3887 The Prince of Wales - built 1922 - Henry Jennings - Survived
Supplied new in 1922 to Henry Jennings & Sons of Devizes Wilts, to power his famous Whale Scenic Ride. On the canopy carried words "H. Jennings' Wonderful Whales". Henry Jennings was known as Tom Jennings. On his death the ride and engine was used by his sons. Last appearance of the ride was in 1937. Engine purchased by L C V Corbett in 1952. Sold in 1956 to Peter Barber, MD of James & Crockerell Civil Engineers of Devizes. Sold in 1971 to L R Searle & Sons Horsham. Now owned by James Searle. It is believed this engine was the last to work regularly on Fairgrounds between London to Bristol. She attended the Salisbury Fair every year.
Newbury Fair 1933 - NFA - Rowland Scott
Frome Fair 1930s? - NFA - R Taylor
GWR fete Slough 9-9-1938 Photo K Scrivens
James & Crockerell yard awaiting restoration (no main or auxiliary dynamo). Peter Barber & Bob Bailey owned and ran the civil engineering firm of James & Crockerell based in Durrington, Wiltshire. They owned and operated a fleet of steam rollers for the road making and surface compaction parts of their contracts. Through the experience gained over many years of maintenance and refurbishment of their own plant, they developed a niche market for this type of work for a variety of new owners in the early days of steam engine preservation. Mr. N Bailey of Bulford, Wiltshire states that, by the early 1960s they had already completed more than 15 reboxings with related work and ultimately by the 1970s when they ceased trading, this figure had tripled. Complete boilers were also made for 10" scale rail locomotives. Additionally, in their own right, James and Crockerell had entered the preservation era by purchasing the Burrell scenic S.R.L. 'Prince Of Wales' 3887 which they had also reboxed.
Andover Rally 1957 - NFA - Jack Leeson
Andover Rally 1957 - NFA - Lionel Bath
Prince of Wales arriving at Beaulieu rally
Crystal Palace Rally 1959 (Jack Wharton front left)
Appleford Rally 1959
Note canopy has been re signwritten omitting "CIVIL ENGINEERS" and adding "WILTS"
Click here to see the Prince of Wales in Pathe footage of the Great Steam Fair at White Waltham
www.britishpathe.com/video/VLVAE96RC5MG1T8KKASZ4LXMJY23O-UK-STEAM-ENGINES-MAKE-COME-BACK-AT-STEAM-ENGINE-FAIR/query/fairgrounds+steam
www.britishpathe.com/video/VLVAE96RC5MG1T8KKASZ4LXMJY23O-UK-STEAM-ENGINES-MAKE-COME-BACK-AT-STEAM-ENGINE-FAIR/query/fairgrounds+steam
Not many people know this but: The Prince of Wales has got odd back wheels. It is said that when new she was displayed at
a Royal Counties show before delivery to Henry Jennings. At the show there was
trouble with the o/s/r wheel. Burrells supplied and fitted a replacement wheel (count the spoke rivets in each wheel). Also she is the only Scenic engine with the boiler
filler plug on near side just under the cylinder block (but in the Searle rebuild
this has been omitted). Following the engine becoming stuck in deep mud at a rally in the 1960's (see photo below) the front wheels and axle were replaced by those of 3986 Earl Beatty on loan from Jack Wharton of Witney- they never got returned. Source Pete Parrish whose father looked after the engine when she was with James & Crockerell.
Memories of the Prince when rallied by Peter Barber, MD of James & Cockrell,
by Mike Penny. (source: Sarum Model Engineering Club Newsletter)
After the excitement of the Andover Rally the rest of the summer of 1956 was very quiet on the steam front. The only transport in our family was bicycles so I did not get to any more rallies. Early in October our managing director Mr Barber arrived on site where we were working, he came across to me and said “I hear you are interested in steam engines” I said I was and he went on to say, “I am having a private steam party up at the yard” and putting his hand in his pocket he pulled out an invitation typed on the firms headed paper, signed it and gave it to me saying “ come up if you are free and bring a friend with you this will get you in the gate”. I found one of my mates Steve was interested in coming with me so after lunch on the given Saturday we got on our bikes and pedalled up to Amesbury then on to Durrrington. We sailed down Bulford Road from the Stonehenge Inn crossroads, no roundabout there at that time, down in front of us on the right hand side was James and Crockerell’s yard with the canopys and chimneys of an assortment of engines, standing out against the buildings in the background. Most noticeable were two engines much bigger than the rest, these were two showman’s engines, one was Burrell 8nhp Scenic Showman’s works number 3887 supplied new in 1922 to H Jennings Amusement Caterer of Devizes and unknown to me at the time had just been purchased by Mr Barber, over the next three years I was to become very familiar with this engine spending many hours cleaning and on the road between venues. As you all know this was the “Prince of Wales” used in showland days to power and haul Jennings Wonderful Whales the big ride with cars looking like the fish in the name.
