Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2025 i Old Glory

You are ALL welcome to join in, please do! If you have a story or pictures no matter what, do get in touch peterlove@madasafish.com Tel: 01323 833125. David Reed Editor-at-large - Former York school teacher who has worked with the editor since 1995 and has a wealth of knowledge on steam, commercials and tractors. Derek Rayner Technical and Vintage World Editor - Derek’s knowledge is extensive, a steam roller owner since the 1960s and a world traveller in search of nothing but the best. Bob Moorman Rally Archive Editor-This former engineering inspector is a fount of knowledge and has been rallying since the 70s. His own restos are award winners, as his ex-Kings 1927 Foden will be now that it’s finished! Mike Neale Diecast Models Editor – It’s a great…

Schoolboy Finlay Gallagher has been crowned the UK’s youngest qualified digger driver – at the age of just 13. The youngster spent his school holidays learning how to put a JCB digger through its paces and passed his Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) exam with flying colours. He took the industry recognised proficiency test on the world’s most famous digger – a JCB backhoe loader – at Flynne Plant Training Centre (http://www.flynneplanttraining.com/) in Rochford, Essex, where he had to demonstrate a strong grasp of both the theory and practical aspects of operating the machinery. This included safely controlling and operating the JCB backhoe loader, digging and loading with precision, lifting and moving loads using the correct techniques and confidently handling attachments and forks fitted to the machine. JCB digger driving…

It is highly unusual for a sailing vessel to be moored at His Majesty’s Naval Base, Devonport, writes James Hamilton. Usually large sailing vessels are accommodated at the Barbican Landing Stage or anchor in the Plymouth Sound. But when the Shabab Oman II arrived in the evening of Saturday 28 June it was escorted up the Hamoaze, the estuarine stretch of the River Tamar, between its confluence with the River Lynher and the Plymouth Sound, to HMNB Devonport where the ship was moored until the morning of Wednesday 2 July when it departed for Le Havre and the start of The Tall Ship Races 2025. Shabab Oman II, meaning in English ‘Youth of Oman’ is a sail training ship owned by the Royal Navy of Oman. The ship entered service…

RARE PAIR FOR SKEGNESS Photographic charters at the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway on 29 August will utilise resident 1903-built Peckett 0-6-0ST Jurassic alongside visiting Kerr, Stuart ‘Wren’ 0-4-0ST Peter Pan, owned by Graham Morris. It will be the first occasion on which two steam locomotives have appeared together since the line was established at its current Skegness Water Leisure Park premises. It will also be the first time these two engines have been seen together since 1986, after the original LCLR closed and Jurassic was visiting the Leighton Buzzard Light Railway. Over the ensuing weekend, the railway will celebrate the 65th anniversary of opening at its original Humberstone base, with both locomotives operating public trains. To book on a charter contact glhankin36@hotmail.co.uk SIX FOR DARLINGTON ‘TITANS’ SHOW Once all the…

Today, Relandersgrund is a floating café near the Market Square area of Helsinki in Finland, reports Phil Barnes. However, her origins go back to 1888, from which time she served as a lightship. She was constructed between 1886 and 1888 at the Turku shipyard of W Chrichton & Co as their yard No. 69. The vessel’s hull was built using steel plates which were bolted together. She was fitted with two masts which carried sails and these were only deployed to lighten the burden on the anchor chain during harsh weather at sea. If there was a need to move her, this was done using a tugboat but she spent nearly three decades at her post except for when she was taken away for maintenance. Her usual post was the…

Already booked for the Cheffins Autumn Vintage Collective on 18 October are some 15 rare and quality stationary engines from a Home Counties collector. They include a Leeds made Longfellow, Gardner’s and Crossley’s, to name but a few.…

If you have a sale coming up please get in touch, we are always delighted to preview it for you. If you are at a sale and see something interesting, please take pictures and details and send in a report. We are interested in sales all over the globe that included stationary engines. peterlove@madasafish.com – 01323833125 – Coding grades: 1-Rough 2-Needs Work 3-Original 4-Older Restoration 5-Restored 6-Concours. HJ Pugh featured two collections of engines that were being dispersed to new parts, one from a deceased estate, the other from a collector who was retiring. It all happened on Saturday 21 June at Pughs HQ at Ledbury. There was a huge crowd here that had come to buy the 1,800 lots offered. The highlight for us was the rare Blackstone vertical…

