The Common Room

The Polar Express - The Common Room Christmas Movie Showings
2021-12-24 12:00 - 14:30 (Europe/London) | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Join us for a hot chocolate and a portion of popcorn as we screen The Polar Express in our Lecture Theatre.

About this event

Join us for a hot chocolate and a portion of popcorn as we screen your festive favourite films this December!
Date: Friday 24th December 2021
Film: The Polar Express
Doors: 12:00
Film starts: 12:30

Booking information
Price: £9.50 per ticket per person
Each ticket provides one hot chocolate and one portion of popcorn for one person. All attendees, including children, require their own individual ticket.
Children must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.
Location: Lecture Theatre, The Common Room, Neville Hall, Westgate Road, NE1 1SE
COVID-19 Information
We kindly ask visitors to wear a face mask/covering when not eating/drinking if you are able and to practice social distancing where possible.
Please note, parties will be seated together, socially distanced from others.
We encourage visitors to complete a Lateral Flow Test before attending and to not attend if you have a positive result. We also ask visitors to not attend if you have symptoms of Covid-19 and have not received a negative PCR test result. If you have been advised to self-isolate, please do not attend If you can longer attend, please contact melissa.forster@thecommonroom.org.uk who can assist with refunds where valid.
Visitors may be asked to provide their name and contact details on arrival at The Common Room for contact-tracing purposes. Smartphone users can download the NHS COVID-19 app before arrival, and ‘check-in’ using our NHS QR code.
Hand sanitiser is available across the building, and we encourage visitors to use this alongside regular handwashing.
Accessibility
Our building is fully accessible – if you have any queries about accessibility, please contact melissa.forster@thecommonroom.org.uk

The Common Room Heritage Tours
2021-12-06 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Join our FREE heritage tours of The Common Room and explore the history of The North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers.
About This Event
Join us and Newcastle City Guides for a unique tour of The Common Room (formerly known to many as the Mining Institute). Our building has been the home to The North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers since 1872; a membership organisation affiliated with some of the 19th century’s most eminent engineers. Inside the building lies centuries of history relating to the Great Northern Coalfield, full of tales of engineering excellence and innovation.
Tickets are free but booking is required. 20 slots are available per tour, but tour groups will be divided into 2 groups of 10. We will try our best to ensure that your party is not separated, but please note that we may on some occasions have to split parties.
**If you can no longer attend your slot, we kindly ask that you cancel your ticket so someone else may take your place, as demand is very high**
Event Timings
Monday 6th December
Available tour times: 10:00, 11:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00.
Additional information
Location: The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle NE1 1SE
Children must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.
Our building is fully accessible – if you have any queries about accessibility, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk
In line with updated government advice, all visitors over the age of 16 will be asked to scan the NHS QR code or provide their name and contact details on arrival at The Common Room. Smartphone users can download the NHS COVID-19 app before arrival.
The Common Room is taking a number of precautions to mitigate the risk to the public regarding COVID-19. Visitors will be required to wear a face-covering (unless they have a medical exemption) and to practice social distancing. For further information on our COVID-19 protocol please visit our home page: thecommonroom.org.uk

The Common Room Heritage Tours (29 October, 6 November)
2021-11-06 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Join our FREE heritage tours of The Common Room and explore the history of The North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers.

About this event

Join us and Newcastle City Guides for a unique tour of The Common Room (formerly known to many as the Mining Institute). Our building has been the home to The North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers since 1872; a membership organisation affiliated with some of the 19th century’s most eminent engineers. Inside the building lies centuries of history relating to the Great Northern Coalfield, full of tales of engineering excellence and innovation.
Tickets are free but booking is required. 16 slots are available per tour, but tour groups will be divided into 2 groups of 8. We will try our best to ensure that your party is not separated, but please note that we may on some occasions have to split parties.
**If you can no longer attend your slot, we kindly ask that you cancel your ticket so someone else may take your place, as demand is very high**
Event Timings
Friday 29th October and Saturday 6th November
Available tour times: 10:0o, 11:00 (6 Nov only), 13:00, 14:00, 15:00
Additional information
Location: The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle NE1 1SE
Children must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.
Our building is fully accessible – if you have any queries about accessibility, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk
In line with updated government advice, all visitors over the age of 16 will be asked to scan the NHS QR code or provide their name and contact details on arrival at The Common Room. Smartphone users can download the NHS COVID-19 app before arrival.
The Common Room is taking a number of precautions to mitigate the risk to the public regarding COVID-19. Visitors will be required to wear a face-covering (unless they have a medical exemption) and to practice social distancing. For further information on our COVID-19 protocol please visit our home page: www.thecommonroom.org.uk

