TERRY SMITH visits this outdoor show in Sussex.
Yes, that’s right, 2020! With lockdown still in most situations in force, I was surprised to start seeing the familiar fluorescent roadside posters appear in parts of East Sussex some weeks before the event. I try to make this show every year as it a pleasant mixture of old buses, classic cars, traction engines and a model railway show.
Tinkers Park is in Hadlow Down, near Buxted and has held steam events since as long as I can remember. I went there when I was a child to a steam powered funfair back in the 1960s. There is a permanent narrow-gauge railway that goes right around the showground and the place is full of old curious vehicles in various states of decay or restoration. Traditionally, during the show there will be some buses there on the Saturday, but on Sunday it is packed with the them and you can enjoy rides though the countryside to Uckfield. The model railway show is normally much larger but understandably in these times it was reduced to around a third of normal. There was however no shortage of stands selling collectable items who seemed the be doing good business.
So, in these times how did the show go ahead when so many others have been cancelled? Well I guess as it is an outdoor event the model rail exhibition was spread out and had a one-way system in operation. Rides on trains, buses and trailers pulled by traction engines were spaced out missing every-other row of seats to cut down the risk of passing on any infection. Overall, it was a great day out and it was a wonderful reminder how things like this used to be. If you are interested in visiting Tinkers Park, they plan to have an open day on September 26th 2020, but do call to confirm before travelling.
I remember this white Brighton & Hove open-top Bristol from my childhood. It operated along the coastal A259 between Rottingdean and Shoreham. Apparently, they used to fit a fibre glass roof to it for the winter months.
A permanent feature of Tinkers Park is this narrow-gauge railway that almost circumnavigates the show ground. With so many small locomotives on hand you never know what you will be hauled along by.
There is also a live steam 7” Gauge track that is situated in the middle of the show ground area.
While space was limited inside for stalls selling collectables, there were plenty of tents and marquees outside to spend your money in.
Doug Dale is an LMS OO Scale layout based in the 1930s. It was built and operated by the Brighton Model Railway Club. I joked with them 'why not Southern?' - 'Don’t ask' was one reply!
These huge behemoths are built to 1/16th scale. These trams are hand-built by a consortium of modellers based mainly in South-East England. Due to their weight they make a satisfying clickity clack going over the rail joints.
Designed to fit in a standard Wilkinsons under-bed box measuring 78x59x15cm, 'Lynwood' was built to show just how much can be crammed into such a small space. The 009 layout features a double track formation made up of a mixture of N Scale Peco flexi-track and set track pieces.
Westfield is an N Scale layout based on Southern England before Nationalisation. Here we have a Q1 Class leaving the station. We can see that both the narrow and wider Kestrel platform sections have been put to good use here.
A trip into the Sussex countryside being pulled by a Traction Engine is a great way to unwind from the hustle and bustle of normal life. Check out Tinkers Park on the A272 Hadlow Down.