SEWARDS OF PETERSFIELD
Engineer, Threshing and Haulage Contractors
Press Release – Happy Birthday Albert and Endurance.
Every year there are engines celebrating major milestones all over the country and this year is no exception.
On the 5th of October 2025, Amberley Museum in West Sussex will hold their annual Autumn Gathering. The event celebrates the anniversary of the first preview day at the museum in 1978. This year also marks celebrations of 100 years and 130 years for steam engines that live and regularly visit the museum.
Marshall S Type Roller number 79669 “Joan” (affectionately known as The West Sussex Roller) of 1925 is celebrating 100 years this year. The roller has lived and worked in West Sussex all its life, working around Midhurst and surrounding villages for the local and county council. The engine finished work in 1983 When it moved to Amberley Museum where it is preserved and used regularly by the Road Steam Group volunteers for museum events.
Fowler A4 Traction engine number 7453 “Albert” of 1895 is an engine which spends most of its time at the museum and is celebrating its 130th birthday this year. Albert worked in and around Petersfield in Hampshire for W Seward. The engine left the family in the late 1960s and ended up at the Brighton and Hove Engineerium in time for its 100th birthday. The engine celebrated its 100th birthday at Amberley Museum back in 1995 alongside Fowler A4 Traction engine number 7459 “Endurance” also built in 1895 and owned by the Langley family. Endurance has been a regular sight on rally fields around Sussex for 50 years.
Albert worked alongside Marshall Traction Engine number 14242 “Victoria Empress of India” of 1886. This engine is also a regular visitor at the museum and celebrated its 100th birthday there in 1986.
These four engines will be in attendance at the Autumn Gathering as well as other engines. The event also sees cars, motorcycles, commercial vehicles and stationary engines at the museum as well as regular services on the museums narrow gauge railway and regular bus services around the site using vehicles from the museums bus collection.
