Golden Egg or Poisoned Chalice? The Story of Nuclear Power in the UK
2021-11-23 18:30 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | This is an Online Event
An Online Lecture by Tony Wooldridge (presenting) and Stephen Druce
Golden Egg or Poisoned Chalice? The Story of Nuclear Power in the UK
The UK lays claim to being the first country to produce electricity from nuclear power on a commercial scale and has often ploughed its own furrow, initially choosing indigenous reactor designs rather than following international trends, but now willing to consider any design that can satisfy legislative requirements. What are the reasons underlying the erratic development of nuclear power in the UK and what lessons can be learned for future policy decisions, whether in the UK or elsewhere, where infrastructure projects with long-term effects are concerned?
This book tries to unravel the factors that have influenced policy decisions, using original sources where possible. The story is fascinating: secrecy in the early years, unbalanced institutional and commercial influences on government, powerful personalities, national pride, short-sighted political considerations and external events have all played a part. The book starts with the post-war military developments and covers all the main nuclear power activities up to the present day, including generation, reprocessing, decommissioning and waste disposal.
Whether one is enthusiastic or sceptical about nuclear power, this book provides an objective review of past policies and decisions and provides essential background for all those interested in the future of the industry, both members of the public and those more directly involved.
About the Speakers
Tony Wooldridge
Mr Tony Wooldridge gained a First Class Honours Degree in Physics from the University of Oxford in 1973.
In 1977, he joined the electricity supply industry to undertake research and development at the Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Applications Centre in Manchester. Subsequently, he has held a range of technical and management positions in the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) and its successor companies.
He was President of the British Institute of NDT during 2005 and 2006.
In 2009 he joined the nuclear regulator (NII) and assessed the designs for new nuclear plant in the UK, particularly the EPR planned for Hinkley Point C.
He is a Chartered Engineer and Chartered Physicist, a Fellow of the Institute of Physics and a Fellow of the British Institute of NDT.
Stephen Druce
Dr Stephen Druce gained a First Class Honours Degree in Metallurgy and Materials Science from the University of Birmingham in 1973 and then a PhD in 1977.
He joined UKAEA in 1977 to undertake research and development into the fracture of nuclear structural materials at Harwell, Oxfordshire. Subsequently, he held a range of technical and managerial positions in UKAEA and its successor privatised arm, AEA Technology. During this period, he managed the AEA Technology Thermal Reactor Safety Programme, provided expert advice on structural integrity issues in MAGNOX, SGHWR, and PWR reactor systems, and was seconded to US Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
In 2009 he joined the UK nuclear regulator (NII) where he worked until his retirement in 2014, assessing structural integrity issues in the UK AGRs and PWR operating reactors and the design and construction of the proposed EPR for Hinkley C.
He is a Chartered Engineer and a Member of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining.
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Claymills - the building of an integrated Victorian industrial site and its later restoration
2021-12-01 19:00 - 21:00 (Europe/London) | BIRMINGHAM Think Tank, Birmingham Science Museum,, Curzon Street, Birmingham, West Midlands, B4 7XG
John Freeman CBE
Claymills – the building of an integrated Victorian industrial site and its later restoration
John Freeman CBE discusses the progressive development and repurposing of this imposing site from industrial to heritage use.
It replaces the provisionally arranged talk on the Harwell Dekatron Computer, which will be rescheduled for 2022/2023.
This lecture is provided by the Newcomen Society, in conjunction with Birmingham Museums Trust.
About the Speaker
John is a Trustee of Claymills Pumping Engines Trust and has kindly offered this lecture to the Newcomen Society.
About the Venue
Please note that in compliance with Thinktank’s commitment to COVID-19 secure events, we ask that masks are worn (unless exempt) and social distancing is observed.
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Industrial Steam Power In London 1780 – 1805
2021-12-08 18:00 - 19:00 (Europe/London) | LONDON Alan Baxter Gallery, 75 Cowcross St, Clerkenwell, London, EC1M 6EL
An in-person and streamed (Zoom) lecture by Dr. John Kanefsky
The role played by London in the classic period of the Industrial revolution (say 1760-1815) has long been a topic of debate among historians of technology. Some have argued that London was unimportant; others that it was a driving force as much as Lancashire or the coalfields.
The existence of the huge Boulton and Watt (B&W) archive and the mythology that grew up promoting the firm has led to over-concentration on their output: as recently as 2016 a researcher could write that they had a monopoly of engine building in the capital. This is patently untrue: they were the most important, but only one of the players in the market for steam engines.
This paper examines, from a wide range of sources, actual engine numbers built, as far as they can be ascertained, and places them in the national context. Moreover, a survey of steam engines at work in the capital was made by Farey in 1804/5 and published in his famous Treatise in 1827 (see event image). To benchmark this Dr. John Kanefsky‘s online database of Watt and other engines installed up to 1800 has been extended to 1805 for London, not just for B&W engines but also other makers including Trevithick. The results are instructive and unexpected.
Attending the Lecture
In-Person meeting at the Alan Baxter Gallery
For those of you who wish to join us in person, we will meet from 6:00 pm as usual.
Online Meeting
For those of you who wish to join us online, please book via the link below. You will then receive a separate email with a link to access the online event via Zoom on the evening prior to the event. Please note that each link is unique and should not be shared. This link will be available from 6:00 pm and as this is a Zoom Webinar, whilst you will be able to see and hear the Chairman and Speaker, they will not be able to see you and you will not be able to see other participants.
The Newcomen Society reserves the right to alter the event and its line-up or cancel the event. The Newcomen Society will not be liable for any additional expenses incurred by ticket holders in relation to the event.
Booking is essential.
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Target Sheffield - Three failures and a triumph
2021-12-13 19:30 - 20:30 (Europe/London) | SHEFFIELD Kelham Island Museum, Alma Street, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S3 8RG
An in-person only lecture by Phillip Judkins
This is a joint meeting presented by the Newcomen Society and the South Yorkshire Industrial History Society
Pre-Meeting Exhibition Visit
There will be a pre-meeting exhibition visit 6:15pm-7:15pm, followed by meeting start at 7:30pm.
As part of our meeting on Monday 13th December 2021, we have organised a private visit between 6:15 pm and 7:15 pm to view the exhibition of early magnetron valves and Sheffield industries contribution to the development and manufacture of the necessary permanent magnets. Many of the items have been loaned to Kelham Island Museum by Dr Phillip Judkins. The exhibition, which in part was funded by the Newcomen Society, has been designed and mounted by David Eaton.
The magnetron was developed by John Randall and Harry Boot at Birmingham University and the associated magnet research was carried out by Professor Willie Sucksmith at the University of Sheffield. A key component of the magnetron valve is the high powered magnet needed to generate the microwave field. The magnetron valve was key to producing small but high powered short-wave and high-frequency RADAR systems, which were installed in aircraft during the battle of the Atlantic in WWII. The objects on display are very early examples and highlight a little known area of important work undertaken in Sheffield during the war.
The Lecture (in-person only)
Please note new start of 7:30 pm and not 6.30pm as previously advertised.
Eighty-one years ago, in December 1940, Sheffield suffered the double blow of being blitzed twice in four nights, with almost 700 dead, 40,000 homeless and devastation across the city centre and public services. The human stories of these raids have been well described many times, but the technological story of the air attacks on Sheffield has not been as closely examined – and some secrets are yet to be revealed.
Dr Phillip Judkins analyses the engineering and technology of the air attacks on Sheffield in both the First and the Second World Wars, laying out even-handedly the successes and failures of the scientists, engineers and military commanders both of attackers and defenders, and taking the story from the 1870s to the era of the cruise missile.
Expect to hear a story based on new information which ranges from outright farce to the depths of human tragedy, as those determined to destroy the Steel City, and those resolved to stop them, fight with weapons at – and beyond – the limits of the engineering and technology of their times.
About the Speaker
Phillip Judkins is a member of council for the Newcomen Society.
Attending the Lecture
Please note, this is an in-person only meeting.
The meeting will start at 6:30 pm with tea and coffee available from 6:00 pm. We look forward to welcoming you to what we hope will be an interesting series of talks and discussions.
Kelham Island Museum has advised us that although no social distancing restrictions will be in place for the meeting, we will need to keep a detailed register of attendees. To assist with this, and to gauge demand for the in-person talk, it would be helpful if you could let us know whether you wish to join us using by registering via the Eventbrite link below.
Also, a group of members and guests will be meeting up for a pre-talk meal and if you wish to join please let us know by emailing meetings.syorks@newcomen.com so that we can advise them of probable numbers.
All Newcomen evening meetings are free and open to everyone. If you are aware of any non-members who may be interested in this talk, please feel free to share this page with them.
Please Note:- The parking arrangements at the Museum have changed and the car park between the Museum and the river is now closed and is being used by the Museum Cafe and Bar as an outdoor seating area. Details of the new parking arrangements can be found at www.simt.co.uk/kelham-island-museum/plan-your-visit
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Lady Charlotte Guest at Dowlais 1833 – 1855
2022-01-05 19:00 - 21:00 (Europe/London) | BIRMINGHAM Think Tank, Birmingham Science Museum,, Curzon Street, Birmingham, West Midlands, B4 7XG
An in-person only presentation by Dr. Victoria Owens
Dr Victoria Owens examines how a pioneering businesswoman came to head the world’s largest ironworks.
When impoverished aristocrat Lady Charlotte Bertie married wealthy Welsh ironmaster John Guest of Dowlais in 1833, her relatives looked on with dismay. Yet despite their vast difference of background and age, over their nineteen-year long marriage, husband and wife enjoyed great happiness and much adventure. There would be ten children and while John built up an immense commercial empire, Charlotte championed Welsh culture.
Crucially, she taught herself John’s business from the inside. Over the years, she made the keenest observation of iron production, the fluctuations of the trade and the engineering innovations that touched upon its developments. When John died in 1852, she was therefore uniquely well-placed to succeed him as head of the works – a remarkable position for a Victorian woman. Not only did she endeavour to introduce reforms, but also – rather to her dismay – had to weather a potentially destructive strike. But success came at a price. With her star to all sight in the ascendant, Lady Charlotte suddenly chose to abandon all, leave Wales and marry her sons’ tutor!
This presentation (& Victoria’s book on the subject) traces the ardent, creative years of her first marriage, explores her determination – widowed – to preserve John’s legacy, and observes her growing devotion to her second husband, the scholarly Charles Schreiber.
About the Venue
Please note that in compliance with Thinktank’s commitment to COVID-19 secure events, we ask that masks are worn (unless exempt) and social distancing is observed.
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POSTPONED - Annual Joint Meeting with the Bristol Industrial Archaeological Society (BIAS)
2022-01-20 19:30 - 21:30 (Europe/London) | BRISTOL BAWA, 589 Southmead Rd, Filton, Bristol, BS34 7RG
The Socety’s annual joint meeting with the Bristol Industrial Archaeological Society (BIAS) has been postponed do to Covid.
Information regarding the rescheduling of this event will be posted on the website when clarified.

