An amateur film produced by Ken Ellwood of a steam fair taking place in the grounds of Castle Howard in North Yorkshire. The film features not only the various rides and attractions on display, but also the many steam traction engines that power them. The Ellwood family also feature prominently enjoying the many of the rides featured. They also take part on a steam parade at the end of the film riding on the back of a wagon alongside their mother Kath. An animated opening title card...

An amateur film produced by Ken Ellwood of a steam fair taking place in the grounds of Castle Howard in North Yorkshire. The film features not only the various rides and attractions on display, but also the many steam traction engines that power them. The Ellwood family also feature prominently enjoying the many of the rides featured. They also take part on a steam parade at the end of the film riding on the back of a wagon alongside their mother Kath. An animated opening title card featuring cherubs and a steam traction engine moving to reveal the date of the film. Title: Steam Fair 1965 In the grounds of Castle Howard cars are parked behind a fair with various rides and attractions seen in the near distance including a Ferris wheel and helter-skelter. Crowds walk around the fair past many steam-powered attractions and rides; an engine drives past pulling a wagon. A group of men look over one engine, a second reverses in front of the camera past ‘ATHA’s Ultra Modern Speed’ Waltzer ride. Three men and a boy look over an engine powering the Waltzer ride. It has a brass name plate on it that reads ‘Carry On’, Another engine with a banner across the top reads ‘Pride of the Fens’ powers a second ride, nearby a swing chair ride with those onboard speeding past the camera in a blur. Again, men look over the engine that is powering the ride, the banner across the top reading ‘Chas Burrell & Sons Ltd Engineers Thetford, England’. Various views of the engine plus the belt attaching it to the ride flapping up and down. Another man looks over the engine with the ‘Pride of the Fens’ banner, the brass name plate now visible reading ‘Dragon’ with the belt moving at speed across a flywheel powering the ride. An engineer polishes the engine. A crowd gathers around ‘Pat. Collins’ steam powered calliope as it plays, a second company name is embossed on the machine ‘C.H. Marenchi & Co’. Beside the calliope the steam engine powering it and two men standing beside it chatting. Both men are leaning on the engine which vibrates. A steam yacht swing moves back and forth, a Union Jack painted on the boat’s underside. Nearby a carousel with passengers happily enjoying their ride. A second yacht moves back and forth, its underside painted with the Stars and Stripes of the American flag. An engineer stands at the controls of the engine while on the boat itself a young man manages to stay upright jumping between the chairs as the boat moves up and down. A crowd gathers around the steam engine that is powering the carousel; its brass name plate reads ‘Lightening’. Behind the spinning platform another smaller steam engine which is powering a small calliope seen in more detail as the rider comes to a stop. More general views of the engine in operation and the power belts spinning at speed. Another crowd watching a second calliope in operation, the three figures on the machine show two women ringing hand bells and a male conductor, his baton moving up and down. Behind the calliope the steam engine powering it with men looking over its workings. The Ellwood children try to stay upright holding onto the banister as the try walking along a moving Cake Walk ride. A phantom carousel ride with Deborah and David Ellwood going up and down on the horse in front. Crowds walk past the traction engine ‘Success’ that is powering one of the calliope’s seen previously. A banner across the top of the engine reads ‘L.C. Byass & Son Little Weighton’, another on the calliope reads ‘Melody of Mirth’. A family slides down the helter-skelter followed by Deborah Ellwood changes to show the steam yacht in operation again, beside it a small calliope playing music. Hidden beside the yacht the steam engine powering it, the hand of an engineer at the controls. The engine Marshal Foch steams past changing to the carousel in operation again. Peter and John Ellwood take a ride on the carousel both wearing blue hooded anoraks. The ride comes to an end, and they get off. The Ellwood family along with other children sit on the back of a wagon that is slowly being pulled by a steam engine named ‘Pandora’. On a showground a parade of traction engines including the ‘Pandora’ pulling the wagon. The engine ‘Prince of Wales’ leads the procession of engines around the showground watched by crowds standing behind a rope fence. The film ends with Deborah Ellwood taking another riding on the carousel sitting on a horse named ‘Debbie’. Title: The end