RAISING STEAM
STEAM PiP.F!R·ENif"IOEOl.UB
MAG~ZINE
Elill;J:ElR
Barty Sumsion,, 1 Leicester Road, Newpm1t, South Wales M•P97ER /J:;el:0~.633262t97'Fax: @}6g32iii§OS9
Clitl\lRMAN, SliEAM APPREN'l"ICECLUB
John ,Durling, Haw'thor.n Cottage, Stubwood, Uttoxetes, Staffordshire STi14 BHX ,'.!'el:0;1,$89591'fSg &,etweerr 08.00 am, 21.00 hou~s oiailyplease)
MEMBERSHIP SECRE"FA@Y
John Cook, l'Jolfarni, Chwrch Laae, Iiirby '" Thon!)e, Sleafo:r,il,LiacoJnshire NG@49NU. Correspondence @lilly.Mem:bership fee £5,©©per anrn!lm.
IJ'heEclitorw.elc0mesar,iy c0ntributions of articles, shorter items 0r ,pID.0to_g:pa!l)hs for inclusion in futi:rneissues . .Mlmaterial submitted is voluntacy and ipay:men.t cannot be made for any, material published. ii'he opinil;)nsexpr.essed in the magazine, with tfile exception of Olub annm:1:mcements,are tbi.0seof.'the con.tlributorsand do not indicate the views of the Club as a whole. All items are held cop;y;i,igh,tbi,' the contvibutor and tfue !\!WET.
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As I put these words together, I am eagerly waiting to visit the Kelston Sparkes Collection at Stanton Drew, along with what I hope will be, a good number of apprentices and their parents. This, and the visit to the Museum of Lincolnshire Life in Lincoln, will be the first two of the visits organised for you at various places of interest around the country. The day after, another party will be visiting the collection of Frank Lythgoe at Warburton in Cheshire, but I hope that this magazine will be with you in time for you to consider visiting the Hollycombe Steam Collection on Sunday 19 April. Now anybody with an interest in steam, whether traction engines, railway engines or fairground steam, MUST visit Hollycombe. I imagine also, that in April, the woodland walks will be alive with fresh spring blossom -really something for everyone. These visits have involved much arranging by your Chairman and Secertary, so please support them with your presence. They are for your enjoyment and we hope that this may be one way in which more of you can get more out of your membership. And if you are one of those apprentices who go to one or more of these special days, then please write to the magazine and tell us what you thought of your day out, and if you would like to do this sort of thing again. If nobody goes, or if you didn't enjoy your visit (though I can't imagine that!) then almost certainly they will not happen again. So get along to Hollycombe if you didn't manage to go to any of the other places.
Marshall TE No 51025 seen resting at the 1997 Welland Rally. Note this engine has been fitted with 'rubber) strakes to her back wheels. This has been tried before in the heyday of the traction engine, but without much success. I am told that today, using new, tougher rubber type compounds) that they are very hard wearing and quite successful.
Talking about getting along to places, reminds me that the rally season is nearly upon us. So, this year, will some of you PLEASE write to your magazine and tell us all where you have been, what you saw there, what you did there and how much you enjoyed your visit. Your· enjoyment of this magazine and your hobby will be so much greater if you share your experiences with your colleagues in the Steam Apprentice Club. I meet several of you during the season, and many of you say that you will write, but most of you don't! So come on, send in your photos and your write-ups, they don't need to be novels, just a covering letter telling us about the visit are all that is needed. I look forward to cajoling more of you in the forthcoming season.
Good
steaming,
Barry Sumsion, Editor
CHAIRMAN'S COLUMN
Well here we are, nearly at the start of the new season. By the time you read this, three or four of our arranged visits should have taken place with only the trip to Hollycombe left to go on April 19th. The outings have not proved as popular as we had hoped but we expect all the participants to have enjoyed themselves. A big 'thank you' to the Burrell Museum and the Museum of Lincolnshire Life who have arranged so much for us and also Kelston Sparkes' son Alan and Frank Lythgoe for allowing us to view their wonderful collections. We do like to try and arrange things which our members enjoy. However, this 2
Bill Parker's Aveling convertible tractor at the 1997 Abergavenny Show.
is a little difficult if we don't know what is is! If you are an apprentice, please ask yourself what the Club could do for you and either write and tell us or get in touch by phone -the number is on the inside front cover -no excuses but please ask whoever pays the bill first!