LEGO® Mini Model Workshops (28, 29, 30 October)
2021-10-29 - 2021-10-30 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
This ticket includes general admission to explore our historic building and key exhibitions, including The Neville Hall LEGO® Model and Digging Deep: Coal Miners of African Caribbean Heritage & The North East. In line with our Covid Safety Statement, if you intend to visit as part of a group, please ensure one person in your party books all tickets. Visitors may need to queue at various points in the building to ensure social distance can be maintained in exhibitions, workshops and events.
About this event
Join us this October Half Term at The Common Room, to build your very own mini LEGO® model of some of the North East’s greatest engineering feats, or a Mars research robot.
Models you can build are:
– The Swing Bridge
– Stephenson’s Rocket
– The Electric Car
– The Geordie Lamp
– Wind Turbine
– The Perseverance rover
– The Ingenuity helicopter drone

Event Timings

Dates: 28th, 29th and 30th October 2021
Workshop Times: 10:00 – 11:00, 11:30 – 12:30, 13:30 – 14:30, 15:00 – 16:00

Booking information
Tickets are free for these workshops but booking is required, as capacity is capped at 20 people per workshop. Please note, adults accompanying children will also require their own ticket.

Additional information
Location: Map Room, First Floor, The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle NE1 1SE
Children must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.
Our building is fully accessible – if you have any queries about accessibility, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk
In line with updated government advice, all visitors over the age of 16 will be asked to scan the NHS QR code or provide their name and contact details on arrival at The Common Room. Smartphone users can download the NHS COVID-19 app before arrival.
The Common Room is taking a number of precautions to mitigate the risk to the public regarding COVID-19. Visitors will be required to wear a face-covering (unless they have a medical exemption) and to practice 2m social distancing. For further information on our COVID-19 protocol please visit our home page: www.thecommonroom.org.uk

The Rock Showman presents: Volcanoes are Oresome! (23, 25, 26 October)
2021-10-26 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Join The Common Room, The Rock Showman and Floss for an oresome volcanic journey back in time!
This ticket includes general admission to explore our historic building and key exhibitions, including The Neville Hall LEGO® Model and Digging Deep: Coal Miners of African Caribbean Heritage & The North East. In line with our Covid Safety Statement, if you intend to visit as part of a group, please ensure one person in your party books all tickets. Visitors may need to queue at various points in the building to ensure social distance can be maintained in exhibitions, workshops and events.
The Rock Showman presents: Volcanoes are Oresome!
2021 has been an exciting year for volcanism as our dynamic planet circulates heat whilst land is both created and destroyed. North East England has no active volcanoes now, but our backyard tells us that things weren’t always as cool and quiet. What can we learn from modern eruptions that tell us about the ancient landscapes of the British Isles? Why were many of the shiny crystals of the North Pennines so valuable? Could we power our future from volcanoes? Join Floss and The Rock Showman for an oresome volcanic journey back in time.
Extra Feature
The Rock Showman welcomes you to bring something special from your collection of rocks, minerals or fossils to the The Common Room.
Do you want to know the geological story of your pebble? Or perhaps want a fossil identified! Bring your piece along and ask an expert!
Event Timings
Dates: Saturday 23rd, Monday 25th and Tuesday 26th October
Showtimes: 11:00am – 11:45am, 2:00pm – 2:45pm
Booking information
Tickets are free for this performance but booking is required, as capacity is limited. Please note, adults accompanying children will also require their own ticket. In line with our Covid Safety Statement, if you intend to visit as part of a group, please ensure one person in your party books all tickets.

