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Utah_Showman Veteran user Heart of Utah 350 Posts |
More Images from the “Fairground Heritage Weekend”
http://www.sideshowworld.com/BSS-Fair-H-Weekend-photos.html Enjoy John Sideshow World |
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The Curator of the Unusual Inner circle Tampa FL 1399 Posts |
What a Beautiful Front!,,,,and That Ole Bald headed Bloke is Talented...WOW! Great photo's....
You come to a point in your life when you really don't care what people think about you, you just care what you think about yourself.
Evel Knievel contact: curatoroftheunusual@hotmail.com |
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Stephon Special user Maryland, USA 911 Posts |
Ken, I'm wearing that very same shirt, even as I type this.
~Les S. Moore, The Dapper Dipper
Swami Yomahmi and Cheeky Monkey Sideshow "Comedy is a man in trouble." ~Bill Irwin |
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Kondini Inner circle 3609 Posts |
Stephon,,,I wondered where the hell it had got to ! Did it smell,,,,of fuel?
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dave_matkin Inner circle 4522 Posts |
Yeh Ken does tend to dribble!
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Kondini Inner circle 3609 Posts |
Rubbish,,,my shoes are always dry.
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Rod Pringle Special user 543 Posts |
Beautiful front!!! Looks like an old GAVIOLI fairground organ front. The U K does a beautiful job of preserving these fine old fair organs, and showing them at the steam shows. Ken, do you ever see the old road locomotives around anymore??? they called them Showman's Road Traction Locomotives., from days gone by. They would not only haul the show from town to town, but also had a generator and a large flywheel to power rides, etc. I would think they would be museum pieces by now, and sought after by steam engine collectors.
Nice photo here!!!!! ROD PRINGLE |
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Kondini Inner circle 3609 Posts |
Yes, Showmans Engines,,,still a load around and all working. The Great Dorset Steam Fair with its 200 Engines in full steam would be the place to see them. Worked on the steam up stage of Saunders (Who owns the prettiest Engine Ive seen) We did show after show over a five day set for year after year at this fair. The engine with generator in use drove the lighting and converted the steam backdrop of the huge organ into electric power for the backing music.
With Penny Rigden and her dancing girls doing the Can-Can a comic and myself with the sideshow act,,,plus Vera Lynn songs sung by various girl singers and a round off of the London Cockney sing alongs which contained "My Old Mans a Dustman, Only Because Im a Londerner and My Old Bush etc etc " Working to midnight to thousands of speckies,,,drinking the home brew till the barrells were dry then doing midnight blowouts !!!! Ah,,,heaven and what memories, yes and we shall do it again this and every year ! Back to topic >>>> Many of the engines couple up to the old rides and work as they always did. Don`t forget many sets of Horses were powered by there own steam engines situated in the centre of the ride, this same engine also powered the central organs as well so in this instance the ride would be self pro. The extra Show engine which would haul the wagon train of the ride would be put to use as generated power for the lights (Hence the showmans name of lighting set) Rather than generator. Guess I was born too late!! Couple of days time I will be sniffing the steam again,,,20 engines expected to attend Shillingstone Rally, Dorset. Plus me of course. Ken |
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Harley Newman Inner circle 5117 Posts |
I heard you had a steamy history!
“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus” -Mark Twain
www.bladewalker.com |
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Kondini Inner circle 3609 Posts |
Trust you to bring the tone down !
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Rod Pringle Special user 543 Posts |
Hello Ken:
Thanks for the great info on these organs and engines. I admire the U K for their preservation projects keeping the old days alive for all to enjoy, especailly the younger generation that are enjoying these wonderful machines for the first time. You are very fortunate to be surrounded by these steam engines, and old fairground organs. Here in the USA back in the 60's Happyland Shows had a large Karl Frie Fairground organ on its show, such great music! Also Gooding Amusement Company had a large RUTH fairground organ for a few years. I would set and listen to that organ for hours. Goodings also had small Wurlitzer band organs on its carousels too. All gone now..AH THOSE WERE THE DAYS! In the U K.., WHITE'S RIDING DEVICES had a very large Gavioli Concert organ at one time. Is it still around? Thanks again Ken for the great story! ROD |
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Kondini Inner circle 3609 Posts |
Most of the Gavioli`s are members of the Organ Society and exhibit as a unit on their own. Our next huge organ festival will be at Halton (Merseyside) Later in the year.
