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Yesterday afternoon we went to Forncett Industrial Steam Museum in Norfolk. It's less than ten miles away and we'd not been before, not when it was open, anyway.
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There are some stonkingly huge engines there, most of which were originally installed to pump water.
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One thing which struck me was just how quiet steam engines are: rhythmic heavy clonks and gentle sighs of steam being about all that there is. Your other senses are, of course, involved: the smell of warm oil and, outside, that of burning wood; the wondrous sight of giant bits of metal running up and down, or round and round so smoothly; and the feel of the heat from the huge boiler. The steam was distributed to the working exhibits via insulated pipes.
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It was a full time job keeping the fire fed with scrap timber.
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And, no, I haven't forgotten the sense of taste. I had a delicious portion of home-made apple crumble and custard in the canteen!
3 comments:
Very evocative piece, Halfie. I could almost smell the steam, oil and wood and taste that crumble! Good photos too.
Hi Halfie, I've made a website for Malcolm and have been searching aroound for photos across the net. Found your blog and some lovely photos of his engine and of Forncett. i really hope you don't mind me using them in his site, I've credited you and made a link on one. Let me know if this isn't OK. Thanks Sandra
(sj then surname then dot com.)
Sandra, that's perfectly all right. I haven't found the website, though, and you haven't given me enough information for me to work out your e-mail address!
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