BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Newcomen.com - ECPv6.16.2//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Newcomen.com X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.newcomen.com X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Newcomen.com REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Europe/London BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20230326T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20231029T010000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20240331T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20241027T010000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20250330T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20251026T010000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20260329T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20261025T010000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251001T190000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251001T210000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002821 CREATED:20250929T110540Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250929T110540Z UID:16613-1759345200-1759352400@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'The Hallmarking of Silver and Gold' by Dr Jim Andrew DESCRIPTION:Photo Credit: Rodolph at the English-language Wikipedia \nJoining us IN PERSON – just turn up\, there’s no need to register\nJoining us ONLINE – click on this zoom link before the event to join in \nThis is a joint event with Thinktank\, Birmingham Science Museum \nThe UK’s consumer protection started some seven centuries ago with the marking of gold and silver products to show purity\, date tested and the maker. The method of establishing the purity of silver products evolved over many years with a need for both accuracy and the time taken to test items submitted for assaying\, particularly in busy assay offices. \nJim Andrew will explain the system and how to access the details of date and maker\, with examples from the last two centuries. \nAbout the Speaker\nDr Jim Andrew is a former museum manager at Birmingham Science Museum\, and is currently Chairman of Newcomen Midlands. URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/the-hallmarking-of-silver-and-gold-by-dr-jim-andrew/ LOCATION:BIRMINGHAM Think Tank\, Birmingham Science Museum\,\, Curzon Street\, Birmingham\, West Midlands\, B4 7XG CATEGORIES:Shed Talks (Newcomen Online),UK - Midlands Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25-10-01_TheHallmarkingOfSilverGold_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - Midland Branch":MAILTO:midlands@newcomen.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250929T183000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250929T200000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002821 CREATED:20250918T101145Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250919T150251Z UID:16551-1759170600-1759176000@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'The Development of the HF Transceiver' by Bob Harris DESCRIPTION:Image source: KNL \nJoining us IN PERSON – just turn up\, there’s no need to register\nClick on this zoom link to join on-line \nThe period from about 1970 to 1985 saw significant changes in the design and construction of high-frequency (HF) radio transceivers. Whilst this talk will focus on amateur radio transceivers\, the developments and changes also applied to commercial transceivers for the maritime and land mobile markets. \nBob Harris will cover the changes and set them in the context of the wider development of transmitters and receivers from Marconi onwards. The development of the technology\, the circuit design and the construction practices will all be examined and supported by relevant theory. \nThe reasons for the rise to dominance of the Japanese brands such as Icom\, Kenwood and Vertex will be discussed. \nAbout the Speaker\nBob Harris has held an amateur radio licence since 1971 and has gradually built up a collection of old radio transceivers. These are from the mid-1970s until the mid-1980s\, this period being one of significant technical change and innovation. \nProfessionally\, Bob has an MSc in Modern Electronics and a BEng in Electronic Engineering. After initially working in the steel industry\, he moved into teaching in further education. Latterly\, he taught electronics and telecommunications at Sheffield Hallam University for some 30 years until his retirement URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/the-development-of-the-hf-transceiver-by-bob-harris/ LOCATION:SHEFFIELD Kelham Island Museum\, Alma Street\, Sheffield\, South Yorkshire\, S3 8RG CATEGORIES:Shed Talks (Newcomen Online),UK - South Yorkshire Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25-09-29_TheDevelopmentoftheHFTransceiver_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - South Yorkshire Branch":MAILTO:meetings.syorks@newcomen.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250923T183000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250923T200000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002821 CREATED:20250918T093606Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250920T112819Z UID:16546-1758652200-1758657600@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'The Polaris Missile System: Development and Operations' by John Boyes DESCRIPTION:Image source: US National Archives NAID (public domain) \nAn in-person event only. No need to sign up\, just come along – all are welcome. \nThe atom bombs dropped on Japan heralded new military possibilities as the post-war world became the Cold War. Seeing with great foresight the potential for developing nuclear power for the US Navy\, Capt. Hyman Rickover pushed forward a research programme which culminated with the launch of the USS Nautilus\, the world’s first nuclear powered submarine. \nStill dependant on complex liquid fuels the US Navy\, already partnering the Army in developing a ballistic missile for both services\, withdrew from the alliance when solid fuels of sufficient energy became a practical proposition\, setting up its own project under the leadership of RAdm. William Raborn. Thus was born the Polaris weapon system with the first missile-armed\, nuclear powered submarine leaving on patrol in 1958. \nForty other SSBNs were to follow and when Britain’s Blue Streak and Skybolt plans were cancelled\, Harold Macmillan and President Kennedy met in the Bahamas sealing a deal which saw Polaris also being supplied to the Royal Navy. \nAbout the Speaker\nJohn Boyes was born in Edinburgh in 1947. Educated at Rugby School\, he qualified as a chartered accountant in 1973 and thereafter pursued a career in the motor industry until his retirement in 2005. Always interested in the military\, he served for seventeen years in the Territorial Army’s Media Operations Group. \nJohn’s particular interest is the history of missiles and he published his first book on the topic\, Project Emily: Thor IRBM and the RAF\, in 2008. He is the former treasurer of the RAF Historical Society and of the Bomber Command Association\, whose Memorial to the 55\,573 RAF personnel killed in the Second World War was unveiled in 2012. URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/the-polaris-missile-system-development-and-operations-by-john-boyes/ LOCATION:MANCHESTER International Anthony Burgess Foundation\, Engine House\, Chorlton Mill\, 3 Cambridge Street\,\, Manchester\, M1 5BY CATEGORIES:UK - North Western Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/25-09-23_ThePolarisMissileSystemPolaris_missile_launch_from_HMS_Revenge_S27_1983_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - North Western Branch":MAILTO:catherine.casson@manchester.ac.uk END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250519T183000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250519T200000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002821 CREATED:20241029T111854Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241029T111854Z UID:15899-1747679400-1747684800@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'Went the day well? - We plan\, the Gods laugh: Success and Failure on D-Day' by Dr Phil Judkins DESCRIPTION:Joining us IN PERSON – just turn up\, there’s no need to register\nplease email meetings.syorks@newcomen.com for zoom link \nThe Allies’ success at D-Day paved the way for victory in Europe. The fighting in Normandy continued until August 1944\, when Paris was liberated. \nMany of the immediate strategic objectives of the landings were not achieved\, including the failure to capture any of the key towns. But D-Day was still a huge success. More than 160\,000 Allied troops and 6\,000 vehicles had crossed the Channel and established a foothold in France. \nAbout the Speaker\nDr Phil Judkins’ love of industrial archaeology stems from his childhood playground being an abandoned Victorian waterworks\, with no Health and Safety to concern him! Cambridge’s Classical Archaeology course led to several years in ‘dirt archaeology’\, followed by a management career which ranged from the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment to the City of London. Phil then gave structure to his abiding interest of historic defence electronics through a Cranfield PhD in the history of radar\, and successive Fellowships at the UK’s Defence Academy and at Buckingham University’s Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies. \nHe currently chairs the Defence Electronics History Society and the Purbeck Radar Museum Trust\, in addition to serving on the Committee of the South Yorkshire Newcomen Society\, and lectures on defence topics throughout the UK\, Phil’s particular perspective is to present the role of electronics in conflict as seen by all the contending parties\, rather than from a single national perspective\, so that he welcomes collaboration with colleagues internationally. URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/went-the-day-well-we-plan-the-gods-laugh-success-and-failure-on-d-day-by-dr-phil-judkins/ LOCATION:SHEFFIELD Kelham Island Museum\, Alma Street\, Sheffield\, South Yorkshire\, S3 8RG CATEGORIES:Shed Talks (Newcomen Online),UK - South Yorkshire Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/25-05-19_SuccessAndFailureOnDDay_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - South Yorkshire Branch":MAILTO:meetings.syorks@newcomen.