14.0903

2003 SODEM Road Run Details Announced.

Advance notice of this years SODEM  Road Run on Saturday 8th November. It follows the same format as last year, two main starting points Swindon or Witney with all engines converging at The Trout Inn, Lechlade. The run starts early at the respective staring yards calling through towns and villages on the way. Mamod racing will take place on  Saturday  evening when everyone gets there. The engines will stay overnight and head home on Sunday.

Usual SODEM suspects and engines. Free Entry but its worth staying for a meal and a drink.        

Thanx to Scabby Roller for the info.



07.09.03






























05.09.03

End Of Season Steam Up's

Several end of season Steam events are being set up. The first is on September 21st in Gloucestershire and will feature six full size steamers and a host of support vehicles. For more information please visit www.svtec.co.uk

Another event will be staged on September 27th & 28th between The Bell In at Purton Stoke in Wilts and the Red Lion at Cricklade Gloucs. No more details are currently available but it is believed a number of engines will be taking part.


28.08.03

Lord Lascelles Mystery.

Persistent rumours seem to be doing the rounds that Graham Atkinson from Scarborough who owns several Showmans Engines including 'Iron Maiden' has purchased Burrell Scenis Lord Lascelles. No confirmation of this is available and we repeat it is only a rumour at this time.


25.08.03


An Excellent Trip.

At this time of year a great number of Steam Engines can be seen on the open road heading from all corners of the UK to the Great Dorset Steam Fair. Not only is the event itself ideal for seeing engines doing as they would have done in their working life, but also the lead up and roading of engines provides the enthusiast with mouth watering opportunities to whiteness the power of steam doing some real work.

One such engine that took to the highways this year in its trip to Dorset was  Burrell Gold Medal Tractor No 3245, Reg AH045. Owned by John Atkinson of Launceston  this 1910 engine made the journey from Cornwall to Dorset look somewhat effortless.

It was reported as leaving its base at 5am with living van in tow and reaching the show ground at 6pm the very same evening.  The distance was around 130 miles which means the little engine averaged around 11 miles per hour on its journey, which included various stops along the way.

Apparently John cleaned the fire out just once on this trip, which leads to the assumption that this must have been one of the better recorded runs on the road in recent years.....unless of course you know better?

Thanx to John Wakeham for the info.
20.08.03

Kiwi Gets Fined For Illegal Export


Ever since its arrival in the UK in 2002 from New Zealand, Fowler Compound Traction Engine No 4179 built in 1884 has been at the centre of rumour and gossip.

It is no secret that the engine arrived in this country under a grey cloud and is subject to ongoing moves by the New Zealand authorities to get the engine back to its native land.

In a direct reaction to its illegal export, the perpetuator has been fined $900 by the Christchurch District Court.

Although offered for sale in the UK the Fowler has as yet to find an owner and is currently in hiding awaiting developments.

Another engine exported around the same time without appropriate paper work is a Two Speed McLaren built in 1910. Although a question marl still lies over the ownership of this engine, it is understood to be in the Lincolnshire area and is under restoration.

It is also understood that both engines will be requested to be returned to New Zealand as they were part of an illegal export and didn't hold the appropriate license or paperwork.
Driver Training Weekend Sept. 20/21st  At the 'Museum of East Anglian  Life'

It will be a two-day course, held in the Museum’s grounds and members will be able to operate a steam engine under supervised conditions as well as attending lectures on firing-up, boiler maintenance and general operating procedures. Training packages will be given to each participant and no previous driving experience is required. However, each applicant will have to be at least 21 years of age and hold a current vehicle driving licence.

Thirty five places will be available and applicants will be selected from members on a 'first come first served' basis. In the event that not enough members wish to take part then non- members may apply. 

The Museum, with its 70 acres of grounds and countless industrial artefacts on display, will be open on the weekend and everyone will be invited to attend this interesting weekend event, especially as about  fifteen engines, including the Museum’s two Burrell ploughing engines, will be steaming on the hard-standing roads in the grounds.

The East Anglian Traction Engine Club will have a Sales Stand at the Museum throughout the weekend. Parking spaces for caravans will be available if required.

Refreshments, including breakfast and packed lunches, will be served in the Museum’s Brambles Cafe.
On the Saturday, a very informal Social Evening  in the Long Barn will start at 19.30. There will be live music, a BBQ and a real ale bar. With the combination of engines-in-steam, pleasant surroundings and also a guest speaker it should prove very enjoyable. Tickets for this are priced at £6.50 per person and need to be bought prior to the event. These may be ordered from Sue Doncaster on 01206 230689 or Stuart Hines on 01379 788834.

For an application to participate in the Course, or to find out more details about it, please contact Stuart Hines. Stuart would also be pleased to receive offers to marshal on either of the two days.
23.09.03

HOWARD BROTHERS FIRE. (Update).

The fire was started by an electrical fault and Renown is not very well at all. The heat was so intense that the rear wheels melted. The building that burnt down is what they term as their "hobby shop". Their Alton Engineering premises where they mend other peole's kit is unaffected.

Gone with Renown is their wooden framed Guy Lorry of 1907.


22.09.03

HOWARD BROTHERS FIRE

Some disturbing news was reported on the Traction Engine pages at 16:00 today that the Howard Brothers Engine shed has burnt down. Apparently the Fowler Showmans Engine 'Renown' WAS in the shed at the time. No other information is available at this time, but as soon as details become more apparent we'll report them here.

Lets just hope that no one was hurt and that the engine isn't badly damaged.


19.09.03


VINTAGE BIKES DESTROYED

A fire which destroyed 400 exhibits at Britain's National Motorcycle Museum is believed to have been started accidentally by a discarded cigarette.

Fire investigators think a member of staff may have thrown away a cigarette outside the building at Bickenhill, near Birmingham.


They believe it set fire to a small pile of cardboard boxes, leading to Tuesday's huge blaze.

Hundreds of vintage motorbikes, many of them irreplaceable, were completely destroyed in the fire, which caused an estimated £8m of damage.

Fire chief Dave Glenis said investigators were confident the blaze had started in boxes containing discarded air conditioning filters.

He said: "We are not treating the incident as arson at this stage and believe it was purely an accident."

At its height, more than 120 firefighters tackled the blaze, which could be seen 15 miles away.

The machines were part of a collection charting the history of the British motorcycle industry and many of them were unique.

Exhibits from the five display halls included BSA Gold Stars, Sunbeam Twins, DMW Hornets and Triumph racers.

Many had been used in various world record feats and events such as the TT.

Owner Roy Richards, who started his collection in the 1970s and opened the museum in 1984, pledged to reopen the attraction as soon as possible.