Today we went on a U3A Bury St Edmunds organised coach trip. After visiting Little Walsingham and the Anglican Shrine of Our Lady there in the morning (see here), in the afternoon we visited Thursford Steam Museum.
Here is what we were told to expect.
"In the afternoon we visit Thursford Steam Museum, the country’s finest collection of steam engines and organs. We will hear Robert Wolfe one of the world’s leading theatre organists play the mighty Wurlitzer, ride on fairground carousels (optional extra) and watch silent movies.
Steam power on the land, the roads and eventually on the fairground did not have a very long life. From the middle of the last century until the First World War it enjoyed its heyday, developing superlative engineering skills and techniques which are still admired today. But by the 1920s steam was faltering before the challenge of diesel and petrol engines and by the 1940s steam vehicles were heading in their thousands to scrap yards.
In 1904 when the founder of the Thursford Collection, George T.H. Cushing was born the visiting fair was an irresistible draw to every village across the land. He was taken to his first fair when he was 8 years old and this ultimately fuelled his passion for creating his amazing collection of fairground organs.
We will arrive at the Museum at 12 noon and be given a guided tour at 2.30 pm so before then you will have time to have lunch in the Barn Café or picnic area, watch one of the two performances on the mighty Wurlitzer at 12.30 or 2 pm and have a look around the exhibits."
Here are a few of my photos
They have a great collection of steam engines...
And two rides you can go on. This is the Gallopers.
The Mighty Wurlitzer. As their website says... "
The Mighty Wurlitzer is the centrepiece of the Collection! There are two
half hour shows with our resident organist, Robert Wolfe, performing
each day during the Summer Season at 12.30pm and 2.00pm.In the days of
silent movies, when there was no soundtrack on film, the atmosphere was
created “on the spot” by the pianist improvising a mosaic of mood music.
In due course the pianist was replaced by the more chic, up market
cinema organist, and the cinema organ par excellence was undoubtedly the
Mighty Wurlitzer."
We settled down to hear Robert play a couple of medleys of familiar tunes. This is his 44th summer season of playing at the museum!
They had a screen each side of the stage showing live video of his playing.
Times now for the rides. First the gondolas...
...and then the gallopers.
After a little tour of the exhibits, it was time for our packed lunches in the courtyard....
...before Robert's second set, starting with the Dambusters March accompanied by some film footage.
I took some video of him playing (see
here). See his hands dancing across the keyboards from about 4 minutes in. He even finds time to look at his watch while playing. See him sink into the stage at the end. Great fun, amazing playing and a wonderful instrument.
At 2:30 we met to get a tour led by none other than the CEO, John Cushing, one of 3 sons of the founder. John has created and produced the Christmas Spectacular since its humble beginnings in 1977.
He took us backstage to show us and tell us about the show and its production.
The costumes are all hand made and can be very expensive.
A singer would be expected to learn their part in everything in a score like this.
They store the costumes for potential reuse after about 4 or 5 years.
He told us about the auditioning process - they get over 1000 people apply for parts.
They have their own industrial scale laundry, used on a daily basis while the show is running.
In all it costs about £1.5m up front before the first performance. A massive undertaking!
He then showed us around some of the exhibits...
...and backstage where the presents to be distributed by Santa are stored.
A final look back at the engines before we exited through the shop.
Then it was back to the coach to head for home.
You can see more of my photos and a couple of videos here on Flickr.
What a lovely day out! Thank-you Pat for organising it all and Steven for driving us there and back.
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