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250514T180000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250514T200000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002821 CREATED:20241029T122055Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250403T094552Z UID:15910-1747245600-1747252800@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'The Trinity House Story' by David Whitehead & Mike Hawthorne DESCRIPTION:This event is both an in-person and on-line event. No need to register – just come along or click this zoom link to join on-line. \nHave you ever wondered who looks after the major lighthouses around England\, Wales and the Channel Islands? How did they come to be there in the first place? \nIncorporated by Royal Charter by Henry Vlll in 1514\, Trinity House is today a vital part of Britain’s maritime community. In addition to owning and operating lighthouses\, lightvessels\, beacons and buoys to keep safe all mariners at sea around our shores\, Trinity House is called in to mark – and clear if required – wrecks\, help develop state of the art electronic navigation tools for vessels of all sizes to overcome the vulnerabilities of GPS\, and to act as Nautical Assessors in Admiralty Court cases. \nAdd to that a sizeable maritime fraternity which regularly advises on current maritime issues and future opportunities\, and a charitable side that donates in excess of £5m a year to worthy maritime causes\, and you start to get a picture of Trinity House. Then add cadet schemes to train future Merchant Navy mariners and leisure seafarers\, almshouses for the use of retired mariners\, holidays in converted lighthouses and even public tours and private receptions offered in its stunning historical London HQ on Tower Hill. \nAbout the Speaker\nDavid Whitehead OBE is a former Director of the British Ports Association (1993 to 2016) and Director of Policy\, British Ports Federation (1990 – 1993). David led the ports industry through a period of great change. He was heavily involved in the development of the Port Marine Safety Code and was a member of the Port Marine Safety Code Steering Group\, which led on navigational safety policy for the entire maritime sector\, for many years.  David was also Chairman of the European Seaports Organisation for four years where he was responsible for leading on ports policy\, including marine and navigational issues\, with the EU institutions.  In 2010\, he was awarded the OBE for his services to the UK ports industry. \nCaptain Mike Hawthorne OBE RN has been a Younger Brother of Trinity House since 2021.  His 36 years in the Royal Navy included working with Diesel and Nuclear Submarines\, Naval Intelligence\, Naval Procurement and Crisis Management Fleet Command.  His roles included Navigation Training Officer\, Command of HMS Tireless\, Director Naval Intelligence Collection\, Naval Operations and Command of Joint Forces Cyber Group. URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/the-trinity-house-story-by-david-whitehead-mike-hawthorne/ LOCATION:LONDON Alan Baxter Gallery\, 75 Cowcross St\, Clerkenwell\, London\, EC1M 6EL CATEGORIES:Shed Talks (Newcomen Online),UK - London Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/25-02-24_TheTrinityHouseStory_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - London Branch":MAILTO:office@newcomen.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250507T190000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250507T210000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002821 CREATED:20250423T091238Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250423T130851Z UID:16342-1746644400-1746651600@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'From craftsman’s bench to factory floor: the Birmingham Rule Trade 1750-1920' by David Bryden DESCRIPTION:Joining us IN PERSON – just turn up\, there’s no need to register\nJoining us ONLINE – click on this zoom link before the event to join in. \nDuring the 19th century\, there was a marked change in the structure and form of the rule-making trade in Birmingham and Wolverhampton. Making rules for tradesmen across the UK and abroad to measure\, lay-out and calculate\, effectively vanished from Wolverhampton. Established craft skills\, practiced in small Birmingham workshops by a skilled master\, assisted by trained journeymen using techniques passed onto apprentices\, were swept aside by mechanisation. \nDespite the active opposition of time-served journeymen\, unskilled young operatives of both genders came to dominate a growing workforce\, along with a decline in the number of employers and the emergence of a few large manufacturing units – the rule factory. A leading activist in this change was the entrepreneurial John Rabone II (1820-1892). \nInformal and formal records kept by the Rabone business and preserved in Sheffield and Birmingham\, together with data drawn from Census returns\, the local press\, and publications by or for the rule manufacturers\, have been examined for the first time. \nAbout the Speaker\nDavid J. Bryden BSc MA PhD FSA took a degree in engineering at Leicester in 1964 followed by a year taking a taught course in the history and philosophy of science at Oxford. \nDavid was then employed for nearly four decades in various national and university museums. His PhD (Cambridge 1993) was awarded on the basis of publications on early scientific instruments and the British instrument making trade. \nRetiring to the West Midlands\, David has continued to research and publish. URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/from-craftsmans-bench-to-factory-floor-the-birmingham-rule-trade-1750-1920-by-david-bryden/ LOCATION:BIRMINGHAM Think Tank\, Birmingham Science Museum\,\, Curzon Street\, Birmingham\, West Midlands\, B4 7XG CATEGORIES:Shed Talks (Newcomen Online),UK - Midlands Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/25-05-07_BirminghamRuleTrade_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - Midland Branch":MAILTO:midlands@newcomen.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250428T183000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250428T200000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002822 CREATED:20241029T105710Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250326T104123Z UID:15896-1745865000-1745870400@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'The life of L.T.C Rolt' by Dr Victoria Owens DESCRIPTION:Joining us IN PERSON – just turn up\, there’s no need to register\nplease email meetings.syorks@newcomen.com for zoom link \nIn 1926\, Tom Rolt who was then sixteen years old\, abandoned his public school education. Having taken a job with a small firm of agricultural engineers\, he realised that he had found his life’s calling. But the way ahead was neither smooth nor easy. Having secured a premium apprenticeship\, the firm which took him on foundered and although he eventually qualified as a mechanical engineer\, the 1930s depression made it almost impossible to find regular employment. \nNothing daunted\, with the encouragement of his mysterious companion ‘Cara’\, he turned to writing. His literary career flourished alongside his association with the Vintage Sports Car Club\, the Inland Waterways Association and the Talyllyn Railway. Between his Inland Waterways Association and Talyllyn phases\, Angela\, his first wife\, left him to join Billy Smart’s Circus\, and Sonia –an actress-turned-boatwoman – would become his second wife. Over the course of his life\, he produced over thirty books\, their subject matters ranging from canals and railways to engineering biography; company histories; a collection of accomplished ghost stories and a topographical survey of Worcestershire. He also wrote polemics about the plight of the craftsman in a world which relied increasingly upon mass production. \nIn this book\, the first full-length biography of Tom Rolt and a complement to his auto-biographical Landscape trilogy\, Dr Victoria Owens draws upon his surviving letters and unpublished manuscripts to tell the story of the engineer-turned-writer who made Britain’s industrial past the stuff of enduring literature. \nAbout the Speaker\nA member of the Newcomen Society\, Dr Victoria Owens has worked in local government and the book trade. Now an independent scholar\, her book Lady Charlotte Guest – the exceptional life of a female industrialist was shortlisted for the 2021 Wales Book of the Year and won the non-fiction award. Her other publications include James Brindley and the Duke of Bridgewater: Canal Visionaries (Amberley Publishing 2015) and Aqueducts and Viaducts of Britain (Amberley Publishing 2019). \nVictoria’s latest publication\, The Life of L.T.C Tom Rolt\, came out in 2024. URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/the-life-of-l-t-c-rolt-by-dr-victoria-owens/ LOCATION:SHEFFIELD Kelham Island Museum\, Alma Street\, Sheffield\, South Yorkshire\, S3 8RG CATEGORIES:Shed Talks (Newcomen Online),UK - South Yorkshire Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/25-04-28_TheLifeOfLTCRolt_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - South Yorkshire Branch":MAILTO:meetings.syorks@newcomen.