In early 2000s Paul Appleton ran the Belvoir Castle Steam & Country Show (NG32 1PA) in Leicestershire each May. In fact the Ford and Fordson Association held its record-breaking 2005 FFA Expo here in showery conditions, with 71 Fordson E27Ns for the 60th anniversary of the tractor at this excellent site near Grantham. Sadly in later times poor weather blighted it and a change of site completely finished it off! But Outdoor Shows, who our correspondent has great faith in for doing good shows and reviving ones that are flagging, is to stage a new event there over 23-25 August and it has certainly created great interest. There are sections for just about everything, so do go and support this new venture and the time and place are just right.…

One of the hidden delights for many is the Southwell & District Agricultural Society’s Ploughing Match and County Show. This year it takes place on Saturday 27 September at Farnsfield, Newark, Nottinghamshire NG22 8HP. The ploughing match is just huge with many National ploughmen taking part. But there is so much more to this show, which is the size of many county shows, including a cattle tent with the biggest display of Dexter cattle you will see. There is also various dog shows, local tractor and implement dealers, a huge vintage show with many FFA members taking part including a line-up of Doe tractors here, which will also be ploughing during the day. This event comes much recommended. Further information: info@southwellploughingmatch.co.uk…

David Vaughan tells us about a Leyland Comet that’s been working for 72 years and is still going strong! Leyland Motors introduced the bonneted (normal control) version of their two-axle Comet model in 1947. It was designed at a time when the country was in need of boosting the post-war export market but found favour with a lot of British operators. It was named after the Comet tank that Leyland had produced for the British army in WW2. On the morning of Sunday 15 June at the Classic Commercial Motor Show held at the British Motor Museum at Gaydon I was present when a Comet with a tipper body turned up. What caught my eye was the fact that, although in generally good condition, it was displayed in what I…

ESVAL American-based Esval Models was established in 2011, producing a range of vehicles in resin in 1/43 scale, as well as 1/24 and 1/18, made in China. Recently released is a 1/43 scale 1938 International D-300 refrigerated delivery van in the orange and yellow livery of Oscar Mayer [1], available as a closed van for £107.99, or with an open rear flap showing the ice blocks inside for £101.99. The real vehicle was commissioned by chilled food company Oscar Mayer with a streamlined body designed by industrial designer Brook Stevens and built by H Barkow Company, a Wisconsin coachbuilders, on an International Harvester D-300 chassis. It could carry 1995kg of ice. A similar vehicle was commissioned by Wisconsin Ice & Coal Co, in brown, which has also been modelled by…

ABBEY HILL FLYER Dear Editor I received my latest issue (issue 425) of Old Glory this morning and I noticed a couple of interesting facts in the report of the Abbey Hill rally that I hope you will be able to correct in the next issue. The main photo above the article refers to my engine A & P No. 5623 as Abbey Hill Flyer. It has not been named that for more than 30 years. It is now referred to as No 123 (as you identified) which was its working number with W W Buncombe. It was never Abbey Hill Flyer in its working life and I have tried to keep it as near as possible to that period in it’s life. It has certainly not been referred to…

Whilst on holiday in Spain with his wife Rika, Kevin Hoggett was driving out of the city of Cartagena and his navigation system sent them past the RENFE broad gauge railway terminus. On a roundabout outside the station was this portable engine which looked to have been recently restored and mounted on a length of railway track. It’s presumed that this was to give the impression that it was an early railway loco!! The maker’s identification was gained from the lettering on the valve chest cover: ‘Calla a Paris’ and some later research indicated that Christophe Francois Calla [1802-1884] was an engineer with workshops in La Chapelle, Paris. He was a pioneer of iron and bronze ornamental casting, including the metal frame of the Louvre. In 1852, undoubtedly inspired by…

It has been known for many years that steam rollers were manufactured in Europe, having first been imported there from Great Britain. German names such as Kemna, Theodore Ohl, Ruthemeyer and Zettelmeyer are perhaps somewhat familiar to British enthusiasts since during the early years of existence of these firms, steam rollers and other such related products were sent to Europe. Some were even badge-engineered prior to various of these currently well-known names setting up production lines of their own. However, more recently, much research was carried out into these companies and others which resulted in a large and weighty book being produced in Germany some time ago by Dr Ing H Schmidt-Römer with the title of Dampfselbstfahrer in Deutschsprachigen Raum. This detailed his extensive searches into steam road engines produced…

During the afternoon of Wednesday 10 September the mayor of Littlehampton Town Council, councillor Alan Butcher and deputy mayor of Littlehampton Town Council, councillor Marilyn May will visit Amberley Museum in West Sussex. This visit is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of a volunteer-led project to restore the Gardner 2LW engine, which powered the opening mechanism of the Littlehampton swing bridge. When the swing bridge across the river Arun at Littlehampton opened in 1908, tolls were collected from those people who used the bridge. At first a temporary hut was used, but by 1909 a toll house had been built. The last tolls were collected in 1953 when the bridge was taken over by the County Council. A new fixed road bridge was completed in 1973 and the swing…

