Pioneer Acres Plowmen & Threshermen’s Club of Alberta
held its 32nd annual show and reunion Aug. 10-12, 2001,
at its site just north of Irricana, Alberta. Rumely and Allis were
featured makes, the grounds awash in a sea of Rumely green and
Persian orange. Models of the popular OilPull in
1/3-scale and -scale were displayed, and I
64 Rumely Ideal wood body threshing machine.
This thresher, equipped with full-size sieves, lifting fingers,
a full-length grain pan and endless belting, is complete with
number 25 alligator lacing. I have over 2,000 hours invested in
this model, and it actually threshes grain. It’s painted in the
original color scheme and finished off with hand-applied pin
stripping in the original design. Additionally, Heinz Plehnert from
Coronation had his -scale 65 HP Case and matching steel body
thresher operating, and after three days running he had quite a
pile of straw.
Brian Manning’s completely functional -scale 25 HP Advance
Rumely and -scale 40 x 64 Rumely Ideal wood body threshing
machine.
Reynolds Alberta Museum from Wetaskiwin had a 1914 16 HP Rumely,
Dave Fitchie and Ernie Berschi of Camrose the lucky operators. On
Saturday afternoon, while plowing rye stubble with an eight-bottom
JD plow, two teeth from the intermediate gear decided to head
south, so the Rumely was rescheduled for threshing, Baker Fan
demonstrations and parades.
Barry Hanna from Coleman and Perry Widdlifield from Markerville
had the Pioneer Acres’ 1921 65 HP Case fired up to complete the
15 acres of plowing and parades. The stationary steam engine
building was busy all weekend, with engineers Doug Shepard from
Wetaskiwin, Bernie Mason from Calgary, Ron Weich from Three Hills
and myself taking turns firing the 40 HP vertical boiler and
operating numerous engines, the largest being a 10 x 12 Robb. We
are currently restoring a 12 X 14 Leonard built in London, Ontario,
around 1918-1920.
The Alberta chapter of the Historical Truck Society displayed a
circa 1922 Rumely 1-1/2 ton truck, serial number 141. Owned by Ron
Carey of Calgary, this truck is in original, unrestored condition
and is thought to be the only one brought into Calgary. It’s
now on permanent display at Pioneer Acres and is one of only four
known to exist.
The 33rd annual reunion will be held Aug. 9-11. ‘A Salute to
the Draft Horse’ will be our feature theme, and we’re
looking forward to another great show. You can find more
information on the web at: www.pio-neeracres.ab.ca, or call (403)
935-4357.
Contact steam enthusiast Brian Manning at: 72 Castleglen
Way NE, Calgary, Alberta T3J IT3, Canada, or e-mail:
chiefengineer@shaw.ca
