Vintage enthusiasts flocked to Boatside Farm on Sunday, August 10, for the Three Cocks Vintage Society’s Annual Steam and Vintage Rally.

The 43rd rally offered something for everyone, from tractors and classic cars to motorcycles, lorries, and even a double-decker bus. The event got underway in the ring with an official opening by the society’s president and founding member, Mrs Margaret James.

A highlight of the day was the impressive display of steam engines, ranging from a 4-inch scale model of a Burrell engine by David-Paul Phillips to the towering 1912 showman’s Burrell engine, ‘The Philadelphia’, owned by Alistair Evans and Sons of Bishop’s Castle.

New this year was the Mr Phillip Morgan Memorial Trophy for the best steam exhibit, claimed by the 1925 Marshall compound tractor ‘Moonraker’, owned by Cheshire visitor Arial West. The award was presented by Tom Henderson and Andrew Sample.

Ring attractions included a thrilling axe-racing display by the Wye Valley Choppers, with expert commentary from Eirwyn Williams. Club members also staged a harvest demonstration led by Elwyn Davies, showcasing traditional haymaking techniques - from tedding and rowing to baling - using period 1970s Massey Ferguson tractors, a 168 and 165, paired with a New Holland baler and PZ Haybob.

The tractor section spotlighted County tractors, a marque once manufactured in later years in Knighton. Among the stand-out exhibits was Anthony Stokes’s restored 1965 654 Super 4, alongside local exhibitor S.J. Jones with a 1124. New Radnor’s Martyn Nicholls brought four of his own machines - a pair of 974s with consecutive registration numbers, a 1174 and a 1164 - though he faced the challenge of finding enough drivers to take them all around the parade ring.

Not to be outdone, Mark Simmonds, who was running the International Harvester Club stand, organised a parade of International tractors. He drove his Breconshire-registered B250, joined by Rob Gore with a B275, Chris Nicholson from West Wales with a 1955 BW6, and Peter Thomas Bayliss with a 276 complete with two-furrow plough.

Among the mixed-make tractors, local joiner Colin Lewis showcased a French-built Austin vaporising diesel. Stand-out entries included Mike Chandler of Llandrindod Wells with a gleaming Fordson Dexta, Mervyn Price of Hundred House with an immaculate Nuffield 10/42, and Dai Thomas with a pristine Fordson E27N. David Pritchard exhibited a restored Zetor 3045, while Mark Pritchard displayed his original Radnorshire-registered standard Fordson.

The static display also featured more Eastern European models, including a Hungarian-manufactured Dutra and a Belarus tractor - aptly named for its country of origin - owned by Wilner Evans of Talgarth.

The commercial and military sections featured a diverse range of exhibits, from Dave Prosser’s compact maroon Ford Thames 300E van to Maureen Jenkins’s towering AEC Renown double-decker bus. Ian Quarry displayed a Belgian-made Minerva Land Rover, produced under licence for the Belgian army, while Robert Jones brought an ex-army Leyland Martian 6x6 heavy recovery truck and Dave Whittall showed an Albion Chieftain with a tarpaulin-covered load.

A number of American army jeeps were on display, some complete with owners in full US army uniform. John Woolley exhibited a 1942 White Scout Car, an armoured vehicle equipped with tow rope, jerry cans, and shovels. Local haulier Mervyn Thomas brought a TK Bedford in the livery of the former Knighton haulage company, Roberts Transport, complete with a period Fergie load. Colin Richards presented a Morris Cowley pickup painted with signage for Jeff Mallock, Fellmonger, from the original TV series All Creatures Great and Small. Bobby-Joe Clarke rounded out the commercial exhibits with a Ford Transit pickup, marking the iconic model’s 60th anniversary of production.

The car parade was led into the ring by a stately 1951 Bentley, but the spotlight soon shifted to a strong sports car line-up. Highlights included Andrew Roberts’s 1972 Jaguar E-Type, a rally-prepared MG Midget, and the elegant lines of an Italian interloper - a Lancia Aurelia B24 Spyder convertible. Adding a touch of Hollywood was Brian Morgan’s 1981 DeLorean, complete with its distinctive gull-wing doors.

Other notable entries included H.J.E. Griffiths’s 1937 Austin Big Seven saloon, with its forward-opening windscreen for air conditioning, and David Laviers’s Austin Seven open road tourer. Wendy Wozencroft brought her 1970 Morris 1000 Traveller, while Robert Poyner displayed his 1968 Riley Elf, based on the classic Austin Mini.

The motorcycle display ranged from vintage racers to classic scooters. Section leader Malcolm Webster showcased a 1929 Sunbeam M90, while Rex Moorey brought a 1939 Francis Barnett Powerbike. Japanese machines were strongly represented, including Warren Slater’s Honda CB900F and Glyn Price’s Kawasaki Z with sidecar.

Off-road enthusiasts were treated to a 1976 Yamaha TY175 trials bike and a rare Italian Romeo Scorpion 50cc trail bike. Adding a touch of Mod style, Glynne Woolbridge exhibited a 1959 Lambretta LI150 scooter, adorned with an array of mirrors.

The Society wish to thank the landowners of the Bamford family, the Williams family, the Lloyd family and Jenkins family and all the local sponsors and businesses that have supported the rally. Plans are underway for next years event on August 9, 2026.