At first meeting she looked very plain, nothing written on the sides of the canopy and a small dynamo on the front platform that was powering the light around the canopy not the big Mather and Platt that should have been there. The other noticeable omission was no exciter dynamo on its platform behind the chimney. During next winter extensive work was carried out on the Prince including a complete repaint, when she came out the next year she had the right dynamos in the right places, or so it looked, what a lot of people did not realise the big dynamo on the front was only the outer case with no windings inside, a shaft went through with the correct pulleys on each end, one taking the belt from the flywheel, the other, the smaller belt to drive the exciter and it was the exciter which provided the power for the canopy lights, it was like this all the time I worked with the Prince up until I finished in October 1959.The other showman’s engine was Fowler 10nhp Showman’s Super Lion, number 17982, The Lion at this time was in the ownership of Mr E Lucas of Salisbury, all James and Crockerell’s rollers and the Garrett tractor were in attendance as was Fowler number 7786 new in 1898”Alfred” which was kept just down the road in the village and belonging to Mr H Toomer.
There were other engines and cars there that day but I do not remember any thing about them, also I cannot give any details of what happened that afternoon, I know I had my old box camera with me and used a roll of film, only 12 exposures, I still have these photos as I have many I took over the years, my mistake was not recording what I photographed, some I recognise and I can put a venue to them, others do not mean a thing to me. Anyone wishing to know more about this event should have a chat to our chairman Mr Pete Parrish, he was there that day a school boy just short of his tenth birthday, with his father Archie. We were not destined to meet for another three years, I will come to that story later. Pete and I have talked about that October day several times and he has told me about a lot of things that happened earlier in the day before I got there, also details about the engines and their owners, Archie had a wealth of knowledge about engines and fairground rides which of course he passed on to Pete, once I eventually got to know them really well I heard so many facts about the early showland days and learnt so much about steam engines, their use and upkeep.
I start this month by referring to a saying I am sure most of you must have heard over the years, the one
that states “ones memory is never as good as one thinks it is” and I am sorry to say mine is worse than
most. I have in my possession photos taken at the Andover Rally I believe in 1957 and 1958 they were
obviously taken with my old box camera but I cannot remember taking them or even being there so I
cannot go into any detail about either rally. I have checked with the Andover programmes for both years
and some of my photos check with the engines listed the most obvious one is the scenic showman’s
engine “Prince of Wales” this was her first time out in 1957 after the overhaul and re-paint the previous
winter, if one compares this photo with the one in last months newsletter it can be seen the exciter
dynamo that was up on the front is now in its correct position behind the chimney and the outer casing
of a Mather and Platt is in its correct place upon the front, also the canopy sides have been sign written
with the firms name.
Another engine at the 1957 rally was Aveling and Porter 5 ton roller (convertible) works number 9382,
new 1920 and owned at this time by Mr Derek Marder of Andover. A month after the Andover Rally the
Appleford Rally was due on the 8th June and it was decided to drive the Prince up to attend, the journey
would take place on the day before and I was asked to go along, once again I do not remember much
detail about the trip or the actual rally but I will tell you what I remember, considering this was my first
trip on the road with an engine it should be imprinted on my memory but I am sorry to say it is not. We
must have left the Durrington yard quite early on the Friday morning, behind the engine was a small
heavy duty trailer loaded with bags of coal and I believe this trailer was purpose built in the yard,
hitched on behind the trailer was a touring caravan about 20ft long, this was our living quarters for that
night and the next day. The engine was crewed by the two Dobson brothers these were two old time
steam men who had worked with engines all their lives, Don drove and Frank steered, and me, my place
was up on top of the bags of coal on the trailer. My main job was to check the back wheels every time
we stopped, the tyres were in several curved sections of rubber vulcanised to thick steel backing plates
which were bolted to the rims, I had to check all the bolts and make sure they were still tight, and help
where I could with what ever needed doing.