ONLINE ONLY - ‘Poking its Nose into Everything’ - The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce
2022-01-24 18:30 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | This is an Online Event
A presentation by Susan Bennett MA
This event is now Online Only
From its foundation in 1754 the RSA has poked its nose into everything from the ‘polite arts’ to science and technology, with many other areas of interest in between. The Society encouraged inventions and developments through its ‘premium’ system which developed in the mid-19thcentury into a wide-ranging lecture programme. The RSA also led a number of campaigns, as well as laying the groundwork for the Great Exhibition of 1851.
About the Speaker
Susan Bennett MA
Founder member and Honorary Secretary of the William Shipley Group for RSA History (founded 2004) and as former RSA Curator/Archivist Susan Bennett has given presentations and published articles on many aspects of the RSA’s rich and varied history.
Her book A Thankless Child. The Life and Times of Georgiana Jane Henderson (1771-1850) was published in 2020.
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CANCELLED - 'Gyroplanes' by Roger Savage and Wing Commander Mark Quinn
2022-01-25 18:30 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | MANCHESTER International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Engine House, Chorlton Mill, 3 Cambridge Street,, Manchester, M1 5BY
A presentation by Roger Savage & Wing Commander Mark Quinn
This event has been cancelled
Take to the skies to learn about the history and technology of gyroplanes and the important role that they have played in military and civilian life.
About the Speakers
Roger Savage – Founder of Lake District Gyroplanes, Roger has over 40 years of experience piloting helicopters, planes and gyrocopters.
Wing Commander Mark Quinn – An experienced RAF Puma pilot and Regional Director of RAF Benevolent Fund, who now flies Gyrocopters around the Lake District.

