A good ‘Model Engineers Day Out’

[Ramon WilsonParticipant @ramonwilson3]

Hi ‘guy’s’

For those in the East Anglian area who are perhaps not aware the Forncett Industrial Steam Museum is holding it’s ‘Model Engineers Day Out’ open day on Sunday 2nd of October

 

This event, now in it’s nineteenth year (not eleven as stated in events) attracts all disciplines of our hobby with an accent on model exhibits running on steam or air.

 

Set in lovely countryside in a sleepy little village the museum houses some very interesting stationary steam engines all beautifully maintained and most of which will be run – on steam – throughout the day. If you’ve never been before you will wonder just how they managed to get such big engines down such small lanes.

There is a very good refreshment bar to keep all and sundry well sustained so you can sit with a cup of tea and a fresh cake surrounded by models and watch the big Hopwas beam engine run in the background – Magic.

 

Forncett is about 9 miles south of Norwich and has a web site here

 

Do I have a vested interest well yes I guess I do – but for no other reason than I did the organising for the first twelve years before standing down for a break. It’s now in the capable hands of Bill Starling who is really trying to maintain the event as it was first thought of – a day out for ‘us’ – you can bring your wives, we do let them in providing they don’t badger you to leave to soon

 

Weather permitting ie not raining I hope to be able to give the Racers and Etas a good running – I think thats a first for Forncett – wonder what the neighbours will think of that.

 

Hope to see you there

 

Regards – Ramon

 

PS if you’d like to exhibit I’m afraid it’s too late as it’s fully booked for this year – space is limited unfortunately but have a word with Bill on the day and he’ll put you on the list for next year.

 

 

 

 

[Ramon WilsonParticipant @ramonwilson3]

[Bill StarlingParticipant @billstarling10428]

Thanks very much for the plug, Ramon.

 

May I add that even my – very non-mechanical – wife says it is quite interesting to go to – once!

 

If any forum members do go, please come and say hello – I plan to wear a name badge on the day. (Well, I’ll have so much else to remember!)

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill.

[AndyBParticipant @andyb47186]

Hi Ramon,

 

Thanks for the tip off. We are only 12 miles away but the website does not list the event.

 

We must be neighbours.

 

Andy

[Ramon WilsonParticipant @ramonwilson3]

Hi Andy, I’m at Beccles so not quite but certainly close.

 

Yes I noticed this morning that the website does not have a ‘poster’ listing the event. I think I must have a copy of the original one I did somewhere – I’ll have a talk with Bill to see if it can be resurrected for next year.

 

Look forward to meeting you on the day.

 

Regards – Ramon

 

PS My computer is going in for an upgrade today so I’ll be off line for a few days but Bill is going to watch this post in case of any enquiries

[Cornish JackParticipant @cornishjack]

Hi Ramon (or Bill)

Sounds good (about an hour away) but just had a look on Google Earth and the postcode given looks a bit sparse for parking Is it just Google’s geography wrong or are arrangements made to suit?

Rgds

Bill

[Bill StarlingParticipant @billstarling10428]

Dear Cornish Jack,

 

I see what you mean. Probably correct post code but wrong place. Go south a couple of clicks and you’ll find a driveway to the right of Low Road, with white and red cars parked diagonally next to a house aligned parallel to the road. The museum is the complex of buildings on the other side of the drive. Follow the drive through the trees and you come to a rather threadbare looking field with a car in the middle of it – that’s the car park. There’s actually more space than is apparent. Only possible hazard – 4ins traction engines in the drive!

 

See you there,

 

Norfolk Bill.

 

[Cornish JackParticipant @cornishjack]

Thank you, Bill

That sounds much better! Looks like a good day out, indeed – looking forward to it.

Rgds

Bill

[AndyBParticipant @andyb47186]

Hi Ramon,

 

Many thanks for the tip off.

 

It was great to meet you.

 

We had a fantastic time and the wife was so impressed and enthusiastic she made us both ‘Friends’. I have never seen her go off and start chatting to people that she has never met before so it has to have been good for her!!! (Oooer missus)

 

She says she could sit and watch the big engines running all day! (Especially the big compound pump engine!)

 

Andy

[Ramon WilsonParticipant @ramonwilson3]

Hi Andy,

 

Glad you and your wife enjoyed it so much – perfect weather, if a little hot, perfect company and some stunning models infact the best it’s been for quite a while.

 

I’m sure you and anyone else reading this who attended would want to join me in congratulating Bill Starling on bringing together such an eclectic mix of model makers and their wares after only his second year doing so. It certainly bodes well for the next few years if today was anything to go by. Well done Bill – an excellent job all round.

 

I did take my camera but just as last year spent so much time talking none got took but my wife tells me Bill was taking pics so hopefully he will put some up on here.

 

My day began when the crate I was carrying the Double Diagonal in decided to self destruct depositing, in an instant, the engine on the stairs with an almighty bang . Remarkably no damage other than a slightly bent crankshaft resulted which unfortunately prevented running but it was soon forgotten throughout the rest of the day such was the genial atmosphere.

 

Heres to next year Bill

 

Regards – Ramon

[Bill StarlingParticipant @billstarling10428]

Thanks to Andy and Ramon for their enthusiastic comments on the Model Engineers’ Day at the Forncett Steam Museum.

 

We had a wonderful range of exhibits, from exhibition quality to beginners (me) and from large scale live steam to miniature hot air. In fact we had ‘trains and boats and planes’ plus clocks and electrical apparatus – not forgetting Ramon’s demonstrations of his beautiful engines.

 

Unfortunately my photography skills don’t even match those of my bottom of the market camera, but I have asked one of the exhibitors, whose other interest is photography, if he can let us have some pictures for the forum.

 

Next year – I’ll ask David/Diane to mention the Day on the events page again. If you’d like advance notice and an invitation please PM me your e-mail address – Andy and Cornish Jack?

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill.

[Cornish JackParticipant @cornishjack]

Bill, Ramon et al … let me add my thanks and congratulations also! Super day, exceptional models, both in variety and quality. The full size engines were awe-inspiring – I did a ‘by eye’ calculation of the size of just one of the crank webs on the big beam – about 2’6″ x 2′.0″ x 9″!!! …that is serious metal!! Steam and hot oil … Aaaah! lovely! Couldn’t manage the whole day – knackered back and knee past its ‘sell-by’ date saw to that – but hugely enjoyable. Last, but not least, special thanks to Ramon for his patient explanations, particularly of the anodising process – model engineering expanded to encompass chemical experiments and the results truly superb.

Rgds

Bill

[AndyBParticipant @andyb47186]

Many apologies to Bill, all my comments should have been directed to you.

 

A fantastic day where everyone all came together with a common purpose and common language! The friendly atmosphere was truly amazing!

 

It was so seemless that it was difficult to remember that there were actually two events going on; the museum steam up and the modellers day. Everything ran into everything else, it was spectacular having the wooden clocks ticking away in time with the old Tower Bridge engine. Was that contrived?

 

Will certainly be there next year! Neither of us can wait!

 

Andy

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