There are a few lads hoping to take part in the junior driving course, to be held in conjunction with the adult one, to be held by kind permission of our Chairman at Dingles Steam Village. This takes place over the weekend of 9/10 May. It is a great opportunity to learn how to fire an engine, oil round, how it all works - in practice not just in theory - and how to care for it, use it and put it all to bed properly too! We have arranged for several miniature engines to help us and have plenty of space for more apprentices should you decide to join us - just phone for more details -see above. We hope to see some of you there.
John Durling, Chairman
COMPETITION TIME
Well - you're all wimps! It wasn't THAT hard. Well done and thank you to the 5 of you who attempted the puzzle. The winner is Julie Forshaw from Clifton, Bedfordshire who found all of the complete answers. Well done, Julie, a prize will be with you shortly. I've gone back to an easier puzzle this time in the hope that a few more of you may be .tempted to convince me that it's all worthwhile. If you answer the questions correctly, then take the initial letter of each answer, you should get the name of somewhere special to visit write me a list of all the answers and the place -prize to the first one received. You may need to do some research, ask Mum or Dad. CLUE-have a look at last year's rally list for some of the answers.
Big lOnhp Burrell all the way from 'down under', at the 1997 Welland Rally. Her works plate suggests her number is 3130, but the second pair of numbers appear to have been altered in some way - answers please to Ed.
1. Four of these need polishing on Showman's engines and some other engines too!
2. Glory is a good magazine for budding restorers of just about anything.
3. At 'remple Newsam near _____ is a Spring Bank Holiday rally.
4. A common make of small stationery engine.
5. There is a big rail museum here.
6. This bird attends a vintage fayre in Sussex.
7. This is necessary for the smooth running of the engine.
8. Engines made in Gainsborough?
9. Thetford is the home of this engine manufacturer.
10. ________ Castle rally near Derby is for enthusiasts in July.
The place to visit is __________ .
If you can write a short piece about what you enjoyed last year and what you are looking forward to this year, we would love to know - you could even end up in print!
Fiona Durling AND MORE-
Listed below are 12 rallies with people on site who are prepared to help YOU. If you would like to work on an engine for the day or the weekend, speak to the co-ordinator who will do their best to help. You should be prepared to get dirty -coal, oil and brasso all are! If you are of the right age (14+) you may be allowed to steer the engine or if you are really lucky you may be able to drive a little way. These fun activities have to be learned though - so don't think you can stand around all day or arrive after all the hard work is done and still get the fun! Our willing engine owners are happy to show you their engines and how they work - JUST ASK!
If you are not already part of an engine owning family, please don't approach the engine owners directly - see the co-ordinator first and let them introduce you to an owner.
If you can let the co-ordinator for the rally know beforehand that you would like to be paired with an engine, it will make their life simpler. Give them a ring and they will tell you more - such as what time to arrive and where to find them. They should have an SAC sign about to help you spot them.
If you are in East Anglia TAKE NOTE. The East Anglian Traction Engine Club have very kindly agreed that their sales stand can be our collecting point. At any rally where the Club has a stand, if you ask them, they will be able to help you. This has saved us from having to fine one person to act as coordinator for that area and means that more rallies should be covered.
May 2-3
Flix:ton
May 15-17 Tallington
June 6-7 Mid Shropshire
June 13-14 Coppice Steam
June 27-28 Banbury
July 4-5 Elveston Castle
July 4-5 Hollowell
July 18-19 Doveridge
July 25-26 Cumbria
Aug 30-31 County of Salop
Sept 2-6 Great Dorset Steam Fair
Sept 19-20 Bedfordshire Steam and Country Fair
Plus, of course, all the rallies covered by the EATEC.
Contact numbers are:
Fiona 01889 591188
Bill and Pat 01978 780749
MAIL BAG
Dear Editor,
Bill and Pat
Caroline Holmesbut ring Fiona
Bill and Pat
Fiona
Bill and Pat
Fiona
Bill and Pat
Fiona
Bill and Pat
Bill and Pat
Fiona and John
Fiona
Re your photograph on page 11 of Volume 12 No 1 in Raising Steam. Your photograph is of my half size engine, which is a Burrell Devonshire SCC, scaled from Burrell drawings of engine No 2644 of 1904.
