The 2009 Little Downham Bygone & Organ Extravaganza kicked off the new season in glorious sunshine and the local residents came out and supported this friendly village event in their droves as usual. With fair-organs, steam, bicycles, motorbikes, cars, commercials, military, tractors, bygones and models all on display, most disciplines of preservation are present at this mini-rally.

Most of the small organs were placed on the pavement outside the hall by their owners, with three others in the yard at the back of the building. This left the hall largely free for bygone displays, with collections of pocket-watches, haberdashery items, teapots (this year with an animal theme), oil-company memorabilia, Royalist and local-interest mugs, old tins, farming models, Fen skating memorabilia, old tobacco products, printing items, Meccano, music boxes, old jigsaws, bottle openers, blow-lamps, Victorian bottles, old tools, pottery horses, musical machines, etc.

There were a dozen tractors on display this year, probably the most we’ve seen here. Some were of local origin with known histories around the local fens. Fordson, Leyland, Nuffield, Allis Chalmers, International, Ferguson & John Deere were all represented.

The trio of military vehicles comprised a Landrover ambulance, Bedford Green Goddess fire engine and Bedford O-type truck. Other commercial vehicles were limited to a couple of Morris Minor vans. Scale team on show was the Allchin traction engine and the Beyer Peacock lorry.

As always, there was a decent cross-section of classic cards including Hillman, Sunbeam, MG, Trojan, Triumph, Vauxhall, Riley, Ford, Vanden Plas, Morgan & Buick. My favourites of the day were the two quite different Morgans, with many differences in what were two quite similar vehicles.

As usual, the raffle in aid of MAGPAS lasted for over an hour, then all-too-soon, time to pack up ready for tea and then dissipate to all corners of East Anglia and beyond. I understand profits from the event amounted to £1355. Just a month to wait now until Cottenham.