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250409T180000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250409T193000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002822 CREATED:20250219T143745Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250331T151520Z UID:16210-1744221600-1744227000@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'Presidential Address: A short version of the long history of automation on the railways' by Professor Felix Schmid DESCRIPTION:This event is both an in-person and on-line event. No need to register – just come along or click this zoom link to join on-line. \nThe presentation will commence by introducing very early mechanical systems\, including some that were used on waggonways 300 years ago. These were quite primitive but reduced the labour requirement\, e.g. by automating passing loops on tramways. \nThe automatic systems that came about in response to the Regulation of Railways Act 1889\, which made the railway much safer and also improved its economy\, will be discussed\, followed by the origins of the train stop and warning systems that came into operation in the early 20th century. The electronic safety and operational management systems instigated by computerisation\, where British Rail had a leading role\, will be reviewed. \nThe presentation will finish with some reflections on fully automated railways and the role of machine learning and what is often termed artificial intelligence. Throughout the talk\, the speaker will comment on the importance of including human skill and perception in automated systems for the railway. \nAbout the Speaker\nFelix Schmid is an Emeritus Professor of Railway Systems Engineering at the University of Birmingham and\, currently\, serves as the President of the Newcomen Society. \nHe has had a longstanding interest in railway systems and\, more particularly\, the automation of activities necessary for the safe and efficient operation of railways. Some automated systems support the work of people\, others are carrying out tasks without regular interactions with humans. URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/presidential-address-a-short-version-of-the-long-history-of-automation-on-the-railways-by-professor-felix-schmid/ LOCATION:LONDON Alan Baxter Gallery\, 75 Cowcross St\, Clerkenwell\, London\, EC1M 6EL CATEGORIES:Shed Talks (Newcomen Online),UK - London Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/25-04-09_HistoryOfAutomationOnTheRailways_PICTOUSE_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - London Branch":MAILTO:office@newcomen.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250402T190000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250402T210000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002822 CREATED:20241028T155529Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250728T150155Z UID:15872-1743620400-1743627600@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'History of research in British Gas' by Chris Hodrien DESCRIPTION:Joining us IN PERSON – just turn up\, there’s no need to register\nJoining us ONLINE – click on this zoom link before the event to join in \nThe British gas industry has a long and proud history of technical innovation\, but very little is known or appreciated by the general public. \nTown gas production technology for gas lighting by the carbonisation (destructive heating) of coal was invented by William Murdoch in Redruth in 1793 and subsequently developed by him in Boulton & Watt’s Soho Foundry in Smethwick during 1995-1805\, initially for the gas lighting of factories and mills. This was the first industrial scale example of what is nowadays termed the Process Industry\, and long predated the better-known chemical industry. \nThe basic production technology remained unchanged into the 1950s\, with gradual evolutionary equipment improvements\, but formal R&D on both production and utilisation was considerably accelerated first during WorldWar 2\, then by the nationalisation of the industry in 1948 and again with the formation of British Gas Corporation in 1973\, forming a powerful fully vertically-integrated organisation covering all aspects of gas technology. This led to two successive and very successful total technical revolutions\, from coal carbonisation to steam reforming of light oils in the 1960s-70s followed immediately by the conversion to North Sea natural gas in the 1970s-80s. \nBy the time of the privatisation in the early 1990s \, British Gas was one of the most powerful\, modern\, technically advanced and profitable industries in the UK\, with an R&D budget of c. £55M/year and a long term 25-year R&D strategy. \nAbout the Speaker\nChris Hodrien is the son of two industrial chemists who met in the laboratory. He formed an intent to become an industrial Chemical Engineer at about age 11 and had by far the largest home chemistry set in the neighbourhood! Chris graduated with an M.A. in Chemical Engineering from Pembroke College\, University of Cambridge in 1973 and went straight to work in cutting-edge world-class gas production R&D at Midlands Research Station\, Solihull. \nOne important role (1974) was the introduction of brand-new computer-aided gasification process simulation methods\, another (1980-83) was as team leader of the initial pilot plant for the world’s highest efficiency coal gasification process. A project for advanced low-cost drying of natural gas (1996-2000) won an internal Chairman’s Award for Chris. \nSubsequently\, the work was relocated to a new integrated national Gas Research Centre at Loughborough after privatisation in 1993\, under the new banner of Advantica plc. \nChris is a visiting industrial tutor on biotechnology scale-up\, industrial design and costing\, bioenergy and process egineering for the University of Warwick. URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/history-of-research-in-british-gas-by-chris-hodrien/ LOCATION:BIRMINGHAM Think Tank\, Birmingham Science Museum\,\, Curzon Street\, Birmingham\, West Midlands\, B4 7XG CATEGORIES:Shed Talks (Newcomen Online),UK - Midlands Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/25-04-02_HistoryOfResearchInBritishGasV2_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - Midland Branch":MAILTO:midlands@newcomen.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250325T181500 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250325T190000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002822 CREATED:20241029T125020Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250319T094322Z UID:15912-1742926500-1742929200@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:‘The Ken Barraclough Memorial Lecture - New discoveries of Sheffield industrial metallurgical history post Barraclough' by Ashley Tuck DESCRIPTION:Joining us IN PERSON – just turn up\, there’s no need to register.\nJoining us ON LINE – Zoom webinar ID 819 5707 3999\, Password SMEA 1894 \nThis is a joint meeting between the Sheffield Metallurgical and Engineering Association and the South Yorkshire Industrial History Society \nAshley Tuck from Wessex Archaeology will update us on progress that has been made in recent years. \nAbout the Speaker\nAshley Tuck is an archaeologist with over 20 years experience. He has been involved with research on Sheffield Castle since 2016 and led the field evaluation in 2018. Ashley began his career working as an excavator on industrial sites in Sheffield\, before widening his experience\, investigating sites of varying types and date using a broad spectrum of techniques. For a time\, Ashley led the Wessex Archaeology archiving team in Sheffield. \nHe has written a large number of archaeological reports and publications including the monograph for Hornsea Project One and contributing to the book Sheffield Castle: Archaeology\, Archives\, Regeneration\, 1927–2018. \nWith the work at the castle\, Ashley hopes to help tell the story of Sheffield and contribute to our emerging understanding of the identity of the modern city. As nothing is currently visible above ground it can be hard to remember the significance and size of the castle. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to understand this medieval power centre and to explore the castle and its iconic and transformative meaning for people today. URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/the-ken-barraclough-memorial-lecture-new-discoveries-of-sheffield-industrial-metallurgical-history-post-barraclough-by-ashley-tuck/ LOCATION:SHEFFIELD Crowne Plaza Royal Victoria\, Victoria Station Road\, Sheffield\, South Yorkshire\, S4 7YE CATEGORIES:Shed Talks (Newcomen Online),UK - South Yorkshire Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/25-03-25_SheffieldIndustrialMetallurgicalHistory_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - South Yorkshire Branch":MAILTO:meetings.syorks@newcomen.