A few details: Building was under the control of C.R. Lord, who completed the engine in 1990 in Dorset. The boiler was built by Roger Pridham, fully rivetted as in full size practice, working pressure 160 p.s.i. Whenever possible at rallies we use "Our Lizzie" for firewood sawing, winching and loading onto a rackbench, etc.
We hope to be at Langport again this year and also at Blandford.
Yours sincerely
Michael Hoare
Stoke Gabriel, Devon
Dear Editor
The picture I have enclosed is of a DG-4P Super Sentinel Timber Tractor owned by Martin Barnecutt. It has a 120 bhp DG (double geared) Sentinel Standard engine for the main tractor and a separate 40 hp engine for driving the winch. It was first registered in 1934, engine No 9097 andl licence No ARE 195.
Dominic Ball, age 14 Liskeard, Cornwall
Dominic's drawing, apparently done in pencil/crayon is very atmospheric. Drawings of this nature are always welcome. Below is another drawing, this time from Jonathan Tilling of Fernham, near Faringdon in Oxfordshire who does not give his age, but I would guess a little younger than Dominic. The drawing shows a heavy haulage crane engine hauling a dynamo - apparently on its way to Dorset, with a man carrying a red flag leading. This was once a requirement, but journeys would take a very long time if it were still law. Once again, a very welcome contribution, but can I ask you not to fold your drawings to put them in a small envelope - ask for a suitably large one and put some card alongside to help avoid folding and creasing. - Ed.
These two drawings have arrived, very well executed and described, but who sent them - no details were included as to who drew them!
The top drawing is of the engine line up at the Lincoln rally (in the arena) and the drawing below is of an Aveling & Porter road roller owned by Peter Jacobs from Moira. Would the artist please write and let us know who you are!
Dear Editor
On the 5th May 1997 I went to the May Day Steam Fair at Urmston, unfortunately it was raining quite hard, so most of the engines were covered
up so there was not much to see and there were puddles everywhere, so we did not stay long.
Later in the year we went to Elvaston Castle Steam Fair on the 5th July. The weather was nice and there were lots of engines. I particularly like the Fowler Showmans engine No 15653 Renown, in its blue paint work. Also there was Fowler road locomotive King Carnival II engine No 19783. (Actually this engine is a showmans engine, being one of only four built to this specification by Fowlers - Ed.) '}i
Later on in the year we went to the Great Dorset Steam Fair for three days on the 28-30 August. Although the ground was very muddy the weather was nanotdbthad.Fltw 1 as thhereb I bteHcame_a ste_amtAppfrenticte.Id_likebdtBhehe 1 a1vy haulagde
e ow ers e es . ere 1s a pie ure o me s an 1ng y ur-re cornpoun engine No 4049 Daphne.
October 18th took me to the Klondyke Mill Preservation Centre's autumn steam fair. A nice little rally, there were several steam rollers, a Fowler ploughing engine and 3 traction engines and a steam roller which is being restored in a workshop.
To end the year we went back to the Klondyke Mill Preservation Centre's fitework party. The engines were all lit up with hurricane lamps and had their oil lamps lit, they all looked very nice and the fireworks were great too.
From Emma Turner (age 12) Buxton, Derbyshire
P.S. If there are any engine owners 1n the Buxton area that need an apprentive I would be interested.
Emma's letter and photograph is exactly the sort of thing I would like to see more of. If gives a brief description of where she went and what she saw during her 1997 rally season, with a decent picture as well. Now you've seen how it's done, let's have more like it. Well done Emma - Ed.
BOOK REVIEW
Occasionally I receive books from publishers who believe that their content may be relevent to steam apprentices. Regrettably they rarely are. Indeed very few new books seem to be published about road and agricultural steam. (That does not mean that you won't find some wonderful publications on the NTET stand when it appears at various rallies up and down the country!)
I have recently received a book that is definitely of interest to us steam buffs. Published by Farming Press, and written by Stuart Gibbard, Change on the Land is a book of some 156 pages with 207 black and white photographs and a short chapter on each of the various ways in which we have managed the land from the use of horse drawn appliances right up to today's modern tractors and specialised equipment. (There are some 20 colour photographs, but regrettably none about steam.) The chapter on 'Working with Steam' is very interesting reading and the photographs, although obviously very old in many cases, have been beautifully reproduced. With the assistance of such masters as Peter Love and Geoffrey Gilbert in the steam section, the author has produced a book that I keep on going back to. I can thoroughly recommend you have this book on your bookshelves. Priced at £16.95 from bookshops or (plus £2.95 post and packing) direct from the publishers: Farming Press, Wharfedale Road, Ipswich, IPl 4LG. - Ed.
