the gate was either too old or had died and trying to staff it with youth organizations was problematic as few of them knew how to make change.He later told me they did as well, if not a little better, than before and plan to stick with the donation scheme. I suggested they at least find a lid for the bucket and chain it to the gate post. Thanks again for posting this.