Colchester Engineering Society

Lecture Meetings take place at 19:30 in the Colchester Institute, Sheepen Rd, Colchester, CO3 3LL. For directions go to www.colchester.ac.uk

Friday 8th October Power from Poultry by Steve Critchley - An explanation of the evolution of renewable electricity production from poultry litter in the UK

Thursday 14th October President's Dinner was held at the Balkerne Restaurant, Colchester Institute. In the picture, President David Bull addresses members and guests.

Friday 19th November The Croydon Tramlink by Peter Spence

Friday 3rd December History of the Cinema in Colchester by H. Royle

Friday 14th January Annual General Meeting. President's Address Geothermal Energy by Mike Rumsey.

Friday 18th February The Dobel Steam Car by P. H. Lewis

Friday 18th March The Development of Efficient Fast Surface Effect Ships – A European Solution by Ulf Tudem (Joint meeting with I. Mar. EST S.E. branch)

April Meeting Geoffrey Bone by Denis Turner

The date for the weekend trip will be the 14th 15th and 16th of MAY 2005 and will be based at PORTSMOUTH.

Leaving on Saturday the 14th May at approximately 8.00a.m. from Colchester, the first of the weekends visits will be to the Tangmere Aviation Museum, a famous World War 2 Battle of Britain Airfield.

Then a Ploughman’s or Sandwich lunch at the Gribble Pub/Brewery, leaving time when we arrive at the Holiday Inn for shopping in the afternoon.

Sundays visit will be to the Amberley Working Museum, which is a 36 acre site containing over 30 different buildings with a variety of working craftspeople. The site is serviced by a narrow gauge railway and vintage buses, to keep walking to a minimum. Lunch can be taken at the New Restaurant on site.

Monday will be the visit to the Royal Armouries at Fort Nelson in the morning and where lunch can be enjoyed.

Then on Monday we will visit the Rolls Royce Car works at Goodwood, before our return home.

Depending on the numbers the cost of the trip could be in the order of approximately £135 to £140 per person, which includes Coach, Dinner Bed and Breakfast, all the visits, and lunch at the Gribble.

There will be a single room supplement of £15 per room per night, but if anyone is willing to share this can be arranged.

Last year we had a full coach and if you are interested in this weekend please print and return the slip below with a £30 per person deposit. Mike Rumsey

I/We would like to come on the weekend visit.

Name(s)……………………….…………………............................................................

Address……………………………………………….....................……….Post Code………......…

Tel No…………………..................mail……………………………………………………………………….

I enclose a deposit of £30.00 per person ( required by the 6th December)

Please return to Mike Rumsey, Bellamont House, Oaklands,

Leavenheath, Sudbury, Suffolk. CO6 4UH

The Colchester Engineering Societies weekend outing this year was to Derby on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday, the 15th, 16th, and 17th of May.

Papplewick Pumping Station was our first visit on Saturday. Just north of Nottingham, it is a fine example of a Victorian Pumping Station with two unique 140 HP Watts Rotative Beam Engines. This is Britain's finest Victorian Water Works and the only one in the Midlands to be preserved as a complete working water pumping station..

Papplewick was built in 1884 to supplement the water supply for the growing city of Nottingham. Pictured here are members of the society during the visit.

On Sunday morning we went to Burton on Trent, to the Bass Museum. Formerly the Bass Museum, the Coors Visitor Centre houses the UK's premier museum dedicated to brewing “The Museum of Brewing” and offers a unique blend of living heritage.

Located in Burton on Trent, Britain's brewing capital, the Coors Visitor Centre brings together a unique collection of artefacts and memorabilia tracing the fascinating history of the brewing industry. For more details click www.bass-museum.com

On Sunday afternoon we will paid a visit to the Royal Crown Derby Museum. Royal Crown Derby houses the most comprehensive collection of Derby Porcelain to be seen anywhere in the world. It includes pieces from all three of the factories in our history.

Click www.royal-crown-derby.co.uk/about/museum.html For more details

On Monday morning we went to the Rolls Royce Heritage Centre and Rolls Royce (Aero Engines) works to view some manufacturing processes. The Trust is a focal point for the company’s heritage from the earliest days to the present time.

Aero engines in the collection include the Jupiter, Lucifer and Cherub progressing through Mercury, Hercules, Proteus, Olympus and on to present day Pegasus and RB199 For more details click www.southglos.gov.uk/Museums/rollsRoyceHeritage.ht p

See also the newsletter page - click above left or here Newsletter

Social Evening Saturday 5th June
This years social evening was held at the Essex Wildlife Trust at Fingringhoe.The spectacular views across the River Colne estuary along with the lovely sunny evening helped to make this a very pleasant occasion. The cheese and wine buffet was attended by 60 members, friends and guests. The evening started with a short lecture by Janet Hulse the site administrator, on the care and up keep of the reserve. The evening quiz was won by Mr. & Mrs. Ellis. Our thanks to Janet included a promise of a return visit.

Visit to the Odeon Cinema, Colchester 23rd June
Our members were given a guided tour of the facilities by the manager Geoff Hillyer and the chief engineer Stephen Kerry who maintains the 8 studio’s. The first surprise was that the pictures and projection systems are not digital, but still use 35mm film. It is likely to remain that way for quite a few years due to costs. There are only 4 cinema’s in the UK that are digital. A picture usually comes in 4 or 5 reels, these are then wound onto one large spool along with any trailers for future films, and brand advertisements. The film is then passed through the projector via tensioning pulleys and back onto a return spool ready for replay.                                                                                     At the allotted time, the control system automatically                                    1) Dims the studio lights.
2) Raises the screen curtains.                                                                   3) Sets the projector running.                                                                   4) Adjusts the sound depending on the required effect, from side to side and front to rear.
A digital facility allows CD’s to be links into the projection system. This can
a) Insert sub-titles on to the screen.                                                        b) Provide localised sound for the partially deaf via head sets.                        c) Again via the head sets, the partially sighted can be given a running commentary on what is happening                                                             Thanks where extended to our hosts for such an informative tour of the workings of a cinema.

Visit to the Harwich Life Boat Station. - Sunday 11th. July

The visit to the Life Boat Station at The Quay, Harwich, included a video and lecture. Additionally Paul Smith (Coxswain) and Brian Hill (Mechanic) took us on a tour of the Inshore and Offshore Life Boats.

Afternoon visit to the Languard Fort at Felixstowe. - Sunday 1st. August.
The visit to the Fort included a lecture on the construction and use of the fort to protect the coast from invasion together with a guided tour of personnel facilities such as cooking and sleeping quarters, long with the operational areas of workshops and magazines.

Evening visit to the Wivenhoe Tidal Barrier. - Monday 23rd. August The society visited the barrier at Walter Radcliff Way, Wivenhoe, when it was first installed. This was a second opportunity for those who missed that event. In addition to viewing the control room and other items of plant, the barrier gates were closed specifically for our visit. Pictured here are the Mayor and Mayoress of Colchester, Councillor & Mrs Boucklaywith President David.

St Helena Hospice

A group of Society members assists the St Helena Hospice in the maintenance of electrical equipment and in particular in the testing and repair of items donated to the Hospice for sale in their six shops. Approximately £15,000 each year is raised by this activity.

Help from any suitably qualified member is always welcome