Steam Heritage News

Preservation and Heritage News and Events

Rare Fly-o-planes for Hollycombe Fair Weekend

Star attraction at this year’s Fairground Weekend, on 24th & 25th July, at Hollycombe – Steam in the Country, Liphook, Hampshire, will be the Mason family’s 1948 Fly-o-Planes, manufactured by the Eyerly Aircraft Co. in the USA. The ride was originally designed to train pilots and came over to the UK in 1951 for the Festival of Britain in Battersea. It is believed to be one of only two surviving examples and is the only one still travelling.

Also making a first time appearance at the event will be John Morley’s traditional Old Time Vintage Arcade – an array spanning 100 years and includes slot machines, fruit and novelty machines, Fortune Teller and What The Butler Saw. He is also bringing his 1950s Winnards train ride which is a popular attraction for children and adults alike with its authentic classic ‘clickety clack’ as the train goes around the track.

There’s even more for the children – a superb traditional juvenile dobby roundabout presented by Albert Lewis of Middlesex, as weall as Solly Harris’s juvenile ark roundabout. There will be supporting fairground side shows as well as a display of fairground models, vintage fairground transport and showman’s living wagons.

For the fair organ gathering that complements the event, there will be a wide range of organs, from late-1800s organettes, hand-turned street organs, to various sizes of dance, street and fair organs.

Hollycombe will be providing its usual fayre – its steam-powered Edwardian fairground as well as steam railways, traction engine-hauled rides and more. Daytime openings are from 11.00am to 5.00pm (trains from noon, the fair from 1.00pm), while a special evening opening will be held on the Saturday from 7.00pm to 10.00pm. For more information, see www.hollycombe.co.uk or phone 01428 724 900.

Posted by Brian Gooding on 29th June 2010

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60 years of steam rallies to be celebrated

The village of Appleford, near Abingdon in Oxfordshire, is the birthplace of the steam rally movement and a special ‘Steam at Appleford Day’ will be held in the village on Saturday 31st July from midday.

The event will take place on the Recreation Ground at Appleford, and will include traction engines, tractors & other attractions.

Refreshments and bar at the famous Carpenters Arms, where the bet that started it all was made.

Posted by Brian Gooding on 29th June 2010

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Transport Trust Awards presented at Camden

The 2010 Transport Trust Awards ceremony was held on Monday 14th June in Torquil’s Bar of the Camden Roundhouse in London. Before the awards were presented, HRH Prince Michael of Kent, the Trust’s Patron, dedicated a Red Wheel plaque on the former railway engine shed, a plaque that will be seen by all who pass by on the busy street.

The awards ceremony was held in Torquil’s Bar of the Camden Roundhouse, named after Sir Torquil Norman CBE, a Transport Trust Vice President. who purchased the building in 1996 and then established a trust to run it as an arts venue. The Roundhouse is historic, having been built by the London & Birmingham Railway as an engine shed in 1847. However, as the size of locomotives quickly increased, they outgrew the turntable so the building became obsolete from 1855.

Preservationist of the Year was Derek Gransden for leadership of the VIC96 Trust who restored VIC96, a WW2 ‘Victualling Inshore Craft’, which was almost derelict in Maryport in Cumbria. Trust members restored the ship and steamed her all the way to a new home at Chatham in Kent.

Young Preservationist of the Year was Kevin Colley of the Isle of Wight Railway, for his work as an engineering apprentice on the railway.

Lifetime Achievement Award winners were Alan Moore for his outstanding long term contribution to transport preservation, mainly heritage railways, and especially at the Bodmin & Wenford and North Norfolk Railways; also Fred Howes for 40 years service as Head of the Permanent Way Dept of the Ffestiniog Railway.

Key Restoration Award winners were:
Peter Allen Award: Pam Page, electric launch Constance.
Ron Wilsden Award: Mike Fitch, Yorks Helicopter Preservation Group.
David Muirhead Award: Stephen Johnson, North Bay Railway, Scarborough.

Other Restoration Awards were made to assist in the completion of a wide variety of projects from all areas of transport preservation.

www.transporttrust.com/

Posted by Brian Gooding on 29th June 2010

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Garretts sell for over £100,000 each

At the auction of the late Joe Powell’s collection near Swindon on Friday 25th June, a good crowd saw Joe’s pair of Garrett 4CD tractors sell for over £100,000 each. Lord Raglan, in need of some boiler work, sold for £105,000, while Lady Raglan, nearing the end of a protracted restoration sold for a bit more at £111,000.

A rare 1872-built Brown & May portable engine, still with its original wrought iron boiler, sold for £15,000, while a Marshall portable made around £9000.

Another star of the auction was Joe’s Series One Land-Rover. This vehicle,  bought new by Joe,  is completely original and bidding quickly took the price to £13,600. While many of the over 800 lots sold for reasonable money, and some quite cheaply, others did well, including a blacksmith’s anvil that made £740!

This was the end of an era for not only was Joe Powell’s collection sold, but also many items that remained from the family agricultural engineering business that operated from 1917 to 1987. Neither Joe or his father threw anything away, so there were many historic items in the sale.

Posted by Brian Gooding on 29th June 2010

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‘Classic Show’s – amended dates

There are one or two changes to the autumn/winter calendar of events run by Andrew Greenwood’s Classic Shows organisation.  Please check this updated list, correct at the time of going to press.

