See the age of steam come to life at Poole’s Mini Steam on the Quay

Steam will take centre stage as Poole Quay plays host to a bygone era of magnificent miniature steam engines on Saturday 13 May, 10am-5pm. The popular festival of miniature traction engines celebrates the sights, sounds and smells of the age of steam.

Now in its 8th year the Mini Steam on the Quay has grown steadily and this year will see up to 30 working machines on display. Organised by Richard Harvey and local enthusiasts in conjunction with Poole Tourism, the event features a display of beautiful miniature steam traction engines with many providing free rides along the Quay.

Included will be the return of Alice, the popular full-size 1909 Stanley Model R Steam car. Hand-built over 4 years by Steve Baldock using traditional parts and materials, Alice is one of only two made-to-measure vehicles created this way through hours of painstaking labour and ingenuity.

This year’s display will also see a number of unique Showmen’s engines making an appearance plus a mix of different types of miniature traction engines, all lovingly built and maintained by their owners.

Richard Harvey, organiser, said, “Many of the exhibits are unique feats of engineering, recreated from original Victorian drawings or old photographs, representing hours of hard work and it’s just fantastic to see the raw elements of coal, water and fire create the unique smell of steam that bring a piece mechanical engineering to life. We love showing off our handiwork and really look forward to sharing it.”

Each year, the engine owners choose a different charity and collect donations at the event in marked collection buckets. This year’s charity is the local Round Table Children’s Wish, which supports children and young people with life-threatening illnesses.
Graham Richardson, Poole Tourism manager, said, “Mini Steam is a brilliant family day out especially for children. For many of them it’s their first experience of steam engines and it’s a great chance to get close up, have a ride and find out more about these magnificent machines.”

In order to host the event, Poole Quay will be closed to traffic 9am-7pm.