'Stroud’s Other Industries' by Ray Wilson.
2022-02-17 19:30 - 21:30 (Europe/London) | BRISTOL BAWA, 589 Southmead Rd, Filton, Bristol, BS34 7RG
A presentation by Ray Wilson
This is an in person meeting.

From Time Balls to Time Lights
2022-02-22 18:30 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | MANCHESTER International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Engine House, Chorlton Mill, 3 Cambridge Street,, Manchester, M1 5BY
An in-person only (no Zoom) presentation by Dr Roger Kinns
The time ball at Greenwich was established in October 1833 after persistent lobbying by Robert Wauchope and successful experiments at Portsmouth in 1829. It used a mechanism supplied by Maudslay, Sons & Field to provide an accurate, visible time signal for marine chronometer calibration. It became the reference system for installations worldwide, but it had been preceded by a shuttered, stationary time ball at Port Louis, Mauritius in April 1833, that had been made locally.
Maudslays built only four more time ball systems: for Edinburgh and Deal in 1853, for Sydney in 1855 and finally one for Siemens Brothers in 1873, who added additional equipment and shipped it to Lyttelton, New Zealand. Hundreds of other signals were provided world-wide by different suppliers, ranging from time balls to rotating discs and electric lights under observatory control, often complemented by time guns. Most had ceased operation by the 1930s when radio time signals had become almost universally available. Destruction of the time ball in Wellington, New Zealand by fire in 1909 led to the introduction of electric time lights there in 1912 and in Auckland from 1915 but were only withdrawn in 1937.
This talk will be illustrated using photographs and other images from around the world.
About of Speaker
Roger Kinns has worked as an independent consultant since 1999 with principal research interests in vibration and underwater noise due to marine propulsion systems. He read Mechanical Sciences as an undergraduate at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge and then took an MASc degree in control engineering at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, before returning to Cambridge to complete a PhD in unsteady aerodynamics. Roger was the first Maudslay Research Fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge before moving to Scotland and joining YARD Ltd in Glasgow to develop and apply techniques for the acoustic design of ships and submarines. Roger has lived in Clynder, near Helensburgh, Scotland since 1975. The Maudslay connection led to an enduring fascination with the history of engineering and particularly time signals.

