Shackerstone Family Festival 2007

On Sunday, 2nd September 2007 Keith Watson, John Archer and Jan visited the Shackerstone Family Festival ('Shackfest'). Shackerstone is a tiny village in Leicestershire but somehow it produces an annual festival with trains (on the Battlefield Line), a canal rally, a huge display field with an amazing assortment of stalls and other activities. Unusually, there was no steam locomotive in action on the Battlefield Line (although Burton Model Engineers were giving live-steam rides on a portable track until a mechanical failure stopped them). Well, we made a round trip to Shenton behind a Class 33 'Crompton', but it's not the same. Next, it was down to the canal rally, where Keith got invited aboard the steam tug 'Adamant'. Then, we took a motor launch along the canal to the entrance to the display field. Too many activities to describe, although the aerobatic display by a single aircraft was impressive. There was 'Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang', a model steam traction engine and a large display of classic cars and motor cycles. We made our way back to the station in time for the display of wing-walking by two bi-planes. This was real heart-in-mouth stuff to end our visit! 'Shackfest' in photos