Lou Shorten Tribute weekend 9/10 October 2021

The 2021 event followed the usual format with a get together at John Shorten's home in Lenwade on the Saturday and an outing on Sunday. Over the weekend 18 Magnettes attended plus another 8 owners in other cars, the petrol shortage causing problems for some.

Saturday was a glorious warm sunny day and we were able to sit in the garden in our shirtsleeves. John laid on a buffet lunch ably assisted by Lou's daughter Jenny and her husband Ed. In the evening we repaired to the Wensum Valley Hotel for a 3 course meal followed by prize giving and a screening of the film Golden Magnettes made in 2004 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Magnette. It brought back many memories as we recognised old friends. The NTG Concours Trophy judged at Pateley Bridge and the Norfolk POO trophy were both won by Anthony & Glendyr Saward with their immaculate car. Alan & Julia Cleobury, who arrived in a new ZS, won prizes for initiative by bringing a photograph of their car, Maggie, and pegging it onto the washing line while Ian Williams won the Magnetteer of the Year prize for attending most events in 2021.

Sunday started wet but soon cleared up and we all made our way to the Holt station of the North Norfolk Railway. Named 'The Poppy Line' after a poem 'The Garden of Sleep' by the 19th century poet Clement Scott who coined the term Poppy land for the stretch of coast between Sheringham and Mundesley, the NNR was founded in 1959 after extensive closures of the Midland and Great Northern Railway who owned a vast network of lines across Norfolk. The line itself was built in 1887 to exploit the tourist market. Following the Dr. Beeching cuts in 1964 BR were determined to destroy the infrastructure and demolished the line from Weybourne to High Kelling. Now the track has been re-laid and engine sheds have been built at Weybourne and passenger trains commenced running in 1975. The Georgian town of Holt lies 1 mile from the western terminus and the line runs just over 5 miles to the seaside resort of Sheringham. Our trains were hauled by Black Prince, a 9F 2-10-0 locomotive designed by Robert Riddles and built at Swindon in 1959. It was operated by BR until 1967 and now belongs to the NNR. The highlight of the day was a guided tour of the engine sheds organised by Peter Thompson and conducted by John Collier

Text and photos by Cynthia and John Harris