NEW MEMBERS
We welcome the following as new apprentices, who have joined since the magazine before last. Let's hope they can all ertjoy their membership and take as active a part as possible in their club.
Martin Norris, Redbourn, He1tfordshire
Christopher Frankin, Redhill, Surrey
David Gedge, Croyde, Braunton, North Devon
Daryl Gould, Redd.itch, Worcestershire
Matthew Sproxton, Nmthampton
Martin Collins, Lightwater, Surrey
Helen Collins, Lightwater, Surrey
Martin Treanor, Duffield, Derbyshire
Antony Walker-Manning, Badley, Ipswich
Rebecca Pope, Bracknell, Berkshire
Ashley Hughes, Ipswich, Suffolk
John Hunt, Bishops Stortford, Cambridgeshire
Simon Hooker, Guildford, Surrey
The photographs seen on this and the opposite page are some I have left over from a previous edition of Raising Steam, for which there was no room at the time. The pictures have been returned to their owner(s) and I have little information about them. I know that the picture on page 10 is of a Faden at Pa,rham, the one above is of Fowler 'Berkshire Tariff Queen' and the Faden wagon below appears to belong lo Searles of Horsharn. Perhaps the photographers can spare me my blushes and tell us all more about them -Ed.
COBB STRIKES YET AGAIN
BIG, NUMB AND ARROGANT WITH IT (continued)
With the motion guard off on the flywheel side of the engine, J.C. was sat on the front tank just watching the motion going round, (I am reliably informed that Burrels have 'front tanks' not belly tanks and you should refer to gear side and fiywheel sides of an engine - Ed.) when this flat capped, baggy overalled bloke climbed onto the footplate. "Good afternoon smiler, where's God?". Who the devil was this guy!! ''.Afternoon Fred, come to see if it had blown up?" shouted J.C. from his perch. Ah ha! Fred, this must be the famous Uncle Fred, engine doctor extraordinaire from Loughborough. "No replied Fred we just heard on the grapevine that you had put it back together, and that there were now a few Fowler spares left over." But this is a Burrell I chimed in. "Is it?" replied Fred "So that's what's wrong with it!! I always knew there was something funny about this engine." Hmm, another comedian. J.C. and Fred discussed the engine and the possibility of casting a new bracket. Fred was amazed that the engine ran so well, and that considering how badly out of line things had been for so long, that the engine even worked at all. In fact quite a few comments were passed over the engines appearance, several people asking if it had been repainted, others asking what had been done to cure the "Lordship Lisp" (the whistle up the chimney). J.C. suggested a notice "under new management" would be appropriate.
Sitting up on the Burrell bunker you really do feel the master of all you survey, but it does get a little bit lonely at times so a break is quite welcome. As I swopped over with brother Andrew, a chap tapped me on the shoulder asking, "is the boss anywhere about?" I led him to the organ and asked John T.M. if Graham was about. "In the caravan having an afternoon siesta", he replied. 'j,C. anywhere?" "I think he's taking something off the Garrett" came the reply, "what's up anyway?" "Well this chap wants to see the boss." I'll get Graham. John T.M. disappeared to the caravan, reappearing a few minutes later with, "he'll be with you in 2 mins". It turned out that this chap was the owner of the Ghost Train opposite us and also the small ride which had been set up almost directly in front of us. He was also the owner of the now deceased generator. It transpired that he had been trying to hire a generator but had had no success and wanted to know if we could generate 240 volts AC. "No, sorry, we're strictly 110 volts DC", replied Graham. "Well if I could hire a rotary converter could you, or would you drive that for me?" implored the by now desperate looking chap, who went on to relay that he had paid a high rent for his pitch and without power stood to loose a lot of money.
"Well, just let me have a word with my men" (my men, posh eh?) replied Graham, and we will see what can be done if anything. Graham returned with the Brothers Carr in tow, who wanted to know how many amps and what drop there would be in the cables etc etc etc. Funny stuff this electricity as J.C. says "you can't hear it, you can't see, you can't smell it, but by hell you can feel it!"