Sunday 26th September    The Blenheim Mini & VW Show, Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxon (New Show)

Sunday 3rd October          The Yorkshire classic event, Wetherby Racecourse, W Yorks (cancelled  due to a double booking at the venue)

Saturday 9th Oct               The 4th Great Malvern Classic Car Autojumble (Wye Halls) including The Lotus Parts Fair (Avon Halls)
Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcs WR13 6NW

Sunday 10thOct                The 10th Malvern Classic Car Show & Autumn Spares Day, Avon & Wye Halls plus outside,
Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcs WR13 6NW

Sunday 24th Oct               The 8th Malvern Mini Show & Spares Day, Avon & Wye Halls,
The Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcs Wr13 6NW

Sunday 31st Oct         The 25th“Real Classic” Malvern Classic Bike Show & Jumble, Wye Halls,
Three Counties Showground, Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcs WR13 6NW
Sponsored by: Real Classic Magazine

Sunday 31st October    The Malvern Ford Show, Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcs (event cancelled)

Sunday 21st Nov    The 10th Newbury Classic Car & Bike Show & Jumble, Newbury Racecourse, Newbury, Berks

Sunday 21st Nov      The 2nd Stoneleigh Mini Show, NAC Stoneleigh Park, nr Coventry, Warks (moved from 18th December)

Saturday 27th November     The Malvern Off Road and Japanese Bike Spares Day (event cancelled)

Sunday 28th Nov                The 6th Malvern Bits N’ Pieces Classic Car & Bike Autojumble, Wye Halls
The Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcs (replaces bike show)
Sunday 5th Dec                  The 2nd Christmas Mini Show, Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset *

Sunday 2nd January                The 7th Malvern Bits N’ Pieces Classic Car & Bike Autojumble, Wye Halls
The Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcs
Monday 3rd January                The 11th Newbury Classic Car & Bike Show & Jumble, Newbury Racecourse, Newbury, Berks (New event)

For more, see: www.classicshows.org

Posted by Brian Gooding on 29th June 2010

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Morwellham Quay now open again

Good news!  One of west Devon’s premier attractions, Morwellham Quay, between Tavistock and Gunnislake, has reopened under new ownership and is open seven days a week from 10am to 5.30pm.  This is a great industrial site on the banks of the Tamar river with a fantastic period atmosphere. It is good to see it reopening and is well worth a visit. www.morwellham-quay.co.uk/

Posted by Brian Gooding on 17th May 2010

Posted in General, Museums

Guide Amendments

We have been notified of a number of amendments to the 2010 Guide. They are:

Thursford Collection – open until the last Sunday in September every day (closed Saturdays) from 12 noon until 5.00pm., not from 10am as in the Guide.

British Commercial Vehicle Museum – correct opening dates are: Sat & Sun & Bank Hoilday Mondays to 31 Oct. Plus Thu & Fri in Lancs school holidays. 10am-5pm.

Posted by Brian Gooding on 11th May 2010

Posted in Museums

2010 Guide Index

You can now download an alphabetical index of the entries in the 2010 Steam Heritage Guide at http://www.steamheritage.co.uk/steam_heritage_guide_index_2010.pdf

Posted by Webmaster on 10th April 2010

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National Traction Engine Trust reviews Road Steam

The world of Road Steam continues to evolve, be it changing public attitudes, the ways in which we communicate as a group of enthusiasts or, potential constraints to the enjoyment of our hobby. The NTET is now over 50 years old and has always recognised it needs to be proactive in addressing the risks, challenges and opportunities that exist in maintaining our heritage with steam on the road. Therefore, as part of a continuous review cycle, the NTET is preparing to undertake a focussed review of the ‘business’ of Road Steam to ensure that they and the steam fraternity’s wider interests remain aligned with the  opportunities and challenges that lay ahead.

This wide ranging review will aim to draw feedback from across the spectrum of road steam, from members and non-members, from those who serve our hobby commercially (e.g. suppliers, repairers, inspectors, insurers) to event and rally organisers (both authorised and non-authorised) and those government agencies that continue to work with the NTET in support of all our interests in ensuring steam remains freely on our roads. This will be encouraged through a small number of focus groups to develop a series of recommendations that will be shared with all of the participants.

An independent and voluntary working team has been created to undertake this review. Consisting of eight General Council members with Rich Hurley, an engine owner, as chairman, who is a partner in a leading accountancy firm and supported by John Douglas an independent management consultant. The level of success that this review can deliver will depend on the active participation from anyone or any organisation that has an interest in road steam and who would like to join one of the intended focus groups. This participation will range from providing their thoughts and comments to calling for volunteers to work with the team to help shape its recommendations to the membership at November’s Annual General Meeting.

If in reading this you would like to be involved and share your views, whatever they may be, or more importantly, become a member of a focus group, please contact us by email at feedback@ntet.co.uk or by writing to NTET Review Feedback c/o NTET General Secretary, South View, Hutton Roof, Carnforth, Lancs. LA6 2PF.

Posted by Brian Gooding on 2nd February 2010

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Patterns Register

The National Traction Engine Trust has recently launched its patterns register and the complete listing can be viewed on the internet at http://www.ntet.co.uk/pattern-register.html. This listing shows available patterns that are held by individuals who will either lend/hire a pattern, or supply a casting from their pattern. No patterns are held by the NTET nor does the NTET get involved in either party’s contractual arrangements. The list is not exhaustive. Anyone who owns a pattern and would like to be included on the list, please contact Sue Doncaster spares@ntet.co.uk

Posted by Brian Gooding on 27th January 2010

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