Contents
Fire - Fowlers - John Murphy - First Owners in Preservation - Howard Brothers Ownership - Restoration - Renown Returns
by Brian Steptoe
One of a pair of Fowler showmens engines delivered in 1920, Renown was built ‘PLAIN BUT POWERFUL’ to the order of South Shields showman John Murphy. Its task was to travel and build up his Scenic Peacock Switchback ride. Scenics were the most ornate and heavy English fairground rides and the engine was fitted with a crane suited to handle the ride cars.
The style of the engine, built to do a job of work, has been maintained by later owners during the preservation era. The current owners are brothers Ian and Gary Howard from Kirk Ireton in Derbyshire.
This book traces the history of Renown from its construction at Fowlers works at Leeds, through the years with showman John Murphy, then with a succession of further owners, including the late Ran Hawthorne, up to the present day. The engine has been owned by the Howards since 1979. This book has been published in celebration of their successful restoration of the engine after it suffered major fire damage in September 2003.
36 pages plus cover. 200x210mm, 42 colour, 19 black & white photos. ISBN 0952311232. £3 plus £1.20 UK p&p
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