MISTER WHIPPY

After we’d parked the car in a field and were making our way towards the entrance, there was a lot of noise, and I hoped the boys wouldn’t be overwhelmed or scared by everything that was going on.

Just inside the showground we were greeted by a mechanical Steam Organ and a Brass Band, each trying to outdo the other, plus a constant background noise of escaping high-pressure steam, and steam whistles and hooters.

Also a wonderful smell of burning coal such as I’d barely experienced since my childhood.

But the boys were completely unfazed by the noise, the crowds and commotion – they ran off to buy themselves ice-creams, saying that they couldn’t possibly enjoy the experience until they’d consumed some sugar and some chilled fat…