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250318T183000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250318T200000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002822 CREATED:20240816T115952Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240816T115952Z UID:15677-1742322600-1742328000@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'Marshall the energy: Some stories about the life & work of Dr Walter Marshall' by Dr Victoria Marshall DESCRIPTION:An in-person event only. No need to sign up\, just come along – all are welcome. \nDuring the 63 years of his life\, Dr Walter Marshall\, or Lord Marshall if you prefer\, was Director of the Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE) Harwell\, Chairman of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA)\, then Chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) at the time of the Sizewell B enquiry and the miner’s strike. \nA decade later\, he was instrumental in dealing with the fall-out (no pun intended) of the Chernobyl disaster and in establishing the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO). \nThis talk uses family archives to try and shed some light on a highly driven man who loved playing chess\, doing origami and above all\, understanding and explaining the nuclear world. \nAbout the Speaker\nDr Victoria Marshall is a computer scientist working amongst physicists in the Central Laser Facility at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. She worked at AERE Harwell for three years\, has worked at Rutherford for 35 years\, and is now the Campus’ de facto archivist and employed (as opposed to retired) historian. \nAnd\, of course\, she has known Walter Marshall since the day she was born! URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/marshall-the-energy-some-stories-about-the-life-work-of-dr-walter-marshall-by-dr-victoria-marshall/ LOCATION:MANCHESTER International Anthony Burgess Foundation\, Engine House\, Chorlton Mill\, 3 Cambridge Street\,\, Manchester\, M1 5BY CATEGORIES:UK - North Western Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/25-03-18_DrWalterMarshallNuclearEnergy_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - North Western Branch":MAILTO:catherine.casson@manchester.ac.uk END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250312T180000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250312T193000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002822 CREATED:20240906T114247Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250226T165807Z UID:15746-1741802400-1741807800@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'The History of the Queen Mary Reservoir' by Nick Pollard DESCRIPTION:This event is both an in-person and on-line event. No need to register – just come along or click this zoom link to join on-line. \nThe Queen Mary Reservoir was built as a result of the huge expansion in unfiltered water capacity initiated by the Metropolitan Water Board\, after it was formed in 1902 to take over London’s water supply from the previous private companies. Originally known as the Littleton Reservoir after the Middlesex village it virtually obliterated\, on its opening in 1925 it gained its current name\, and was the world’s largest free-standing reservoir (as opposed to one constructed by damming a river valley). \nBeginning with a look at the area before the reservoir\, the talk goes on to look at the massive engineering effort involved in the construction of the reservoir\, including overcoming some unexpected geological challenges which forced a major redesign. An extensive railway network was put in place around the perimeter of the site to facilitate the work\, and huge excavators were assembled on site. Also covered are the construction of the inlet channel from the nearby River Thames and the associated pumping station. \nThe reservoir was put to some surprising uses during the Second World War\, and narrowly escaped being seriously damaged by bombing. The talk concludes with a look at the reservoir today and its use for leisure purposes in addition to its primary role in supplying London with water. \nAbout the Speaker\nNick Pollard is the Chairman of Sunbury and Shepperton Local History Society and the Curator of Spelthorne Museum in Staines. He is recently retired after a 45 year career in engineering.  \nNick has lived near the Queen Mary Reservoir for many years and became fascinated by its history. URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/the-history-of-the-queen-mary-reservoir-by-nick-pollard/ LOCATION:LONDON Alan Baxter Gallery\, 75 Cowcross St\, Clerkenwell\, London\, EC1M 6EL CATEGORIES:Newcomen Online Lecture,UK - London Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/25-03-12_TheHistoryOfTheQueenMaryReservoir_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - London Branch":MAILTO:office@newcomen.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250305T190000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250305T210000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002822 CREATED:20241028T150418Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250226T165459Z UID:15868-1741201200-1741208400@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'A Warwickshire Eclipse' by Mike Frost DESCRIPTION:Joining us IN PERSON – just turn up\, there’s no need to register\nJoining us ONLINE – click on this zoom link before the event to join in. \nOn February 18th 1737\, there was an eclipse of the Sun visible from Warwickshire. It was one of an extraordinary series of British eclipses which occurred in the eighteenth century\, and inspired a generation of astronomers and cartographers to produce ever-more elaborate charts and maps of the eclipse tracks. \nHenry Beighton – surveyor\, engineer\, draftsman and mathematician\, drew one such chart to illustrate the 1737 eclipse. Mike Frost found this chart in the papers of Roger Newdigate\, a young aristocrat who lived in Arbury Hall\, Nuneaton. \nMike uses the story of these two fascinating historical figures\, and the map that connects them\, to trace the flowering of mathematical talent in the wake of Newton\, Halley and others. In the case of Beighton and Newdigate\, these talents played a direct part in bringing the industrial revolution to Warwickshire. \nAbout the Speaker\nWarwickshire’s Mike Frost is a Systems Engineer working in the steel industry. In his spare time\, Mike is an astronomer who chases eclipses and visits astronomical sites worldwide. \nMike is a member of the Coventry and Warwickshire Astonomy Society\, The Society for the History of Astronomy\, The British Astronomical Association and The Royal Astronomical Society. He also writes articles and gives talks to societies around the UK & beyond. In April 2010\, Mike became director of the Historical Section of the British Astronomical Association. URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/a-warwickshire-eclipse-by-mike-frost/ LOCATION:BIRMINGHAM Think Tank\, Birmingham Science Museum\,\, Curzon Street\, Birmingham\, West Midlands\, B4 7XG CATEGORIES:Shed Talks (Newcomen Online),UK - Midlands Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/25-03-05_AWarwickshireEclipse_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - Midland Branch":MAILTO:midlands@newcomen.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250228T143000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250228T160000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002822 CREATED:20241029T121231Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250204T171647Z UID:15904-1740753000-1740758400@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'Leonardo Torres Quevedo: Pioneer of Computing\, Automatics & Artificial Intelligence' by Francisco A. Gonzalez Redondo DESCRIPTION:This event is both an in-person and on-line event. Please click on this link to book in-person tickets and zoom link option. \nPlease Note: The venue security requires in-person attendees to have booked their ticket in advance to secure entry. \nThis is a joint meeting with The Computer Conservation Society. \nA comprehensive examination of the almost unknown Spanish pioneer in the fields of computing\, automatics and artificial intelligence during the first two decades of the twentieth century: the engineer and mathematician Leonardo Torres Quevedo (1852-1936). \nAbout the Speaker\nFrancisco A. Gonzalez Redondo is Professor of History of Science at the Faculty of Education\, Universidad Complutense\, Madrid\, where he has taught since 1989 and where he was Academic Secretary between 2001 and 2009. \nFrancisco has written/coordinated more than 20 books and more than 200 articles/book chapters. He has curated more than 50 exhibitions\, participated in more than 80 radio programs and given more than 300 conferences and seminars in Germany\, Denmark\, Spain\, Italy\, Mexico\, the United Kingdom\, Sweden and Switzerland. URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/leonardo-torres-quevedo-pioneer-of-computing-automatics-artificial-intelligence-by-francisco-a-gonzalez-redondo/ LOCATION:LONDON BCS\, 25 Copthall Ave\, London\, EC2R 7BP\, United Kingdom CATEGORIES:Shed Talks (Newcomen Online),UK - London Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/25-02-28_LeonardoTorresQuevedo_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - London Branch":MAILTO:office@newcomen.