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DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250402T190000
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DTSTAMP:20260526T014149
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
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DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250409T180000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250409T193000
DTSTAMP:20260526T014149
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
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DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250428T183000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250428T200000
DTSTAMP:20260526T014149
CREATED:20241029T105710Z
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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
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