Ipswich & District Historical Transport Society
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Transport Matters Ipswich & District Historical Transport Society ISSN 0306.0187 Narrow boat ‘Charlie’ at Stoke Bruerne (see pages 8-12) (Photo: John Shemming) Contents … Page Editorial - Phil Argent 2 Cut-off dates for Transport Matters 2 Letter to the Editor - Graham Austin 2 Meeting Report: Time Flies at Old Warden: The Story of the Shuttleworth Collection - Mervyn Russen 3 Photos of the Shuttleworth Collection - Phil Argent 4-5 Visit to the Norfolk Railway Society in Norwich - Mervyn Russen 6 Chairman Change - Martyn Hunt 7 Committee Changes - Martyn Hunt 7 Apology - Phil Argent 7 IDHTS 2017 Excursion to Stoke Bruerne - John Shemming 8-12 Obituary: Richard Smith - Martyn Hunt 10 A Little Bit About Myself - Peter Berry 13 Friends of Ipswich Transport Museum Trip to The London Transport Museum, Acton 13 HMS Queen Elizabeth - Mervyn Russen 14-15 An Interesting Afternoon at an Industrial Feeder Branch Line - Peter Berry 16-17 No 257 Competition - Graham Austin 18 August Events 19-20 2017 1 Editorial ... Phil Argent Welcome to TM257 which introduces our new Hon Secretary (from September), Peter Berry, to you all. Peter has also contributed an interesting article of a recent visit to Ketton in Rutland for this issue … it is the very thing that makes TM unique, the sharing of our transport interests and experiences. I would remind you all (as always) that TM is YOUR magazine and it is YOUR contributions that make it what it is! Whilst it may be an Editor’s ‘dream’ to receive highly polished authoritive, complete articles, equally welcome are YOUR suggested ideas and even the odd photograph (transport related) for inclusion in the future editions … it all counts to making TM a more interesting publication! With this issue is all the AGM gen required for our new season which begins on Wednesday 27 September where I look forward to meeting up with you all again … especially those of you with ideas regarding TM. Apologies for the quality of the group picture on page 10. Should any other member have a better quality image we will be happy to include it in the next TM. Press/Cut-off Dates for Transport Matters … To enable the smooth running of future Transport Matters contributors should be aware of the following press/cut-off dates. 15th of each of the following months, namely January, April, July and October. This will ensure that members will receive TM in February, May, August and November. Letter to the Editor … Dear Sir The article by David Chappell recalling his use of and fun with the Cyclemaster power unit installed in an ordinary cycle brought back memories of my own experience with these neat and relatively powerful machines. Amongst service and repair to items of plant used within the Civil Engineer department of British Rail it was normal routine to help staff with various forms of equipment from petrol lighters, cycles, household appliances to motor cycles (some from way back which would cost a fortune now) including the various power add-ons such as Powerpack, Mini motor, Raleigh, an undercrank Italian design and Cyclemasters, to cars and even the Engineer’s car. The Cyclemaster was originally 25cc, painted black and, if memory serves me correct, nearer the normal petrol/oil ratio of 16 to 1. The hand operated free standing pumps, worked like a one arm bandit dispensed more than one oil to fuel rate but did not last long. My mentor bought a 32cc model and used the new Shell Rotela oil, (we had a few barrels) one of the early detergent containing types which kept the engine very clean, only requiring a wipe of the piston and transfer ports when serviced. The crankshaft was fitted with a disc valve assisting with fuel flow giving these engines a performance above the ordinary two strokes. The majority of add-on units drove on the tyre, removing tread at a fast rate. Introduction of heavy duty tyres were fairly successful in overcoming the problem. My final evening before travelling to Great Malvern to commence national service was spent fitting a Mini Motor to my then girl-friend’s (within three months wife) cycle as the Cyclemaster had been sold and would no longer pull us both on the way home after work. Happy days, where have you gone? Graham Austin Please send articles for the next Transport Matters to Phil Argent (see back page for details) by 15 October 2017 2 Meeting Report ... Mervyn Russen Time Flies at Old Warden – the Story of the Shuttleworth Collection 24 May 2017 Debbie Land An audience of 68 members and visitors was entertained by an illustrated talk by Debbie Land entitled; ‘Time Flies at Old Warden’ - The Story of the Shuttleworth Collection. Debbie replaced the booked speaker; Alan Reed, he had been unable to attend on the night. The original driving force for creating the collection was Richard Ormonde Shuttleworth, born in 1909, at Old Warden. The family wealth came from the long-established firm of Clayton & Shuttleworth, agricultural engineers and steam-wagon makers. At the age of 23, Richard Shuttleworth inherited enough money to enjoy his passion for racing and aviation. 