We must have gone through Bulford Camp then across the ranges to Tidworth on towards Marlborough
and stopped at Hosiers yard in Collingbourne Ducis, alongside the buildings down one side of the yard
were some big galvanised steel water tanks which collected the rain water of the roofs of the buildings,
we pulled alongside and filled our tender and belly tanks right to the top then pulled out and went on
towards Burbage, the village had not been by-passed at this time and we drove straight up through to the
far end and instead of taking the left turn to Marlborough went on the road to Durley then through the
Savernake Forrest and came out on the A4 about halfway between Marlborough and Hungerford.
We turned right towards Hungerford and after a few miles stopped in Froxfield to pick up water from a
stream alongside the road. This is all I can remember about the journey to Appleford, we obviously got
there set up the caravan and retired for the night. One thing I do remember clearly is having to cook
breakfast next morning and not being used to a gas cooker I burnt the bacon, later during that afternoon
Mr Barber came to the caravan with several more gentlemen and I was asked to make tea for everyone,
we did not have any fresh milk and had to use the sweetened condensed tinned type, I remember
thinking how awful this was to give to the guests but I think they drank it. That I am sorry to admit is all
I can remember about the Appleford rally and the rest of 1957 in general and 1958 is a total blank, but I
have quite a few stories to recall about 1959.
by Mike Penny. (source: Sarum Model Engineering Club Newsletter)
After the excitement of the Andover Rally the rest of the summer of 1956 was very quiet on the steam front. The only transport in our family was bicycles so I did not get to any more rallies. Early in October our managing director Mr Barber arrived on site where we were working, he came across to me and said “I hear you are interested in steam engines” I said I was and he went on to say, “I am having a private steam party up at the yard” and putting his hand in his pocket he pulled out an invitation typed on the firms headed paper, signed it and gave it to me saying “ come up if you are free and bring a friend with you this will get you in the gate”. I found one of my mates Steve was interested in coming with me so after lunch on the given Saturday we got on our bikes and pedalled up to Amesbury then on to Durrrington. We sailed down Bulford Road from the Stonehenge Inn crossroads, no roundabout there at that time, down in front of us on the right hand side was James and Crockerell’s yard with the canopys and chimneys of an assortment of engines, standing out against the buildings in the background. Most noticeable were two engines much bigger than the rest, these were two showman’s engines, one was Burrell 8nhp Scenic Showman’s works number 3887 supplied new in 1922 to H Jennings Amusement Caterer of Devizes and unknown to me at the time had just been purchased by Mr Barber, over the next three years I was to become very familiar with this engine spending many hours cleaning and on the road between venues. As you all know this was the “Prince of Wales” used in showland days to power and haul Jennings Wonderful Whales the big ride with cars looking like the fish in the name.
At first meeting she looked very plain, nothing written on the sides of the canopy and a small dynamo on the front platform that was powering the light around the canopy not the big Mather and Platt that should have been there. The other noticeable omission was no exciter dynamo on its platform behind the chimney. During next winter extensive work was carried out on the Prince including a complete repaint, when she came out the next year she had the right dynamos in the right places, or so it looked, what a lot of people did not realise the big dynamo on the front was only the outer case with no windings inside, a shaft went through with the correct pulleys on each end, one taking the belt from the flywheel, the other, the smaller belt to drive the exciter and it was the exciter which provided the power for the canopy lights, it was like this all the time I worked with the Prince up until I finished in October 1959.The other showman’s engine was Fowler 10nhp Showman’s Super Lion, number 17982, The Lion at this time was in the ownership of Mr E Lucas of Salisbury, all James and Crockerell’s rollers and the Garrett tractor were in attendance as was Fowler number 7786 new in 1898”Alfred” which was kept just down the road in the village and belonging to Mr H Toomer.
