STEAM TOYS IN ACTION

photo courtesy of edmaynard

Britain's Premier Steam Toy Event is held at the Abbey Pumping Station, Corporation Road, Leicester every February. The event is a one day celebration of the toy steam engine in all its forms and is purely for commercially produced steam toys of any age or condition. Exhibitors are by invitation only.

If you are interested in exhibiting contact fcrammond@hotmail.com for  details and to be put on the mailing list.

The next event will be Sunday February 1st 2009

Click HERE for details and application forms for February 2009

Application Forms now available online.

We usually have around 80 exhibitors showing stationary, marine, mobile and railway steam toys with a strong bias towards live steam operation. Last year we consumed over 30 litres of spirits as well as large quantities of solid fuel. Engines on show cover all the well known manufacturers over the last 150 years with numerous obscure and little known models also. Conversely we always have a strong contingent of Mamod and Wilesco enthusiasts  and an increasing number of steam powered Meccano models.  The event is well supported by the trade with dealers in both new and antique engines present. Details of dealers charges and conditions will be available with the application form which is usually mailed to our invitees around October.

Exhibitors are provided with tables, fuel, water and a free programme. There are tracks for SM32 (Mamod Steam Railway) , Gauge O (Bowman, Basset Lowke and Bing) and Gauge 1 (Carrette, Bing  Marklin etc.). In previous  years we also hosted 3¹/₂ " gauge Hornby Rockets and live steam on OO Gauge (16.5mm). Any relevant suggestions are welcome.

  We will have a temporary boat pool for Bowman and Hobbies Launches but the use of this will depend greatly on favourable weather. 

Although for reasons of safety we do not operate the massive Woolf Compound Beam Pumping Engines during the event we usually run the small A-frame Beam Engine during the day. The site Narrow Gauge Railway will be carrying passengers throughout the day and most of our road vehicles will be on show in the grounds together with visiting stationary engines, fair organ and vehicles.

To complement the event we produce a souvenir programme usually running to about 20 pages .  Advertising details are included with the invitations. All exhibitors receive a complimentary copy.

Visitor entrance for 2009 is provisionally priced at a nominal £2.50 adults, accompanied children free .  Details for exhibitors and traders and a printable application form can be viewed by clicking here.

Photos of previous events can be found on the button bar below or by clicking here. A good selection of photographs of the 2008 event can be found on either of the two steam toy forums http://freesteammamod.myfreeforum.org or  http://www.mamodforums.co.uk  

The event is organised and staffed by the Leicester Museums Technology Association, the registered charity that actively supports Leicester City Council in the operation and maintenance of the technology collections based on the Abbey Pumping Station. Our members are actively involved in bringing No. 1 engine back to steam, restore and maintain many of the museum road vehicles, expand and operate the site narrow gauge railway and assist with the thousand and one tasks essential to the operation of the museum and the appeal of our special events.

Further events at the museum of interest to steam toy enthusiasts are:

The April Steam Day on Sunday 6th April when we hope to operate on the Boat Pool with Toy Steamboats.

Mr Bowman's Birthday on a Saturday towards the end of November.  An informal steam-up and gabfest for steam toy enthusiasts. This year it will be on Saturday November 22nd, all day from about 11.00 am to 4.30 pm

The Christmas Toy and Steam event on Sunday 7th December.

The Great Corporation Road Locomotive Trials held as part of the Spirit of Meccano Day on Sunday January 11th 2009

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6.02.08