David Carr is a qualified electrician who runs his own business in Sheffield
(I've forgotten the telephone number but I'll give you another plug later) and he disappeared with the Ghost Train owner to check up on what sort of load would be put on the engine if we did decide to run the Ghost Train. David returned with "If he can hire hmm, he's already hired the converter, he's just looking for a mug to drive it!" "How much power does he need?" asked Graham, "about 70 amps possibly 90 amps if you take into consideration frictional loss and the odd plugging in of the electric kettle." "Can we help this man or not" asked Graham. "We can try but, remember its your paint that will get burnt off the chimney not mine", replied J.C. "also if we find it too much work, I'll pull the wires off, there's no point in spending a lot of time on bearings to let someone else take it all apart again before it's even run in."
The situation was now that Princess Maude had the small roundabout and a couple of coin operated side stalls plus her own lights - 35 amps and was managing well, although the coal was still being a problem. But David and Chris had everything beautifully in hand, the Burrell had now got the organ, the lights, her own or his own lights plus a small roundabout and the ghost train and its lights. How the small roundabout got in on the deal no-one was quite sure but the wires were on so that was that.
The Ghost Train and the small juvenile ride weren't doing a roaring trade so the load on the Burrell was running at between 95 to 140 amps which was well within the old engine's capacity. J.C. insisted that we stop every 2 hours to check everything and just nip up a few things like glands etc. As 5.30pm approached and the last notes of the Lambarda died away Andrew stopped the Burrell, to oil round as instructed. This was our third stop and our showman friend was getting a little upset "What have you stopped for this time?" he said in exhausted tones. "Tea time" replied J.C. who was hovering in the background, "Why?" Showman - "don't you realise we're trying to make some money here." J.C. - "Don't you realise this machine is basically running in, that I'm on holiday and we are doing you a favour!! If you can get cheaper electricity somewhere else please do so, OK!" Showman - "Is this thing going to run again tonight?" J.C. - "Yes when we have had our teas". Showman"What time from and until when". J.C. "When we have had our tea until we've had enough."
Graham seeing things were becoming a little heated intervened, "come on now we'll be late at the marquee for our meals", thus calming things down. Surprising how hot weather makes people fractious!
With both engines fires cleaned, ashpans cleared and motion oiled up at 7.30pm the Atkinson Palace de Dance swung into action. As darkness fell it was a magnificent sight, all those lights, eight spot lights lit up the organ and engines beautifully plus the normal cab and procenium lights. The Burrell seemed to be a bit down on voltage, 90 volts instead of 110 volts but a slight adjustment to the governor thumbscrew soon brought the voltage back up.
The other thing was that the Burrell was now chugging much more and David's clip-on amp meter showed a considerable increase in amperage. We were doing full scale deflection of the amp meter (200 amps) but no-one had added more wires to the engine and the two extra spot lights were only 300 watts. It appeared that the rotary converter was taking much more power to
drive it, but a test on the Ghost Train showed no more power being taken than that first estimated. I will come back to this later. By 9.00pm the Burrell was starting to have problems. Despite David's efforts to keep the bars clean from underneath, the Burrell just would not steam well and then to add to our problems the high pressure injector started to act up and not feed the boiler cleanly without spilling water from the overflow, both problems became steadily worse. The coal just would not burn on these two engines, as the heaps of ash and clinker that were building up under the engines stood silent witness to.
By 10.30pm Graham and John T.M. were packing the organ and lights away. Chris and David were oiling down the brasses on the Garrett and sheeting up. The Ghost Train long since closed up. AT 11.15pm the belts were dropped off the Burrell and with the aid of torches she or he was sheeted down. Steam was leaking from the high pressure injector as I walked off back to the homestead, turning to look back and see Graham at the head of the column leading his troops off to battle at the beer tent. The strains of J. C' s voice drifting on the night air "Don't light too early I want to look at the injector valve!" And so to bed - Andrew and I both totally k-------d!
Friday -Already! I was beginning to feel like I was getting up before I'd gone to bed. Right, first things first, drag my jeans and overalls on, kick Andrew. Hard, to ensure that he's awake, gulp down a bowl of snap, crackle and pop, blow some of the Dorset dust off our exhibits we forgot to sheet up and dash over to the engines.
On arriving at the engines I could see both had fires in them, the Garrett had a little steam on it but the Burrell has as yet to come to the boil. But not a soul in sight. I wandered round to the caravan which was parked just beyond the Garrett. As I approached the caravan seemed to rock and sway a little and then the door flew open and Chris, arms outstretched, burst in song "Oh what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day, I've got a terrible feeling, there will be trouble today. Morning Neil!!" "Err morning Chris, Why?" "Ooh-you'll see."
