I understand the Little Downham Bygones & Extravaganza provided a profit for Magpas of just over £1500, so a little up on the 2009 event. Falling the day before the Annual Founders Day at Thursford, several exhibitors, visitors and enthusiasts were to be seen at both, making a memorable weekend for those involved.

The bygone and model displays seemed to rotate a little more each year, with several different displays to be seen compared to last year. Included within this were a collection of Robertson’s Golly-themed memorabilia, novelty condiment and pickles dishes etc, Granny’s wartime kitchen & Coca-Cola collectables.

The Froment family’s Pell and a lovely Gasparini organ complimented some smaller instruments both in the yard and hall, and a trio of scale steam engines were also on show. Over a dozen tractors attended this year with Fordsons, Fergusons, Fendt, John Deere, Nuffield and Ransomes parading for visitors’ enjoyment.

Amongst the cars, there was just one foreigner, an Isetta bubble car with the rest of the motors on show being true Brits. Standard-Triumph, Rootes Group, BMC, GM & Ford conglomerates were all there, alongside a couple of militaries, a Green Goddess and a Landrover Lomas ambulance.

Unfortunately, we had to leave fairly early, but did manage to catch up with other enthusiasts for a chat at the Thursford Founders Day on the Sunday. This was the first time I’d been to this attraction since the new hall had been built but was quite disappointed at the commercialism that meant the unrestored engines became jammed together in a sickly blue-green light as an aside to the Christmas grotto, which was still going strong in March! Aaghhh.