Cam, Dursley & District

Science & Engineering

The Group

Our aim is to share knowledge, learn something new, make new friends, and enjoy ourselves. We normally meet monthly to travel to places of scientific, engineering or technological interest, or to have talks in the Methodist Church. The photos show some of our recent visits. It’s not necessary to have any background knowledge – we have quite a mix of members!

The leadership is split between several of us - there are over 150 members, a sure sign of its success and popularity, and new members are welcome. The leadership team welcome additional suggestions, offers of help, and offers of talks! (Do you have knowledge that could be shared with others?). We are in particular need of additional people to help organise events. Use the blue bird to message Graham if you can help.

Please use the blue bird for general enquiries (select 'general enquiries'). For enquiries or bookings for specific events - use the blue bird and select the relevant event leader.

Reports and photos of previous visits/meetings can be found in the 'activities' documents under the 'Links' banner, by downloading them.

Note that the organisation's name can be clicked as a link to take you to their website (where available).

Dates for your Diary
Mon Apr 15th Volunteering at the Dursley Sculpture Trail
We are organising volunteers to assist refurbish / repair / install new items at the Sculpture trail at Twinberrow Wood, just off the Golf Course Road. Normally on the afternoon of the 3rd Monday in the month.

People helping could sign up to any of the sessions. No need to be there each session as we would complete the mini-projects within the time available at each session. We need people who are able to assist with the construction or methods to fix / repair the sculptures so general DIY skills or even just to help secure a ladder. We can supply tools and materials or people can bring their own.

Easy parking is available on both sides of the road at the entrance to the Trail. If you are willing to help, please contact Graham Ellis via the blue bird.
Thu May 2nd Visit to Aerospace Bristol, Hayes Way, Patchway, Bristol, BS34 5BZ. 11.00am.

Concorde is the star attraction, but there are hundreds of other exhibits and interactive displays to enjoy. The venue has ample free parking, including 15 disabled parking bays, or it can be reached by bus or taxi from Bristol Parkway. This will be a public transport or car share visit. If you are willing to give a lift, or require a lift, please let the organiser know.

Assemble in the Admissions area for 11.00 am. We will be served with tea/coffee and teacake on arrival. This will be followed by a choice of 45 min guided tours of either:
a) the Concorde Tour: Take a journey from Concorde’s beginnings in the 1950s to its final flight in 2003, including the chance to step aboard the last Concorde ever to fly. Or:
b) the Bristol Heritage Tour. Take off on a journey through more than 100 years of Bristol’s remarkable aerospace history. Find out how a small, pioneering company manufactured some of the earliest aeroplanes at Filton, evolved over the decades to influence the course of aviation history and shaped the world we see today.

The price is £26.95 per person (£14 group rate + £5.95 refreshments + £7 guided tour). For those who want to continue exploring, the museum is open until 4.30pm. The onsite café serves a range of meals and snacks.

If you would like to come, please contact the organiser Kath Hudson via the Bluebird link by 19th February, stating your preference for the Concorde Tour or the Bristol Heritage Tour.

Payment will be required in full by 8th April, and once paid, will not be refundable unless someone else can take the space. NB Date changed to 2nd May.
Thu May 16th An architectural tour of Woodchester Mansion. Arrive in the car park at 10am.

Following the successful architectural tours of Gloucester Cathedral during 2023, we are arranging a similar tour of Woodchester Mansion. The tour will be led by John Goom who was for many years the consulting architect for the Mansion and remains a trustee. He will concentrate on the unique architecture of the Mansion and the challenges of preserving and restoring the structure. Since the mansion was never completed, it provides some fascinating insights into the methods used to build such a neo-Gothic masterpiece.

The tour will take about 90 minutes and will be followed by tea/coffee and cake. A minibus will be available to transport members to and from the Mansion from the National Trust Buckholt car park. The entrance to this is on a minor road that runs from the B4066 (Stroud to Dursley road) to Nympsfield. The turning to Nympsfield is close to the Coaley Peak viewing point. The entrance to the car park is on the left, about 250 yards from the junction with the B4066. There are brown signs to the Buckholt car park. The NT Buckholt car park is free to NT members but the fee is £3 for non-members which must be paid in cash.

Members should arrive at the car park around 10.00am to allow time to walk or take the minibus to the Mansion. There will be stone steps to climb and some of the floors are uneven, so please wear suitable shoes. There are toilets at the Mansion. Members will be free to explore Woodchester Park and the lakes after the mansion tour.

