We’re pleased to announce that the Chairman of the East Anglian Traction Engine Society, Andrew Waling, is bringing his Foster showman’s tractor to this year’s Crank Up. This engine, known as “Lord of the Isles” was new to Tucker’s of Loughborough for hauling bricks, before going to showman Albert Holland of Swadlincote. She attended the first EATEC event at Saling in 1955, in the ownership of Darbys of Sutton. She has been in Andrew’s family since the early 1960s.
The Crank Up doesn’t only celebrate full time steam of course, we also have a stunning assortment of miniature steam engines booked to attend. Often built by the owners, these engines are of the very highest standard and give you an opportunity to see up close how a steam engine works.
We have Burrell, Foden, Foster, Mc Laren and Savage examples entered. Among the rarer examples are a Dodman and a Coulson and Wear chain drive engine!
Our Steam Secretary has been in touch to let us know of a few more steam engines that are joining us at the Crank Up!
Keith Honour is bringing along his Burrell Showman’s Engine “Margaret”, which worked for the Thurston family of travelling showmen. He is also hoping to bring his Marshall portable engine and saw bench!
We’re also welcoming back the Stanley Steam Car belonging to Bernard Green. This was made in America and spent its life in Australia before coming to England. A very interesting vehicle.
New to the Crank Up is the Aveling & Porter roller owned by Ryan Weston, which was formerly owned by the Leys School Steam Club in Cambridge, and has attended many East Anglian Club events over the years.
Are you an individual or business who might be interested in helping us by sponsoring this year’s Crank Up?
We have a number of packages available, to suit all pockets. All sponsors receive tickets for the event, and have the opportunity to place banners and promotional materials around the event site.
Also, this year, you can purchase advertising in our event programme.
If you are interested, or would like to find out more, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
The committee of the Saffron Walden Crank Up would like to wish you all a very happy Easter.
If you fancy a steam fix over the weekend, visit the Easter steam Up:
Or, slightly further afield, you could visit the “Festival of Steam and Transport” at the Chatham Historic Dockyard:
http://www.thedockyard.co.uk/plan/events/festival-steam-and-transport/
In addition to our fine display of steam engines, we are pleased to announce that Mr. Barry Peacock from Ely has kindly agreed to bring along his Davies stationary baler, so we can give an indication of one of the jobs these engines were used for in their working lives.
Our Steam Secretary has been in touch to let us know that he’s received more steam entries, all of which are return visitors to our event!
Paul Whipps will be driving over with his speedy Wallis steam tractor, which was built in Basingstoke and spent the first years of its life in Hampshire.
Nick Allen and family are bringing their Aveling & Porter steam roller, which spent its working life in Cambridge
Melvyn Camps is steaming down from Wimbish with his Sentinel steam waggon, that worked on the Isle of Wight and is fitted with a three-way tipping body
and the Pumfrey family are bringing their Ruston, Proctor traction engine again. This engine has been owned by the family since new, and worked commercially in the local area, at times within a stone’s-throw of the Crank Up site.
That’s it for this update, but here is a picture of the Ruston engine threshing in Little Chesterford in 1928.
Steam and vintage enthusiasts in the Saffron Walden and Cambridge area might be interested in the following:
Robert Pumfrey is organising the 33rd Annual Whittlesford film and video show, to be held on Saturday, 27th February 2016 at Whittlesford Memorial Hall, Whittlesford near Cambridge. CB22 4NE.
Steam films dating from the 1960s to the present day, many unseen elsewhere, will be shown. There will also be refreshments available, and a raffle.
All are welcome at this free event, which starts at 7.30 pm.
For further details contact Robert Pumfrey BEM on robert.pumfrey@btconnect.com.
Of course, at the Crank Up we are very proud of our line up of steam engines, but that doesn’t mean that other sections are neglected. Entries are coming in well.
Of particular note, and with a local connection, is this fine Ruston & Hornsby stationary engine owned by Mr. Thomas from Saffron Walden.
“The engine was supplied new in 1939 to Saffron Walden Engineering who installed it into Barnards mill in Newport, near the station.
It was removed from the mill in the mid 70’s and put onto a lorry for Rallies, it then spent many years in storage until 2011 when it was mounted on a trailer to rally again.”
The photo was taken at last year’s Crank Up
Our Steam Secretary has been in touch to keep us up to speed with our steam entries, and he’s had a flurry of forms in!
Returning for the second year are East Anglian stalwart Will Childs with his Aveling Barford roller “Lady Helen” and the Reid family with their rare Clayton & Shuttleworth steam roller. Society magazine editor Jenny Baxter is bringing her smart Fowler T3 roller “Firefly”, which debuted in her ownership at last year’s Crank Up. Stephen Haylock’s Ransomes engine “The Chieftain” is also attending, in the care of Phil Starling, an engine that has lived in Essex for all its long life.
New for this year are Matt Garwood’s 1891 Aveling roller “The Old Girl”, seen here at Thurlow Rally 2011 (Photo C. Flack),
and the Worbey family’s Garrett overtype steam wagon. This engine was owned locally for a time by Taylor Brothers of Wimbish. Seen here at Bedfordshire Steam & Country Fayre 2014 (Photo: webmaster)