The Varied Life and Career of William Bragge
2022-02-28 18:30 - 20:00 UTC | SHEFFIELD Kelham Island Museum, Alma Street, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S3 8RG
An In Person & Online Presentation by David Boursnell
William Bragge’s life illustrates the mix of religious beliefs, intellectual curiosity, entrepreneurship, manufacturing development and civic responsibility that were a feature of the Industrial Revolution.
Born in 1823, the son of a Birmingham jeweller, Bragge did an engineering apprenticeship in Birmingham which led to a career as both a civil and a locomotive engineer. In 1852 he went to South America, where he built railways and gas works in both Brazil and Argentina.
He returned to England in 1858 a wealthy man and was able to buy a partnership with John Brown and Co in Sheffield. After helping with the company’s expansion into Bessemer steel and armour plates he travelled widely, negotiating contracts with governments in Russia and elsewhere. He used his travels to build up large collections including tobacco materials, illuminated manuscripts, ethnographic objects, geology and precious stones – many of the items are now in the collections of major museums around the world.
In the 1870s, after his year as Master Cutler, Bragge devoted himself more to civic activities and the promotion of Free Libraries and technical education in Sheffield. He was the prime mover in the establishment of the Weston Park Museum in the City.
Bragge’s wife Martha died in 1877, after what appears to have been a protracted illness, and he then moved back to his native Birmingham, where he was involved with the establishment of the English Watch Co. as well as involving himself in civic activities until his death in 1884.
About the Venue
An in-person and webcast (zoom) meeting.
As previously the meeting will start at 6:30 pm and tea and coffee will be available from 6:00 pm and we look forward to welcoming you to what we hope will be an interesting series of talks and discussions.
For those of you who are uncertain about attending in-person meetings at present, we are also pleased to announce that all this year’s programme of talks will also be available as a live webcast.
Kelham Island Museum has advised that although no social distancing restrictions will be in place for the meeting, we will need to keep a detailed register of attendees. To assist with this and to gauge demand for the in-person talk it would be very helpful if you could let us know if you wish to join us using the Eventbrite link below. Similarly, if you would like to join us online please book using the Eventbrite link below. We are very happy if you wish to “hedge your bets” and book for both the in-person and online talks at this stage and make a final decision nearer the time.
A group of members and guests will be meeting for a pre-talk meal and if you wish to join us please let me know so that I can advise them of the probable numbers.
All Newcomen evening meetings are free and open to all and if you are aware of any non-members who may be interested in this talk please feel free to forward this email to them.
Please Note:- The parking arrangements at the Museum have changed and the car park between the Museum and the river is now closed and is being used by the Museum Cafe and Bar as an outdoor seating area. Details of the new parking arrangements can be found at www.simt.co.uk/kelham-island-museum/plan-your-visit

'Women of Steel' by Michelle Rawlins (with the SMEA & SYIHS)
2022-03-15 17:30 - 19:00 (Europe/London) | SHEFFIELD Crowne Plaza Royal Victoria, Victoria Station Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S4 7YE
A joint meeting with the Sheffield Metallurgical & Engineering Association (SMEA) and the South Yorkshire Industrial History Society (SYIHS) presented by Michelle Rawlins
The Annual Barraclough Lecture
A talk about some of the formidable women who worked in the Sheffield steel industry during World War Two.
SMEA website
SYIHS website
About the Speaker
Michelle Rawlins is a freelance journalist and author who also teaches at the University of Sheffield
About the Venue
Crown Plaza Royal Victoria, Sheffield
This is an in-person and webcast (Zoom) meeting.
As previously the meeting will start at 5:30 pm and tea and coffee will be available from 6:00 pm and we look forward to welcoming you to what we hope will be an interesting series of talks and discussions.
For those of you who are uncertain about attending in-person meetings at present, we are also pleased to announce that a majority of this year’s programme of talks will also be available as a live webcast.

'Crossrail' by Christian Wolmar
2022-03-17 19:30 - 21:30 (Europe/London) | BRISTOL BAWA, 589 Southmead Rd, Filton, Bristol, BS34 7RG
An in-person meeting presented by Christian Woolmar
About the Speaker
Christian Wolmar is a writer and broadcaster specialising in transport. He frequently appears on TV and radio talking about current issues, notably about the railways.
www.christianwolmar.co.uk

