Full steam ahead!

Well hello there, I’m Terri Hall. I’m the Events Co-ordinator here at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. I’ve been working in this role for just over 2 years now and I still thoroughly enjoy it.

Currently I’m organising Celebration of Steam, this will be my 3rd Steam Event and if I’m honest this is my favourite event of the year as it’s a great challenge understanding the “steam language”.

I’m getting to grips with the different engine types, organising contracts, ensuring they have what they need to run & exhibit (coal, logs, rubble), getting them here safely (either by low loader, ferry, road, etc!), putting them in the best position on site, managing their oil seepage, and so on and so on.

All the people we work with are wonderful and therefore the event always has a fun and vibrant feel to it.

New for 2009 will be Andy Barrett of the Isle of Wight’s “H.Bamford & Sons of Uttoxeter” horizontal Steam Grinding Mill that would have been used to grind whole meal flour and it will be demonstrating just that at the event so pop along to get your share!

Andy will also be bringing a “Marshall, Sons & co Ltd of Gainsbrough” vertical stationary steam engine that will hopefully be powering a small 12 seat juvenile chair-o-plane ride for the kids to have a go on.

I’m also working my socks off co-ordinating the logistics of getting the world’s smallest paddle steamer “Medina Monarch” over from the Isle of Wight.

This involves loading it up onto a low loader on the Isle of Wight, bringing it across on a Wightlink car ferry, finding a crane to lower it back into the water in Portsmouth, ensuring its safe mooring alongside a pontoon in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and arranging suitable display times in Portsmouth Harbour with the Harbour Master!

Quite a task, but it will be well worth it if I pull it off as one of the most exciting things about Portsmouth Historic Dockyard Celebration of Steam is that we can accommodate steam boats and ships which many other Steam Rallies cannot do.

So watch this space!