Conference on the Piston Engine Revolution: 1850-1950

 14-17^th April 2011: MOSI, Manchester

 The International Society for the History of Engineering and Technology (formerly The Newcomen Society), and the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), Manchester, are organising an International Conference entitled “The Piston Engine Revolution: 1850-1950”. The conference will review how the internal combustion engine came into being, how it was first commercialised for stationary power production, and how it gave rise to the automotive and aircraft industries. The focus will be on the engineering developments associated with the IC engine, and on the engineers, technicians and scientists, who contributed to its success. Original papers are now sought, which will be published in a Conference Volume.     

 The Conference will be held in Manchester’s Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) and a half day visit will be made to the Anson Engine Museum, which has one of the best collections of stationary engines in Europe.  The Conference will begin on Thursday evening, 14^th April 2011, with a public lecture. On subsequent days, sessions will be given over to selected topics, which could include: 

•  The scientific and technical thinking underlying early designs
• Early pioneers
• Contributions of Lenoir, Otto, Diesel and Benz
• Hot bulb engines in the UK and elsewhere
• IC engine competitors (steam and hot air engines)
• Formal R&D by research organisations and engine companies   
• Development of engines for road and air transport
• Key stationary, automotive and aircraft engines
• Building, running, and testing near scale and full scale engine replicas
• Engine museums in the UK, on the Continent, and elsewhere    
• Gaseous fuels from coal, coke and wood
• Liquid fuel development and specifications
• Carburettors, spark plugs, igniters and valves
• Metallurgy and materials issues

 Papers should be 6000 to 8000 words in length. Please send a short synopsis of 250 words of your proposed paper to Conference Secretary by 31^st July 2010.  The final date for submission of full papers is 31^st January 2011

 E-mail address is: pistonnewcomen@yahoo.co.uk

It has come as a terrible shock to learn that our member Nick Walker died on Sunday 25th April. Although under treatment for cancer his early death was wholly unexpected. Nick’s books on his beloved Alvises, as well as volumes on coachbuilding history, Bentleys and Rolls-Royces, were models of their kind. He also contributed to the Beaulieu Encyclopaedia. In addition, Nick retired from a life in business to begin a professional qualification in librarianship so that he could develop the VSCC library to its fullest potential. He injected new life into the library and introduced advanced indexing techniques. He would have contributed so much more, and we shall certainly miss him as a fine speaker and as someone who could field enquiries.    Tom Clarke

Undoubtedly one of the most successful SAHB Seminars thus far, our second visit to the Aston Martin Owners’ Club Heritage Trust Centre at Drayton St Leonard on Sunday 21st March provided just about everything for the 49 members and guests in attendance. A huge new screen had been installed, the computer system behaved faultlessly, ample space was available for everyone to mingle while enjoying the delicious buffet lunch and, most importantly of all, the speakers educated and entertained in equal measure.

The Saturday evening dinner at the White Hart Hotel in Dorchester-on-Thames was also well supported with 24 people enjoying a very sociable occasion.

After the briefest of introductions from organiser Bryan Goodman, the first presentation ‘Humber before the Rootes takeover’ was given by John Tarring.  It was in 1868 that Thomas Humber started making bits and pieces in his garden shed before progressing to build bicycles.  The first ‘proper’ Humber car appeared in 1901 and this had a single-spoke steering wheel which was to become a trade-mark feature for several years. John’s talk was illustrated with many wonderful period photos (which included aero engines and motorcycles as well as bicycles, cars and factories, etc) and he explained that such material was still coming to light.

Had there been a long distance award, then Malcolm Bobbitt was surely a contender, making the trip down from Cumbria to present a tremendously entertaining talk about William Henry Ireland. Based at Great Sankey in Cheshire, Ireland was another pioneer cycle maker who entered the motor industry.

The morning session ended with Bryan Goodman’s motoring quiz. David Burgess-Wise achieved the highest score of 33 correct answers, but our quiz master decided to exclude ‘professionals’ and so the award went to Andrew Marfell.

The afternoon was taken up by a thought-provoking presentation from John Minnis of English Heritage. He is working on an incredibly complex book assignment called ‘The Car Project’. The aim is to record structures representing the car’s influence on our way of life and this includes garages, filling stations, car showrooms, car parks, roadside cafes, etc.  The sheer scope and variety of historic motoring buildings that still exist came as a great surprise to most people in the audience and John is keen to obtain further data from SAHB members.

Tony Beadle

The latest Science Museum Library newsletter by email, January 2010, notes a new digitisation project for the vast trade literature collection, and a free bus ride system on Tuesdays from Swindon station to the museum and library site at Wroughton. It’s good to see these developments coming out from the revamped library service. To receive the newsletter email cate.watson@sciencemuseum.org.uk