How Alloy Steels came to serve the Engineer (followed by branch AGM)
2022-03-21 18:30 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | SHEFFIELD Kelham Island Museum, Alma Street, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S3 8RG
An In Person & Online Presentation by Dr. Peter Morgan
This meeting will be followed by the Branch Annual General Meeting
World production of alloy steels increased rapidly from the 1890’s, reaching 3.85% of world steel production in 1920. This expansion resulted mainly from the mechanisation of warfare and the demands of the 1st World War. It was was based on foundations built in the 19th Century and these are explored in this lecture.
By 1800, many of the major alloying elements used in steelmaking had been identified and some were becoming available, through the work mainly of geologists and analytical chemists. Alliances of scientists, steelmakers and steel users began to look at their potential.
At this time the primary use of steel in industry was for the essential operation of cutting. Crucible steelmaking allowed production of a reliable high hardness carbon steel in small sections, albeit only of limited toughness and ductility and with poor tempering resistance. From 1820 onwards the work of people across many disciplines, including Faraday, Fischer, Sorby, R.F. Mushet, and Hadfield, provided new steels and understanding of the fundamental processes governing their treatment and behaviour.
With parallel developments in steelmaking technology allowing bulk production of alloy steels, larger high strength components could be made. They contributed to new industries requiring steels with specific properties such as resistance to wear, corrosion resistance and strength at elevated temperatures. These included electrotechnology, chemicals manufacture and the production of high performance internal combustion engines.
About the Venue
An in-person and webcast (zoom) meeting.
As previously the meeting will start at 6:30 pm and tea and coffee will be available from 6:00 pm and we look forward to welcoming you to what we hope will be an interesting series of talks and discussions.
For those of you who are uncertain about attending in-person meetings at present, we are also pleased to announce that all this year’s programme of talks will also be available as a live webcast.
Kelham Island Museum has advised that although no social distancing restrictions will be in place for the meeting, we will need to keep a detailed register of attendees. To assist with this and to gauge demand for the in-person talk it would be very helpful if you could let us know if you wish to join us using the Eventbrite link below. Similarly, if you would like to join us online please book using the Eventbrite link below. We are very happy if you wish to “hedge your bets” and book for both the in-person and online talks at this stage and make a final decision nearer the time.
A group of members and guests will be meeting for a pre-talk meal and if you wish to join us please let me know so that I can advise them of the probable numbers.
All Newcomen evening meetings are free and open to all and if you are aware of any non-members who may be interested in this talk please feel free to forward this email to them.
Please Note:- The parking arrangements at the Museum have changed and the car park between the Museum and the river is now closed and is being used by the Museum Cafe and Bar as an outdoor seating area. Details of the new parking arrangements can be found at www.simt.co.uk/kelham-island-museum/plan-your-visit
Sign Up For This Event Here

'Float Glass Development and Process History - A Revolution' by Gerry Miller
2022-03-22 18:30 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | MANCHESTER International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Engine House, Chorlton Mill, 3 Cambridge Street,, Manchester, M1 5BY
An in-person meeting presented by Gerry Miller
The development of processes for the manufacture of Flat Glass was slow, progressive in only minor ways for many decades from 1900 to 1960. The methods used had become automated but still had many basic problems, particularly in the visual quality of the glass. They were all labour intensive, inefficient in performance and had problems keeping up with the product demands of the consumer industry. All flat glass manufacturers worldwide were looking for a step change to move forward, but for 30 years little had really changed.
Pilkington was the world leader in the technology of producing Polished Plate Glass, used for the most demanding markets and they had patents to protect their technology. In the 1950’s the main board of Pilkington, a family-owned private company, decided to undertake a revolutionary path in exploring the possibilities of producing high quality glass using a new technology. Their determination and technical expertise took them into an unknown world at great development cost for many years, far longer than ever expected, before they found success with the process known as Float Glass.
This process was a revolution, floating molten glass on a bath of molten tin to produce a perfectly formed product, free of distortion and capable of meeting the needs of all markets in a single process. This method has since become the only significant manner of producing Flat Glass today and has lasted for more than 60 years using the same basic principles. Technical advancements have been made in later years to cover all universal demands for modern glazing requirements, the application of coatings and colours to enhance both their functionality and appeal.
About the Speaker
Gerry Miller has worked in the glass industry with Pilkington all his life, including for the last 18 years as an independent consultant internationally, mainly on the Float Glass process.
About the Venue
www.anthonyburgess.org

'Boxing Clever' - a brief history of corrugated containers and the ingenuity of their design and manufacture
2022-04-06 19:00 - 21:00 UTC | BIRMINGHAM Think Tank, Birmingham Science Museum,, Curzon Street, Birmingham, West Midlands, B4 7XG
An in person and online presentation by Nigel Jopson
Nigel Jopson offers an insight into the complexity of items often taken for granted.
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'A History of Dowty' by Ally McConnell
2022-04-11 06:30 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | This is an Online Event
An webcast (Zoom) presentation by Ally McConnell.
Featuring material from Sir George Dowty’s autobiography & the Dowty archive.
PLEASE NOTE: This is no longer an in-person event. It is however available to book online via the link below
For those who are unable to attend in person, questions may be submitted via email before the lecture to events@newcomen.com or via Zoom chat during the lecture.
Booking information
Tickets are free but as we can only accommodate 100 attendees online, we recommend you book early via the Sign up link below (you will receive a confirmation email from Eventbrite immediately after registration).
Sign Up For This Event Here

Cleveland's Innovative Engineers by Sue Parker
2022-04-13 18:00 - 20:00 UTC | LONDON Alan Baxter Gallery, 75 Cowcross St, Clerkenwell, London, EC1M 6EL
An in person and online presentation by Sue Parker
The Cleveland Institution of Engineers was founded in 1864 and has detailed accounts of its lectures from 1868 to 1942 with full text and illustrations.
Drawing from the CIE’s archives, Sue Parker reveals the innovative engineering solutions of the area’s leading engineers. Many of them were ahead of their time.
Did you know that attempts were made to start a Channel Tunnel in 1883, or that the transmitter in telephone microphones in the 1980s was invented by a vicar in 1880?

