Amberley Museum photography day treats

Simon Colbeck provides the photographs from another superb photographic day held at the Amberley Museum, in West Sussex, early in July.

The fabulous collection of transport-related buildings at Amberley provided a perfect backdrop for the participating road steam exhibits at the latest photographic day organised at the Amberley Museum near Storrington, in West Sussex.

Situated in the beautiful South Downs countryside of south-east England, the museum is located within the former Amberley chalk quarry. Historically an important source of lime for mortar and agricultural uses, the Amberley quarry had its own kilns, the remains of which can still be seen in the museum grounds.

The big attraction at this year’s Amberley event was the first opportunity to see Fowler No. 7453 of 1895 Albert together with Marshall No. 14242 of 1886 Victoria since Albert’s repatriation by the Wakelin family after its long sojourn in France, following its sale there by Michael List-Brain.

Both engines have a long history together, having been part of the famous Seward’s of Petersfield threshing and haulage fleet during their working days.

Albert was delivered new to Seward’s as an A4 compound traction engine with rear axle springs. At some point it was returned to the Steam Plough Works for replacement rear wheels. These were of a non-standard, smaller diameter which it still sports, giving it a very distinctive, powerful appearance. These could certainly be seen to good effect as the engine had shed its rear wheel rubbers on the Sunday, and so was running on strakes for the first time in many years.

Amberley resident Wallis & Steevens Advance roller No. 8104 of 1936 was in constant action all day, showing its surprising turn of speed on the museum’s road system. Aveling & Porter 10-ton OHV compound roller No. 5156 of 1902 presented a far more traditional form of roller, and looked lovely out and about with its living van in tow. Jonathan Vartan’s Fowler 13-ton roller No, 21833 of 1936 looked superb as it left the museum with its living van behind it; a truly splendid example of these large 6nhp Fowler rollers.

After the showers on yet another wet summer’s day, the sight of newly restored resident Marshall 8-ton roller No. 79669 of 1925 heading off down a country lane without a modern car in sight really summed up the appeal of this event. The team at Amberley certainly put on a splendid day’s entertainment.

Adding a bit of glamour to this year’s event was Wallis & Steevens showman’s tractor No. 7482 Royal Star. Built in 1914, it was requisitioned by the War Office and used on threshing duties to help the war effort. By 1925 it was working for Goodey Brothers of Twyford hauling their Gallopers, then was laid-up in 1927. After 40 years in a scrapyard, it was finally purchased for preservation in 1967 and restored back to its showland condition.

In addition to the road steam exhibits, the museum’s 2ft gauge railway was in operation and featured the delightful Bagnall saddle tank No.2067 of 1918, Peter. The chunky looking Bagnall was originally built for the Ministry of Munitions to 3ft gauge, and worked for the Canadian Forestry Corps in Cumberland. After the war it was re-gauged at Bagnall’s Stafford works to 2ft gauge, then sold to the famous Cliffe Hill Granite Co railway in Leicestershire. An Amberley resident for nearly 40 years, Peter always looks superb shunting a rake of skip wagons around the ideal surroundings of the old chalk quarry.

Completing the period feel were a Stanley steamer and Toby Robinson’s 1928 BSA S28, both elegantly passing the excellent historic buildings which make the Amberley Museum such a superb place to visit.

With thanks to David Williams and Timeline Events

This feature comes from the latest issue of Old Glory, and you can get a money-saving subscription to this magazine simply by clicking HERE