[Pride of Somerset]

Originally Posted by steaming my way

I was talking to the Driver of this at Torbay and what i was told 3884 is steam worthy and does get steamed up regularly. But i know that the owner does not rally King of the Belgium's yet because he hired 3 men to fix it up and restore it and play with it after and there all on contracts and it is not kept at the Museum and it kept at his big house in a shed with 3 others that are steamable but im not sure what they are or if they been in the Museum before. I have seen 3884 steaming and i was told it did visit rallies many years ago. But like David said he does not like taking it on a lowloader. Im sure there are many a guy that would steam it to him for him. I think that one would be the only other one you could get. They tried to get the Gondallors at Dorset but failed, it might just be me but i much rather see the ride steaming at a fair then inside a dark museum and the same with the engines. Have they ever visited a rally ??

King of the Belgians was restored by Gordon Bruce, Robert Harrison and Stuart Clark. Robert has looked after the engines at Exmouth for many years. I don't think that John Lee needs 'many a guy to steam it for him' - Gordon, Robert and Stuart are as capable as anyone to do the job - that's why they are allowed to take King of the Belgians to events..... And I don't think that they were 'hired ..... to play with it' either. I believe that all three engines kept at the owner's house have been in the museum in the past. Finally, the owner used to rally his engines himself, at a number of events, including Dorset in Stourpaine days.