tigger

Today was the New Lanark Victorian Fair, and after 34 years we are waving goodbye, this is the last one.

Through John's steam boating contacts we borrowed 'Tigger' for the event, now owned by Summerlee Heritage Trust. Tigger - named because it is the only one like Winnie the Pooh's Tigger - is a one and three quarter tons steam tractor built in 1984 by a curmudgeonly but clever engineer called Jimmy Houston. Jimmy built Tigger in his lunch hours mainly from bits lying around his engineering workshop, to no particular design or pattern, he just knew what would work.

When I worked for the Trust at New Lanark in the early 1990s I organised several annual Steam Fairs with the Scottish Traction Engine Society where we had full size traction engines and other machines, all steaming and rolling around. The event moved to an easier venue after a few years, and recently has become a victim of H&S regulations. But I have fond memories of crossing swords with Jimmy, he never had a good word to say about anyone or anything, but you couldn't help but like him! Jimmy died a few years ago and donated Tigger to Summerlee Heritage Trust, where he kept Tigger for many years, and so it can still be enjoyed by visitors.



John was in his element running Tigger today, letting kids sit on the seat, turn the handles and blow the whistle. I was amazed when he told me that some children had never seen or touched a piece of coal!