Booleroo 2011

G'day all, Last Sunday was the 43rd Booleroo Steam and Traction Preservation Society Annual rally.
From a humble beginning with a small private local rally on a farm in 1969 it has grown into a significant collection and rally at their own facility on the Booleroo Centre Oval.
The town is NE of Port Pirie and 260 km North of Adelaide. The collection is available for viewing on Tuesdays 10-30 am till 11-30 am and Saturdays 1 pm till 2 pm or by appointment.
Most of the exhibits are owned by the club or on long-term loan, but they are also supported by outside exhibitors on the day.

Jeff Fullwood fgrom nearby Quorn owns this nice looking Kenworth and brought along the ex Geralka Farm Museum Farina Renard Road Train.



They have a few trucks as well as outside people bringing theirs along.




The society has decided to sell an International hard rubber tyred one which is tidy, chassis once painted,is said to be a runner but still has work to be done if anyone is interested. I had some camera issues on the day so didn't get a pic.

The Society has a few steam powered machines, including the two Fowlers, which put on an impressive display winching a ripping plow and wheeled scoop between them as would have been done when digging dams/earth tanks in their heyday in the late 1800's and early 1900's
Also two steam powered rollers, a steam truck and a couple of portable power units not shown.






I also got to see the progress on the Caldwell Vale heavy 'truck'. The chassis is cleaned and painted, rear diff serviced and back on, front one not far from golng back on, and the motor partly completed. The quality of work being done is brilliant, especially the motor re-build.
When this project is completed it will be an absolute gem.

They also have a big engine shed with a 115 hp Blackstone, a 375 hp Mirrlees air start diesel using wicks to start similar to a Field Marshall and a 125 hp @ 300 rpm monster Benz said to have powered a WW1 German U boat.
Plenty of smaller engines in their own permanent display sheds, lots of other farming machinery, windmills, working blacksmith shop, bag loading machine demo's, and many collection displays. There was a small number of restored cars and of course the tractors. Here are a few of the more unusual and interesting ones.

Plenty of Bulldogs



1926 HR2 hopper cooled



Lots of Crawlers
Caterpillar 45 c1922


Holt M29 1924



Caterpillar Ten 1929


Caterpillar Thirty c1930



Loyd 25-33 1949 Turner V4 Diesel built using many ex WW2 Bren Gun Carrier parts


Bates Steel Mule 1924



Cletrac W c1922-24

Tacho, Good pics, we were there in '05 and helped before and after the day, saw those machines and got to drive some, a very good rally, brings back memories, David.

Tacho - Great pics of a fabulous range of tractors and steamers. Thanks for putting them up. That Holt 45 and the Holt M29 are extremely rare tractors, even in America, let alone here.

The Caldwell-Vale truck and tractor story is nothing short of amazing. Despite a short and illustrious life, the Caldwell-Vale machines were incredible pieces of design work.
Power steering, 4WD .. PTO shaft, and 4-wheel steer on their tractors .. and they also built quite a number of apparently successful, powered rail cars.

I suspect that WW1 and a shortage of manpower and orders ruined Caldwell-Vale more than anything.
This was common during WW1, the War was responsible for the destruction of a lot of Australian industry, from mining to manufacturing .. and it never returned after WW1 ended.
By 1919, "the times" had changed, and American machinery had become dominant, and speed was becoming more important.

Here's some articles from very old newspapers, showing the amazing engineering behind the Caldwell-Vale machines ..

One of the earliest references to the Caldwell-Vale truck .. while it was still known as just Caldwell, and before Mr Vale became involved.

The Caldwell-Vale 4WD, 4-wheel steer tractor, with PTO shaft as standard, showing it's abilities in a 1914 plowing trial ..

Good to hear that the Caldwell Vale is being restored. The last time I saw one was at Gilltraps Museum on the Gold Coast back in the mid 70's and it was looking pretty sad then.