Weymouth Museum Teas & Talks – The impact of Napoleon Bonaparte on early British railways.

Transport historian John New will be talking about the early development of railways in the UK.

If you were to ask the passengers on the “Clapham Omnibus’ about early railways you would probably get an answer something like “Well I know George Stephenson built the first steam engine, Rocket to run on the Stockton & Darlington Railway,” which is far from correct. By the time of Napoleon the use of primitive railways was centuries old with horses ruling these early rails, including from 1806 onwards, a line in Dorset. In this talk John will outline how the war, and its aftermath, changed the shape of transport in Britain and then the world.  By the weird coincidence of degrees of separation there is even a connection between an 1805 shipwreck in Weymouth Bay and one of the earliest UK railways to be regularly worked by a steam locomotive, and all before the Battle of Waterloo.

Now living on Portland, John has been a freelance transport historian and photographer since taking early retirement in 2008.  He has carried extensive research on the early development of railways and has had a number of articles and academic papers published in this field.  He is a Director of the York Model Railway Show and of The Stephenson Locomotive Society.

The talk will be held in Hope United Reformed Church at 8 Trinity Street.  Tea & biscuits will be served from 2pm and the talk will begin at 2.30pm.

Tickets will be available on the door and are £2.00 for members of the Friends and £3.00 for visitors. (Exact change would be appreciated, if possible).