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About Luscombe Valley Steam Collection in Dorset |
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| Richard
Knott’s first introduction to live steam at the
age of 12 was when his father bought him “Maisie” (see
below) - a three and a half inch gauge locomotive.
It proved to be a defining moment. Richard
would lie in bed at night and dream of building a railway around
Poole Park, imitating the existing line that had been there
since 1949.
And the dream didn’t stop there. It
became a lifelong ambition to have a railway in his garden,
accessible at any time of the year. On moving to his current
Poole address in 1986, the virtual railway dream turned into
railway reality: the dwelling house was found to have a half
acre site of spare land attached to it.
Full steam ahead … |  |
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Plans were drawn up in 1988 and work commenced early
in 1989. The railway was created not only by Richard
but also by his long-time friend John Biss.
A gang of (mostly retired) volunteers created the railway, which was finally
completed in December 1996.
However, Richard is at pains to point out that a build of this calibre is never
really finished, as there is an ongoing process of development and maintenance. |
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And so it was that the Luscombe Valley Railway
was born.
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| Unsurprisingly, this only served to heighten
his interest in all gauges of live steam locomotives. He
has numerous interests in all manner of these, with varying
gauges, ranging from three and a half inches up to ten and
a quarter. |
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He has, over the years,
been privileged to have driven many full-sized, steam locomotives,
including the most famous of all – “The Flying Scotsman”,
on the East Lancashire Railway.
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He is interested in
all forms of steam transport and has achieved his goal
of collecting one of each form. There
is one exception: the steam-powered aircraft!
His collection of road steam vehicles
encompasses a one third, full-sized Foster crane engine,
a similar Foden showman’s
wagon, a full-sized, two-seater replica steam car and a 26
ft long Edwardian-style steam launch.
“Maisie” would, no doubt,
approve. |
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