Singleton Steam Festival

The weekend of the 14th and 15th August we spent at The Singleton Steam festival at The Weald and Downland Museum, Singleton, near Chichester in West Sussex. We spent the weekend playing with the Burrell Showmans engine, Lady Pride of England, we are looking after this year.

We had a good weekend there with lots of other engines and our boys love looking around the museum.

Jump to Lion driving the gallopers Jump to Wallis Advance Roller Jump to Engine games Jump to Richard Hornsby and Sons Jump to Burrell Model Jump to Fowler Roller Jump to Aveling and Porter Roller Jump to Burrell Tractor Jump to Tasker and Burrell Jump to Allchin "Bess" Jump to Fowler model Jump to Saturday morning and oh dear.... Jump to Lady Pride of England Jump to Lady a night Jump to On the footplate Jump to Early Sunday morning steam up Jump to Time for a cuppa Jump to Waiting for a ride Jump to On the saw bench Jump to Chickens Jump to Piggy asleep Jump to Tasker heading home
Lion driving the gallopers

Lion driving the gallopers

Here is Fowler Showmans engine "Lion" driving Hortons set of gallopers.

Lion

No 19782 Year 1932 Reg UB 9763

Wallis Advance Roller

Wallis Advance Roller

This engine is still as it was found a few years ago after being in a shed for many years. The story goes that they dragged it out of the shed and after the boiler inspecter had a good look over it they put a fire in it and steamed it away.

No 8104 Year 1936 Reg No GOR 248

Engine games

Engine games

Many years ago at rallies in the arena you always had arena games for the engines. Sadly these seem to have gone from most rallies but over the last few years they have been making a come back. Here they are playing "musical chairs". Very entertaining.
Richard Hornsby and Sons

Richard Hornsby and Sons

No 6557, Year 1889, Reg No FL 2589, Called Maggie.
Burrell Model

Burrell Model

Here is a fully working 6" scale model of a Burrell showmans engine, very nice.
Fowler Roller

Fowler Roller

Fowler roller is filling up with water, time for the crew to take a rest and have a chat.

No 21833, Year 193,6 Reg No CRL 110, Called "Hermes"

Aveling and Porter Roller

Aveling and Porter Roller

No 10012, Year 1921, Reg No FX 8388
Burrell Tractor

Burrell Tractor

No 3718, Year 1916, Reg No AH 0297, Called Lion Lord of the Forest.
Tasker and Burrell

Tasker and Burrell

After all the fun and games in the arena time to chuff round the field.

1st engine is a Tasker Tractor. No 1396, Year 1908, Reg No AA 2254

2nd engine is a Burrell Tractor No 3786, Year 1918, Reg No PB 9610, Called Tiger

Allchin "Bess"

Allchin "Bess"

This is Bess, she has had a major restoration over the last few years. The gent that owns her only lives a few miles away from us and when I remember back to when I first saw her I can't believe it's the same engine. She looks great and it's wonderful to see her in steam and chuffing around the rally field.

No 669, Year 1890, Reg No AP 9081, Called "Bess"

Fowler model

Fowler model

Another model. This is a 3" Fowler crane engine pulling a scale model trailer load and passenger. The engine is called "Lofty".
Saturday morning and oh dear....

Saturday morning and oh dear....

Things didn't go to well for us Saturday morning, while cleaning out the ash pan we noticed that it was full of water which can only mean one thing, "leaky tubes". It's a job that can be done without many problems but it's a dirty job. So off with the ash pan, out with the fire bars and then climb inside the firebox to sort out her tubes. Lloyd and Kev took it in turns to mend the 13 tubes and by 4.20pm they had her back together and were putting a fire in her. By 7pm she was in steam and chuffing around the field.

Lady Pride of England

Lady Pride of England

Finally in steam and chuffing around early Saturday evening.
Lady a night

Lady a night

After our eventful day we spent a couple of hours generating her lights.
On the footplate

On the footplate

A different view of Lady, while she was generating I took this photo, a different view for a change.
Early Sunday morning steam up

Early Sunday morning steam up

Time for a cuppa

Time for a cuppa

Sunday morning steam up went without a hitch and as you can see even time to stand around for a chat and a cuppa. "come on boys get on and clean that Lady" and they say women talk!!!

Waiting for a ride

Waiting for a ride

Jack here is making sure he is first in line for a steer round on Lady.
On the saw bench

On the saw bench

Here is Burrell traction engine called "William the Second" on the saw bench in the wood yard. Notice that there is a lady driving the engine, this is Kate and yes it is her engine....

No 4048, Year 1926, Reg No PW 8905.

Chickens

Chickens

There are lots of things to see at the museum and here are some of there chickens who were pecking at the apples that had dropped off the tree.

Piggy asleep

Piggy asleep

Here we see piggy in his or her sty, it wasn't very far from the saw bench in the woods being driven by the traction engine but they didn't seem bothered by the noisy, just having a lovely sleep...
Tasker heading home

Tasker heading home

As we were leaving so was the Tasker so we found a spot to take a photo.