For 65 years the County of Salop Steam Engine Society has been at the forefront of commemorating engineering excellence and demonstrating the farming methods of yesteryear. The 2026 Rally is a family-friendly, two-day event that promises to delight visitors to the beautiful setting of Onslow Park, Shrewsbury.
The 2026 Rally takes place on the August Bank Holiday, Sunday 30th August and Monday 31st August. Shrewsbury Steam Rally is ‘Shropshire’s Largest Steam & Vintage Vehicle Rally’ and is considered to be one of the best in the UK. Organisers say it is Shrewsbury’s ultimate family event where visitors can step back in time to experience the vintage thrills and tradition of yesteryear.
The event has a variety of over 1200 highly-entertaining attractions that include the wonderful spectacle of working steam engines and beautifully preserved classic vehicles from yesteryear. On each day the ‘Grand Parade of Steam’ is a highly-popular and majestic cavalcade of Showman’s engines, traction engines, Sentinel waggons, and steam rollers. The parade showcases a superb variety of fabulously decorated steam-powered vehicles that circle the arena set to nostalgic music and poetry – a memorable highlight of the two-day event –, and with a final flurry of their whistles it is always an exciting spectacle! There is a packed Arena Programme on both days; where spectators can enjoy moving convoys of historic commercial vehicles; including buses and fire engines; vintage cycles; working horses; vintage tractors; pre and post-World War II cars, classic motorcycles and perambulators – with the Main Arena being the centrepiece of the event. The Olde Time Fair offers lots of traditional fun, and there are miniature steam engines, a highly popular Craft Marquee and 6 acres of Trade Stands.
The Golden Age of Victorian Farming has pride of place on the Working Field where timeless traditions, such as a magnificent team of beautiful shire horses, harvesting with reaper binders, and chaff cutting with a threshing box take place. Both pre-1940 and post-1940 tractors of various marques will be on view on the showground, with over 240 tractors in total. Visitors can take a step back in time, explore original farming skills – and literally live and breathe the past. Simply pure nostalgia at its best! Tickets can be purchased online from www.shrewsburysteamrally.co.uk There is free car parking and catering facilities on site.