For more info on the Rock Showman
www.rockshowman.co
https://linktr.ee/stevecousins
Additional information
Location: Lecture Theatre, Ground Floor, The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle NE1 1SE
Children must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.
Guests may be allocated seats sat in bubbles.
Our building is fully accessible – if you have any queries about accessibility, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk
In line with updated government advice, all visitors over the age of 16 will be asked to scan the NHS QR code or provide their name and contact details on arrival at The Common Room. Smartphone users can download the NHS COVID-19 app before arrival.
The Common Room is taking a number of precautions to mitigate the risk to the public regarding COVID-19. Visitors will be required to wear a face-covering (unless they have a medical exemption) and to practice social distancing. For further information on our COVID-19 protocol please visit our home page: www.thecommonroom.org.uk

'What’s Beneath Our Feet?' Workshop for Home-Ed Groups at The Sill
2021-10-19 | The Sill, National Landscape Discovery Centre, Bardon Mill, Hexham, Northumberland, NE47 7AN, United Kingdom
Home-educated young people studying at Key Stage 2 level, and their guardians, are invited to join The Common Room team at The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre, for a workshop which explores rocks, fossils and scientific investigation.
About this event
Mining is dangerous work, with perils always waiting beyond the next strike of a pickaxe. Safely finding your way underground as you dig means being able to read hundreds of millions of years of the Earth’s history from the minerals around you. The Common Room and the Mining Institute (NEIMME) have a history of sharing this knowledge and making underground exploration safe.
Our ‘What’s Beneath Our Feet?’ workshop links to parts of the National Curriculum relating to rocks and fossils and scientific investigation. Throughout the workshop, young people are encouraged to develop their scientific skills as they explore and get hands-on with coal, strata (the layers underneath our feet) and geology specimens from The Common Room’s collection, as well as linking to the North of England’s rich mining heritage.
Groups will also be able to visit The Common Room’s Graft & Glory exhibition (currently at The Sill) before or after their workshop.
Graft & Glory tells the story of our region’s engineers. They invented, innovated and campaigned to make mining safer, not only in the North East, but also around the world. It is the story of our region’s graft and glory: our responses to challenges facing industry, past, present and future.
Event Timings
Date: Tuesday 19th October 2021
Time: 12:30pm
Workshop lasts no longer than 90 minutes
Booking information
To book your free tickets, please email lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk with the number of tickets you require.
These workshops are for are ideally suited to those studying at Key Stage 2 level.
Home Education groups: As capacity is limited due to social distancing measures, we kindly ask you to limit the number of adults and infants attending with your party if possible and practical. Please ensure you book a ticket for everyone in your party, not just children.
Additional information
The Northumberland National Park Authority is following current government guidelines. Given the high levels of Covid infection in our region, and the impact on staffing through the need for some to self-isolate, they are having to review their services and Covid provisions on an ongoing basis. Please check The Sill’s website for further updated information ahead of your visit.
About The Sill
The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre is a hub for the rural economy; a laboratory; centre and base for education from primary to tertiary level; a driver for the Northumberland economy; a celebration and a reminder of the importance of landscape in understanding who we are as a nation, and a place to emphasise the importance of its care. Their vision is to transform how people connect with landscape and to inspire a new generation and generations to come.

Pop-up Mars Workshop with Helen Schell
2021-10-09 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
To celebrate World Space Week, visual artist and ESERO-UK Space Ambassador, Helen Schell will be delivering a one-day, drop-in family workshop to create objects for a Mars settlement!
About this event
Get creative and join us at The Common Room to celebrate World Space Week with our Pop-up Mars Workshop with Helen Schell! Use pop-up & folding techniques to create your own rocking rovers, robots, rockets, Martian habitats, mission badges, Mars flags and cards etc.
Event timings
Date: Saturday 9th October
AM slot: 10:00 – 13:00
PM slot: 13:00 – 16:00
Booking information
Tickets for this workshop are free but booking is required as capacity is limited. You can arrive any time during your dedicated time slot.
Please note, adults accompanying children will also require their own ticket. These tickets include general admission, so we invite you to take a stroll around the rest of our building to see our other attractions!
Additional information
Location: The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle NE1 1SE
Children must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.
Our building is fully accessible – if you have any queries about accessibility, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk
In line with updated government advice, all visitors over the age of 16 will be asked to scan the NHS QR code or provide their name and contact details on arrival at The Common Room. Smartphone users can download the NHS COVID-19 app before arrival.
The Common Room is taking a number of precautions to mitigate the risk to the public regarding COVID-19. Visitors will be required to wear a face-covering (unless they have a medical exemption) and to practice social distancing. For further information on our COVID-19 protocol please visit our home page.

