The 22nd CCS/CPL Annual UK Gathering - Newark 27 - 31 May 2026 You are welcome to join us for the annual gathering at Smeatons Lakes, Newark, Nottinghamshire. Collectors of stoves, pressure lamps & blowlamps are all welcome. Please bring along some of your collection for display! It is also a great opportunity for swaps & trading with other collectors! Originally a weekend event, many people now arrive early. The field is booked from the Wednesday at our special rate. Please come along even if it's for the Saturday night. No need to book but if possible drop me a PT to let me know you're coming so I have a rough idea of numbers. Cost is £9.50 per night per tent, caravan or campervan. Extra tents or gazebo's housing displays are free. We look forward to seeing you there! More info: DO NOT BOOK IN at reception. Please just pop in to reception & tell them you are attending the lamp & stove rally & they will likely point you in the right direction. I will collect the pitch fees during the event. They will also give you a key code for the barrier. There is a height restriction barrier which is closed around 8pm, preventing high vans or caravans entering or leaving the site. If it is closed you will need to park up elsewhere until the following morning. It may be possible to come to some arrangement with the warden so if this is an issue give the site a ring. Normal vehicles are not affected. See my message below. The normal rate for the site is around £30 per night for 2 people with a car. Our discount rally rate of £9.50 per night per tent, caravan or campervan does not include use of the main toilet & shower block. We do have access to the basic mens & womens portakabin toilet close to the rally field which is just toilet & sink. Also the Anglers toilet as in previous years. If you wish to use the showers in the main block by reception there is a fee to pay (£1 I think). The shower block uses a numerical key entry system. In the past some people have paid their fee & passed the number around. This has upset the site manager & as a result you may find they open the door for you rather than giving you the code. If we are trusted again this year please respect the system & pay the fee otherwise it may be difficult to secure the venue or goodwill in future years. We are also asked to keep dogs on leads & not allow them to foul the rally field - obviously accidents do happen in which case you are respectfully asked to clean up after your dog. The site provide a dog walk area. Please bring a bin bag or two & dispose of your rubbish in the skips provided or take it home. There are no recycling facilities on the site I'm aware of. There is fishing available on site but it needs to be booked in advance. There are no hookups on the rally field. No ball games on field. TRADERS - For Trade application please contact me by private conversation or txt me your email address & message to send forms to zero7766 zero38612 Smeatons Lakes - website Download this page as a PDF
Actually, it's 7:30pm. Last year we were delayed because of roadworks on the A1 and didn't arrive until 7:45 only to find the barrier was already closed. However, after an appologetic 'phone call to the warden, we were given a code to punch in which opened the barrier for us.
Hoping to be there just after mid-day Wednesday if all goes well well. Can’t wait chat lamps, stoves, beer etc! Regards, Jeremy
Sadly I can't come this time. A couple of weeks ago I fell and broke my hip. I'm recovering but can't drive or walk very far. It will be a few more weeks until I'm better. Hopefully I'll see you all next year. I had some new additions to the collection to bring along, including a Svea stove from David Shouksmith and a pair of Tilley R1 radiators from someone from Yorkshire at last year's event whose name I've forgotten (possibly Henry Plews?). The stove and one of the radiators are working again now. Plus I have a vintage Coleman 200 which I brought back from Canada (not yet restored), a more modern Coleman 285 Dual Fuel (working) and Coleman Northstar (pump needs attention). Also a calcium carbide mining lamp from the 1920s - one for Prescall of this forum. I'll try to post some pictures in due course. Have fun and post lots of pictures!
@hamid1 So sorry to hear of your accident, Hamid, and that the consequences rule out your attendance. I wish you a full and speedy recovery. For my part, I’ll be attending and will post photos for sure. John
@presscall Thankyou for your kind message of support. I hope to make a full recovery in due course. It's just bad timing that I won't be fit enough to join you all this coming weekend.I really enjoyed the last two Newark gatherings I went to. Thanks again - I'm sure you'll have a good time.
Hi Hamid So sorry to hear of your misfortune, I hope you have a successful recovery. As John @presscall has said there will be plenty of photographs for you to enjoy. Sending you best wishes and hope to see you next year. Regards, Jeremy
I’m so disappointed, John and I thought we had a very good chance of (finally) returning to Newark but we made a promise to our neighbours that any time they wanted to take off we would be happy to look after their dog and two cats. You’ve guessed it, having just had a holiday in Corfu and travelled to London for a wedding just this last weekend, they’re off this coming weekend to Harris! Maybe next year………..
Ahhh! Frustrating! The edge of the field is filling up. Please feel free to set up in a row down the centre.
Back from Newark. Great folk, great time. I don’t know if anyone noticed, but I packed a 6kg Calor Gas propane cylinder this year, not to power a twin-burner+grill but a Bullfinch floodlight, ignition by tugging on a wire loop to trigger a piezo spark. Though “wonder if it would project a beam to light my way to the toilet block?” crossed my mind, I decided not to create dazzle in camp, but used it to illuminate my display. My table and some favoured items I took along, daytime. Tabletop inspection, courtesy Jim, @Wayland and Steve (on loan from Texas, USA). At night, capably assisted by the Bullfinch flood. Better yet, the Bullfinch facilitated instant halos for those inclined to try out the effect - Chris @Blackdog Jeremy @X246A and a selfie for me. Playtime over, I got down to some baking with my Outback Oven using an Optimus Vega butane stove to power it. The Vega is a perfect choice, being low-slung and not wobbly, offering highly controllable output (avoids scorching the bake) and with the remote fuel source well away from the hot zone. The River Trent’s right alongside the site, herons stationed like human anglers might at each individual’s favoured fishing spot. Three I counted in the space of a hundred meters. My French alcohol stove embellished with aeroplanes gained admirers, taken with its whimsical flight of aeroplanes heading into the sunset. Suitably shielded from the breeze (and to create a bit of shade from the bright sunlight in order to gauge a simmering output flame) the stove wasn’t just pretty, but was ideal for thickening up my meatball sauce for a pasta dish. An excursion into Newark with Jezza for some excellent ale at the Prince Rupert pub, formerly the Woolpack and originating as a Wealdon house in 1452. Thanks Ross @spiritburner for making it possible and to all for your wonderful companionship. May your flames continue to shine bright - selfie halos can be arranged for a small fee. John
Newark photo dump. Thanks to all who attended. Great display all around the field. We had new attendees this year who were delighted by it all! See you all next year!
