But that reasoning is not just for Thursford. There are many cases of neglect through lack of time or money to restore engines throughout the country. Jack Wakefield, Tom Varley, Parky Bates, Tom Tate, Beamish Museum, and many others all qualify for your 30 odd years rule. But we have them all to thank that these neglected engines survived at all. George Cushing was one of these men with the pipe dream of restoring everything that they bought. Thanks to them we have the wealth of road steam in preservation today.

Must agree Jim, those early days were better. Having been around that much earlier my recollections are of the 1950/60's with both Victory and Medina attending Rayham Days events. I recall the late Jack Shuttlewood whom had driven Edgar Shone's Burrell Special Scienic 3884 up from Braintree, he together with Billy Jeans steamed Victory through from Thursford. His remarks were-not over complimentary as they had problems with both the pump and injector.

It seem a great shame that a few of the engines are not steamable, to me its of the old style museums with exhibits stuffed and mounted. The most inportant thing being they have been saved for all to see and enjoy.

Not disputing that for one moment, a visit to my yard will show me up for having pipedreams, one day I will have to have a clear out, it just seems to me a shame that the unrestored engines deteriated for so long.

When i visited Thursford i dont remember the engines not being sheeted. That was the thing about it, you couldnt see what engines they were because of the sheeting. I must admit that it wont be the same now that the engines across the road have gone, there was always that bit of excitement you might see something not seen before.

Thinking back, my first visit to Thursford would have been in 1973, in those days the museum was in a Nissen hut type of building that was situated 'across the road' going by the location of the phone box, back then the museum had no phone and you could sometimes see George Cushing using the phonebox just outside the gateway, at this time there were about 15-20 engines, predominately Aveling Rollers to the left hand side of the museum, none of which were sheeted. On one occasion the gate opposite was open and it was possible to see either 'Alexandra' or 'unity' in the yard, this was the only time that I have seen a derelict Showmans engine. When the present museum was built in the early 'eighties there was a great investment in tarpaulin and the derelict engines were sheeted.

Absolutely right Steve, as a young lad I remember seeing many unsheeted engines in the yard, thankfully as you say they were later to be sheeted up although not before soem of the engines became quite a state.

Credit where Credit is due though as George save many from being torched.

Jim

My biding memory of Thursford around 1972 was a huge plougher - possibly an aveling, without a sheet and a tree growing out of it!

Billy Jeanes of Wrentham helped a lot of local engine owners. He died in 1983.

The Burrell roller and Marshall roller ( 78108 ) had a ticket until quite recently. When were the others last steamed ?

Anyone old enough to remember Harry Bushell at Thursford? He lived in a cottage in Cushing's yard and was an engine driver most of his life. I was very young when I first met him but found him a lovely gentle man who was always kind to me.