The popular coastal steampunk event A Splendid Day Out is gaining momentum. As the date looms for their newest venture “Steamageddon”!

As you’re most likely aware, A Splendid Day Out is on it’s way. The organisers recently announced a special guest who will be attending the next instalment.

Jason Salkey played Rifleman Harris in the hit 1990s programme Sharpe which also starred well known Sheffield actor Sean Bean.

This is Gunner be good

Harris was a likeable character in the series and Jason helped bring that to life to make the programme as popular as it was. He featured in every series throughout it’s initial run from 1993 to 1997.

His new book From Crimea With Love has just been published and Jason will be attending A Splendid Day Out – Steamageddon to discuss the book. He’ll also talk about his time on Sharpe, answer questions and give autographs.

From Crimea With Love documents the time that Jason was sent to film the legendary show. What was suppposed to be a period drama set during the Crimean War was filmed in a disintegrating USSR. As the synopsis of the book tells us: “Jason and the crew faced near starvation and danger hovering just over every horizon as they went on to create one of Britain’s most successful and critically acclaimed television programmes.

From Crimea with Love documents the mishaps, blunders, incompetence and downright corruption that made Sharpe’s Rifles go down in British television and film production folklore for its tales of hardship, disaster and chaos only rivalled by the Ukraine itself.“

What else is new?

There will be plenty more to do at A Splendid Day Out as well. Stay tuned to Steampunk Journal for a full run down coming soon.

In the meantime, if you haven’t been to A Splendid Day Out before, have a read of our review.