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Chessy  
#1 Posted : 13 October 2014 14:26:16(UTC)
Chessy
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I was wondering if anyone had any information about the above?

My wife is currently researching the Gallopers.  She is not too internet savvy so I am helping her.

We know that they were built in Chapel-en-le-Frith in 1951 by Herbert Slack, a shoemaker.  They were approx. one fifth scale model of a full size fairground ride.
In  the 1950s they won numerous awards at various exhibitions and were  visited by Sir Anthony Eden.
In the 1980s they were displayed at Buxton Museum and then at The National Museum of Childhood.

We would be grateful for any help.

buggyite  
#2 Posted : 13 October 2014 19:11:28(UTC)
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They took several years to build, eventually being completed in 1951. I seem to recall Herbert won a Duke of Edinburgh's Award for them. He always had them in steam and operating at the Pavilion Gardens when the Buxton Society of Model Engineers had their annual Easter exhibition there, and were shown on Chapel Carnival day in the town hall at Chapel. At the time of building them, there were no commercially available drawings or castings for the steam centre engine, so it was ALL scratch-built. His only machine tool was a treadle-operated lathe which makes his achievement all the more remarkable.


The horses were all hand-carved by Herbert, but he had one of the full-size horses from Hibbert's Gallopers, so he could scale down from this. I think that his own drawings from which he built the model were taken off Hibbert's Gallopers when they were still operating. The whole ride builds up exactly like a full size one, but in miniature, the only difference is that what would be packing trucks in real life are specially built packing cases.
Buggyite
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Chessy on 05/11/2014(UTC)
Grymwynd  
#3 Posted : 27 October 2014 11:50:39(UTC)
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My Aunt was taken to see Herbert by her Father (Mr Charles Hurst from Bagshaw) a few times when he was building them. I believe Herbert asked her if she would like to name one of the horses. As I understand it her Father used to drive Herbert to exhibitions some times.
I have just found out that Herbert's Gavioli organ was discussed by the council in 2012 when it was proposed that it be transferred to Mr Ian Howard on a 99 year loan at Kirk Ireton to restore maintain and show. I don't know if this actually happened or not but notes from the meeting can be viewed here:

http://www.derbyshire.go...20Organ_tcm44-198668.pdf


Edited by user 27 October 2014 13:11:53(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

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Chessy on 05/11/2014(UTC)
buggyite  
#4 Posted : 31 October 2014 20:31:09(UTC)
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Ian Howard now certainly has the Gavioli organ on the 99 year lease, and he has been kind enough to send it to the Bugsworth Steam Party both this year and last, so local people and visitors have been able to listen to it playing (extremely well, I might add)

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Chessy on 05/11/2014(UTC)
Chessy  
#5 Posted : 05 November 2014 14:06:50(UTC)
Chessy
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Thank you for your replies. They are very interesting.

I believe the Gavioli is in good hands with Ian Howard. Apparently there was also a second Gavioli organ that Herbert restored, and I am in the process of finding out the whereabouts of it.

I would love to know where the Hand made lathe is now. I believe someone in Buxton had it but I don't know who, and whether they still have it.

Any further information would be welcome.
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