Hollycombe Steam Fairground June 2007
This
visit was part of Hollycombe's Steam Railway Weekend. Train rides were available
courtesy of Caledonia and although Jerry M was resplendent in maroon livery
representing the Dinorwic Quarry where she worked for a living, problems with
valve timing meant she was a static exhibit for the weekend. Barboulier from
Amberley came to join the throng on Sunday, and brought some impressive clag!
On
the standard gauge, Commander B was in situ, but an expired boiler cert meant
she was cold. The fairground was full of life however, the Carousel,
Chair-O-Planes, Steam Swings and the other rides all attracting good crowds...
Southdown
shared the event with the East
Surrey group's Yn Rhywle layout, boasting coal firing on 32mm with a
Roundhouse Sandy River and an Accucraft Edrig. Particular members erected the
16mmngm banner early on Saturday and agreed generally that the photos needed
replacing with their trains....
Meanwhile,
on the Southdown camp, Rod took it easy, whilst Pete fed his Peter Angus tram "Hydrargyrum"
some toast and Brian tended lovingly to "Oliver"......
The pictures this weekend taken by yours truly were using a 35mm camera with a long lens to test the effects, the resulting images have then been scanned for inclusion on the website. The light in the shed was enough to freeze the action but severely reduced the depth of field......
Here we have a Plymouth diesel - it was standing still in these shots but one could still hear the motor ticking over.. any action at all accompanied by toots of the whistle and air brakes releasing, the four stroke picking up to a steady throb.
The day begins with a one coach train at Lovedean Station. No.3, "Wombat", an Accucraft Caradoc class waits patiently at the platform as the passengers board the solitary coach. No doubt the mail and milk will be sharing the gangway on this train.
From the same builder, the chasing train is in the charge of an Accucraft Edrig, this time turned out in an immaculate Warning Panel yellow coat.
Let's hope the Austin 7 clears the crossing in time for this 2-cylinder Shay, approaching (eventually) with last nights logs that they put off running till today: or has it been running all night? The driver has possibly dropped off for 40 winks!
Meanwhile, Phoebe (Regner Willi) is pressed into action and
hurries in the opposite direction.....
"Engineer"
was bound to put in an appearance sooner or later, and given charge of a Pullman
and some Very Important Passengers in their coaches, makes no fuss over the
load, even attaching the company automobile on a wagon to the ensemble.
Of
course, admiring views from the public are not unusual..
There
was a good representation from the other side of the pond, in the shape of C16's
from the Rio Grande (#278) and Colorado (#34). The loads were varied, #278
hauling high capacity hoppers, #34 in charge of fuel tanks and some heavy
engineering products.
Lets
not forget the smaller content on both 32mm and 45mm, we've got the Peter Angus
Tram loco, Excelsior, Superior, Pearse, Roundhouse and a small blue interloper,
shown here running the wrong way (and the right way!).
Mallard,
as ever makes yet another record breaking run..
The
shops are doing a roaring trade, but then it's a captive market...
and
the scrap yard... slumbers on, but still collects others cast offs..