Kempton 2008 - report and pictures

Spokesmann · Kempton 2008 - report and pictures

Well I had been looking forward to this weekend for a long while. After a particularly busy and pressured time in work this was going to be the perfect antidote to work stress - I was not disappointed!

My day started at 4.00am as I still had to load 3 crates of engines plus assorted boxes into the car and then transport me and the load 200 miles to London! Suffice to say it looked pretty suspicious filling the back of the car with boxes and things at 4.30am in the morning, I was just waiting for the Police to pull up and question me!

The weather forecast looked good so really all the ingrediants were there for a brilliant day; a classic venue, huge steam engine, toy steam and most importantly steam enthusiasts second-to-none.

Kempton is pretty easy to find, so after about 4 hours at the wheel (I was not rushing) the twin chimneys of the pumping house hoved into view as I left the M3 and joined the A316. Coming up to the main gates at 9.15 I though I would be the first but a few were there already . . . including Mr. Fred Crammond who was already buzzing with excitement at the days forthcoming events! We both went inside to check out the venue and space. This was my first time inside (I have driven past it countless times) the sheers size of the engines and the vastness of the building is incredible - this is a serious back drop to steam your engines in and with one of the great engines running too - well what more could you wish for?

After unloading and parking the car I set about putting my display of engines out for show. This event is like STiA so there were going to be plenty of engines in steam, and judging by the size of the boat 'lake' outside being filled by a green goddess fire tender, they were expecting some serious business! I think Ill remember the event mainly for my first impressions of the building and engine and for the amount of boats which were either on show or on the lake - enough worthy of a Spit Head Review for models.For the boat conoisseur the place was dripping with Hobbies-Bowmans, Luton Boats and Mamod Meteors . . .There was also a plethora of quality stationaries on show including Mamod, Bowman, Mersey, Luton Bowman, Wilson, Cyldon, Hobbies, Latimer etc . . . a veritable 'Who's Who' of English toy steam was represented and I include Ian's MF range which was on show too! Of course no show is complete without some star players and Colin Laker, Graham Davies, Mike Green, Fred Crammond and Ian Grantham to name a few were all in residence.

As the setting up was completed the first members of the public were coming in, many were milling around our tables and I personally had many good conversations with interested collectors, both young and older! When the big engine thundered into life at points during the day the conversation tended to stop and you just look in amazement as this behemoth slowly rumbles and shakes into life, the sights, the smells and sounds really make me proud to be part of this hobby.

Key memories for me at this event must include the Merseys on show, staggering, the vast assortment of (expensive) boats, the sheer brilliance of the location, the chance to pick Colin Laker's 'Steam brain' and above all to be a small part of this event . . .

A massive thank you to Colin Sowman for the chance to participate and an engine sized thank you to the dedicated team who look after this priceless piece of industrial heritage for the nation.

Now for some pics!!

The big engine in steam...

Seeing is believing!

View from the balcony!

My pitch!

My 'new' M101

Mersey magic...

3 engines, 9 cylinders... the Mersey 55s

Wonderful Wormars owned by Colin Laker . . .

I want that one (In a Little Britain voice)

MFs display...

Meteors mixing with Lutons...

For me one of the Gems of the show, Colin Sowman's little Wilson, one of only a handful...

The wonderful graphics on the box...

Colin's Cyldon 13/4

Spot the English makes here!!!

Fred Crammon's mesmerising Meccano exscavator...

A gentleman who's name eludes me for the moment with a superbly modified MM2 with his 'twisty turny' piston which acts like a sleeve valve twisting in the cylinder to open and close the ports. It is actuated by a ball type joint on the crank, it ran wonderfully - a true gent and engineer par-excellence.