28th/29th April 2001
This year marked the 200th Anniversary of the first Steam Car created by Richard Trevithick. This year’s event was run over three days with the main festival on Saturday 28th April, and a commemorative run ‘Up Camborne Hill’ on Sunday 29th April. The forecasted inclement weather did much to dampen spirits and hence a poor turnout of classic cars was evident at the static display in Rosewarne car park. Apart from one sharp shower at lunchtime, however, the day was fine and enjoyed by all.
Sunday 29th April also went against weather predictions being sunny, but chilly. The day started at 9.30am in the car park in Wellington Road Camborne with cars arriving slowly for the main event, a run up Camborne Hill with a leisurely drive to Pendennis Castle. By lO.00am, fifteen to twenty steam cars had arrived, along with five horseless carriages of 1901-03 vintages, and proceeded to form a circle around a fire hydrant for a top up of water in preparation for the run to Falmouth. Four MGs took part in the run – an MG TF, an MGB Roadster, an MGB GT, and an MG Midget
At 11.00am, the vehicles left the car park at one-minute intervals. One by one the steam cars departed interlaced with the steam engines - one steam engine, then one car. Slowly the precession made its way through Camborne with many a cheer from the assembled crowd. The procession crawled through the streets, with many stops caused by the local traffic. At last we passed the Trevithick memorial, and started up the second old Camborne Hill (Trevu Road), slow progress was made at less than two miles an hour behind the steam engines. Not a happy event for the car’s clutches.
At Troon we were waved past the steam engines and then made steady progress through Carmenellis and the lanes to Penryn and finally on to Pendennis Castle. We arrived behind the steam cars, which although of a vintage era had a considerable speed on the open road.
On our arrival at Pendennis Castle we parked on the grass before the Keep, together with all the other cars that had started in the parade. At 3.00pm the steam cars left for their next appointment at Flambards Theme Park. All enjoyed a hot and sunny day with the spectacle, and venue, of Pendennis Castle being simply amazing.
Alan Davis