1st Southerndown Vintage Rally - July 1975

The Llantwit Major & District Vintage Engine Club held their first annual rally at the Home for the Blind & Elderly in Southerndown in July 1976. A large number of exhibits were on display including three steam engines, a large number of vintage cars and a large collection of old stationary engines.

The weekend's show was held in glorious summer weather with plenty of sunshine as these photographs show.

A year later the club held their second annual rally at the same location.

The Llantwit Major Vintage Engine Club folded three years afterwards and this event has not been held since; although another vintage show has taken place on three occasions in the 1980s at the nearby Little West Narrow Gauge Garden Railway.
An Aveling & Porter steam roller owned and rebuilt by Mog Thomas of Llantwit Major. A year later a canopy was fitted - see the photo on the 1976 rally section.
A row of stationary engines. In the foreground is a 1941 J.A.P. air-cooled machine. In the background is a kiddies vintage fair ground ride owned by Jack Smith of Cardiff  Another view of the stationary engines. In the foreground is a corn mill.
In this picture can be seen a pair of Lister "D" type engines - the most common engine to be seen at vintage rallies. Another view of the J.A.P. engine and a group of onlookers.
A Lister "D", an American "Amanco" and a "Petter" can be seen in this view of the engines A drag saw driven by a water cooled stationary engine.
Another view of the drag saw which was manufactured by Witte of the USA. A stationary steam engine owned by Graham Brown of Llantwit Major.

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