For those who are unable to attend in person questions may be submitted via email before the lecture to events@newcomen.com or via Zoom chat during the lecture.
Booking information
If COVID restrictions permit this will be held as a joint In-Person and Online meeting and irrespective of whether you wish to join us In-Person or Online it is essential that you book your place via Eventbrite (see button below). Tickets are free but as we almost certainly will be limited as to the number of people who can attend in person and as we can only accommodate 100 attendees online we recommend you book early. Eventbrite will email you a confirmation immediately after registration.
Sign Up For This Event Here

'South Wales Colliery Winding Engines' by Brian Davies.
2022-04-21 19:30 - 21:30 (Europe/London) | BRISTOL BAWA, 589 Southmead Rd, Filton, Bristol, BS34 7RG
An in person presentation by Brian Davies
An illustrated talk using slides of surviving and many old and now demolished winding engines. The talk will be in three sections – first a survey of the steam winding engines that survived into the 1960s, illustrated by photos that Brian took then. Some of them on a tour with George Watkins; then a survey of the engines that survive; and finally he will detail some of the restoration work on the 1875 Barker & Cope engine at the Great Western Colliery near Pontypridd.

The Call To Arms (Dickinson Memorial Lecture) by Stephen Furber
2022-05-11 18:00 - 20:00 (Europe/London) | LONDON Alan Baxter Gallery, 75 Cowcross St, Clerkenwell, London, EC1M 6EL
An in person and online presentation by Professor Stephen Furber
The ARM microprocessor dominates the world of mobile and embedded computing with over 200 billion ARM-powered microchips manufactured to date.
The origins of the ARM can be traced back to a small UK supplier of desk-top machines, Acorn Computers Ltd in the early 1980s, for whose staff the original ARM (then the ‘Acorn RISC Machine’) was a first attempt at designing a microprocessor.
A lot has changed over the subsequent 40 years, and today the ARM is used in almost all mobile phones, the world’s fastest supercomputer, and many other computing systems including the SpiNNaker brain-modelling computer at the University of Manchester.
This lecture is now available to watch in full on the Dickinson Memorial page.
About the Speaker
Professor Stephen Furber
Steve Furber is the ICL Professor of Computer Engineering in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Manchester. He received his B.A. degree in Mathematics in 1974 and his Ph.D. in Aerodynamics in 1980 from the University of Cambridge, England. From 1981 to 1990 he worked in the hardware development group within the R&D department at Acorn Computers Ltd, and was a principal designer of the BBC Microcomputer and the ARM 32-bit RISC microprocessor, both of which earned Acorn Computers a Queen’s Award for Technology. Upon moving to the University of Manchester in 1990 he established the Amulet research group which has interests in asynchronous logic design and power-efficient computing, and which merged with the Parallel Architectures and Languages group in 2000 to form the Advanced Processor Technologies group. From 2003 to 2008 the APT group was supported by an EPSRC Portfolio Partnership Award.
Steve served as Head of the Department of Computer Science in the Victoria University of Manchester from 2001 up to the merger with UMIST in 2004.
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'Henry Ford’s Holiday in 1928' by David Perrett
2022-05-19 19:30 - 21:30 (Europe/London) | BRISTOL BAWA, 589 Southmead Rd, Filton, Bristol, BS34 7RG
An in person presentation by David Perrett.

'Gun making by machinery - the 1853 Enfield Rifle, mechanised manufacture and interchangeability' by Peter Smithurst
2022-05-23 18:30 - 19:30 (Europe/London) | SHEFFIELD Kelham Island Museum, Alma Street, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S3 8RG
An in person presentation by Peter Smithurst
For those who are unable to attend in person questions may be submitted via email before the lecture to events@newcomen.com or via Zoom chat during the lecture.
Booking information
If COVID restrictions permit this will be held as a joint In-Person and Online meeting and irrespective of whether you wish to join us In-Person or Online it is essential that you book your place via Eventbrite (see button below). Tickets are free but as we almost certainly will be limited as to the number of people who can attend in person and as we can only accommodate 100 attendees online we recommend you book early. Eventbrite will email you a confirmation immediately after registration.
In-Person meeting at Kelham Island Museum
For those of you who wish to join us in person we will meet from 6:00 pm, but it is prossible that COVID restrictions may mean that teas and coffee are not available.
About the Speaker
Peter Smithurst
About the Venue
An in-person and webcast (zoom) meeting.
As previously the meeting will start at 6:30 pm and tea and coffee will be available from 6:00 pm and we look forward to welcoming you to what we hope will be an interesting series of talks and discussions.
For those of you who are uncertain about attending in-person meetings at present, we are also pleased to announce that all this year’s programme of talks will also be available as a live webcast.
Kelham Island Museum has advised that although no social distancing restrictions will be in place for the meeting, we will need to keep a detailed register of attendees. To assist with this and to gauge demand for the in-person talk it would be very helpful if you could let us know if you wish to join us using the Eventbrite link below. Similarly, if you would like to join us online please book using the Eventbrite link below. We are very happy if you wish to “hedge your bets” and book for both the in-person and online talks at this stage and make a final decision nearer the time.
A group of members and guests will be meeting for a pre-talk meal and if you wish to join us please let me know so that I can advise them of the probable numbers.
All Newcomen evening meetings are free and open to all and if you are aware of any non-members who may be interested in this talk please feel free to forward this email to them.
Please Note:- The parking arrangements at the Museum have changed and the car park between the Museum and the river is now closed and is being used by the Museum Cafe and Bar as an outdoor seating area. Details of the new parking arrangements can be found at http://www.simt.co.uk/kelham-island-museum/plan-your-visit
Sign Up For This Event Here

