Rev Peter Barham Films and talk

Could you publicise these round your networks please

Saturday 18 June - Peter's final Railway Films - after eight years of showing railway films to the good people of Ponteland, it is time to move to Derby and Midland Railway territory. Peter will show a selection of his favourite films at St Mary's Church Hall, Ponteland, NE20 9PZ at 3 pm and 7.30 pm. We will visit the Peak District, watch "Any Man's Kingdom" about 1950s Northumberland, have a trip to Scotland, and post a letter on a train. Admission free, donations for British Heart Foundation, doughnuts in the interval.

Wednesday 22 June - after several requests (well, three), Peter will give his talk on John Wilson Carmichael in St Mary's Church Hall, Ponteland, NE20 9PZ at 7.30 pm. Carmichael is a North East artist, most famous for his nautical paintings, who also sketched the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway as it was being built.  Admission free, donations for British Heart Foundation, but no doughnuts in the interval (twice in one week would be too indulgent!)

Thanks for your support over the years

Cheers

Peter

Friends of Puffing Billy

The Friends of Puffing Billy

Dear All ,

The Friends of Puffing Billy – Chairs address , Feb 2016

It has been some two years since the memorable events of the 200thAnniversary of Puffing Billy

in 2013 , along the route of what used to be the historic Wylam Waggonway . During that year ,in conjunction with Beamish Museum and numerous other organizations a series of associated events  took place at schools , centres and parks at Wylam , Heddon on the Wall , Throckley ,Walbottle , Newburn and Lemington.

 

The Wylam Waggonway route is now into its 48th year of use as a Walk and Cycleway . In two years time it will see its 50th Anniversary in 2018 of another chapter in the circa 270 year history of this historic rail route . The Waggonway was the railway that saw the birth of the first practical steam locomotive which set the World Railway Revolution alight and eventually saw the trials of the early Diesel locomotives that ushered in the second railway revolution of British railways. The Wylam Waggonway in the last ten years or so , has seen a tremendous rise in the numbers ofpe ople using it. The importance and popularity of the Wylam Waggonway looks set to continue with the new housing developments on the west side of Newcastle , with potentially 3,500 new homes projected . Another exciting prospect is the development of the new Visitor Centre for Hadrian's Wall , which it is hoped will see an additional annual 250,000 visitors along Hadrian's Way , part of which joins the Wylam Waggonway through Heddon on the Wall , Newburn and Lemington.

 

Due to the demands of other work and other causes on the time of the officers of the Friends of Puffing Billy , the financially trying years of 2014 and 2015 have been relatively quiet. Despite this , the funds of the Friends of Puffing Billy stand at an amount of £1,434.41 in the black.However , in the face of continuing funding difficulties , work has been ticking away on a project arising from the 200th Anniversary Event . The idea is to commemorate Puffing Billy & the Railway Pioneers at the Wylam and Lemington ends of the Waggonway which will involve the local community and schools.

 

The Officers of the Friends of Puffing Billy Elected in 2013 have kindly volunteered to continue in their roles . The Friends of Puffing Billy wish to thank all of those people and organizations that supported the200th Anniversary Events and made it such a success. We look look forward to their continuing support .

Yours faithfully ,

Tom Martin . Chair – Friends of Puffing Billy

THE 6th INTERNATIONAL EARLY RAILWAYS CONFERENCE

Early Railways

THE 6th INTERNATIONAL EARLY RAILWAYS CONFERENCE

© Northumberland Archives, ‘The Coal Waggon’, ZMD 78/14

The next Conference has been arranged for the 16 – 19 June 2016 (Thursday evening to Sunday lunchtime), to take place at Newcastle-upon-Tyne in northern England. The opening lecture will be given in the magnificent lecture hall of the North of England Institute of Mining & Mechanical Engineers (NEIMME), the other papers will be heard in the Live Theatre on the Quayside, a modern and spacious tiered auditorium. Further details will follow.

