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Carters Steam Fair

UK travelling vintage fair From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Carters Steam Fair
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Carters Steam Fair (no apostrophe is used in the name) was a travelling vintage fair in England, founded in 1977[1] by John Carter (1942–2000), later managed by the next generation of Carters.

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John Carter

Quick Facts Location(s), Home base / winter quarters ...
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Carters operated and maintained a large collection of vintage rides and side stalls, ranging in date from the 1870s to the 1960s, and every season they travelled with vintage heavy lorries and traditional showmen's living wagons. The fair provided an opportunity to enjoy historic equipment and artwork.[2]

Their operating base and restoration workshops were immediately adjacent to White Waltham Airfield, near Maidenhead, in Berkshire.

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Steam-powered gallopers (left); steam yachts (right)

Carters held a final 'travelling steam-fair' ending at Prospect Park, Reading on 30 October 2022,[3] finding new homes for some of their vintage rides, with the remainder up for sale.[4]

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Rides and attractions

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201604101256 Chelmsford Central Park Carters Steam Fair Swingboats
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Steam Boats aka Steam Yachts at Prospect Park

Carters Steam Fair was a travelling collection of rare working funfair rides, In April 2016, the touring rides with the Fair were:

More information Ride, Height Restriction ...

On their last tour in August 2022, they travelled with the following rides:

More information Ride, Height Restriction ...
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Switch from cash to tokens

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Harry Hill, as depicted on the Carters Steam Fair 2015 issue coin token

In 2014, Carters Steam Fair moved from taking cash payments at each attraction to a token coin system. By April 2016, there were two distinct minting productions featuring different designs. Both designs depict a Galloper ride horse on the reverse, with the texts "Carters Steam Fair", "No cash value", and "No refund value" around the image on the coin's edge. The text "1 Token" appears across the horse's neck horizontally in a rectangular box. All text is in block letters.

2014 token obverse

The obverse of the 2014 coin token depicts the comedian Harry Hill, wearing a paper Christmas cracker hat. Hill was to design the image, but bu agreed for Carters to use his portrait as he was too busy.

2015 token obverse

The obverse of the 2015 coin token depicts Carters Steam Fair's founder John Carter, who in 1977 with his wife Anna purchased the Steam Gallopers.[1]

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Models

A number of die-cast models featuring the name of and / or reproducing vehicles used by Carters Steam Fair have been produced;

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A line-up of showman's engines, Pinkney's Green (May 2007)

Television

  • Antiques Roadshow, Series 29, Episode 2 (BBC, 2006)[9]
  • Fairground Attractions (Channel 5 Broadcasting Ltd, 2014)[10][11]
  • Midsomer Murders (ITV, 2015)[12]
  • Great British Railway Journeys, Series 7, Episode 20
  • Worzel Gummidge, BBC Series, 2019[12]

Film

Quick Facts External audio ...

The Fair has been featured in many films[12] including;

Music

The Kaiser Chiefs' Meanwhile Up in Heaven music video was filmed on the fair in 2014.[12]

See also

Further reading

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Bartrip, P.W.J., The state and the steam boiler in Britain International review of social history 25, 1980, 77–105, Government intervention and the role of interest groups in 19th Century Britain in regard to stationary boilers.

David Whyley Austin automobiles, 1998, Volume looks at Austin children's pedal cars of the 1950s, including the Pathfinder racing model, illustrated with manufacturer's photographs.

Adrian G. Shaw with Anna Carter, A season with Carters Steam Fair, words by Anna Carter, soft-cover book of black and white photography by Adrian G Shaw, documenting a season on the road with Carters Steam Fair, 60 pages, paperback, illustrated throughout.

Paul Braithwaite, Arcades and slot machines: with an A-Z of British manufacturers, 1870–1970; edited by John Carter; photography by Brian Steptoe., White Waltham:Carters Books 1997, Lists known makers between 1870 and 1970 and describes particular models, features photographs from Carters Steam Fair's arcade machine collection, 105 pages, paperback, illustrated throughout.

Paul Braithwaite, John Carter's Jubilee Steam Gallopers: a souvenir of one hundred years of riding for pleasure!, With John Carter. The story of Carters Jubilee Steam Gallopers, from manufacture to the present day, including detailed information and illustrations of its restoration and history, Maidenhead:J. Carter and Sons, 1995, 64 pages, paperback, illustrated throughout, ISBN (pbk.) BNB GB9589409.

Paul Braithwaite, Swings, Park Swings, Overboats and Over The Tops, Edited by John Carter. Covers the style and manufacture of these types of fairground rides, Maidenhead:J. Carter and Sons, 1996, 28 pages, paperback, illustrated throughout, ISBN (pbk.) BNB GBA336684.

Kevin Scrivens, Carters Jungle Thriller: The lost ark / compiled by Kevin Scrivens and Stephen Smith, The story of Carters Jungle Thriller Ark, illustrated with clear photographs of the restoration process and the build-up of the ride, Maidenhead: Carters Books, 2006, 37 pages, paperback, illustrated throughout, ISBN (pbk.) BNB GBA907362

Anna Carter, Carters: No 1 For Family Fun, Introducing Carters Steam Fair, from its history to its rides. 40 pages, paperback, illustrated throughout.

John Carter and Anna Carter, Putting fun back into funfair, Maidenhead: Carters Steam Fair, 1994?

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References

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