BRIDGNORTH is getting all geared up for a mammoth weekend festival bonanza to remember with two major events combining.
The Trevithick 200 steam rally and the twinning association festivals will be held on July 19 and 20.
The rally marks the bicentenary of the construction of Catch Me Who Can – the world’s first steam locomotive – at Foundry Yard in Low Town by Richard Trevithick.
It has grown like topsy with more than 50 steam engines now already entered for show on Severn Park over the two days.
The programme is already quickly taking shape and actually kicks off the previous evening with the arrival of about 70 visitors from twin towns Thiers in France and Schrobenhausen in Bavaria for events to mark the 30th anniversary of Bridgnorth’s partnership with Thiers.
The French and German parties will be greeted at the Low Town Community Centre at 6pm on Friday, July 18, where they will enjoy refreshments and be introduced to their host families.
Guided walks for the groups will start from 7pm from the Falcon Hotel for those staying in Low Town and from the Town Hall for those in High Town.
The ‘twinners’ will be attending the Trevithick 200 celebrations, which will be officially opened on the Saturday at 10am by Philip Hosken, chairman of the Trevithick Society, who will be travelling from his home in Cornwall.
In addition to the first public appearance of Catch Me Who Can – a full-size working replica of the original loco which has been built at Bridgnorth’s Severn Valley Railway station – the Trevithick festival organisers have also revealed that a number of the other steam engines will be on show in Shropshire for the first time.
“The centrepiece of the event will be the Bridgnorth locomotive, which is being joined by three other Trevithick engines, all in steam together for the first time in their history,” said Trevithick festival publicity officer Brian Davies.
“These are the Coalbrookdale locomotive from Blists Hill Museum at Ironbridge, the London Carriage from Macclesfield and the Puffing Devil from the Trevithick Society in Cornwall.
“Added to these are the Enterprise which is a replica of the very early steam carriages built in London in the 1820s.
“We also have joining us the Grenville Engine from Bristol Industrial Museum, which is a replica of one of the first steam cars to be produced.”
Activities on Severn Park throughout the Saturday and Sunday (10am-6pm) will include static and moving displays, local brass bands and children’s entertainment.
Admission to Severn Park for the event will be free and there will be ample car parking at a cost of £5 per vehicle.
The French and German visitors will enjoy lunch at Bridgnorth Rugby Club on both days and will also be able to take advantage of the Severn Park food court.
Also on Saturday, the foreign parties will be able to visit either RAF Cosford or David Austin Roses at Albrighton (depart 1.45pm and return by 5.30pm).
They will then enjoy a dinner and barn dance with their host families and invited guests and during the evening a special presentation will be made to the Thiers delegation to mark the 30th birthday of its twinning with Bridgnorth.
A special ‘twinning’ service will be held at St Mary’s Church on Sunday (10.30am) prior one of the highlights of the weekend, which will be a parade from the church, starting at noon, to Severn Park.
The procession is expected to be led by a band and will include locos and a steam bus carrying dignitaries, as well as classic cars and other vehicles.
The church congregation and anyone else wishing to join the parade will be made welcome as it moves along East Castle Street, West Castle Street, New Road, Underhill Street and over the bridge to Severn Park.
As an added attraction gardens will be open in East Castle Street from 2-6pm in aid of local charities.
An inter-town skittles competition will be held at the Shakespeare Inn starting at 7.30pm on the Sunday.
Also during the weekend a quilting exhibition will be held.
“During the past year quilters from Bridgnorth, Thiers and Schrobenhausen have been working on a joint project,” explained twinning association chairman Wendy Moore.
“Each member of the three groups has been working on miniature quilts of engines and carriages, which will be brought to the exhibition, linked up as a train and displayed as a frieze.
“For the past four years we have held similar exhibitions in each of the three towns and last year in Thiers the theme was clowns,” she said.
“Bridgnorth quilters now have a quilt of clowns’ faces, made up of work carried out by French, German and English quilters.
“This involvement brings out the very best of the ethos of twinning by bringing like-minded people together to exchange skills and ideas, making friendships and understanding each others cultural roots.”
All good things will come to an end and the visitors will leave Bridgnorth on the Monday morning.
l Anyone willing to help with the twinning festival is invited to contact Wendy Moore on (01746) 765008 or Norman Greaves on (01746) 766100.
The twinning association will be holding a meeting at the Castle Hall next Thursday (7.30pm) to firm up plans and anyone is invited to come along.
Further information on the Trevithick steam rally can be obtained by visiting www.trevithick200.co.uk or phoning 07929 290465. Anyone wishing to help on Severn Park is invited to phone Colin Bargery on (01746) 767904.
