NVTEC EA rally at Stradsett, near Downham Market was held over the weekend of the 4th & 5th May 2025 and what a change from last year! The weather was very kind and stayed dry for the most part, only a few showers overnight on Sunday so that was good. The show itself is set in the fantastic grounds of Stradsett Hall and this year was the 51st event held there.
As with quite a few of the bigger rallies, they had a “theme” and this year it was 100 years of Caterpillar tractors and that drew a fantastic line up of the world famous tracked equipment, the evolution of the tractor cab and Fordson E27N tractors but this report (apart from a couple of photos) will stick with the engine line up.
First off is this very lovely “Advance” hot bulb 2 stroke, it really did sound lovely, unfortunately it was sat beside an Amanco and every time I went to get a video it was either not running or the Amanco was, and drowned the Advance out.
Another engine that I can’t recall seeing fitted with a radiator was a Crossley, didn’t get to talk to the owner but if it wasn’t original it was very nicely converted!
More unusualness, a Petter “Peartop” sat just down the row from me, this was fitted with the Wico EK mag.
The Norfolk Mancave had a good display of his little Norman, Amanco, the Ruston VTH complete with JB weld frost crack repair and the lovely Bernard pump set that I will admit I have a soft spot for as I do like these for some odd reason…..
Some more of the engines seen there are as follows:
Lovely little Goold, Shapely & Muir
Brian Ringwood with his “Cadburys” Ruston Hornsby PB and pump
Fairbanks Z
Nice Amanco and mill
Amanco with an Amanco pump, nice set and looked the part
Domestic pump engine, rather nice and rather big!
Ruston Hornsby PT “carrot top” and Ruston pump
Callum Tracey and his 1.5hp Appletop new model and 1.5hp “Peartop”
Kevin Leverett had a very well restored Petter “peartop” driving a Pullen water pump
Petter W1H and a pair of what I believe are RHM pumps?
There was a couple of gen sets down the bottom end of the site and, as you’d expect the boys did have a bit of a late night play, just had to be done really…..
Finally, me, I took the Handyman for it’s first “proper” rally and actually won a cup! First time for everything 🙂
All in, a fantastic weekend and will be back again next year.
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Country: GB
