Euston Park Rural Pastimes
June 11th 2006
This annual event, the 15th, was held by kind permission of His Grace
The Duke of Grafton. Unlike last year, it was a gloriously sunny
day and the Ring Events, Rural Craft Demonstrations, Bygones, Collections
and Displays, and the Village Catering and Charity Stalls attracted a substantial
crowd. To date, these events have raised more than £220,000
for the St Nicholas Hospice and Local Churches.
There were almost 200 Classic Cars on display as well
as about 40 Classic Motor Cycles, 140 Vintage Tractors, 70 Stationary Engines
and 20 full-size or scale model Steam Engines.
The steam engines included:-
1906 Marshal Agricultural Steam Traction Engine Old Nick, No.
49725, owned by Ernie Eagle of Holton St Mary, Colchester, Essex.
This 7 nhp engine was with the Oxford Steam Plough Co.
until 1940 when it was bought at auction by the Pennock family of North
Yorkshire for wood sawing, Ted Meadowcroft rescued it in 1960 and began
restoration, naming it Old Nick. In 1974, restoration was continued
by
John Ockington. Bought in 1984 by the present owner, maintenance and restoration
has continued.
1909 Burrel Traction Engine Princess, No. 3125, owned by the
Mead family, maintained and rallied by Mark Groom of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.
When new, this 6nhp engine was used in a Cornish tin mine and for pulling
fishing boats from the sea. It was bought in 1990 by John Mead, who fitted
a new firebox and smokebox, and made two new back wheels for it.
1916 Wallis & Steevens Expansion Engine Faith, No.7497, owned
by Natel Taylor of Needham Market, Suffolk
This 7nhp engine was bought by the present owner in 1965,
after standing in a derelict condition beside the road in Lavenham, Suffolk,
for 16 years. Since then, he has restored it to its present condition.
In 1991 a new firebox was fitted. .
1920 Ruston & Hornsby Class SH Traction Engine Oliver, No.
113043, owned by Jonathan Wheeler of South Lopham, Norfolk.
When first bought, this 6nhp engine was used for hauling
timber and powering a sawbench. In 1921 it was sold to threshing contractors,
Coxhalls of Hinton. A fire destroyed their threshing machinery and although
badly scorched, the engine was sold on to the Pumfreys. After being repaired
and repainted, it was used commercially until the early 1950's and then
sold for scrap. Being still available, Bob Pumfrey bought it back in 1955
and rallied it until 1978 when it was bought by the Wheeler family who
rebuilt the engine, fitted a new firebox and repainted iits original livery.
Damaged.again when the sails of the owner's windmill at Bardwell fell on
it during the 1987 'Hurricane' the engine, by then named Oliver, was
soon repaired and continues to be used for various functions, including
Jonathan's Traction Engine Driving Instruction facility.
1908 Fowler Traction Engine Countess, No. 11421, owned by Rodney
Timson of Wramplingham, Norfolk.
This 6nhp engine was delivered to Alf Morgan on September 1908. Bought
by the Griffiths family from Shropshire in 1911, it stayed with them until
bought by the present owner.in 1996 It was used mainly for threshing
and agricultural duties although it apparently spent some time in a coal
mine, and in a carpet factory in the Midlands on standby for emergencies.
Stored under a tree from 1941, it was restored to steam in 1977. The boiler
was replaced in 2002.
1922 Wallis & Steevens GP Expansion Engine, No. 7690, owned by
William Bird of Tunsted, Norfolk.
Bought by the present owner from the Henham Rally sale
in 1979, this 6nhp engine was restored in the following two years. A new
firebox and other repairs were done at this time.
Also there were the1917 Aveling & Porter Roller George,
No. 8837, and Ernie Eagle's 6" scale Lil' Ol' Nick an exact scale
replica of his Old Nick, mentioned above. This was completed in
2002 after 6 years work by the Eagle family's friend Roy Butcher.