CALL FOR PAPERS

Researchers into the history and archaeology of early railways who would like to present their findings are invited to indicate their intention to the organising committee by the end of May 2015. A 300-word synopsis should be submitted for consideration by the end of September 2015.
The standard length of papers is 30 minutes, with shorter presentations and papers welcome. As before, it is intended to publish the proceedings. Proposals for papers, which are encouraged on such topics as economic, business and social history as well as on technical subjects, and any queries, should be sent to:
early.railways.conference@gmail.com

Railway films

The Rocket - newsletter of Robert Stephenson Trust

CLICK HERE

John Wilson Carmichael

On Saturday 13th September, in St Mary's Church Hall, Thornhill Road, Ponteland at 3.00pm and 7.30pm, the Revd Peter Barham will use some of the research he did while on sabbatical to give a talk on the paintings of John Wilson Carmichael.
He was a Newcastle artist who produced many nautical paintings and also drew a series of etchings of the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway and painted other railway topics.
His work is lovely, so (even if trains are not your thing) you will enjoy it.
Admission free; doughnuts in the interval; donations for the British Heart Foundation.

 
www.pontelandstmary.co.uk
www.bhf.org.uk

Who is the man in the stove pipe hat?

Work commences in 1854 at Durham on what becomes East Coast Mainline

Railway Films

Rocket Autumn 2013 from Robert Stephenson Trust

Rocket Autumn 2013

Newsletter 19th September 2013

Ponteland Historian

Newsletter of Ponteland Local History Society

19^th September 2013

CARRYING COALS TO NEWCASTLE

This evening we are breaking with tradition and the presentation will take the form of a film about local waggonways. This will be introduced by Noel Adamson, from Sunniside, who studied video and film production upon retirement from Northern Electric.

ANLHS NEWS

Saturday 9^th November

ANLHS – AGM

Stannington Village Hall

Further details will hopefully be made available at the October meeting.

OUTINGS 2013

The first outing of our calendar earlier this year took place on the afternoon of 23^rd. May when 22 members visited Featherstone Castle on the banks of the South Tyne near Haltwhistle. Our host was Mr. John Clarke who guided us around this intriguing collection of buildings which make up his Grade 1 listed home and residential activity centre for children and students.

On 6^th June 35 of us travelled further west to Naworth for a morning tour of the Castle, ancestral home of the Howards. Owing to a sudden deterioration in Mrs Howard’s health that morning this was substituted at the last minute for an alternative but very interesting guided tour of the adjoining gardens and grounds. We have been invited back next year to complete our tour of the Castle.

This was followed by lunch at Lanercost after which we were free to visit the Priory at our leisure.

On 11^th July 45 members and guests set out for the journey south to Durham. At 11.00am we assembled at the Cathedral for a most interesting and informative guided tour before taking a buffet lunch in the Prior’s Hall. After lunch we made best use of the fine weather to enjoy the environs of Palace Green or take a stroll along the banks of the river Wear.

At 3.00pm we started our tour of the display of the Lindisfarne Gospels which formed the centre piece of a unique exhibition in the Durham University Palace Green Library.

This concluded a very successful series of outings for the year.

DIARY DATES

Saturday 26^th October

Pont Charity Group Concert at 7.00pm in the Memorial Hall in support of Children North East.

“The Grainger Singers”

Tickets £8 available from Mackley & Stevens or Newcastle Building Society.

Puffing Billy Festival Events

In celebration of the first successful steam railway, which carried coal from Wylam to Lemington 200 years ago, the friends of Puffing Bully have presented a programme of events during 2013. These are ongoing throughout the region until 3^rd November and more detailed information of the programme is available via puffingbilly@beamish.org.uk

Saturday 9^th November

Archive Films in St. Mary’s Church Hall 3pm & 7.30pm ”Railways at War”

Please note that the Christmas Social Evening will be held on Thursday 12^th December and not 13^th December as printed on the programme. Tickets priced at £8 will be available at the October and November meetings.

Puffing Billy Festival Talks Programme

Ponteland Railway

Puffing Billy Festival

Meetings programme - all start at 7pm.

Wednesday 4th September 2013 "Railways before Stepenson" by Les Turnbull at Newburn Leisure Centre

Wednesday 11th September 2013 " The Northumberland Railway - Brunel in Stephenson's back Yard" by J Michael Taylor MBE at Lemington Centre

Wednesday 18th September 2013 "The Wylam Locomotives" by John Lyffen at Wylam Institute

Wednesday 25th September 2013 "Hedley, Chapman and Isaac Jackson - Who really did What?" by Jim Rees at Walbottle Campus.

Wednesday 9th October 2013 "Stephenson's Triumph - Liverpool 1830 who was there and what they did next" by Bob Gwynne at Heddon on the Wall WI.