It was whilst helping Chris clean the Garrett (someone had swept the tubes, but failed to damp the soot down with diesel or to slack the ashes with water so dust and soot were everywhere) I discovered how much Chris disliked and what's more distrusted the Burrell, "But what about the fire, aren't you going to check it?" "Listen mi lad if you want to do that do it, but not me." As I climbed up onto the Burrell footplate. I could feel the ashes crunch under my feet, the carpet was covered in bits of coal and cinders. I put a couple of shovels full of coal on the fire and was just about to jump down from the footplate as the old blue Landrover bounced over the horizon.
I was greeted with "What you lit the fire for? The last thing I said was don't light up until I've had a go at that valve!! How much steam if any have you got?" All that in one breath. "Good morning J.C. and David, about 10 p.s.i. and I didn.,t light the fire." As I look round I could see Chris doing his Cheshire cat impersonation, followed by the well mouthed words I told you so.
Come on sunshine said J.C. if we can't mend it we'd better clean it, you can start by pouring 2 or 3 buckets of water onto those ashes before the rest of
them blow into the gearing and back wheels. By now Andrew had arrived and David, Andrew and myself busily set to to clean the brasses and paint work whilst J.C. cleaned up the footplate. It was whilst engaged on this that the words "Oh S---!, pass me the clinker shovel QUICK'' as we carried out the urgent demand and rushed round to the footplate. J.C. was busy holding down the carpet which had been rolled up and jammed down on top of the pressure gauge with a large lump of coal placed on top of that. With the fire knocked through the grate the shovel was placed atop of the whole lot, Graham and Chris came across to see why the fire was being dumped. J.C. announced that the pressure gauge had just tried to commit suicide. Graham said "you're joking". "Oh no I'm not!" returned J.C. "Can we fix it?" asked Graham. "Yeh, but there's 50 p.s.i. on the clock, I don't recommend interfering with it right now, if it comes off that manifold with that pressure on, it will be Britain's first attempt at inter galactical travel, and I don't want to be a passenger, said J.C. "But it had 200 p.s.i. on last night and it didn't leak at all I said. "Now you know why I don't trust it said Chris as he walked away.
Graham and John T.M. dashed off into the melee of stalls that form the market to look for sundry pipe fittings, a barrel nipple and female coupling or a combination of fittings that would enable the gauge to be refitted.
Well at least when the steams gone off I can have a look at tha injector valve said J.C. After the steam had subsided the top of the valve was removed, to reveal as had been suspected, that the seat had a great lump missing out of it and the reason it was so tight was that the stainless steel valve spindle had picked up in the bronze taps threads. There wasn't a great deal to be done without the seat cutter so back together it went, a little graphite was applied to the threads, although the valve seemed free enough under no load it quickly returned to its difficult to operate leaking self when under steam.
The problem with the pressure gauge was simply electrolitic action between an iron fitting and a brass one. The threads of the iron fitting corroding away totally, and the weight of the gauge plus boiler pressure did the rest. It should also be said that the gauge and the method of fitting was nothing other than a bodge up job, as the weight of the gauge was unsupported and there was no pipe loop between the boiler and gauge. Graham and John T.M. collected together enough fittings to reassemble the gauge and a fire was quickly rekindled in the engine - by 11.30 the engine was generating. Around 12.45pm the area seemed to be heaving with people and the old Ghost Train was going quite well as were the two small juvenile rides. These plus the organ were all being driven by the Burrell whilst J.C. was making a slight running adjustment to the Garrett (the crosshead, high pressure side).
