Hello from Lincolnshire

[Robert Smith 24Participant @robertsmith24]

Hi all,

I am a lifelong steam enthusiast with a particular interest in traction engines. I was lucky enough to have regularly driven full size engines from the age of ten but have had no direct connection with engines for many years.

I have recently acquired a two inch scale Allchin in order to renew (at a rather late age!) my hands on experiences so I reckon the wealth of experience on this forum will assist me.

I hope you won't mind me asking too many daft questions.

[Robert Smith 24Participant @robertsmith24]

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Welcome!

Whereabouts are in Lincolshire are you? It's a big county

With restrictions about to ease, I would advocate joining a local M E Society.

There are clubs, LIncoln and District, Grimsby and Cleethorpes , Stamford to name a few.

In Peterborough, we have had members from as far a field as Boston, and there are some from the Lincolnshire fens!

In happier times, there was the annual rally at Whissendine, for road engine enthusiasts.

After over 20 years, PSME lost their annual rally at Sacrewell Farm and have been unable to find a suitable replacement site at which to exhibit our member's work, in the same way.

Howard

[Chris Evans 6Participant @chrisevans6]

Welcome, I have never had the pleasure of operating a Traction engine but would love to. I am lucky enough to live on a road used by many traction engines during summer months so get to see them go by. Friendly bunch if I call into their home ground at "Klondike Mill" on the A515. Enjoy the forum.

[Harry WilkesParticipant @harrywilkes58467]

Welcome to the forum

H

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Welcome aboard Ship mate ! Steering a fullsize engine can be a challenge. Where are you ? Noel

[Robert Smith 24Participant @robertsmith24]

Hello All, and many thanks for the welcome. I am very near the Humber Bridge, in fact I can see it from my garden. I think I will approach the Grimsby and Cleethorpes club as they are nearest to me. I wouild like to eventually register the Allchin for the road so I will need boiler certification etc. which I assume the club can provide.

One of the full size engines I used to drive as a mere lad was an Allchin called Ellen, built in 1898 and still on the rally circuit, obviously with new owners. The other was an Aveling and Porter roller named Supreme which was bought from the owner I knew by a farmer in Hungarton in Leicestershire. My late father and I used to visit him and take the roller out for a run, but when I left the area I lost touch. Sadly I have no idea what happened to the engine and my searches have turned up nothing.

Anyway, visiting rallies was never the same as a member of the public, so I took a long time out from steam for the joys of vintage motorcycles. However, as it seems so many of us old 'uns do, I have now returned to my steam roots and will be driving an Allchin almost identical to Ellen. The grubby finger nails, ears full of sooty oil, face spattered with lube and hair (what's left of it) leaving greasy stains on the car seat head rests. In the words of Alan Jay Lerner "Ah yes, I remember it well."

[Chris Evans 6Participant @chrisevans6]

Robert, tell us more about the vintage motorcycles. They are my passion in life.

[Brian HParticipant @brianh50089]

Hello Robert and welcome from a fellow traction engine enthusiast in Derbyshire.

Brian

[Robert Smith 24Participant @robertsmith24]

Thanks again for the welcome.

Of the vintage motorcycles, I have owned so many over the years that I struggle to remember them all. Prior to me selling up some fifteen years ago, I owned eight. A 1915 Hobart, a 1919 AJS model D V twin, a 1946 Velocette MSS, a 1956 Velocette MSS, a 1961 Velocette Venom, a 1958 Triumph Speed Twin, a late D1 BSA Bantam and a non-vintage BMW R100RS. It's fair to say that my favourites were always Velocettes.

I sold them all partly because my long hours at work left me little time for riding and fettling and partly because I had become disillusioned with the motorcycle show scene.

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