The Centre Engine is Savage 5 1/2 No. 422, New to Tommy Lee - Kent in 1887. 422 went back to F. Savage for use in the 1935 King George V's Silvey Jubilee celebration , remanining in store after that. Ashley Bro's bought 422 in 1945 in order to replace the original Walker engine on the ride, this required the resetting of the eccentrics as Walkers rotate anti-clockwise where as Savage engines rotate clockwise. The ride continued to be opperated by steam until Billy Ashleys death in 1973, after which the ride went into store, until being sold at auction in pieces in 1979. Jack Schoield bought the majority of the ride - including the centre which still held Savage 422. The ride was returned to full servivce in 1982 with 422 back in opperation. Jack comissioned a new boiler to be built by I Newton in 2011 as the original 1887 boiler was now in quite a bad state. I was asked to transplant the topworks from the old boiler onto the new one over the 2012 - 2013 winter period, ready for the 2013 season. It wasn't until the strip process was completed that the full extent of the wear was known. The decision was taken to install the recently rebuild Savage 682 into the ride to allow the full rebuild of 422. We will be returning 422 into the gallopers over this winter ready for the 2014 season.
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The Worlds Smallest Steam Roller......whatever next??
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13th September 2013, 05:50 AM
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