Once a familiar sight on the streets and byways of rural North Wales, the "Sentinel" steam-wagon, once operated by the Buckley-based, Castle Fire-Brick Company, ticks all the boxes for the town's heritage and nostalgia enthusiasts. In an age before the diesel engine had caught-up with the demands of heavy-haulage road vehicles, the robust pulling-power of 1937 state-of-the-art steam propulsion made vehicles such as the Sentinel, "King-of-the-Road". Especially when tons of high-quality Buckley bricks, fresh from the kilns at the town's Castle Works, were needed for building projects that might be located halfway up the Great Orme in Llandudno!Very ocasionally the Castle Sentinel has made a return-trip to Buckley. This 2009 event, organised by The Buckley Society, captures this iconic vehicle in full-steam and gorgeous, refurbished livery. For Buckley folk of a certain age, these visits are special times. Time to renew old acquainance and an opportunity, for those with hearts in which the wagon had earned a special affection, to turn-out to admire and share memories. Dutifully restored to full road-worthiness by owner Stuart Gray, we see the wagon arriving under it's own steam at the town-centre car park after a road-trip from Shrewsbury. Buckley townsfolk of all ages turned out to to greet it with much enthusiasm. In conversation with local community documentarian, John Butler, Stuart offers authoritive insight on the ethos of Industrial Heritage and his own restoration project -and the unique qualities of coal-fuelled transport vehicles before the widespread adoption of the modern diesel engine. Note:Now semi-retired after a career in International Business Consultancy, Stuart's passion is classic vehicles of all types and his conservation work at The Shuttleworth Collection in South Bedfordshire.Further information:https://www.onebroker.co.uk/news/shuttleworth-collection-classic-vehicl… more on this event -including interviews with local people and Castle Brickworks veterans- see "...just another vehicle" https://www.peoplescollection.wales/items/1197916 John Butler 2024Tech Note:Camera: Panasonic GS400 3CCD Mini-DVAudio: Rode VideoMicEditing: Adobe Premiere Elements v14