Amberley Spring Fayre 12th May

A somewhat incongruous name for this event, which replaces Stationary Engine Day. Of course engines are still the main theme, but there are now crafts and woodworking displays included. The usual ‘bun fight’ occurred in the morning as everyone rushes to get in and set up, never easy in a restricted site like this. Numbers were down on last year but there was still a good turn out and it was nice to see faces from far away.

There was some nice metal on display too. A good selection of Fairbanks Morse and French Engines with notable displays from club members Jon Foster and Chris Page. John Peters had an extremely rare Fairbanks Morse H type, an engine I had not seen ‘in the flesh’ before. Tony Harcombe, Charles Marsland, Luke Huckle with grandfather Tom Beams had all been hard at work restoring yet another Armstrong Whitworth engine to add to their 2 generating sets and very nice they all looked too.

Bill Ovenden & Colin Williams as always put on an excellent display of large engines with a new addition in the recently restored Bamfords DD2 that has done the rounds with previous owners Ron Stevens & Colin Boyer. It was good too to see Philip and Pippa Sampson proudly showing off their new addition, a Victoria, except this one has flesh and blood! and very well behaved she was too. Congratulations on the new arrival.

Ed.