Steam’s up at Exbury Gardens
1st October 2008
Visitors to Exbury’s sixth annual Steam in the Gardens in October will have the chance to ride behind Mariloo, the gleaming new steam engine named by Her Majesty the Queen earlier this year.
“Her Majesty not only named Mariloo, she rode on the footplate and managed to enjoy a day with us at Exbury without anyone realising who she was,” said railway foreman Ian Wilson. “She really enjoyed herself and we were delighted to have our new engine honoured in this way.”
Exbury’s annual ‘Steam in the Gardens’ is reckoned to be the most family-friendly gathering of steam engines and memorabilia in the south.
From full size traction engines to miniature road vehicles, the Gardens, on the banks of the Beaulieu River in Hampshire, will be alive to the sound and evocative smell of steam on Saturday and Sunday October 4th and 5th.
Enthusiasts will find model layouts in the engine shed while Exbury’s own steam engines, Mariloo, Rosemary and Naomi, will be on duty to take visitors on the scenic ride from Exbury Central through Summer Lane Garden and into the north-east part of the main Garden when they’ll see the latest garden sculpture – a giant scorpion.
And, as in previous years, there’ll be a twice daily ‘Cavalcade of Steam’ as the gently steaming engines line up in front of the impressive backdrop of Exbury House, home to the de Rothschild family.
“Ours might not be the biggest steam rally in the South, but it’s one of the friendliest and most fun for families” said Ian Wilson, Foreman of Exbury’s Light Railway.
“Railway magazines call the show a hidden treasure and this year’s promises to be the best yet.
“There will be steam engines of all sorts here over the weekend, lots of demonstrations and plenty for people to see and do.
“And, even if steam engines don’t excite you, the Gardens are looking wonderful as the autumn colour develops,” he said.
All visitors to the Gardens will be able to enjoy the exhibition of spectacular ‘Diamond Lilies’, the sparkling collection of Nerine sarniensis displayed under special lighting in the Five Arrows Gallery, alongside a show of detailed watercolour paintings of wild mushrooms and fungi by artist Peter Thwaites.
Steam in the Gardens takes place on the weekend of October 4 and 5 from 10am to 5.30pm. All visitors to the Gardens can enjoy it at no extra charge.
The Gardens are open daily from 10.00am-5.30pm. For more information, please visit www.exbury.co.uk