Hollycombe Steam Collection
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The Hollycombe Steam Collection is a collection of steam-powered vehicles, rides and attractions based at Liphook in Hampshire. The collection includes fairground rides, a display farm and two railways.
[edit] History
The collection dates back to the late 1940s when Commander John Baldock decided to preserve some of the steam traction engines that were rapidly disappearing from British life. By the early 1960s he had acquired a significant collection of road vehicles and started to collect fairground rides. In the late '60s he extended his interests again into preserving railway equipment.
The collection was eventually opened to the public and became a major Hampshire tourist attraction. At length the collection grew so large it became impossible for one person to maintain, and by 1984 Baldock decided he would have to close the operation.
A Society was formed by volunteers to operate the collection. This was successful and the collection continued to expand. At the beginning of 1999 a charitable trust took over the majority of the collection, funded by a Heritage Lottery Fund grant.
[edit] Attractions
[edit] Edwardian Fairground
The Edwardian Fairground is a complete steam fair comprising rides originating from the 1870s and later. The rides include a Tidman 3 abreast Golden Gallopers roundabout, a single Steam Yacht a Razzle Dazzle being a grand aerial novelty ride with a rotating and tilting movement. S Fields Steam Circus was built between 1868 and 1872 and is the oldest surving mechanically propelled fairground device. The fairground also has a set of Steam Swings, a Set of Tidman Chair o planes, a big wheel and a Bioscope Show which is an early travelling cinema. The rides are constructed mainly from wood and, where appropriate, are powered by steam engines. There are rides for all ages and the atmosphere is completed with a number of fairground organs and a range of sidestalls.
[edit] Farm
The farm includes a wide range of vintage steam-powered farm equipment including: ploughing engines, a threshing machine, a baler, and a stationary steam engine driving small machinery through a line shaft.
There is a variety of animals: Shire horses, ponies, sheep, goats, ducks and geese.
The sawmill is used to cut much of the wood used on site and is powered by a large semi-portable Robey Steam Engine. Close by is the engine from the paddle steamer Caledonia.
[edit] Railways
There are three railways: narrow gauge, standard gauge and miniature railway.
[edit] Narrow gauge railway
The narrow gauge railway at Hollycombe started in 1967 using equipment purchased from the Dinorwic slate quarry in north Wales. The quarry had recently abandoned its extensive internal rail system and Commander Baldock acquired the steam locomotive Jerry M along with a quantity of track and several wagons. Construction started in 1968 and reached the sandstone quarry by 1971. The line was later extended to include a loop, which brought the track length to its present 1½ miles. The second steam locomotive Caledonia was purchased in 1968.
[edit] Locomotives
| Name | Builder | Type | Date | Works number | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jerry M | Hunslet | 0-4-0ST | 1895 | 638 | ex-Dinorwic Quarry |
| Caledonia | Barclay | 0-4-0WT | 1931 | 1995 | ex-Burnhope Reservoir railway, later at Dinorwic Quarry where it was named No. 70 |
| Jack | Ruston Hornsby | 4wDM |
[edit] References
- Thomas, Cliff (2002). The Narrow Gauge in Britain & Ireland. Atlantic Publishers. ISBN 1-902827-05-8.
- Official website.