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250225T183000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250225T200000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002822 CREATED:20240816T113501Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240816T113738Z UID:15672-1740508200-1740513600@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'Bank Quay: more than just a riverside dock' by Bob Bowden DESCRIPTION:An in-person event only. No need to sign up\, just come along – all are welcome. \nA brief history of an early industrial estate \nBank Quay lends its name to both Warrington’s main railway station and the soap works which looms large behind it. But Bank Quay was already an important industrial complex / transport hub\, and well into its 2nd century by the time the first railway arrived. \nThe real Bank Quay\, as the name suggests\, is actually hidden away on the River Mersey not 200yds away. \nThis is a very brief history of some of the more significant and interesting industries that have come & gone here over the last 300 years. \nAbout the Speaker\nBob Bowden is a long standing member of the Newcomen Society. URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/bank-quay-more-than-just-a-riverside-dock-a-brief-history-of-an-early-industrial-estate-by-bob-bowden/ LOCATION:MANCHESTER International Anthony Burgess Foundation\, Engine House\, Chorlton Mill\, 3 Cambridge Street\,\, Manchester\, M1 5BY CATEGORIES:UK - North Western Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/25-02-25_Bank-QuayWarrington_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - North Western Branch":MAILTO:catherine.casson@manchester.ac.uk END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250224T183000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250224T200000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002822 CREATED:20241029T103221Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241029T103221Z UID:15892-1740421800-1740427200@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'The Trinity House Story' by Julian Parkes DESCRIPTION:Joining us IN PERSON – just turn up\, there’s no need to register\nplease email meetings.syorks@newcomen.com for zoom link \nHave you ever wondered who looks after the major lighthouses around England\, Wales and the Channel Islands? How did they come to be there in the first place? \nIncorporated by Royal Charter by Henry Vlll in 1514\, Trinity House is today a vital part of Britain’s maritime community. In addition to owning and operating lighthouses\, lightvessels\, beacons and buoys to keep safe all mariners at sea around our shores\, Trinity House is called in to mark – and clear if required – wrecks\, help develop state of the art electronic navigation tools for vessels of all sizes to overcome the vulnerabilities of GPS\, and to act as Nautical Assessors in Admiralty Court cases. \nAdd to that a sizeable maritime fraternity which regularly advises on current maritime issues and future opportunities\, and a charitable side that donates in excess of £5m a year to worthy maritime causes\, and you start to get a picture of Trinity House. \nAbout the Speaker\nA Master Mariner\, Younger Brother at Trinity House and Fellow of the Nautical Institute\, Julian Parkes completed a traditional Merchant Navy deck apprenticeship\, when he served world-wide on a range of general cargo vessels. URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/the-trinity-house-story-by-julian-parkes/ LOCATION:SHEFFIELD Kelham Island Museum\, Alma Street\, Sheffield\, South Yorkshire\, S3 8RG CATEGORIES:Shed Talks (Newcomen Online),UK - South Yorkshire Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/25-02-24_TheTrinityHouseStory_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - South Yorkshire Branch":MAILTO:meetings.syorks@newcomen.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250212T180000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250212T193000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002822 CREATED:20240920T083106Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250120T103756Z UID:15764-1739383200-1739388600@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'The sinking of the Empress of Ireland' by Hugh Ferguson DESCRIPTION:This event is both an in-person and on-line event. No need to register – just come along or click this zoom link to join on-line. \nIn the early hours of 29th May 1914\, the British-built ocean liner RMS Empress of Ireland\, on route from Quebec to Liverpool\, was struck by a Norwegian collier near the mouth of the St Lawrence river\, and sank within fourteen minutes. More than 1000 of the nearly 1500 people on board died – including 840 passengers\, which was more than on the Titanic two years earlier or on the Lusitania a year later. This was one of the world’s worst peacetime maritime disasters\, yet it has been largely forgotten.\n \nHugh Ferguson will relate the events leading up to the disaster\, the event itself\, and its aftermath – largely through the words of his father Ronald Ferguson\, the young Chief Wireless Operator on the Empress\, who sent out the SOS which alerted rescue ships\, and who was the last to leave the sinking ship.\n \nThe talk will touch on several aspects of engineering\, including early wireless and contemporary design of ocean liners. But it is primarily a dramatic story of human courage\, tragedy and survival.\n \nAbout the Speaker\nHugh Ferguson is an engineer\, journalist and writer. He was formerly editor of New Civil Engineer magazine\, managing director of the Institution of Civil Engineers’ commercial company Thomas Telford Ltd\, and ICE’s Deputy Director General. \nHe is author or co-author of The Civil Engineers (2011)\, Engineers (2012)\, The Contractors (2013)\, Constructionarium (2016) and The Consulting Engineers (2020). URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/the-sinking-of-the-empress-of-ireland-by-hugh-ferguson/ LOCATION:LONDON Alan Baxter Gallery\, 75 Cowcross St\, Clerkenwell\, London\, EC1M 6EL CATEGORIES:Shed Talks (Newcomen Online),UK - London Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/25-02-12_TheSinkingoftheEmpressofIreland_ExtraHeadroom_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - London Branch":MAILTO:office@newcomen.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250205T190000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250205T210000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002822 CREATED:20241028T144840Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250110T100344Z UID:15865-1738782000-1738789200@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'Drifting into Digital Dependence' by Vaughan Pomeroy DESCRIPTION:Joining us IN PERSON – just turn up\, there’s no need to register\nJoining us ONLINE – click on this zoom link before the event to join in \nDigital systems can be found in all sorts of unlikely\, and arguably sometimes unnecessary\, places that we increasingly depend on in modern life. Unlike most changes in technology where take-up follows a similar pathway from early adoption to market dominance\, the digital revolution is more subtle. The distance between the operator or user and the ‘machine’ she controls becomes invaded by digital systems which have the seductive power to lull a sense of security whilst being an incomprehensible black box. \nUsing the modern merchant ship as the basis\, the talk will consider the pathway towards adoption of new technology\, the development of automation and the resulting impact on usability. When did we become dependent on digital systems without a manual work around? How should this sort of development be recorded for historical purposes to inform future generations? The speed of change is extraordinary\, and the drivers for adoption are not always clear. \nAbout the Speaker\nVaughan Pomeroy joined the British Aircraft Corporation at Weybridge from school in 1970 as an undergraduate apprentice. His daughter points out that it is now a museum! After graduating\, Vaughan returned to Weybridge working on aircraft systems\, particularly avionics. He joined the consulting engineers Mott\, Hay and Anderson in 1974 working on a variety of infrastructure projects\, before joining Lloyd's Register of Shipping in 1980. \nVaughan retired in 2010 as Technical Director\, since when he has worked with Southampton University and with universities in Singapore. URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/drifting-into-digital-dependence-by-vaughan-pomeroy/ LOCATION:BIRMINGHAM Think Tank\, Birmingham Science Museum\,\, Curzon Street\, Birmingham\, West Midlands\, B4 7XG CATEGORIES:Shed Talks (Newcomen Online),UK - Midlands Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/24-02-15_DigitalDependence_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - Midland Branch":MAILTO:midlands@newcomen.