Great Central Railway Easter Vintage Festival 2012

Easter can be notoriously cold, wet and damp, more so when it is early in April. It was this in mind that I decided to visit the Great Central Railway's Easter Vintage Festival on Saturday 7th April 2012. Most of the festivities were held in the station yard at Quorn and Woodhouse.

On arrival at Loughborough, parking is easier there and FREE, I went straight down to the platform after purchasing my senior citizen's ticket.

After light refreshments of tea and sausage bap, I boarded the next train to Leicester North.

46521, BR built LMS Ivatt Class 2 Mogul moved under her own steam for the first time in 11 years just prior to Christmas 2011.

On arrival at Quorn and Woodhouse, this was the scene that greeted us.

The Great Central Railway acquired a turntable from somehere in Lancashire some two or three years ago. It has now been restored and placed in a suitable position. Demonstrations take place from time to time in operating this equipment, MANUALLY!

A fine example of a 1950's AEC. Look how the load was secured in those days!

A Leicester County Council Marshall single cylinder S Type NHP 5, 10 Ton Road Roller. This was built in the mid 1920's.

A Burrell 8 ton Double Crank Compound road roller from 1926.

Two interesting exhibits. A Fowler of Leeds R3 Road Locomotive built in 1917 HO 6420 along side a Allchin 7HP single cylinder traction engine from 1917.

Now this was an interesting exhibit. An Aveling & Porter DR14, 14 ton road roller, built 1913. It has a single cylinder open crank diesel engine, rated at 29HP, 13173CC, 8 Inch Piston with a 16 Inch Stroke, plus twin flywheels.

Taxi. Yes the good old London taxi from the 1950's

Foden steam lorry of 1928. This unit was still working until 1956 and is chain driven.

Sentinel steam lorry built in 1928. This engine finished work in 1950 and was finally condemed for scrap in 1960. Now well preserved.

This is an interesting exhibit. A Ruston and Hornsby single cylinder road roller, converted after an accident in 1953. Unilever purchased the engine and after several attenpts, finally converted it with a Nuffield Universal tractor engine; ex WD Morris Commercial gear box; ex RAF reduction box and an ex Bedford transmission box.

A liitle history about this locomotive. Built in Leeds in 1956 by the Hunslet Engine Company. It worked for a time with the National Coal Board in South Wales, This type of locomotive was a standard shunting engine during WW2.

A final look at the station yard at Quorn and Woodhouse before departure on a cold, damp miserable April day.

St Patricks Day Parade part 2

This video gives you the full flavour of the Birmingham St Patricks Day Parade. Sunday 11th March 2012.

St Patricks Day Parade part 1

The Birmingham St Patrick's Day Parade took place on a glorious sunny Sunday 11th March.

The parade assembles and commences at the top by Camp Hill and then proceeds down Digbeth High Street to St Martins Bull Ring and returns to Camp Hill.

This has got to be the best attended yet, thousands and thousands of visitors lined every vantage point.

This is the third largest of its kind in the world, New York and Dublin are ahead of Birmingham.

Here we see assembled ready for 'the off', two Burrell road locomotives, the first owned by Paul Davis and the second belongs to Neil Gough.

Ah Ha, me on my little blue Ford from 1966.

Maurice and Janet Allely on the David Brown Cropmaster. Maurice is the founder of Allely's Heavy Haulage.

A nice example of a Ford Anglia, with a 100E side valve engine. Late 1950's.

Who remembers the old Birmingham Corporation Daimler's. Lovely restoration here.

Mr Bernard 'Gangster' Whitehouse with his wife's restored 1960's Fordson Dexta complete with passengers.

Evesham Steam Rally

I found these photographs of Darren Wardell's Fowler Road Roller recently. They were taken at the Evesham Steam Rally about four years ago, when young Chris Beale was on Darren's crew.

Sadly the engine is under restoration again and the Evesham Rally is no more.

End of Season Road Run

The Astwood Bank 'End of Season' road run commenced on Saturday 29th October, and all assembled in the vintage yard of S.E. Davis & Son, then departed for the final resting place for the evening at the 'Wheelbarrow Castle'. There were of course the statutory refreshment halts en route.

Here we see the Fowler Road Locomotive of Michael Davies leaving the yard and into Edgioake Lane.

photo courtesy Andy Jenkins.

K7 Fowler ploughing engine 'Linkey' leaving the yard with Chris Beale at the regulator and crew for the day Ed Rollit and son Tom. Mark Jones, co owner of Linkey is seen here ensuring everything is OK.

photo Andy Jenkins.

