Sellindge or Strumpshaw Hall 26th May

[5inchrail]

Sellindge was a great disappointment. The heart has gone out of it for me. Very little in the way of exhibits and most of the miniatures that are usually there were missing. Been told many have gone to the hop farm at Paddock Wood for the weekend. Spoke to several stallholders who said they were doing very little trade and most looked very bored. No miniature railway rides and the craft tent only had one craft stall and all the rest was filled up with radio control cars and only a coulpe of organs this year as well. Perhaps the enthusiasm for it disappeared when Les Birch died. I don't know but i'm not convinced, based on what i've seen today, that it will be able to continue much after this year. I've always had a soft spot for Sellindge being the first steam event I went to at the age of 11 but it seems to be dieing...

[island steamer]

Perhaps being the same every year will be its demise. A lot of rally's fall apart due to not getting anything new for the punters to look at. The next thing will be the cost of putting such a show on out ways the punters through the gate. Sorry for being a dark shadow but that's how it is. It will be a great shame if it does fall down, Les and his Family put their all into building it up.