Seen on 31 May 2025 is Tony Davies of AC Davies Agricultural Engineers at the Tinkers Park Rally, Hadlow Down, near Uckfield, East Sussex with his mighty March 1952 McLaren M5 Mk1. It produces 110bhp from its smooth running five-cylinder engine which features four-valves per-cylinder connected to a 75KVA three-phase generator producing 108 amps. The engine was supplied by McLarens to Fyfe Wilson & Co Ltd, Station Works, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire. Here the engine was coupled to the generator and then shipped to Hever Castle, Edenbridge, Kent as standby power for the Hever estate. It survived the 1968 floods, when the water rose half-way up the height of the generator. In fact the longest running that the set has ever done was in October 1987 for eight weeks after the…

On Saturday 5 July Southern Counties Auctioneers staged the Nick J Knight 350 clearout sale at Switchback Back Yard, Woodmancote, Chichester, West Sussex. The stock was not what you call good and much of it will surely end up in the scrap melted down pot. The weather was not at its best with rain just about keeping away, but it was dull and overcast. There were a raft of Lister Ds which sold for £22 together and a Lister A with tower was yours for £95. The Wolseley WD45 sold for £10 and the fine Lister D with sheep shearing equipment made £30. All in all a sale conducted with good humour and fun!…

Some months ago now the late Ted Freeman’s 1912 Burrell DCC 6hp No. 3395 The Dalesman was sold to The Badger’s owner Martin Shepard, who also gained the two ex-Marshall works waste metal road wagons from ROI. The Dalesman was new to J Hancock & Sons and named City of Exeter. As is well known the engine was restored to perfection by John Crowther in the 1960s and was the star on the northern circuit for some years, then called The Dalesman, before Ted Freeman continued what had gone before. It was a regular at Banbury and other events in the area. No. 3395 is having various things done to it before we will see out on the rally field again.…

At the 70th anniversary of the West of England Steam Engine Society rally at Stithians Showground (off A393), near Redruth, Cornwall TR3 7DP held on 15-17 August one of the stars set to take part (and one that attended the early rallies) in Cornwall was Ponto. The 1903 single drive and sprung Burrell 6hp single-crank compound, No. 2612 EB8351, which was known as Ponto for many decades but gained the name Millennium King from the previous owner’s Fowler in later times. The engine is now undergoing extensive restoration with current owners Charlie and David Swaffield near Crewkerne, Somerset. The Burrell, which worked in Wiltshire, had the boiler work started by others and was just left in a farmyard in pieces. After the completion of the Swaffield’s ex-Cushing sale patina’d style…

A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR Delighted to boast that this is Britain’s best-selling magazine for steam and vintage machinery enthusiasts. If you have enjoyed this issue of Old Glory and love original style or gleaming restored machinery especially road steam, or are fascinated by Britain’s rich industrial and transport heritage then why not subscribe? You will save money on the shop price and receive every issue direct to your door. Whether you’re interested in the latest news, places to visit or black and white photography of these wonderful machines in working times, featured by top writers and photographers you’ll find it all in the pages of Old Glory. SUBSCRIPTION BENEFITS • Get each issue delivered directly to your door in 100% plastic-free packaging • Save over 52%* • Never miss…

While I was at Cheffins Midterm Vintage Sale on Friday 18 July, I nipped over to the Weeting Steam Engine Rally in the 30 degree heat for a few hours. What a great event it was too with a fine crowd and lots going on. I would loved to have stayed longer, but I needed to get back. The Haddenham Club had a great stand at the show and they will be celebrating their 50th anniversary event on 6-7 September near Ely, Cambridgeshire. I have always enjoyed this show over the years, the stationary engines are always excellent so do go and enjoy, as there is plenty to see. There is still so much to see and do, the season is far from over, just go and enjoy where you…

Power and Machinery of the Past staged by Dennis and Chris Barnes, and supported by their respective families, has been running for a number of years now, staged in the walled gardens at the Breamore Countryside Museum, Wiltshire over 12-13 July. This is the connoisseurs, connoisseur event of the year and is not to be missed, particularly for those who like rare and unusual engines, say Alan and Lynne Cullen. Each year there is a themed section and for 2025 it was ‘Engines built in Scotland’ and ‘Hot Tube Ignition.’ As I walked around I counted 129 on show as the hot sun was beating down from the beginning to the end on Sunday. Engines built in Scotland ranged from Allan, Shanks, Annan, Glasgow, Acme, Melvin, Souter, Wilson and other…