Paul Davis at the wheel of Burrell locomotive, departing the yard with Neill Gough driving.

photo. Andy Jenkins

Miles Banks with crew departing with the Garrett locomotive complete with living van.

photo. Andy Jenkins

Yet another shot of 'Linkey' entering Edgioake Lane.

photo. Andy Jenkins.

All ready for the off. Engines assembling in the vintage yard.

photo. Andy Jenkins

Michael Davies's Fowler road loco taking on water at the first watering hole. Stock Green.

Dave Smith's Burrell locomotive 'Keeling' at rest at the Bird in Hand, Stock Green, Worcestershire.

Chris Beale and crew negotiate the lanes leading up to Stock Green.

Pete Beale and Val Peglar negotiate the road through Hollister Green, near Inkberrow with a lovely little roads train complete with diesel roller with a Fordson engine.

Also at Holberrow Green, 'Linkey'

Michael Davies at Holberrow Green.

Lucy Henman aboard her Nuffield Universal following the others.

Burrell locomotive 'Keeling' at Holberrow Green.

'Keeling' at Flyford Flavel, Worcestershire

photo. Andy Jenkins.

Chris Beale with crew members Ed and son Tom on 'K7 Linkey'

photo. Andy Jenkins.

At rest at the Bird in Hand, Miles Banks at the ready.

photo. Andy Jenkins

Fowler ploughing engine 'Linkey' entering Flyford Flavel.

photo. Andy Jenkins.

Chaos in the lanes. That is me in the Freelander sandwiched in between the Fowler train and Pete Beale's roller.

photo. Andy Jenkins.

Father and Son on the man stand of 'Linkey'

photo. Andy Jenkins.

Now this is Bill Cowley with his Model 'T' Ford. It is original and as he bought it from the USA. Still has US plates on the rear.

photo. Andy Jenkins.

At rest at the Bird in Hand, Stock Green, admiring Chris Beale's devotion in looking after 'Linkey'

photo. Andy Jenkins.

I must truly thank Andy Jenkins for his kind permission to publish some of his photos. Please do not repost for commercial interests.

Torbay Steam Fair

Sorry it has taken so long to up date the blog, but here goes for another edition of Waggys Bumper Fun Blog of Pastimes and Relics.

The weekend of 5th, 6th and 7th August is the Torbay Steam Fair. Held at Churston, near Brixham.

This is an excellent event and well worthy of a visit, plus the added attraction of being by the sea side. (Bonus) Anyway without further delay, here is a sample selection of photographs that I took.

A lovely rural scene from days gone by, a Massey 35 complete with a fully working reaper/binder.

We are not entirely sure what this model is, but looking in the programme we think is is based on a 1945 David Brown

Although this has a Fiat badge, this is in fact a Someca 25D. Age unknown

A 1952 John Deere MC 16hp Spent most of its time working in Kent.

A 1939 Leyland Cub Fire Engine. Did its war service in Bristol, Plymouth and Exeter.

A fine example of steam driven rack saw.

An Austin K2 2 ton Flatbed, 4 litre petrol engine from 1939.

This is a Commer Maxiload. Finally taken out of road service in 1977.

A Triumph TR3A from 1959. 2138cc

This is a Hillman Minx from the 1950,s. In those days when we had a motor industry in the country, this would have been manufactured by Rootes Group at Ryton on Dunsmore, Warwickshire. The factory is no more!

This is a 1958 Standard 10. Once again made on Coventry. The site is now a Sainsbury's store. My very first car was a Standard 10 TOL 256.

'The General', a 6" Burrell Scenic Engine with a Dean 30 key less organ behind.

An overview from the Big Wheel. Over looking the parade ring with steam exhibits on display.

Another over view from the big wheel, this time looking towards the vintage tractor section. The main road on the left is the Dartmouth road running from Paignton and Brixham.

Fowler 7hp A8 Road Locomotive, 'Nightmare', built in 1912.

Burrell Showman's engine 'Supreme', built in 1923.

Wallis and Stevens Expansion General Purpose Engine built in 1912. 'Sheaf of Arrows' is a 6hp machine.

Foden 4.5hp C Type tipper, 'Major Stanley', year unknown.

Sentinel Super 3 way Tipper, 'Elizabeth', built in 1927.

Fowler 3hp Tiger tractor, 'Firefly', built in 1919.

Burrell Showman Road Locomotive, 'Earl Beatty', 8hp, built in 1921.

Steve Corbett's 12 ton Aveling & Porter 5hp road roller, 'Major'.

A Bedford OYD from 1943, 3500cc.