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250128T183000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250128T200000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002822 CREATED:20240816T105922Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250113T160248Z UID:15669-1738089000-1738094400@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:CANCELLED | 'Stephen Carter and the Micrarium in Buxton' by Viviane Quirke DESCRIPTION:THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED \nAn in-person event only. No need to sign up\, just come along – all are welcome. \nFrom pharmaceutical innovation to public engagement in the North West \nIn 1981\, a new kind of museum opened in Buxton’s old Pump room. It was the ‘Micrarium’\, created by Stephen Carter\, who had previously been involved in cancer research at ICI’s Pharmaceutical Research Centre at Alderley Park in Cheshire. The Micrarium’s ambition was to make the microscopic world\, which Carter had explored in his work for ICI\, more readily accessible to the wider public. Unfortunately\, Carter’s premature death in 1987\, and the eventual displacement of the apparatus used in the Micrarium by digital technology\, led to the ultimate demise\, not only of the Micrarium itself\, but of its idea as a museum. \nThis talk will illustrate the short-lived ‘World First’ use of microscopes in a dedicated museum setting which\, through Carter\, bridged the gap between scientific innovation and public engagement. It will touch on the importance of place – Carter’s home\, where he did much of the work for the Micrarium\, was situated between Alderley Park\, with which he retained useful contacts even after he had retired\, and Buxton in the Peak District. However\, considering the resistance and sometimes outright opposition directed against the museum by some of the local inhabitants\, my paper will also ask whether this was the right place to set up such a museum\, at a time when the microscopic world was attracting public interest\, but which perhaps clashed with the image of a traditional spa town. \nAbout the Speaker\nViviane Quirke is a historian of science\, technology and medicine. She has worked on the history of drugs and the pharmaceutical industry in Britain\, France and the USA\, and has published several articles\, chapters and books on the subject. \nViviane retired from Oxford Brookes University in 2023\, and is currently Research Associate at the University of Oxford and at University College London. URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/stephen-carter-and-the-micrarium-in-buxton-by-viviane-quirke/ LOCATION:MANCHESTER International Anthony Burgess Foundation\, Engine House\, Chorlton Mill\, 3 Cambridge Street\,\, Manchester\, M1 5BY CATEGORIES:UK - North Western Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/25-01-28_StephenCarterAndTheMicrariumInBuxton_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - North Western Branch":MAILTO:catherine.casson@manchester.ac.uk END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250127T183000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250127T200000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002822 CREATED:20241029T100110Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250120T152644Z UID:15889-1738002600-1738008000@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'The Background to the 1925 Stockton & Darlington Centenary Celebrations' by Les Turnbull DESCRIPTION:This is an in-person and on-line event – please sign up to this eventbrite link to register your attendance for either option \nThis is a joint meeting with the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers \nWhen the North Eastern Railway organised the 50th anniversary Jubilee celebration of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) in 1875\, it elevated a largely colliery focussed railway to international status and created a fictitious narrative of history. \nUsing recently discovered archival and archaeological evidence\, the author argues for a different interpretation\, which gives more weight to the railways which had existed for more than 200 years before the opening of the S&DR. \nIt considers the ideas of William Thomas\, voiced in 1800\, for a novel railway system to transport not only minerals but also merchandise and people. Thomas’ ideas reached fruition at the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway in 1830\, which provided the model for other railways across the world. \nAbout the Speaker\nLes Turnbull graduated in history at Durham University and worked as a schoolmaster\, university lecturer and senior education adviser. Upon retirement he became a volunteer at NEIMME where now serves as a member of Council. \nLes has written several books on the history of mining and his particular interest\, the early railways of the Great Northern Coalfield. He is frequently called upon to lecture both within the region and beyond. URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/the-background-to-the-1925-stockton-darlington-centenary-celebrations-by-les-turnbull/ LOCATION:NEWCASTLE Neville Hall\, Westgate Rd\, Newcastle upon Tyne\, Tyne & Wear\, NE1 1SE CATEGORIES:Shed Talks (Newcomen Online),UK - South Yorkshire Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/25-01-27_1925StocktonDarlingtonCentenaryCelebrations_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - South Yorkshire Branch":MAILTO:meetings.syorks@newcomen.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250108T180000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250108T193000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002822 CREATED:20240906T112057Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241128T173812Z UID:15743-1736359200-1736364600@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'Mushroom Clouds: The Hidden Enemy Within Britain's Wooden Walls' by Laurence Scales DESCRIPTION:This event is both an in-person and on-line event. No need to register – just come along or click this zoom link to join on-line. \nA wine bottle labelled in Michael Faraday’s hand\, preserved in his laboratory at the Royal Institution\, and a startling letter in the archive of the Royal Society of Arts\, hinted at a centuries long naval battle\, rarely heard about. \nThe Royal Navy struggled just to keep its vessels afloat. The enemy was fungal timber rot. Many lives were lost and various solutions were tried. Some of the experiments in search of a cure were dramatic and even caused their own fatalities.\n \nAbout the Speaker\nLaurence Scales has a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering\, and subsequently worked for Lloyds Register of Shipping\, offshore engineering contractor Brown & Root and defence electronics manufacturer Thales. \nLatterly\, Laurence has been an archive volunteer at both the Royal Institution of Great Britain and the Royal Society of Arts. He devises and leads London tours themed around the history of science\, technology and medicine. Customers have included Imperial College\, King’s College London\, Purdue University\, Ove Arup & Associates\, and the FBI. URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/mushroom-clouds-the-hidden-enemy-within-britains-wooden-walls-by-laurence-scales/ LOCATION:LONDON Alan Baxter Gallery\, 75 Cowcross St\, Clerkenwell\, London\, EC1M 6EL CATEGORIES:Newcomen Online Lecture,UK - London Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/25-01-08_MushroomCloudsTheHiddenEnemyWithinBritainsWoodenWalls_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - London Branch":MAILTO:office@newcomen.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241216T190000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241216T210000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002822 CREATED:20241028T171445Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241028T171709Z UID:15881-1734375600-1734382800@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'The Natural Gas Conversion Programme' by Russell Thomas DESCRIPTION:Joining us IN PERSON – just turn up\, there’s no need to register\nplease email meetings.syorks@newcomen.com for zoom link. \nThis is a joint meeting with the South Yorkshire Industrial History Society \nThe natural gas conversion program was a government-led initiative in the UK to transition the gas industry from town gas to natural gas between 1966 and 1977. \nGas users were faced with an ultimatum; switch to natural gas and accept the inconvenience of the changeover or choose another fuel source and absorb the resulting cost and disruption. It was regarded as one of the UK’s biggest post-war engineering projects. \nAbout the Speaker\nRussell Thomas is Technical Director of WSP in the UK and his wide ranging career has had a strong environmental and historical focus on the energy sector and gas in particular. Russell’s early career had a strong focus on addressing environmental legacy issues associated with the gas manufacturing industry\, through developing remediation systems. This work had an extensive research element which has been maintained throughout his career working with universities and academic institutions (e.g. the University of Strathclyde\, University of Manchester and the BGS) generating extensive journal publications. \nMore recent work has focused on heritage aspects of the industry including the understanding\, interpreting and reuse of former gasworks structures. Russell is media trained having featured in several TV programmes and has also been asked as an international expert to speak at overseas conferences. Another main area of interest is the energy transition\, trying to learn from the extensive history of the energy industry and gas in particular. \nRussell is currently managing a very interesting collaboration with the British Geological Survey. His main areas of research focus over the years have been the application of environmental forensics to tars\, bioaccessability of hydrocarbons\, remediation of heavy metals and furthering the understanding of microbial communities in gas production wastes and unconventional gases. URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/the-natural-gas-conversion-programme-by-russell-thomas/ LOCATION:SHEFFIELD Kelham Island Museum\, Alma Street\, Sheffield\, South Yorkshire\, S3 8RG CATEGORIES:Shed Talks (Newcomen Online),UK - South Yorkshire Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/24-12-16_TheNaturalGasConversionProgramme_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - South Yorkshire Branch":MAILTO:meetings.syorks@newcomen.