THE SAFFRON WALDEN ROAD RUN
April 3rd 2005
by Michael Pumfrey

Sunday, April 3rd saw the Saffron Walden Road Run taking part after an absence of six years. Organised by Ian Morrison with the help of Glenn Culpin and others on behalf of the Society, the run left Saffron Walden via the High Street and the B184.  At Stump Cross the run took the B1383 to Wendens Ambo for the lunch stop at the Fighting Cocks pub. After lunch the run returned to town via Sparrows End Hill and assembled on the Common in the sunshine for a couple of hours.
   Six steam engines took part in the event.  Steam Wagons were represented by Duncan Marston’s Foden “The Icklingham Flyer” and Melvyn Camps’ Sentinel Tipper “Vectis Knight”. Two Garrett tractors were in attendance, being “Patricia”,

     

which has been owned for many years by the Fensom Family from Hertfordshire, and “Adventurer”, owned by Mike Dyson from Haddenham in Cambridgeshire. Keith Honour’s smart Burrell Showman’s “Margaret”, which was the last new showman’s engine to be bought by the Thurston family of amusement caterers, was on the run with Keith’s equally smart living wagon. Finally the Pumfrey family’s Ruston Proctor “Success” completed most of the route towing a newly restored solid wheeled trailer.
   Also taking part were 15 to 20 vintage tractors and vehicles, including Brian Morrison’s Morris recovery truck, on its first outing and well in demand recovering dead tractors of one sort and another…
   The engines made good time (although Pumfrey’s Ruston was observed taking a shortcut through Great Chesterford village, so apologies to the photographers who waited for us at Stump Cross!) and we were all on Saffron Walden Common by the early afternoon, where the Perrett family had their juvenile, burger van and sweet stall.
   After a pleasant afternoon talking to numerous members of the public, the exhibits dispersed about 4 o’clock.
   Thanks must go to Ian Morrison for doing such a splendid job of organising the event, to the Marshalls, the driver of the water cart, the Fire Brigade for providing water at lunchtime, the publican at the Fighting Cocks, the Police and Saffron Walden Town Council.  Thanks to all their hard work over £400 was raised for MEDICS, which is the Mid-Essex Flying Doctor service.  This event was a welcome return to our local calendar and we look forward to next year’s!