Isle of Wight 27th-30th Aug 2010
 

Twenty full size engine on display, to include the Sentinel timber tractor from Australia, Puffing Billy the Foden steam bus, Sultan's Sentinel and a Stanley steam car. The Pride of Worcester in the Steam fair, plus one on the working sawbench and one roller on road making. 57 Real ales across the bar in the beer tent, plus the train rides. Please come over and visit us this year. One of the friendliest shows on the circuit!


Charlie.

Stuart Ritchies Foden and Keith Collins Fowler T 3 will also be there.

Chris.

Its a great little show, not so little any more, i think at least 6-7 island engines. Its a shame more folk dont come over, they dont know what they are missing, and the beers good to. Cant wait to get my girl back together. Not long now, till the show that is, the old girls a little way off.

I will be there running the Loader family's 4inch Garrett, please come and say hello!
Jim

I will try pop over Sunday. Working for Wightlink I can get over foc!!!! Would be good to meet you there.

Do try to get over Tom, it would be nice to put faces to names being a bit cut off from the rest over here. Stand you a pint. I will be with Wallis advance called Vital Spark.

Packed & ready to roll (only we havn't got a roller). This will be our 2nd year, its great.

Going Saturday now. Won free tickets through work, as they do sponsor the railway!
Ill pop and see you Keith.

Went today, had a great time, nice to meet some TT members!

My only dissapointment was that both showmens were not in steam, I couldnt find anybody on them, and no reason why they were not in steam. They did not join in with the steam line up either. Did seem a bit slack?

Wish I wasn't sooo busy, would have come up for the Cowes-Torquay-Cowes powerboat race ( one boat I built hull and deck for is racing, and my buisiness partner is driving another) and gone to the show whilst I was there,

I hope that the staff on the railway are a damn site more polite than they were when we went over a couple of week ago! I don't think i've ever been to a preserved railway and felt more unwelcome by the staff and volunteers. We even saw one guy who was in a wheel chair stop a chap in station master / guards full uniform to ask a simple question. Before he had had a chance to finish asking his question the chap said "be quick man, i've only got 15 minutes for my lunch!" We were gob smacked, as was the guy in the wheelchair and his wife who was pushing him. They, and we, won;t be going back.

" Grateful thanks to Charlie for bringing the recent post about a not so good visit to the Isle of Wight Steam Railway to my attention, I have requested this post on my behalf.

In addition to being a preserved railway and Registered Educational Charity we are a major Island tourist attraction and delighted to be enjoying a record breaking year with visitor numbers some 20% up on our record breaking attendance in 2009. Vital to our success is the excellent level of Customer Service we deliver. Indeed, our front line staff and volunteers receive ongoing formal and informal training. With many notes of praise and not one complaint this year over staff attitude, I am sincerely concerned to learn of the recent post. Every effort is being made to identify the member of staff or volunteer referred to as I know it can be no more than a one off lapse. Apologies we slipped up this time.

On a brighter note. What a fantastic 36th Island Steam Show. I take this opportunity to thank every volunteer and exhibitor to make it one of our most enjoyable ever. Planning for year 37 is well underway!

Finally, live on BBC 1 on Saturday 4 September we picked up the National Lottery Best Heritage Project 2010 Award for our carriage restoration work. Just fantastic! Any of you who may have voted for us - Thank you so much.

Best regards to all involved with Traction Talk.

Peter Vail. General Manager. Isle of Wight Steam Railway"