This film documents the South Yorkshire Traction Engine Club Rally in 1969. Made by the Doncaster Cine Club, this film captures some racing events, while paying close attention to mechanical makeup of the steam powered tractors. The final sequence also shows an amusement fair that was also part of the event. Title - Summer attraction. The film opens with a shot of a poster pinned on brick wall, which reads 'South Yorkshire traction engine club - Steam engine rally and old tyme fayre -...

This film documents the South Yorkshire Traction Engine Club Rally in 1969. Made by the Doncaster Cine Club, this film captures some racing events, while paying close attention to mechanical makeup of the steam powered tractors. The final sequence also shows an amusement fair that was also part of the event. Title - Summer attraction. The film opens with a shot of a poster pinned on brick wall, which reads 'South Yorkshire traction engine club - Steam engine rally and old tyme fayre - Sat 22/23 may'. A road sign then reads 'Steam engine rally' and another road sign below that states 'Wadworth 2 ? - Tickhill 5 ?'. A line of people, predominantly made up of families, queue up in a field waiting to be admitted to the event. There are then various shots of a music stand that plays a tune by itself, and the filmmaker captures various close ups of the instruments it uses. Crowds of people gather round a burgundy steam tractor that is parked in a field. The filmmaker then gets close up of the belt that drives the tractor. Another steam tractor, with a man driving and two young passengers, rolls past the camera. There are then shots of a stationary steam tractor and close ups of the pistons and machinery. A sweeping shot of the field shows a long line of parked steam tractors, all with their various engines running. A green tractor drives past taking people for a ride. There is then a shot of an old fashioned steam powered motorcar, and a young boy and a man in sunglasses stand around it. A close up shows 'White' is the name on the car bade, and a plaque above reads 'V.C.C. 1907 white steamer'. Various shots capture steam car from different angles and later driving around the field. A miniature steam locomotive is then captured, which a young boy drives around with a man and another young boy for passengers. Another steam locomotive, this time driven by a man smoking a pipe and wearing a skull cap, is shown, and he drags a trailer with young girls in it. Shots of crowd follow; young men with puffed up blonde hair and suits watch the event from behind a rope fence. Then a steam tractor race is captured; several tractors compete to get across the field in the fastest time possible, and a large crowd can be seen around the field. A tractor drives past the camera with 'J Dickinson and son' written above it. Another has 'John Fowler & Co (Leeds) LTD'. Then there are more views of stationary steam tractors, followed by two young boys in patterned sweaters who watch excitedly. More steam tractors drive past; one green tractor with 'J Conner & Son - Charleston' written on it, another 'J.M.Crowther - Preston'. More tractors parade around the field for the crowd, and the filmmaker focuses on the engines with the pistons moving rapidly. Men in suits, perhaps members of the press, stand in front of the roped fence (where the crowd are positioned) and take pictures of the tractors which are parked in a long line for the crowd to look at. Assortment of steam powered vehicles including mini locomotives, and trucks are also part of the line-up. The filmmaker then pans across the crowd, who for the most part are wearing jackets and hats, and there is also a woman wrapped up in a head scarf. People queue up for ice creams and the filmmaker shows a shot of a young boy with an ice lolly. There is a brief view of the amusement park which surrounds the event, and further shots of steam tractors parading around the field. The sequence finishes with a tractor game that resembles musical chairs. The next sequence captures an amusement fair which includes a large revolving swing set, a swinging ship ride, and a carousel. Parents gather round watching their children who fly past. A little baby in a pram with a balloon tied to it is followed by a shot of a man with very neat, gelled hair, who holds his child up to see the excitement. There are then shots of stalls selling toys, people eating ice creams on a lawn, a miniature railway ride, a musical stand and people watching the tractors again. The filmmaker then captures another steam car called a 'V.C.C 1901 De Dion-Bouton' and another old motorcar with a plaque on it, which reads 'V.C.C 1905 Rover'. The film ends with road signs that say 'Way out' and 'Home'.