Tickets are now on sale for two more "fireside chat" events in the Old Booking Hall, Haltwhistle, part of a series of talks with a railway theme celebrating 200 years of railways. More events are being planned for later in the year.
At 4pm on 11 June, Phil Kirkland will provide a fascinating talk about how rail technology has developed and the important role the Tyne Valley Railway played in testing systems now used throughout the world.
Phil's 50 year plus career in railway engineering, started in 1973 as a Junior Technical Officer with British
Railways. He has an impressive CV: Track Renewals Manager, Track Maintenance Engineer, General Manager and Head of Maintenance Delivery, Vice President North for the PWI (Permanent Way Institution), the global PEI (Professional Engineering Institution) for practising railway infrastructure engineers worldwide, holding office from 2000 to 2025. Retiring from that post, Phil was then awarded Honorary Life membership of the PWI. Phil now heads his own business, RATW (Rail Consultancy Services) Ltd.
His experience will provide a captivating insight into railway engineering.
The talk by Robert Forsythe about WH Auden has been rescheduled and will now take place at 4pm on Friday 11 July.
Robert will explore the the surprisingly intense connection of world-class poet and author W H Auden to the area. Born on 21 February 1907, Auden had strong connections with the North from 1919 to 1973.
Auden was a lover of railways and the North Pennines, both providing inspiration of his work. The Night Mail is well known to many as it describes the sights and sounds of the mail train as it travels north over Shap Fell and Beattock. In his New Years letter 1940, Auden wrote:
'Those limestone moors that stretch from Brough To Hexham and the Roman Wall There is my symbol of us all’
Robert is a specialist in all things Auden having first encountered him whilst a student at Durham.
More information: Following the talks, a special soup and sweet meal will be served in the Water Tower.
Tickets: £10, which include the meal. Booking is essential.
Tickets are on sale in the Water Tower, Haltwhistle or online