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241204T190000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241204T210000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002822 CREATED:20241028T141901Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241128T173931Z UID:15859-1733338800-1733346000@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'How Chaddesley Corbett changed the world' by David Hardwick DESCRIPTION:Joining us IN PERSON – just turn up\, there’s no need to register\nJoining us ONLINE – click on this zoom link before the event to join in. \nThe Role of the Potter family in the Industrial Revolution\nThe beginning of the Industrial Revolution is often traced back to 1712 when Thomas Newcomen built a mechanical pump that was not powered by wind\, water\, or human/animal power in Dudley. There are\, however\, many myths and mistakes in this traditional narrative\, particularly regarding the role played by a small boy called Humphrey Potter in creating the first truly self-acting machine. The Potter family were from Chaddesley Corbett. \nThis talk looks at the facts around the earliest Newcomen Engines and what role the family played in changing the world. \nAbout the Speaker\nDavid Hardwick is a Chartered Building Surveyor specialising in historic properties and particularly in industrial archaeology. He is an experienced lecturer at colleges and universities in all aspects of construction and heritage\, as well as giving talks to a wide range of local and national history organisations. It is his passion for industrial archaeology and\, in particular\, mining history and the development of the early Newcomen Engines\, that results in his latest research.  URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/how-chaddesley-corbett-changed-the-world-by-david-hardwick-2/ LOCATION:BIRMINGHAM Think Tank\, Birmingham Science Museum\,\, Curzon Street\, Birmingham\, West Midlands\, B4 7XG CATEGORIES:Shed Talks (Newcomen Online),UK - Midlands Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/24-03-06_HowChaddesleyCorbettChangedtheWorld_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - Midland Branch":MAILTO:midlands@newcomen.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241126T183000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241126T200000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002822 CREATED:20240816T102025Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240816T102025Z UID:15666-1732645800-1732651200@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'Marketing the Manchester Ship Canal' by Martin Dodge DESCRIPTION:An in-person event only. No need to sign up\, just come along – all are welcome. \nThe Manchester Ship Canal is one of the great engineering projects in late Victorian Britain and widely regarded as transforming the economic landscape of Manchester and the wider region during the first half of the twentieth century. It remains a strategic infrastructure and has been promoted as an asset for the ‘Northern Powerhouse’ in recent years. \nThis talk examines the types of publicity material and market strategies deployed by the Manchester Ship Canal Company (MSCC) between the 1920s and the early 1950s in their efforts to promote the ship canal to local firms and international business and to encourage industrial growth around the docks. The talk draws upon archival research conducted in 2021\, the results of which were presented in a public exhibition in Manchester Central Library during summer/autumn 2023. Much of the marketing material and original artwork exhibited was unearthed in the extensive but uncatalogued archives of the Ship Canal Company held by the Greater Manchester Record Office in Manchester Central Library.\n \nIn particular\, the talk will focus empirically on the imaginative visual design and branding developed by Kenneth Brady\, MSCC’s publicity chief from 1926-1939\, and of skilled commercial artists\, including Horace Taylor\, Bert Wilson and Paxton Chadwick\, who he commissioned.\n \nThe catalogue for the exhibition is available here. \nAbout the Speaker\nMartin Dodge is a Senior Lecturer in the Geography Department at the University of Manchester. He has worked at Cardiff University and University College London. \nMuch of Martin’s research is currently focused on the historical geography of Manchester’s transport and town planning. In 2018 he co-wrote Manchester: Mapping the City (Birlinn\, 2018) and in 2022 he co-curated a public exhibition\, Who Built Wythenshawe? \nMartin is currently co-writing a book for the University of Manchester’s bicentenary on growth and change of the campus. URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/marketing-the-manchester-ship-canal-by-martin-dodge/ LOCATION:MANCHESTER International Anthony Burgess Foundation\, Engine House\, Chorlton Mill\, 3 Cambridge Street\,\, Manchester\, M1 5BY CATEGORIES:UK - North Western Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/24-11-26_MarketingtheManchesterShipCanal_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - North Western Branch":MAILTO:catherine.casson@manchester.ac.uk END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241125T183000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241125T200000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002822 CREATED:20241028T163104Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241028T165258Z UID:15875-1732559400-1732564800@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'Sir Frank Whittle and Jet Propulsion: some oft repeated myths' by Dr Fred Starr DESCRIPTION:Joining us IN PERSON – just turn up\, there’s no need to register\nplease email meetings.syorks@newcomen.com for zoom link. \nRepeated statements that the development of the jet engine was held up by the shortcomings of high temperature alloys for turbine blades are without foundation. Frank Whittle\, given the funding\, could have had a jet engine prototype running by 1932-33 and the RAF could have been equipped with jet fighters by 1939. \nIt was unfortunate that Griffith (of Griffith Crack Fame) was so opposed to the jet engine principle\, probably because he saw this as a rival to his own weird turboprop ideas. Accordingly\, funding was withheld\, the Germans taking the lead. \nAbout the Speaker\nDr Fred Starr graduated as Metallurgist from Battersea College (now the University of Surrey) in 1966. After a short period\, training to be a shift engineer on a steam reforming plant at Hitchin\, he joined British Gas\, London Research Station\, in Fulham where he remained for 30 years. Initially he did failure investigation on steam reforming plants\, some of which included visits to the sites at Breakwater\, Plymouth\, and Seabank\, Bristol. In this respect\, a big regret was not knowing that the Newcomen Society used to meet at the Science Museum\, just up the road from where he worked in Fulham. \nMuch of Fred’s time at London Research was spent on materials for high temperature gasifiers. When this work terminated\, he came up with novel ideas for generating electricity using natural gas. This included the concept of incorporating a Stirling Engine within a gas boiler\, and the Closed Cycle Gas Turbine project. His deep interest in aircraft and aircraft engines and background in steam reforming were key to the success of the Closed Cycle Gas Turbine “demonstrator”. Privatisation killed real R&D\, and he left British Gas in 1996. Fred’s most important job after leaving British Gas was with the EU’s Joint Research Centre in the Netherlands\, where he did the basic design for a HYPOGEN plant making hydrogen from coal. Despite this\, he is extremely cynical about the hydrogen economy. \nFormally “retiring” in 2007\, Fred became an active member of the Newcomen Society. With the help of Bryan Lawton\, John Anning and Ed Marshall he got the Society to put on a conference on The Piston Engine Revolution (the development of the IC engine). Later on\, he came up with the Swords into Ploughshares conference (how WWI transformed British Engineering). URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/sir-frank-whittle-and-jet-propulsion-some-oft-repeated-myths-by-fred-starr/ LOCATION:SHEFFIELD Kelham Island Museum\, Alma Street\, Sheffield\, South Yorkshire\, S3 8RG CATEGORIES:Shed Talks (Newcomen Online),UK - South Yorkshire Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/24-11-25_SirFrankWhittleandJetPropulsion_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - South Yorkshire Branch":MAILTO:meetings.syorks@newcomen.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241120T180000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241120T193000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002822 CREATED:20240926T111228Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241113T092309Z UID:15783-1732125600-1732131000@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'The Liberation Line' by Christian Wolmar DESCRIPTION:This event is both an in-person and on-line event. No need to register – just come along or click this zoom link to join on-line. \nIn the run up to D Day\, June 6 1944\, a combination of Allied bombing and sabotage by the French Resistance reduced the railway to a set of disconnected lines. This was to prevent the Germans from using the railways to reinforce their defence of the beaches. \nThe Liberation Line tells the story of how around 50\,000 UK and US troops were sent over the Channel to rebuild and operate the lines\, often in perilous situations. At the heart of the book is the story of how 10\,000 men were deployed to rebuild a 135 mile long line in Normandy in just 3 days in order to allow General Patton to reach Paris. \nAbout the Speaker\nChristian Wolmar is a writer and broadcaster specialising in Transport. He spent many years on national newspapers such as The Observer and The Independent and still writes for a variety of publications including a regular column in Rail magazine. \nChristian frequently appears on TV and radio programmes most notably the recent Panorama on HS2. He has written 20 books including Railways and the Raj and British Rail a new history. The Liberation Line is his most recent book\, published in the summer. URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/the-liberation-line-by-christian-wolmar/ LOCATION:LONDON Alan Baxter Gallery\, 75 Cowcross St\, Clerkenwell\, London\, EC1M 6EL CATEGORIES:Shed Talks (Newcomen Online),UK - London Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/24-11-20_TheLiberationLine_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - London Branch":MAILTO:office@newcomen.