Banktop Wood

One of a few houses on Moreton Lane.

The B5017 at this point is called Stubby Lane and is very close to Draycott in the Clay.

The two obstacles to right and centre are called 'rolltops' because of their resemblance to the top of an old rolltop desk. The point of the structure to the left is that competitors must jump onto it, cross to the other side, and jump off - not too challenging at this level, but it is surprising how often the occasional horse gets 'marooned' and won't jump off. As it is sponsored by Horseware Ireland, as indicated by the affixed notice, it is called the "Horseware Island", an obvious aural pun.

The equestrian sport of Eventing comprises three phases: dressage, showjumping and cross-country, which test horse and rider skills and abilities in different ways. (Both dressage and showjumping exist as competitive disciplines in their own right, but only eventing combines them and cross-country in a single competition). Competitions are called 'horse trials' and take place over one or more days, hence 'one-day event' (ODE), 'three-day event'. There will usually be several classes at an event, each graded according to difficulty, complexity and/or duration, and run under either national rules (the UK governing body is British Eventing) or international rules (the FEI, or International Equestrian Federation). In the UK there are six levels of affiliated eventing to cater for all levels of horse and rider: BE80(T) (the 'T' stands for Training), BE90 (formerly 'Intro'), BE100 (formerly 'Pre-Novice'), Novice, Intermediate and Advanced. International classes are graded with a star system from * to ****. A four-star competition is the highest level of eventing. There are only six such competitions in the world, two of which are held in the UK: Badminton in the spring and Burghley in the autumn. Scoring is on a cumulative penalty basis. In dressage, each movement is scored out of ten, with the total being added up and converted to a penalty. In showjumping, penalties are awarded for fences knocked down and also for exceeding the time limit. In the cross-country phase, penalties are awarded for a variety of infractions such as refusals, falls, circling between lettered obstacles, and exceeding the optimum time. The competitor with the fewest penalties at the end is the winner of the section. For more information see: British Eventing website Link Eventing entry in Wikipedia Link

Three ascending oxers, varying in height depending on the class, with a corner close up on the right. In the distance is a group of obstacles seen in SK1426 : Cross-country obstacles at Eland Lodge Horse Trials

'Styled against an ambient backdrop of rolling east Staffordshire countryside, the sleek yet rugged Volvo XC40...'

Located on the A515 a short distance north of Draycott village, the Roebuck dates from the early 19th century. To the rear of the pub is a microbrewery that has been brewing beer since 2017 and, of course, its products are available inside.

A gathering of road steam engines at this site that was visited by the late Fred Dibnah and featured on television. The cloud of steam in the foreground is the exhaust from the little maroon stationary engine taking steam from the adjoining roller. The stationary engine was from Claymills Victoria Pumping Station and two volunteers were manning its publicity stand.

A gathering of assorted steam engines and enthusiasts at this site that was visited by the late Fred Dibnah. There seemed to be plenty of interest in the event. The open sided shed in the background is a permanent structure and on the maps.

A gathering of assorted steam engines and enthusiasts at this site that was visited by the late Fred Dibnah. There seemed to be plenty of interest in the event. The open sided shed in the background is a permanent structure and on the maps.

Although this roller carries the name of John Allen & Sons of Oxford it was actually assembled by them from Fowler parts and is in the Traction Engine Register as Fowler No. 8111 of 1898. It is a type D2 with a single cylinder and weighs 12.5 tons. This is the only Allen I've seen to date as far as I know.

An event at this site that was visited by the late Fred Dibnah. There were both resident and visiting road steam engines. The nearest engine (DO 1928) is a Fowler BB1 ploughing engine built in 1919. It is a compound of 16 nominal horsepower (the real horsepower is much higher) and weighs 20 tons.

An event showcasing resident and visiting road steam engines full size and miniature. The closest engine (on the right) is Fowler No. 15787 of 1924 and named Cynorthwywr. It is a class D5 road locomotive with compound cylinders and is rated at 5 nominal horsepower. It weighs 10.5 tons.

The main gate to the site is in the background. The site is home to the North Staffordshire and Cheshire Traction Engine Club. The engine in shot is a steam traction engine by J & M McLaren of Leeds. It is works No. 127 of 1882 and is a single cylinder of 8 nominal horsepower and weighing 8 tons. Unlike many engines it is not named.