YOU could say look out for Chris Adamson at Lymm Historic Transport Day but it would be pretty hard to miss him.

The 34-year-old heads up the steam section of the annual village event and will be easily spotted, covered in ash and soot, attending to his 10-ton traction engine, Vanguard.

Fascinated by Britain's industrial heritage, Chris bought his 123-year-old Aveling & Porter engine, one of just 3,000 engines in preservation in the UK, in 2013.

The former Lymm High School pupil is now a member of the Lancashire Traction Club and can count the Dibnah family among his contacts.

Chris reckons it is important that we remember when British engineers lead the world and this year alone he is attending 15 steam rallies and historic transport fairs.

"I've been fascinated with steam, industrial heritage and history in general for as long as I can remember," he said.

"My parents, David and Barbara, would take me to the steam rallies. Astle Park was my favourite as there were fireworks.

"As a family we also visited steam pumping stations, Victorian cotton mills and many heritage railways.

"I found it addictive – the sight, smells and sounds. The engines themselves take on personalities. My engine, Vanguard, for instance is one of the older ones, built in 1893, so needs a little coaxing at times.

"Some engines are built to be big and powerful and some to look nice and dazzle the public. Once you’ve got the bug you don’t look back."

Vanguard, which was 19 when the Titanic sank, was built by Aveling & Porter of Rochester in Kent and was originally used as road roller for Middleton Council in Manchester until 1923.

It was later used by the Royal Air Force to roll runways during the Second World War before being put out of official use in 1948.

Warrington Guardian:

Chris, who lives with his wife Tsitsi in Heatley, now travels up to 200 miles a year on Vanguard...at a top speed of 10mph.

"Taxi drivers travelling behind us are not normally our biggest fans but we’re not that hard to overtake," he added.

"But 99 per cent people love it, they come out of their houses, line the streets in built up areas, the children wave and we try and give them a toot on the whistle.

"If I had a pound for every photograph of the engine as we travel along I could retire."

The longest journey Chris has travelled on Vanguard was the 30-mile run from Lymm to Albert Dock for the recent Steam on the Dock event.

It takes two to run the engine – one to drive, the other to steer – and Chris often travels with his Lymm friend Bruce Thomas. On the Liverpool journey alone they used 480 gallons of water and burned through 150kg of coal each way.

"It involves very careful planning," said the former Little Bollington CE Primary School pupil.

"The route mustn’t cross any weak bridges or go under any low ones. We can’t use motorways and have to plan where we can obtain water. Its also a good idea to make sure we have a back-up vehicle following us in case of emergency.

"When you’re driving as well as watching traffic you have to control your speed, maintain the fire, watch the water level in the boiler and deal with getting up and down hills.

"When it comes to steering you need someone on the ball. Unlike a car, on my engine there is more than 40 turns between full lock left and right, a moment's lack of concentration and you’re on the pavement.

Warrington Guardian:

"I’m definitely still learning. It’s a 10-ton machine with not much in the way of brakes. You don't think 10mph is fast until you're up there thinking about how careful you have to be.

"The hardest skill is descending a steep hill. On my first run out we nearly had a disaster as I did not know how to slow down and the engine accelerated well beyond its safe top speed.

"Fortunately my dad kept his nerve as he was steering and we were OK but it was a steep learning curve.

"The best part of owning an engine is being out on the road, the journey to an event is often the most fun part.

"Normally you are travelling in convoy with a couple of other engines so the social is great, you get to know which pubs are the friendly ones who will overlook the oily face and the grimy hands."

At this year's Lymm Historic Transport Day, Chris's steam section will be on Henry Street car park, next to the canal.

Chris added: "There will be 13 steam engines in attendance not including the miniatures made by skilled craftsmen who have produced perfect models of the larger machine. There will even be a steam milk float.

"The parade normally has at least six engines participating and those engines will be placed around the village, further adding to the atmosphere.

"We are adjacent to the display of vintage working boats on the canal, one of which will be delivering our coal as it would have done a century ago.

"Steam can be quite addictive, unlike a modern vehicle they are in a sense alive. Once the fire is lit they never rest.

"They need care and attention and will tell you off if you don’t take good care of them. For me personally they are a direct link with the past – they are not a black and white film or an old building showing decades of 'improvements'.

"What we see in these vehicles is what our ancestors would have seen, smelled and heard."

- Lymm Historic Transport Day is on Sunday from 10am to 5pm