To stay in theme and year, we have been booked to present the Flea Circus at this event over the three day period. Have it on good authority that the Dutch Organs with street vagabond entertainers and Flea shows were pretty common back then ! Once more the unusual was usual. Played Dam Square and all over Amsterdam with the street magic and Flea shows on and off for many years,,,odd that the Dutch still remember (Via their parents) All about these lost entertainments. Worked TV for them with several Gav`s back in 1976 I believe the footage was sold to Sky Discovery who added to it for promotion in the USA (Never saw the completed footage). Of course the barrell organ was the mainstay for the Brits as only the very wealthy could afford a Gav and even now the paper rolls of music can cost many thousands of pounds for a few hours of playing time. I have a mouth organ myself!!! The largest organ used to attend Dorset every year,,,the owner died but I believe his widow still takes it out. The whole thing was transported on a low loader and opened very quickly on hydraulic rams. Covered in gold plate and adorned with moving statues it was a sight to behold. Tom Varleigh was the owner,,,how many keys I just can`t remember. Whites I think have vanished,,,may have been sold on but not sure about that or are you refereing to Whiteleggs ? Ken. |
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Harley Newman Inner circle 5117 Posts |
I've never heard of a lowered tone, for a steam calliope.
“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus” -Mark Twain
www.bladewalker.com |
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Rod Pringle Special user 543 Posts |
Ken:
I was thinking of White Bros. amusement Ride Company. It was a huge Gavioli Concert organ in the 60's it toured the U K. I had a recording of it at one time, a marvelous sounding instrument. The dutch street organs are great sounding instruments too. There is one at the Dutch Village in Holland, Michigan USA Harley... On a still, humid day, you can hear a steam Calliope for miles a real ear buster to play... Indiana University had one and brought it to Lansing Michigan for Ringling Bros/ Barnum date , it was Gunther Gabel Williams Farwell Tour that year. You could hear that calliope for blocks. ROD |
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Kondini Inner circle 3609 Posts |
Since this weekend bash the powers that be have been contacted by a US consortium as to the possibility of an exchange programme.
A meeting has been called for mid August (Not a good time in the middle of season)For a US contingent, Equity reps, Heritage Association and myself. The idea would be to take out a number of selected UK shows, Organs and sideshow entertainers with a green grass run (Havn`t a clue what that is !) To tour in the USA. In its very early stages yet I have no further info other than some sponsors in the US have countless $$$ to throw our way, which makes me happy!!! How they intend to make their $$$ out of it, eludes me. Will keep you posted on this being a goer or otherwise. My enquiries on the quiet have found out that the people involved do have unlimited capital and see this as a Tax deductable venture. Ken (Off to buy a new Bowler). |
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Rod Pringle Special user 543 Posts |
Hello Ken:
This is GREAT! news! I hope this all works out! and I am first in line at the ticket box ..RIGHT NOW! Ken, make sure they load up a lot of organs for this tour.ha ha Oh by the way Ken, the White's Fairorgan I mentioned in another post, is on YOU TUBE Just type in White's gavioli Organ, and I am sure you will recognize this show organ. It has been to a lot of the Steam Fairs in the UK. Yes, looks like the organ is privatly owned now. I did see some nice traction road locomotives on you tube also, one had SIDNEY STOCK AMUSEMENTS painted on it. I think the folks who take time and money to preserve these giant ornate wonders , are doing a great job at preserving history for everyone. I wish all of the organizers of this tour all the best. Keep us posted on the outcome! ROD Pringle |
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Kondini Inner circle 3609 Posts |
Try these they are old but think still live !!!
http://www.sewards-of-petersfield.co.uk/......9393.php http://www.steamscenes.org.uk/ http://www.prestonservices.co.uk/ http://www.bseps.org.uk/scf2k5_shmans.htm http://www.worldofcountrylife.co.uk/steam-engines Ken |
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Kondini Inner circle 3609 Posts |
Or if you like Organs (The musical kind !!).
http://www.northwestvintagerally.co.uk/ http://bobessex.co.uk/4.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QVEG2aJYEU http://www.melright.com/steam/fairorgs.htm http://mechanicalorganownerssociety.weebly.com/ Our next gig with the pump it out brigade will be at the largest Festival of Organs in the UK,,,,Halton on Merseyside,,,we shall be presenting the Flea Circus over the full run (Supplies of ear plugs for my performers are on order !) Ken. |
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Rod Pringle Special user 543 Posts |
Hello Ken:
Thanks This is great info. Hope to meet you if the tour makes it to the USA. All the Best... ROD |
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Kondini Inner circle 3609 Posts |
Sponsors for the exchange idea have already covered half of the expected costs.
A meeting in early August is planned to take place in Switzerland with a follow up to involve interested US parties planned for NY in December. The proposed time limit is 24 months dependant on US business interest. Will keep yer posted,,,,,its still a possible !! Ken. |
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