David was on the Burrell and doing very well, when suddenly the belt started to screech, the governor snapped open, sparks and soot soared into the sky from the extension chimney, and sparks came from the generator, the operator of the Ghost Train dashed from the paybox operating cabin, screaming stop, stop, stop, as smoke followed him .. All this as David wrestled with the reverse lever to bring the Burrell to a standstill. The organ just moaned and stopped. It was at this point that we noticed that a large pink inflatable elephant, trunk normally vertical, was developing a distinct wilt in fact within 3 or 4 mins of
the Burrels enforced stop it had collapsed completely, this and the fact that the razamataz lighting and spot lights on what must have been at least the 900th genuine and authentic daughter of Gypsy Rose Lee's stall front had gone out, strange that all these people should pick this precise moment to pull up for lunch? The young lad who had been working the Ghost Train seemed to be in a right state as were a couple of the passengers, the operator saying that all he could see was sparks everywhere, followed by smoke and the passengers saying that the car they were riding in just sparked, flashed and stopped. Quite a crowd had gathered including the rides owner who was trying to calm his operator, pacify his passengers and get David to give the ride an electrical checkover. Meanwhile J.C. had pulled off the offending wires and had restarted the Burrell and Graham restarted the organ. They do say that music calms the savage beast, well its either that or simply that you can't shout above this particular organ so you simply submit and go and argue somewhere else. "What happened" I asked. "Haven't a clue" replied J.C. who was up on the Burrell footplate, "Come on, look after this thing whilst I go finish off on the Princess". J.C. beckoned me up onto the footplate "don't let anyone put anything onto this engine (onto the generator) until our David says it's OK, alright". I nodded in answer to J.C's instruction.
After a short while David returned obviously not impressed by the construction of the Ghost Train. It appeared that the live rail had been flexing where it passed over the hinged floor joint, because the ride wat not securely packed beneath this joint, which was moving anything up to 30mm, the passenger car derailed, and in so doing forced down the central live rail into contact with the earth potential chassis frame causing a dead short and the magnificent firework display we had all just witnessed. Another thing that came to light was that 3 other rides; 1 Gypsy Rose Lee, 1 Elephant, 1 Battery driven motor bike ride, all of whom were, according to our Ghost Train owner taking power from his hired rotary converter. The owner's of these three rides, apparently thought that with the machine being on hire it was hired by the event organiser to provide FREE POWER to save the noise of generators. I think the expression "pull the other one, it's got bells on" is quite apt! The other thing is that the three (all related) ride owners were certainly safety conscious, they had dug their cables in 150mm deep for at least 10-15 metres and brought them up between the wheels and chassis of the converter - for neatness of course!!
It's no wonder the poor old Burrell was gruelling it was driving half the fairground. Our now entrepreneurial showman charged the other three a rent for the use of his power and magnaminously let them stay hooked up, kind of him wasn't it, especially as we were doing all the work! After tea Chris and the Garrett took the organ back on load whilst Andrew, David and myself generated for the spot lights and rides. The amount of coal we were burning was collosal, in fact the coal man wanted to know if any of us had got a coal round as a sideline. This and the amount of water consumed per hour, made me realise exactly why showmen were glad to see the back of the showmans engine, they are damned hard work. The injector had started to be difficult about 10-10.30pm but as we were closing up at 11.00 it didn't seem worth
mentioning at the time. The water cart came r@l'ln<iat a1>0ut10.45 and tO!']'e<i 1J!lup as he ha<i d0ne on the l'revious nights (so he could l!tav.ea lay inl and even when he said "y@uihaven't used much water" nothing clicked. 'lily,1]. ]5pHnthe engines w.ere all s'heeted d0wn, the organ cl0sed l'l'Pand we were all washed up aa<i rreadj/ f0r home.
Am eventful day, n0t without a little e,-o~temeat, I w0ndgred w:hat the morndag would 1>ning.
Well that's all from NeiZ this time. Ne,;t issue sees thetfinci, insta,ment of his time at the Great Dorset. Now it's time for more of you to get writiwg and te!l us &boutyour times at the various ra!biesyou have been fo. -'®cl.
Clothing for Juniors
FR•Un; OF THE 11:.QOM SWEATSHIRTS
prGdla!Gedwith the image oi a n,1aden@ine, prirntedlcentre chest positiom.
colour.
QUALITY: ,IQ% CGttonX30% 'Po1¥ester 3;4 51,5 , ra 9h 1 (28") (30"! (32") (34") '/fes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Ves Yes
PRICE: £8.50 28"130"/32" £9.50 34"/36" VA!.TFree
FRUIT OF THE LOOM TEE-SHIRTS
produced with the image of a road engime, piinted centre chest position
QUALITY: 94% Cotton/6% Polyester 3/4 5/6 7/8 9/11 (26") (28") (30") (32") Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
PRICE: £3.75 26"/28"/30" £4.26 32"/34" VAT Free 12/14 (36") x'es 1/es 12/14 (34") Yes Yes
