Steel City Snapper photography
35mm, medium format and large format film photography (with the odd bit of digital every now and then…)
Most years, during the summer months, I will attend a steam rally – usually the Sheffield Steam Rally. This year I missed it as I was on holiday in Madeira when it took place.
I needn’t have been concerned though as it seems someone took the time to ship a single traction engine (manufactured by John Fowler & Co of Leeds, England) to Funchal. I’m sure it was done especially for me…
Olympus Trip 35 & Fujifilm Across II. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°
Taken 2 July 2026.
More pictures of traction engines at the Sheffield Steam Rally, this time the photos I took with my Nikon f80 on Ilford FP4+
Nikon F80 & Nikkor 28-80 f/3.5-5.6 AF-D on Ilford FP4+. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 @ 20° 10mins
Taken on 29 June 2025
When I posted my pictures of traction engines a few days ago, I missed one from the set. So here it is today. It’s worth posting, I think.
Yashica Mat 124G & Kodak Ektar. Lab developed. Home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.
Taken on 29 June 2025
It wouldn’t have been the summer without my annual visit to the Sheffield Steam Rally, where I increasingly seem to be photographing the same things every year.
I took a whole bunch of pictures as usual and, as I still have quite a backlog of photos to catch up with, will post them in batches rather than individually. Starting with some traction engines…
The final shot is interesting because, while the main subject isn’t a traction engine, there is a tiny one perched atop it (and a full size one in the background too).
Yashica Mat 124G & Kodak Portra 160. Lab developed. Home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.
Taken on 29 June 2025
I still have a sizeable backlog of photos that I haven’t yet published on the blog (or, in some cases, even uploaded to Flickr yet). I’ve already posted quite a few pictures that I took at this year’s Sheffield Steam Rally back at the end of June, but those were all medium format shots. I also finished off a roll of expired Fuji C200 on the day as well, and the photos below are the best from that batch.
Hopefully, in the coming days, I’ll share the rest of the photos from this roll, which were taken elsewhere and turned out better than I had expected…
Olympus OM-10 & G.Zuiko 35mm f/2.8 on Fujifilm C200 (expired 2012 and shot at 100asa) . Lab developed. Home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.
Taken on 30 June 2024
A few more shots from the steam rally – this time in vivid colour – including some commercial vehicles (a Leyland Comet lorry and a Scammel Showman’s Truck) and a William Foster & Co traction engine.
Fujica GW690 & Lomography Color Negative 400. Lab developed. Home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.
Taken on 30 June 2024
It’s that time of year when I flood the blog with lots of pictures of traction engines and other vintage vehicles. This year I visited the Sheffield Steam Rally, as usual, but also visited the Haxey Feast, which is a new (and at present, smaller event, so I have quite a few pictures to share.
I might drop them in batches, like this roll of Tri-X, or maybe some as individual frames. We’ll see how it goes.
Fujica GW690 & Kodak Tri-X. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 8mins @ 20°
Taken on 30 June 2024
I think that this picture works quite well, the traction engine and steam roller, as well as the people in the scene are nicely placed. Quite often I get one or the other, not both, so I’m pleased how this one turned out.
Bronica ETRSi, Zenzanon 75mm f/2.8 PE, & Fujifilm Acros. Ilfotec DD-X 1+9 14mins 45secs @ 20°
Taken 24 June 2023.
Rather than upload these one-per-day, as I usually do, I thought I’d lump them together in a single post. All were shot with my Yashicamat 124G on Shanghai GP3 film – I like this film a lot. It can occasionally suffer from production problems (I’ve had the backing bleed through on some shots I once took), but it’s quite low cost and produces really nice results.
First, a few pictures of vintage vehicles. The Ford Popular in the second image can also be seen here in colour.
Then a couple of miniature traction engines (and their owners)…
And finally, a trio of full size traction engines…
Yashicamat 124G & Shangha GP3. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 10mins @ 24°.
Taken on 25 June 2022
If there’s one thing that there are a lot of at a steam rally, it’s traction engines. Sure there are vintage vehicles of all types also on display, but I think it’s probably these coal-fired mechanical marvels that draw the crowds more than anything.
Yashicamat 124 G & Kodak Ektar. Lab developed. Home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro.
Taken on 25 June 2022
