We report from the Beamish Museum’s two-day Steam Gala

Posted by Chris Graham on 8th December 2023

David Reed visited Beamish Museum’s two-day Steam Gala where, besides the steamers, the trams, omnibuses and Fords were very popular.

Steam Gala: Seen leaving the 1900s town was ex-Newcastle Corporation Class A tram No. 114, that was built in 1901 by Hurst Nelson & Co of Motherwell to replace horse trams. It’s the only example of its type to have survived.

Starting the rally season off in fine style was the Beamish Museum’s two-day Steam Gala that took place at the world-famous open-air museum that’s near Stanley, in County Durham, at the beginning of April.

South Shields No. 196 was built in 1935 at the Boavista Works of Companhia Carris de Ferro do Porto, and is seen here at one of the stops at Beamish.

Apart from the steam, the trams that were on duty over the weekend were definitely worth a mention, with many having north-east connections. These included 1901 Newcastle Corporation Class A No. 114, that moved to Sheffield in 1941 before being withdrawn a decade later, while South Shields 196 was built in 1935 at the Boavista Works of Oporto Tramways Company, in Portugal. Certainly having a more modern look was Sunderland Corporation 16 that was built in 1900 by Dick, Kerr & Co, in Preston – it was used until 1954 when Sunderland’s system closed down, before being used as a football team’s changing rooms.

Sunderland Corporation Tramways No. 16 was built as an open-top tramcar by Dick, Kerr & Co, Preston, in 1900, ending up as a football team’s changing room and later a tool shed and apple store.

Finally there was Blackpool No. 31, built in 1901 at the Midland Railway Carriage & Wagon Company for Blackpool Tramway. Originally it was a four-wheel, double-decker open-topper. These trams were complemented by a couple of Daimler buses including KET 220, Rotherham Corporation’s 1954 CVG6, along with 304 VHN, Darlington Transport CVG5 from 1964.

This 1954 Daimler CVG6 was new to Rotherham Corporation, and was on duty at Beamish throughout the weekend.

Competing for space on the roads between the trams and steam engines were a number of smaller vintage vehicles, all of which helped to set the scene. Peter Wyatt was to be seen with his 1929 Ford A1 recovery, which is fitted with a Weaver crane, while Austin Ellis’ 1922 Ford Model T carried a Shetland Islands registration. It passed to Lowes of Chester before being owned in Ireland, then returning to the UK.

This 1922 Ford Model T was seen on the main street at Beamish. It carries a Shetland Islands registration plate, and passed to Lowes of Chester before being owned in Ireland, later being brought back to the UK.

Indeed, the Ford name was prominent over the weekend. No real history is known about Russell Cook’s 1919 Ford TT that was bought from Model T specialist Neil Tuckett, in Buckinghamshire, while Nick Onions of Shrewsbury was with a 1921 Ford Model TT 13-seat country bus which had operated in the Welshpool area for many years before being loaned to Lord Montague for the Beaulieu Motor Museum.

304 VHN was Darlington Corporation Transport’s 1964 CVG5, and was seen on the roads around Beamish during the gala.

Then came Neil Elford’s 1915 Ford T van that was new to the French Creek MDSE & Co Steam Bakery of St Peters, in Pennsylvania, USA, which came to the UK around 2019 in bits, while a 1915 Ford Model T pick-up came from Texas in 2020, having been bought unseen over the ‘phone.

This 1929 Ford A1 recovery is fitted with a Weaver crane, and is owned by Peter Wyatt. It is seen in the 1900s town at Beamish.

It was an amazing sight to see so many Ford Model T commercial derivatives at the event.

But, whatever the reason for your visit, there’s always so much to see at the Beamish Museum here, reminding us of days gone by with a town, a railway station, farms and pit village with the colliery all complemented by the trams, omnibuses and, on this occasion, the vintage Ford vehicles.