As countrywide fairs and steam rallies roll in for the summer season, it is a wonderful opportunity to take another trip down memory lane with Oxford’s Showmans series. Our new release on the Burrell Scenic Loco is absolutely splendid too.
The colourful steam locomotive started its real life in 1922, commissioned by Holland Bros. It was designed with a longer boiler and an electric dynamo, especially for powering fairground use. It was delivered to them to power Albert Holland’s Peacock and Dragon Scenic Ride. The locomotive was originally named Prince Albert which was changed in preservation to Winston Churchill. Around 1952, the late Eric Middleton bought the locomotive directly from the Hollands in Swadlincote, Derbyshire for about £250. Having lain derelict and abandoned for some years, the locomotive was in very bad condition. However, Eric restored the engine completely and sold it to the Hardwick family who rallied it extensively in the 1980s. It is now owned by the Marchington family.
The 1:76 scale model appears in crimson with a white roof and black masking. Dropped shadow lettering along the edge of the roof promote the Holland’s Golden Dragons; the Winston Churchill nameplate features in gold and red on the locomotive side. Also in red and gold, the front of the boiler carries the customary C Burrell & Sons Engineers Ltd name and The “Burrell Road Locomotive” lettering. It is estimated that each of the Oxford Showmans series models requires at least 100 printing operations and it is easy to see why. There is illustrious decoration and colour throughout, resulting in another desirable steam locomotive to light up your fairground diorama