1913 Wellingborough S 3.30.T Richard purchased his first vintage car, (Photo: Phil Argent) the 1898 Panhard Levassor, which he ran in the Brighton Run. The car had previously taken part in the Paris-Amsterdam race. Around the same time he also bought his first aircraft the DH60X Moth (G-EBWD), both of which are still part of the Collection today. Richard was a keen horseman, and owned or drove a large number of cars including Bugattis, Alfa Romeos, Railton, a 2.3-litre sleeve valve Arrol-Aster, Rolls-Royce, and a vintage Jowett. He also enjoyed motorcycles and once owned a sleeve-valve Sparkbrook. He also enjoyed steam powered vehicles such as his 1901 Locomobile. Richard went on to have a successful car racing career until a serious accident in South Africa ended that adventure. After recuperating, Richard turned his interest to aeronautics. He was particularly interested in historic aircraft and would track down abandoned aeroplanes, then restore them to pristine condition in what is now the Engineering Workshop at Shuttleworth. When war broke out in 1939, Richard joined the Royal Air Force and was posted to RAF Benson. In the early hours of 2 August 1940, he was flying in an overnight cross-country training exercise in a Fairey Battle aircraft and was killed when it crashed into a nearby hill. His distraught mother, Dorothy, kept the Collection alive in his memory. All aircraft if possible would also be capable of flight. The aircraft collection includes several unique early aircraft such as a 1909 Bleriot Monoplane XI (original), a 1916 Sopwith Pup, a 1917 SE5a and a 1917 F2B Bristol Fighter. Second World War treasures include a 1938 Westland Lysander and a 1941 Hawker Sea 1914 Clayton and Shuttleworth Engine Hurricane 1b; the only one known to be still flying. and 1910 Deperdussin (Photo: Debbie Land) No collection would be complete without a Spitfire and they have 1942 Mark Vc which originally had the clipped wings. At the end of a fine swansong to the season; Debbie and her accompanying colleague from the museum were given generous applause by an appreciative audience. 3 Photos of the Shuttleworth Collection ... Phil Argent Above left: View of Old Warden from ‘upstairs’ on the 1913 Wellingborough Bus which offers free rides along the flight line at most events. Above right: Bristol Blenheim MK1 from Duxford displaying at Old Warden 3 July 2017. Left 1: SE5a F904 of 1918 and Avro 504K E3273 … just two of the Shuttleworth’s Collection of eight World War I aircraft. Left 2: De Havilland Tiger Moth (K2585) originally T6818 when built by Morris Motors at Cowley in 1944 for the RAF. After the War it was in civilian hands registered as G-ANKT until presented to the Shuttleworth Collection in 1966. It has been extensively restored and is finished in the colours of the RAF Central Flying School Aerobatic Team of the late 1930s. Below left and right: Comper Swift G-ACTF. Built in 1933, this aircraft was presented to the Shuttleworth Trust in 1996 where it has been restored in its original scheme ‘The Scarlet Angel’. 4 Above and right: Hawker Hurricane MK I P3717, an original Battle of Britain survivor restored in the markings that it wore in August 1940 whilst serving with 253 Sqdn stationed at RAF Kenley. It is one of three Hurricanes resident at Old Warden. Below 1: Gloster Gladiator K7985 in the markings of 73 Sqdn circa 1938 and Hawker Demon K8203 of the same period in 64 Sqdn markings as stationed at Martlesham Heath at the time. Below 2: Demon with its Hawker ‘stablemate’ Tomtit K1786 an RAF Training aircraft of the same period. This aircraft has been resident at Old Warden since 1956. 5 Visit to the Norfolk Railway Society in Norwich - 18 May 2017 … Mervyn Russen It was the turn of our society this year to present talks to our friends at the Norfolk Railway Society. Graham Austin, Barry Emms and Bob Malster, together with Merv Russen providing technical support, visited the above at the NRS meeting venue; the United Reformed Church Hall just off the Ipswich Road in Norwich. We were greeted by Edward Mann. It was good to meet him, Graham Kenworthy et al again. Barry kicked off the evening with a talk entitled ‘Restoration of a 1922 Model T Ford’ which was a truncated version of a talk he had given to our society last September (see report in Transport Matters, November 2016, number 254).