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241106T190000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241106T210000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002822 CREATED:20241028T135817Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241106T093013Z UID:15849-1730919600-1730926800@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'The Telegraph to India in the Victorian Era' by Dr John Moyle DESCRIPTION:Joining us IN PERSON – just turn up\, there’s no need to register\nJoining us ON LINE – click on this zoom link before the event to join in \nMuch has been heard about laying the under-sea telegraph cables across the Atlantic and other oceans\, particularly around the 150th anniversary of the first transatlantic cable laid in 1866. However\, the need to extend the telegraph lines\, mainly over land routes to\, and across\, India was also vital to British colonial and military interests. \nWith strained relations between Britain and several other European countries in the mid-18th century\, there was also a need to route the lines to avoid crossing unfriendly countries. Before the technology for underwater cables had been perfected\, there were sometimes gaps in the route\, requiring messages to be forwarded by steamer before re-entering the telegraph system. \nAbout the Speaker\nDr John Moyle is a Chartered Engineer\, retired physician & anaesthetist plus historian with a particular interest in telegraphy and medical technology. URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/the-telegraph-to-india-in-the-victorian-era-by-john-moyle/ LOCATION:BIRMINGHAM Think Tank\, Birmingham Science Museum\,\, Curzon Street\, Birmingham\, West Midlands\, B4 7XG CATEGORIES:Shed Talks (Newcomen Online),UK - Midlands Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/24-11-06_TheTelegraphToIndiaInTheVictorianEra_v2_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - Midland Branch":MAILTO:midlands@newcomen.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241028T183000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241028T200000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002822 CREATED:20241028T120007Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241028T120007Z UID:15844-1730140200-1730145600@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'Technology and health: the history of the science behind the cure' by Dr Jenny Stephenson DESCRIPTION:Joining us IN PERSON – just turn up\, there’s no need to register.\nJoining us ON LINE – Meeting ID – 840 6763 5852 \nDr Jenny Stephenson will be covering the medical history of some of the common treatments and procedures we know today\, asking which represent groundbreaking changes and which have remained much the same over decades\, and why. \nAbout the Speaker\nDr Jenny Stephenson was a GP until recently when she left the Practice after 40 years service. Her interest in history has led to a Diploma in Medical History and quite a few talks delivered locally\, to raise money for charity. \nJenny has written two relevant books for this talk. One is about the history of General Practice and the other is about the evolving relationship through the history of pharmacists and doctors. All proceeds go towards local charities. URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/technology-and-health-the-history-of-the-science-behind-the-cure-by-dr-jenny-stephenson/ LOCATION:SHEFFIELD Kelham Island Museum\, Alma Street\, Sheffield\, South Yorkshire\, S3 8RG CATEGORIES:Shed Talks (Newcomen Online),UK - South Yorkshire Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/24-10-28_TechnologyAndHealthThe-historyOfTheScienceBehindTheCure_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - South Yorkshire Branch":MAILTO:meetings.syorks@newcomen.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241022T183000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241022T200000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002822 CREATED:20240930T132027Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240930T132027Z UID:15799-1729621800-1729627200@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'Engineering of roads & airfields for military victory with bituminous geomembranes' by Eugene Gallagher & William Craig DESCRIPTION:An in-person event only. No need to sign up\, just come along – all are welcome. \nThe presentation will explore the history of bituminous geomembranes from its origins in the 1930s and subsequent development during World War II for the rapid construction of military roads and runways right up to the current day. \nThese materials were manufactured in large quantities in support of the Allied air and land forces and were to play a significant role in battles of the Burma campaign and in the immediate aftermath of the Normandy landings. In Asia they were used to create airfields and all-weather roads\, keeping supply lines open and enabling fast movement of troops\, particularly during the monsoon season. In northern France and Belgium in 1944/45 they allowed rapid surfacing of temporary or expedient airfields by sealing the ground and maintaining the existing soil’s bearing capacity\, thereby enabling close tactical air support to be maintained with rapidly advancing ground forces.\n \nAbout the Speakers\nEugene Gallagher is an associate geotechnical engineer with Coffey Geotechnics based in Manchester\, where he acts as a focus for geosynthetics and containment engineering and consults internationally. \nWilliam Craig is now a visiting academic\, formerly Reader in geotechnical engineering\, at Manchester University and past chair of the British Geotechnical Society.  \nBill and Eugene will discuss the historical aspects of the development and deployment of bituminous geomembranes based on their research into its wartime use. URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/engineering-of-roads-airfields-for-military-victory-with-bituminous-geomembranes-by-eugene-gallagher-william-craig/ LOCATION:MANCHESTER International Anthony Burgess Foundation\, Engine House\, Chorlton Mill\, 3 Cambridge Street\,\, Manchester\, M1 5BY CATEGORIES:UK - North Western Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/24-10-22_EngineeringForMilitaryVictoryWithBituminousGeomembranes_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - North Western Branch":MAILTO:catherine.casson@manchester.ac.uk END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241009T180000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241009T193000 DTSTAMP:20260524T002822 CREATED:20240906T094829Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240926T084258Z UID:15731-1728496800-1728502200@www.newcomen.com SUMMARY:'Measuring the Metre' by Dr Terry Quinn FRS DESCRIPTION:This event is both an in-person and on-line event. No need to register – just come along or click this zoom link to join on-line. \nThe great revolution in metrology began with the redefinition of the Metre in terms of the wavelength of light. From antiquity\, practical dimensional measurement standards had all been based upon material artifacts and measurement of time on the rotation of the Earth. \nAll of that changed in 2018 when the base units of the SI were redefined in terms of fixed values of a set of fundamental and atomic constants. \nThe lecture will explain how practical measurement standards can be obtained from such definitions. \nAbout the Speaker\nDr Terry Quinn graduated from Southampton University in physics in 1959 and then moved to Oxford for his D. Phil in what was then the Metallurgy Department. His thesis supervisor was Professor William Hume-Rothery FRS. \nIn 1962\, Dr Quinn joined the National Physical Laboratory in Teddington where he worked on high-temperature measurement and standards. In 1967/68 he spent a year at the then National Bureau of Standards in Washington. \nDr Quinn moved to the BIPM in Paris in 1977 as Deputy Director becoming Director in 1988. He was Lady Margaret Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Cavendish Laboratory Cambridge in 1984/84.  \nDr Quinn retired from the BIPM in 2003. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2002. URL:https://www.newcomen.com/activity/measuring-the-metre-by-dr-terry-quinn-frs/ LOCATION:LONDON Alan Baxter Gallery\, 75 Cowcross St\, Clerkenwell\, London\, EC1M 6EL CATEGORIES:Newcomen Online Lecture,UK - London Branch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.newcomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/24-10-09_MeasuringTheMetre_1920x1280.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Newcomen - London Branch":MAILTO:office@newcomen.com END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR