Radstock Museum runs a series of TALKS.

Bygone Days talks celebrate both local and national history. These talks are often held at The Somer Centre in Midsomer Norton but please check the details carefully for each talk below.

Spring 2025 Season: Bygone Days Talk confirmed.

Tuesday February 4th At the Somer Centre at 7.30pm. Admission £5

 Kilmersdon Colliery and Gravity Incline Railway. By Norman Andrew.

Due to popular demand Norman Andrew is returning after almost 7 years to repeat his captivating presentation about Kilmersdon Colliery and Gravity Incline Railway. As a train spotting youth in the 1960s, Norman Andrew spent every summer holiday with his grandma Marshall in Radstock. His uncle Bill worked down the coalmine at Haydon, which was known as Kilmersdon Colliery. Norman spent most days playing by the railway, riding in the little engine Jinty, which towed coal trucks from the pit in Haydon to the top of the steep slope above Radstock. Once the coal reached the top of the incline, the trucks of coal would be hitched onto a strong metal line or rope, and a hand operated braking mechanism would see the full trucks released down the hill on rails to the railway sidings in Radstock where the coal was loaded onto trains and transported to its final destination. The metal line was looped so that the weight of the full coal trucks coming down the hill from Haydon would pull the empty trucks at the bottom of the incline back up to the top on a parallel set of rails. The talk and presentation is a “then and now” look at the colliery and incline based around Norman’s childhood memories and his recent re-visit to the area. Norman has many slides and some footage of the colliery and incline including some of him riding in Jinty. The photo shows a model of the incline railway made by Norman’s cousin Paul Marshall. There is some lovely video footage in Norman’s presentation of this model working. He also has photos of what is left of the incline railway, which you can explore between Radstock and Haydon to this day.

 Tuesday March 4th. At the Somer Centre at 7.30pm. Admission £5

The Pointing Family. By Clem Maidment.

Tuesday April 1st. At the Somer Centre at 7.30pm. Admission £5

Lost Local Pubs. By Graeme King

All these illustrated presentations will take place at the Somer Centre in Midsomer Norton at 7:30pm until 8:30pm followed by questions and a raffle until 8:45pm. Entry is £5 cash or card on the door, no booking required. Doors open at 7pm. Raising funds for Somerset Coalfield Life at Radstock Museum charity no. 1151573

There are several ways to keep in touch with the Museum talks programme.

You can sign up for the Museum Newsletter, which is distributed by email. It includes details of Events, Talks, Exhibitions, Children’s activities and other snippets of News.

Please use the button below:

You can access our Newsletter archive by clicking HERE

You can also ask to be on the reminder email list for the Bygone Days Talks by sending an email request to bygonedays@radstockmuseum.co.uk

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