Standfirst: Find a straw bale, sit down and enjoy the spectacle of the Henham Steam and Country Show writes Marion Welham
The roar and rumble of steam engines on their way to Henham Park is a thrilling reminder that it’s time for the flamboyant and fabulous show that takes place each year in this part of northern Suffolk.
The Henham Steam and Country Show, nearing its 50th year, is an extravaganza that celebrates the power and glory of steam.
No corporate signs of banks and big brands here but instead those magnificent engines, vintage tractors, wagons, and fairground organs – all bound up with the history of Suffolk and rural England. The show is also about how a formidable team of local volunteers works year in year out to raise money for great causes.
Vice chair and event manager Graham Scriven has been there from the start and, as we romp through an impressive 50-page programme, it’s hard to take in the sheer diversity of entrants, let alone the numbers. Here’s a taste.
They’ll be some 40 full-size steam engines and over 30 scaled-down versions, as well as an astonishing 250 tractors with plenty of working demonstrations, including threshing.
You’ll see scores of commercial and military vehicles and hundreds of vintage and shiny classic cars as well as motorbikes.
Take time to read their stories and you’ll discover that some of the steam engines have been across the world and back again.
‘We in Britain were the great engineers and we had the foundries so were making engines for worldwide distribution,’ says Graham.
A road locomotive made by Charles Burrell of Thetford in 1899 had been built for Cape Town, went on to Australia, before being shipped back to Norfolk in 2007 where it was lovingly restored by the Plumb family.
There’s stories of steam engines being used to move guns in the World War I with ‘Felstead Belle’ from Garretts of Leiston being a prime example.
The Garrett story continues at the Long Shop Museum who regularly attend the show with their engines.
Unlike most of the steam engines which arrive by low loader, they will come by road, itself a tale of endurance.
‘It’s a day’s job,’ says Graham. ‘It takes several hours to get the steam up, then they will only go three miles an hour. Then they will need to stop and top up with water.’
So, the roar and rumble we hear around us in late September are those great engines on the move and that’s when the anticipation builds.
Imagine trying to manoeuvre one of these beauties.
Well, you can give it a try as the popular ‘public steering’ will happen on both days of the event.
Another stand-out feature of the show is the line of stationary engines – over 100 at the last count – their belching and popping reminding everyone of how they were the absolute mainstay of so many industries in the area.
Who on earth would have the patience and dedication to rescue and restore a 1930s sludge pump used for emptying ditches?
That would be the Craigies of Reydon.
It’s hats off to all the dedicated collectors and restorers at the show.
That’s Chris and Cherryl Thomas of Wortwell and their carefully restored ‘Waveney Clarion’ is a triumph.
Ornate and gaudy fairground organs like this are designed to be loud which adds to the excitement at Henham with its noisy working engines, live demonstrations, music performances and the gloriously giddy funfair.
It all adds to the spectacle with its happy fusion of sights, sounds and smells. Yes, smells!
That’s because the smoke of the engines as they work up to full steam is a delightful reminder of a more mechanical age.
You may call it muck and mayhem but, make no mistake, a show of this size and variety takes a whole year to plan and organise.
The 800 or so exhibitors and stall holders regularly attract some 8,000 visitors, some of whom camp on site.
You have to admire the dedication of some 60 local volunteers, at least 20 taking holiday time off work to help with fencing, signage and all the tasks for a show of this size.
The lively mix of attractions includes working demonstrations of rural crafts, Morris dancing, bands, and some 140 stalls, not forgetting the Village Pantry which goes right back to the first event.
The children’s corner is a heaven for kids with donkey rides, a petting farm and Andy the clown.
All ages love the chance to see the dogs showing off their agility - this year in the main ring, known as the Len Murray Arena.
It was Len Murray, a local farmer, who started it all by collecting bygone agricultural machinery at his home in Sotterley in the early 1970s then inviting other enthusiasts to bring their own exhibits.
When they ran out of space, the Earl of Stradbroke gave permission for the event at Henham Park.
Graham will never forget that first Grand Henham Steam Rally in 1975 when thousands turned up to enjoy the exhibits.
‘We held the first rally with a budget of just £75 and we made a profit to donate to local charities,’ he exclaims.
‘I always wonder if we hadn’t made a profit whether there would ever have been a second rally.’
Len, died in 1985 but his memory lives on and his son Trevor upholds the family tradition as steam steward while his grandson Tom Murray is one of the tractor stewards.
‘All the money raised goes to charity and we are all volunteers,’ declares Graham.
Last year, the show raised £33,000 for Blyth Valley Rotary, Wangford and District Community Council and the three churches of Sotherton, Uggeshall and Wangford-cum-Henham – all regular recipients for their year-round work in organising the show.
A further £11,000 went to Pear Tree Fund, Sole Bay Care Fund, Beccles Army Cadets.
This year, SERV Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, known as the Bloodrunners, will be one of the three chosen charities along with Suffolk Accident and Rescue Service and Norfolk and Waveney Mind.
On the Friday before the show, safety officers host 120 children from three local schools to experience a steam engine under full steam, a farm tractor and a plough.
The children learn how grain is processed at a time when there has never been more interest in food, where it comes from and what you can do with it.
‘They’ll have a packed lunch in one of the marquees and a ride on the gallopers in the fairground before they leave,’ says Graham.
This year’s show would have been the 50th but for a two-year Covid pause so that eagerly-awaited anniversary will be marked in 2026.
Meanwhile the Henham team has been busy promoting this year’s special attractions that include the motorcycle Wall of Death, freestyle motocross riders performing jaw-dropping tricks, multiple kite-flying, and a chance for visitors to experience the amazing flying abilities of the peregrine falcon, the world’s fastest bird.
The Henham Steam and Country Show takes place on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 September, 10am - 6pm.
Advance tickets and more information are available at henhamsteam.com
A farmer at heart
Helen Walker, a self-declared ‘farmer at heart’, has chaired the Henham Steam event since 2018 and has attended each year since she was a baby. That’s because her mother Jane organised the Sotherton pancake stall, which she still does today, and her father Gerald Walker, a local farmer and Sotherton churchwarden, was one of the founding directors of the show.
Helen was involved in the change of name from the Grand Henham Steam Rally to the Henham Steam and Country Show ‘to better reflect everything we have on offer and to help even more visitors discover and enjoy the event.’
She is full of admiration for the volunteers who make the show happen each year. ‘And how proud I am when I stand in the ring on the Sunday to congratulate everyone on the team!’ she says. ‘You do have quite a mix of people and sometimes it’s not perfect but everyone has different qualities that bring it together.’
One of her favourite aspects is the public steering which offers the chance to manoeuvre one of the magnificent steam engines on display.
‘It’s a fantastic experience but what’s also important is the community aspect, the charity fund-raising and the whole weekend experience where we are quite a family up there.’
Helen procures goods and services for the show such as toilets, marquees, electricity and wi-fi along with her regular job of frequently travelling across the UK as area manager for an Irish silage wrap company.
Her father Gerard plays a crucial role by storing much of the show’s equipment such as trailers, containers and safety barriers on his farm.
It’s that kind of support that makes the show possible and an example of the goodwill shown by so many in the community.