There were other engines and cars there that day but I do not remember any thing about them, also I cannot give any details of what happened that afternoon, I know I had my old box camera with me and used a roll of film, only 12 exposures, I still have these photos as I have many I took over the years, my mistake was not recording what I photographed, some I recognise and I can put a venue to them, others do not mean a thing to me. Anyone wishing to know more about this event should have a chat to our chairman Mr Pete Parrish, he was there that day a school boy just short of his tenth birthday, with his father Archie. We were not destined to meet for another three years, I will come to that story later. Pete and I have talked about that October day several times and he has told me about a lot of things that happened earlier in the day before I got there, also details about the engines and their owners, Archie had a wealth of knowledge about engines and fairground rides which of course he passed on to Pete, once I eventually got to know them really well I heard so many facts about the early showland days and learnt so much about steam engines, their use and upkeep.
I start this month by referring to a saying I am sure most of you must have heard over the years, the one
that states “ones memory is never as good as one thinks it is” and I am sorry to say mine is worse than
most. I have in my possession photos taken at the Andover Rally I believe in 1957 and 1958 they were
obviously taken with my old box camera but I cannot remember taking them or even being there so I
cannot go into any detail about either rally. I have checked with the Andover programmes for both years
and some of my photos check with the engines listed the most obvious one is the scenic showman’s
engine “Prince of Wales” this was her first time out in 1957 after the overhaul and re-paint the previous
winter, if one compares this photo with the one in last months newsletter it can be seen the exciter
dynamo that was up on the front is now in its correct position behind the chimney and the outer casing
of a Mather and Platt is in its correct place upon the front, also the canopy sides have been sign written
with the firms name.
Another engine at the 1957 rally was Aveling and Porter 5 ton roller (convertible) works number 9382,
new 1920 and owned at this time by Mr Derek Marder of Andover. A month after the Andover Rally the
Appleford Rally was due on the 8th June and it was decided to drive the Prince up to attend, the journey
would take place on the day before and I was asked to go along, once again I do not remember much
detail about the trip or the actual rally but I will tell you what I remember, considering this was my first
trip on the road with an engine it should be imprinted on my memory but I am sorry to say it is not. We
must have left the Durrington yard quite early on the Friday morning, behind the engine was a small
heavy duty trailer loaded with bags of coal and I believe this trailer was purpose built in the yard,
hitched on behind the trailer was a touring caravan about 20ft long, this was our living quarters for that
night and the next day. The engine was crewed by the two Dobson brothers these were two old time
steam men who had worked with engines all their lives, Don drove and Frank steered, and me, my place
was up on top of the bags of coal on the trailer. My main job was to check the back wheels every time
we stopped, the tyres were in several curved sections of rubber vulcanised to thick steel backing plates
which were bolted to the rims, I had to check all the bolts and make sure they were still tight, and help
where I could with what ever needed doing.
We must have gone through Bulford Camp then across the ranges to Tidworth on towards Marlborough
and stopped at Hosiers yard in Collingbourne Ducis, alongside the buildings down one side of the yard
were some big galvanised steel water tanks which collected the rain water of the roofs of the buildings,
we pulled alongside and filled our tender and belly tanks right to the top then pulled out and went on
towards Burbage, the village had not been by-passed at this time and we drove straight up through to the
far end and instead of taking the left turn to Marlborough went on the road to Durley then through the
Savernake Forrest and came out on the A4 about halfway between Marlborough and Hungerford.
We turned right towards Hungerford and after a few miles stopped in Froxfield to pick up water from a
stream alongside the road. This is all I can remember about the journey to Appleford, we obviously got
there set up the caravan and retired for the night. One thing I do remember clearly is having to cook
breakfast next morning and not being used to a gas cooker I burnt the bacon, later during that afternoon
Mr Barber came to the caravan with several more gentlemen and I was asked to make tea for everyone,
we did not have any fresh milk and had to use the sweetened condensed tinned type, I remember
thinking how awful this was to give to the guests but I think they drank it. That I am sorry to admit is all
I can remember about the Appleford rally and the rest of 1957 in general and 1958 is a total blank, but I
have quite a few stories to recall about 1959.