'Reverse Engineering' by John Moyle
2022-09-26 18:30 - 20:30 (Europe/London) | SHEFFIELD Kelham Island Museum, Alma Street, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S3 8RG

'RAF Planes that won the Battle of Britain were built on German Machinery' by Dr. Jonathan Aylen
2022-09-27 18:30 - 20:30 (Europe/London) | MANCHESTER International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Engine House, Chorlton Mill, 3 Cambridge Street,, Manchester, M1 5BY
Why the Jewish Refugee Engineer, Ludwig Loewy was crucial to Britain
Ludwig Loewy was a Jewish engineer who left Nazi Germany in 1936 to set up an engineering firm in London as a refugee. Britain was re-arming and a new generation of aircraft was being developed based on light alloy “stressed skin” construction. Loewy Engineering had 2,000 German drawings and the expertise needed to build machinery urgently needed for alloy fabrication. The machines were otherwise supplied from Germany at a time of growing tension.
Loewy’s company developed rapidly, helped by a workforce of refugee engineers and managers. Loewy became a trusted advisor to the Government’s production programme for aircraft until his death in 1942. His former firm in Düsseldorf, Schloemann, was ‘Aryanised’ after his departure and continued to supply equipment to the UK until the outbreak of war and went on to help the German and Italian war effort.
Ludwig Loewy’s rapid assimilation owed much to earlier contacts with the UK, his welcome expertise in a sector that was growing at break-neck speed and customers who needed his technology. The Government welcomed his contribution to aircraft production at a time of rapid re-armament. Ludwig Loewy’s experience supports the view that German speaking refugee engineers were readily accepted in the UK over the period 1933 to 1945.

'The Newcomen Engine Pumping House at Brislington' by David Hardwick
2022-10-05 19:00 - 21:00 (Europe/London) | BIRMINGHAM Think Tank, Birmingham Science Museum,, Curzon Street, Birmingham, West Midlands, B4 7XG
David Hardwick discusses the historical and archaeological appraisal of the standing building in Brislington

'Learning Through Archaeology: The ROCKET Project' by Michael Bailey
2022-10-12 18:30 - 20:30 (Europe/London) | LONDON Alan Baxter Gallery, 75 Cowcross St, Clerkenwell, London, EC1M 6EL

'RAF Planes that won the Battle of Britain were built by German Machinery' by Dr. Jonathan Aylen
2022-10-20 19:30 - 21:30 (Europe/London) | BRISTOL BAWA, 589 Southmead Rd, Filton, Bristol, BS34 7RG
Having enlightened the people of Manchester in late September, Dr. Jonathan Aylen takes his fascinating account of Ludwig Loewy to the people of Bristol.
Why the Jewish Refugee Engineer, Ludwig Loewy was crucial to Britain
Ludwig Loewy was a Jewish engineer who left Nazi Germany in 1936 to set up an engineering firm in London as a refugee. Britain was re-arming and a new generation of aircraft was being developed based on light alloy “stressed skin” construction. Loewy Engineering had 2,000 German drawings and the expertise needed to build machinery urgently needed for alloy fabrication. The machines were otherwise supplied from Germany at a time of growing tension.
Loewy’s company developed rapidly, helped by a workforce of refugee engineers and managers. Loewy became a trusted advisor to the Government’s production programme for aircraft until his death in 1942. His former firm in Düsseldorf, Schloemann, was ‘Aryanised’ after his departure and continued to supply equipment to the UK until the outbreak of war and went on to help the German and Italian war effort.
Ludwig Loewy’s rapid assimilation owed much to earlier contacts with the UK, his welcome expertise in a sector that was growing at break-neck speed and customers who needed his technology. The Government welcomed his contribution to aircraft production at a time of rapid re-armament. Ludwig Loewy’s experience supports the view that German speaking refugee engineers were readily accepted in the UK over the period 1933 to 1945.

