A Reflection on 2022 by Richard Amos

Having been in an enforced Covid lockdown during 2021 and for me, continuing in lockdown until August, I missed all the early events in 2022.

Sadly this included the Staplefield car show in May which normally sees me out in my 1936 MG. As a popular event, space is at a premium so I heard there was a pretty full line up of SEAMS engines on display and the weather was very good on the day.

I also missed the Leigh flower show and Broadbridge Heath village fete. My first event was Okewood Hill flower show on August 13th where Tom Beams and Luke Huckle, by invitation, organised a small group of working engines. This is always an enjoyable day in good company. It was so hot that the ice cream van sold out and went home.

Next day was the Cranleigh Classic car show so my ex Ken Blackmore/Ian Sampson Bentall 1.5hp was left in the van overnight. As I was almost the last to arrive, John Peters and Phillip Sampson had already got things organised and pointed me straight to my spot. A bit strange not to be directed in by Ian Sampson who marshalled for many years.

We were in a heat wave which lasted most of the summer so it was just too hot to wander around all the cars on display. Reportedly about 1000 cars but still, I think, a little down on the near 1500 exhibits pre-Covid. I enjoyed the day ‘people watching’ the many visitors to our engine line up and viewing the classic cars arriving and departing just in front of us.

My next event was Tony and Sylvia Haydon’s Balls Cross Rally. This annual show raises substantial amounts for the Macmillan cancer charity and is very popular amongst the Stationary and Steam engine fraternity. I had visited but never exhibited and I very much enjoyed the couple of days spent there.

Good weather but the wind upset some of the hot tube engines on display, luckily my Morton engine ran on without issue.

For quite a few years I have exhibited at the West Grinstead Ploughing match, a one day show held on a different farm every year so by
definition, always different. With everything mucked up this year I was pleased to receive an invite from Alan and Lyn Cullen, the engine
marshals, reminding me of this event so I jumped at the chance to enter the Bentall. The venue was Field Farm Barns Green on 17th September. As always, a very pleasant day with show animals and ploughing and plenty of public interest. The one way system for exiting the show
however, took us on a magical mystery tour around some very narrow single track farm lanes until we finally got back to the A24.

For me the last event of 2022 was the Hassocks gas up organised by John Peters. In a new and much better spot this year we had plenty of public interest and a good number of fine engines on display. Luke Huckle’s Bamford driven cement mixer was something to behold. It was the first outing for my 1912 Gardner 1V acquired at Neunen in 2017, nothing like a good run after a long time inactive to free up an engine. Apart from being a very social day for SEAMS members, the garden centre restaurant opened early for us so we piled in for the most important meal of the day… a good breakfast fry up! Looking forward to 2023 events.