Hollycombe uses two portable engines, Big John and Eileen, to generate steam for the Gallopers, Razzle Dazzle and Steam Yacht fairground rides.
Big John, a Ruston proctor portable engine, was originally use to belt drive farm machinery but is now used to supply steam to some of Hollycombe's fairground rides.
Eileen, a Clayton & Shuttleworth portable engine was built as a traction engine for export to Russia in about 1917, but was not sent because of the Russian Revolution. The engine is fitted with a large firebox and spark arrestor as it was designed to burn straw. It is also fitted with full reversing gear, which is unusual in a portable
engine and likely a feature of its original design as a traction engine.
Also present in the portable engine area is Bernadette, a 1896 French built engine with a very different design to the typical English portable. This engine can be seen in the fourth image, with the steam crane behind.
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