Monday, August 14, 2006

carter's steam fair in battersea park

you'd never guess you were near the centre of a great city

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carter's gallopers

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machinery casing at the centre of the gallopers ride in carters fun fair

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wow !

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i prefer battersea park with a funfair to watching the horses at leicester

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shiny paintwork by the carters genius

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transports of delight (i)

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transports of delight (ii)

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transports of delight (iii)

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the dodgems controller

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the door to the dodgems control room

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an edwardian centaur

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carters steam yachts front end

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steam yachts rear view

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carters steam yachts explained

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don't ask ... 'cos i don't know !

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something to look forward to !

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remember, carters fair really does have working steam engines ...

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... and essential maintenance never ceases

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more grief than words can describe

the working day seems destined for an unusually early finish and i make my way cheerfully towards the office for some chat via the mens' locker room

as i open the locker room's door, a small man in factory clothing is standing behind it

he is clutching a mobile phone and has wedged himself in to a corner to weep

his english is poor

he is alone

when i ask about his trouble, he shakes his head, unable at first to put words to the shape of his pain

eventually he tells me that his sister's children, survivors of the tsunami in sri lanka, have just been killed by a government plane bombing their orphanage