Woodchester Mansion is a unique and amazing Grade 1 listed Victorian Gothic house hidden in a beautiful Cotswold valley. It is an unfinished masterpiece. Building started about 1857 but stopped in the mid-1860s so floors and ceilings are missing, walls not plastered and windows unglazed. All the secrets of the construction of the Mansion are visible - something visitors will never see in another country house.

The Mansion was designed by a young local architect, Benjamin Bucknall from Rodborough. He produced a unique Gothic Revival house which blends the local traditional work in limestone with the ideas of the French architectural thinker Viollet-le-Duc.

The quality of the stone carvings in the Mansion is outstanding: some are inspired by the plants in the surrounding valley and others are life-like images of animals. There are also real mammals to be seen as the Mansion houses breeding colonies of Greater and Lesser Horseshoe bats.
Owned by Stroud District Council, the Mansion is managed by the Woodchester Mansion Trust (it is not a National Trust property).

The cost of the tour is £18.50 which includes the cost of tea/coffee and cake. There are 20 places available, which are fully booked. If you would like to be added to the waiting list, please contact Tony Wooldridge via the Bluebird link. Payment details will be sent on booking.
Wed Jun 19th Visit to Didcot Railway Centre, c/o Didcot Parkway mainline railway station, Didcot, Oxfordshire.

Great Western Society's collection of steam engines, coaches, wagons, buildings and small relics. 200 years of railway heritage to explore across 21 acres. There will be a coach. To book, please contact Carol Tipper via the blue bird.

NB revised date.
Thu Jul 25th Visit to National Waterways Museum, Llanthony Warehouse, The Docks, Gloucester GL1 2EH.

The museum will take you on a journey, charting the 200-year history of the docks and the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal. With fun, interactive exhibits, café and museum shop you'll discover the stories of the communities that lived and continue to thrive here.
The day will involve a guided tour of the museum. This will take approx. 40 mins max with free time then to go around again at your leisure There will also be a 45 minute trip on the historic pleasure cruiser and Dunkirk Little Ship, Queen Boadicea II.
Timings are yet to be finalised but the museum opens at 10:00 am and the boat trips are 12.00 and 1.30 pm. Museum entry group rate is £7.50pp. Boat trip group rate is £8.50pp.
If you would like to come please contact the organiser Myron Burak via the blue bird.
Thu Sep 26th Visit to Midland Air Museum, Coventry Airport, Baginton, Warwickshire, CV3 4FR.

The Midland Air Museum is a unique aeronautical collection. The Museum's collecting policy centers on the story of aviation in the Midlands and the Coventry area in particular, but also the story of Sir Frank Whittle and development of the jet engine. Over 45 aircraft on display; Vulcan guided tour; sit-in Meteor cockpit. There will be a coach. To book, please contact Carol Tipper via the blue bird.
Thu Nov 28th A talk by Dr Richard Erskine, Education Lead, Nailsworth Climate Action Network.
Greening Our Energy: How soon?

There are many opinions on how realistic it is for the UK to be self-sufficient with renewables for its energy needs, and this aims to answer some key questions:

Firstly, could all of future energy demand be met by wind and solar?
Secondly, what are the opportunities and hurdles on this journey?
Thirdly, how soon could it be done?

The talk does not discount other forms of low carbon energy, but if it can be shown that we could produce all our energy with wind and solar alone, then any other forms of low carbon energy that are available will make that goal easier to meet.

For example, nuclear has met about one fifth of our electricity generation needs over recent decades, with an ageing fleet of reactors. With new projects on the drawing board, it might continue to meet around 20%, and given the climate crisis many would say it would be foolish to stop current projects. Although, of course, some would dispute how ‘green’ we can say nuclear is.

The talk includes some demystifying of energy, power and energy efficiency to help in the understanding of some of the numbers flying around in the media debates.
The talk will be about 40 minutes with plenty of opportunity to ask questions afterwards.

Following the talk there will be free refreshments (Volunteers required please). The leadership team will be available to discuss ideas for the group.
Although this talk is organised for Science and Engineering group members, all Cam & Dursley members are welcome. The meeting is at 10.30am in Dursley Methodist Church. Please bring £3 to cover the cost of room hire, speaker and refreshments. There is no need to book.

The meeting is being organised by Tony Wooldridge who may be contacted via the blue bird.

Click on a picture below to see it full-size with more details.

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First Editions Book Group Floristry
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