Full Steam Ahead for Anniversary Fair!
A steam engine enthusiast who spent seven years refurbishing his unique vehicle, is one of the special guests at the 10th anniversary Vintage Engine and Steam Fair held at Rhondda Heritage Park this month.
Tony Whitecombe’s classic engine, which is one of only four in the world, will be one of the many attractions on display at the Park on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th September.
For Mr Whitecombe, the annual fair is one of the highlights of his year, because it is held on the location of the former Lewis Merthyr Colliery in Trehafod. It was in similar industrial surroundings that his enthusiasm was sparked for a hobby that now plays a huge part in his life.
CLASSIC: Tony Whitecombe with his prized possession
Originally from Beaufort Road, Ebbw Vale, the baker’s son had his first taste of the power of steam as the Great Western Railway sped from Ebbw Vale to Beaufort at the end of his street.
And as the 60-year-old father explained, it was where a lifetime’s love of steam engines first began: “I was just seven years of age when I saw a steam train up close and was totally inspired by its sheer size, power and magnitude.
“I well recall being invited to take a ride on the engine and stood on the foot plate with the driver. I was in awe of it from that moment on because the power is almost frightening.”
Mr Whitecombe began his working life in the nearby Marine Colliery in Cwm where he served his apprenticeship as a fitter. It was there that he nurtured his knowledge of steam engines and began purchasing and reconditioning motorbikes.
After spending a few years in London in the late 1960s he eventually settled in the cockle-capital of Penclawdd, where he developed his window-making business and also his interest in mechanics by refurbishing a number of antique stationery engines and tractors.
But it wasn’t until 1989 that he took on one of the biggest projects of his life by purchasing a Richard Garrett & Sons General Purpose Traction Engine. Built in Northern Ireland in 1920 and sold for the staggering sum of £1,200 at the time, it spent its working life in Londonderry, probably used to pull down trees, drive threshing machines and other agricultural work.
RUIN: How the engine looked when Tony Whitecombe bought it
The 12-tonne, six nominal horse-power steam engine, which remains nameless except for its number, IW2731, travels at just three miles per hour but can easily pull a massive 40 tonnes.
But the classic vision of a steam engine that he now regularly takes to various rallies around the UK is a far cry from its original state in 1989 when he bought it in Glasgow.
For seven gruelling years he spent every spare moment carefully restoring the entire engine, even applying to have copies of the original design so he could renovate every aspect as authentically as possible – from the major mechanics to the colour of the paintwork on the wheels.
Unwilling to admit how much money he has spent on renovating the engine, Mr Whitecombe did explain with a wry smile, “I have rubber tyres on the engine which would have cost £5,000 for the entire set. But I had mine from a 1943 British tank instead.”
Today the steam engine is in an immaculate condition, gleaming in the sunlight and magnificent in its presence.
Over the years he has also made many friends through various societies like the Traction Engine Trust, but he is one of the few steam engine owners in south Wales, with many coming from Devon, Cornwall and Dorset.
“It’s wonderful to see so many people derive pleasure from the engines because they are very nostalgic and sentimental things from a bygone age. To see them travelling with steam bellowing from the chimney you can’t help but be impressed by their energy and strength.
“I don’t consider myself the owner,” he explained, “I’m just a custodian. That’s the way we all feel about steam engines.
“It really is an absolute labour of love and I derived a lot of pleasure and joy from restoring the engine. I had parts made all over the country and I’m glad so many people can now have the pleasure of seeing the engine up close in rallies.
“As a former colliery fitter, you can imagine how much I enjoy the Rhondda Heritage Park steam fair, because it’s located in surroundings very close to my heart, being an Ebbw Vale boy.”
The Vintage Engine & Steam Fair at the Rhondda Heritage Park will include 20 exhibits ranging from working steam engines to static models. There will also be fairground organs, model railways, trade stands and working displays.
The Fair takes place on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th of September from 11am to 4pm. Admission is £2.50 for adults and £1.50 for children.
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Last revised on: 31/8/2007