Chairman Colin Tinknell welcomed everyone to the latest Midsomer Norton Probus meeting, where he informed the members the club was moving forward, organising a holiday in Paignton, lunch with the ladies, and a visit to Cross Engineering at Odd Down, Bath, plus the many excellent speakers arranged for the year.
New member, Eric Smith, gave a brief description of the hotel in Paignton that he has been visiting for thirty years, which has been booked in conjunction with Longwell Green Probus for the forthcoming holiday. It sounds very nice.
The talk of the day was given by one of the experienced Backwell speakers, Roy Ackrill, his subject, ‘Brunel to HST.’
It was of great interest to the gathering and with many
interested in the early railways, Roy didn’t disappoint. He told the meeting how Isambard Brunel was forced, because of circumstances, to move to Clifton, Bristol, in 1851 and soon had 33 assistants to help him build the Bristol to Exeter railway line, also, Thomas Guppy, experienced engineer, joined him.
The invention of the Dumpy Level by William Grevatt helped with the construction of the line. Men levelling and laying the track worked 16/17 hours a day and there were many accidents – one boy of just eleven-years-old broke his leg and died in hospital.
The line from Temple Meads to Exeter opened on June 1st 1841, the first twelve miles to Flax Bourton took 45 minutes, and on June 14th the total fare taken was £340.
A film was shown of the Didcot railway with a train that would have been to the type for the first journey. Third Class passengers travelled in open carriages while First Class carriages had a roof and were totally enclosed. During these early years, it took eight hours from Paddington to Temple Meads. Brunel’s HQ was at Temple Meads, and the building is still there to this day on the right-hand side of the entrance.
Roy finished with a film of the High-speed Train going through Backwell at 100 mph, it looked quite frightening. Harry Wright gave a vote of thanks to Mr Ackrill.
The next talk on February 28th will be given by member, Bryn Hawkins, titled ‘From Boy to Man in the Somerset Coal Field’ followed on March 14th by a talk by Cyril Routleys on ‘Time at Tyntesfield.’ On March 21st it’s Lunch with the Ladies at Cameley Lodge – this is an event members really look forward to. Any man who would like to join Midsomer Norton Probus is welcome. We meet at the Centurion Hotel on the
second and fourth Tuesday in the month at 10 a.m. Either turn up or ring Andrew Linham, on: 01761 432213, you will be made most welcome by this very friendly bunch of men.
Bryn Hawkins