Ready, Steady....

It's only a few days to go to the start of the 2010 season and it got off to a good start with the very well attended auction of the Bill Briggs collection (the engines of which are pictured here on the morning of the auction). An estimate of over 200 people were there to either bid or just simply to gongoozle as the numerous bits and pieces were sold until the main items, namely the four engines, were arrived at after an hour and a half. The Foden steam lorry and the Burrell agricultural were both sold at the bottom range of the guide prices, the Marshall agricultural didn't reach it's reserve and was withdrawn from the sale and the portable comfortably made its guide price. A pleasant postscript to this is that Bill Briggs has decided to take the Marshall with him to his retirement in the Isle of Man, and his house is 2 miles from where the engine was delivered new from Marshall's. Florence No.2 had her cobwebs dusted out for the occassion and a train was run after the auction was over for the benefit of those who wished to travel.
Easter is round the corner and the weather is looking typically Bank Holiday so where better to come and warm yourself than in the newly redecorated buffet with a warm cup of hot chocolate and a bacon butty, or in front of the stove in the 'One Legged Shunter' bar with a foaming pint of the good stuff (or lager if that's your poison). Meaford No.2 should be in fine fettle for the weekend sporting a new cab floor and a brand new blastpipe fabricated by Rob Mitchell over many weekends. It's so good you'd be hard pressed to tell it from a cast one! For more info on what's going on over Easter have a look at the website.