'The Turbine Plant on the Major Ocean Going Liners including Titanic' by Geoff Horsman
2022-10-25 14:00 - 16:15 (Europe/London) | SHEFFIELD Kelham Island Museum, Alma Street, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S3 8RG
This is a free 1/2 day event starting a 14:00 at which Geoff Horsman will give two talks that outline the development and history of turbines, with particular reference to the work of Parsons. This talk will be in the afternoon while the other will be in the evening.
There will also be an opportunity from 12 noon to 1.45pm to examine Parson’s No 4 Turbine which is held by Kelham Island Museum. Turbine No 1 is understood to have been the prototype, while Turbine No 4 is almost certainly the first production model.
Also see The Evolution of the Parsons Land Steam Turbine (the second talk)
The Programme for the day (both talks) is as follows:
12:00 pm to 1:45 pm Tea and coffee and an opportunity to view the Parsons turbine that is held by Kelham.
2:00 pm Welcome and a brief outline as to how Kelham became home to Parsons first-ever turbine-generator supplied to a customer for commercial operation.
2:15 pm A History of Parsons and Pametrada Marine Turbines in the Great Liners
This talk will outline the evolution of Parsons and Pametrada’s most powerful marine steam turbines from the Mauretania and Lusitania via the Titanic, Aquitania, Île de France, Empress of Britain, Bremen, Europa, Queen Mary and Windsor Castle to the QE2. The creation of Pametrada which produced the engine designs for Britain’s most prominent shipyards to build – including John Brown, Harland and Wolff, Cammell Laird, Vickers Armstrong, Swan Hunters, etc – will also be described. There will be insights into passenger life onboard the ships as well as the engines.
4:15 pm Break
5:30 pm Film “Makers of Power”
6:00 pm The Evolution of the Parsons Land Steam Turbine
This talk will describe how the turbines produced for power station use changed from the World’s first turbine-generator of 1884 up until the time Parsons became part of Siemens in 1997. The keynote designs will be discussed including the machines for Calder Hall (the World’s first commercial nuclear power station), Drax (Britain’s largest power station), and Nanticoke (the largest coal-fired power station in North America). Reference will be made to the Kelham Island turbine generator in this talk.
8:00 pm Closing Remarks
About the Speaker:
Until his retirement, Geoff Horsman was Chief Turbine Engineer for Siemens at C. A Parsons Works in Newcastle. He is now the keeper of the historic archive at the CA Parsons Works in Newcastle.

'The Evolution of the Parsons Land Steam Turbine' by Geoff Horsman
2022-10-25 18:00 - 20:00 (Europe/London) | SHEFFIELD Kelham Island Museum, Alma Street, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S3 8RG
This is a free 1/2 day event starting a 14:00 at which Geoff Horsman will give two talks that outline the development and history of turbines with particular reference to the work of Parsons. The other talk will be in the afternoon while this one will be in the evening.
There will also be an opportunity to examine Parson’s No 2 Turbine which is held by Kelham Island Museum. Turbine No 1 is understood to have been the prototype while Turbine No 2 is almost certainly the first production model.
Also see The Turbine Plant on the Major Ocean Going Liners such as the ‘Titanic (first talk in the afternoon)
The Programme for the day (both talks) is as follows:
12:00 pm to 1:45 pm Tea and coffee and an opportunity to view the Parsons turbine that is held by Kelham.
2:00 pm Welcome and a brief outline as to how Kelham became home to Parsons first-ever turbine-generator supplied to a customer for commercial operation.
2:15 pm A History of Parsons and Pametrada Marine Turbines in the Great Liners
This talk will outline the evolution of Parsons and Pametrada’s most powerful marine steam turbines from the Mauretania and Lusitania via the Titanic, Aquitania, Île de France, Empress of Britain, Bremen, Europa, Queen Mary and Windsor Castle to the QE2. The creation of Pametrada which produced the engine designs for Britain’s most prominent shipyards to build – including John Brown, Harland and Wolff, Cammell Laird, Vickers Armstrong, Swan Hunters, etc – will also be described. There will be insights into passenger life onboard the ships as well as the engines.
4:15 pm Break
5:30 pm Film “Makers of Power”
6:00 pm The Evolution of the Parsons Land Steam Turbine
This talk will describe how the turbines produced for power station use changed from the World’s first turbine-generator of 1884 up until the time Parsons became part of Siemens in 1997. The keynote designs will be discussed including the machines for Calder Hall (the World’s first commercial nuclear power station), Drax (Britain’s largest power station), and Nanticoke (the largest coal-fired power station in North America). Reference will be made to the Kelham Island turbine generator in this talk.
8:00 pm Closing Remarks
About the Speaker:
Until his retirement, Geoff Horsman was Chief Turbine Engineer for Siemens at C. A Parsons Works in Newcastle. He is now the keeper of the historic archive at the CA Parsons Works in Newcastle.

'Railways as World Heritage sites' by Anthony Coulls
2022-10-25 18:30 - 20:30 (Europe/London) | MANCHESTER International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Engine House, Chorlton Mill, 3 Cambridge Street,, Manchester, M1 5BY