LEGO® Space Mini Model Workshops with artist Steve Mayes
2021-10-09 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Join LEGO® artist, Steve Mayes to celebrate World Space Week and build a model of the robots currently exploring the surface of Mars!
About this event
Join LEGO® artist, Steve Mayes, and build your very own LEGO® model of robots currently exploring the surface of ‘The Red Planet’. The mini models you will have the opportunity to build include:
– The Perseverance rover
– The Ingenuity helicopter drone
Event timings
Date: Saturday 9th October 2021
Workshop times: 10:00 – 11:00, 11:30 – 12:30, 13:30 – 14:30, 15:00 – 16:00
About Steve Mayes:
Steve Mayes’s company ‘Brick This’ specialises in bespoke architectural models made of LEGO®. Over the past few years Steve has worked with a range of clients including English Heritage, The Alnwick Garden, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Bowes Museum, Tyne and Wear Metro and the Newcastle United Foundation. Steve prides himself on building highly accurate models that are used by clients to attract visitors or to raise awareness of projects. At The Common Room, you can visit Steve’s LEGO® brick model of our building, Neville Hall, with over 30,000 bricks going into the scale model.
Booking information
Tickets are free for these workshops but booking is required, as capacity is capped at 20 people per workshop. Please note, adults accompanying children will also require their own ticket.
Additional information
Location: Map Room, First Floor, The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle NE1 1SE
Children must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.
Our building is fully accessible – if you have any queries about accessibility, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk
In line with updated government advice, all visitors over the age of 16 will be asked to scan the NHS QR code or provide their name and contact details on arrival at The Common Room. Smartphone users can download the NHS COVID-19 app before arrival.
The Common Room is taking a number of precautions to mitigate the risk to the public regarding COVID-19. Visitors will be required to wear a face-covering (unless they have a medical exemption) and to practice 2m social distancing. For further information on our COVID-19 protocol please visit our home page: www.thecommonroom.org.uk

World Space Week Schools Special
2021-10-08 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Key Stage 2 school classes are invited to join The Common Room and The Sill this World Space Week for a carousel of space and STEM activities!
About this event
To mark World Space Week, The Common Room and The Sill will be running two activities in a carousel format: Engineering for Space with The Common Room and Dark Skies Assembly with The Sill.

This event is for school groups only and is ideally suited to classes studying in Key Stage 2.
Engineering for Space with The Common Room
60-minute carousel session
Space is an unforgiving, massive environment full of dangers. Even getting there in the first place is a near-impossible challenge, let alone surviving once we get there, or then exploring the vast expanse above us. Engineering is all about using our skills and ideas to overcome those challenges. Each of the session’s activities is a chance for you to think like one of those engineers:
– Space Materials Challenge: Many objects in our lives today only exist because engineers worked to overcome challenges to life in space. Which of these do you think were invented for space travel? Why? Why not?
– LEGO Martian Explorers: NASA’s Perseverance rover has been exploring the surface of Mars in new ways. For the very first time, engineers designed a machine that could fly across the Martian surface, the Ingenuity drone. You are going to build that drone, out of LEGO.
– James Webb Origami: The James Webb telescope is going to unfold itself, at a distance far further than any human has ever travelled, and look into deeper parts of space than we have ever seen. You are going to make its mirrors.
Dark Skies Assembly with The Sill
45-minute assembly
How many of us have truly seen a dark sky? In this interactive school assembly, pupils will learn how and why the National Park protects the darkness of the night sky, including how darkness is measured, the issues around light pollution, nocturnal animals, and the different constellations that can be seen at different times of year. The assembly will also include information on where to go to get the best view of the night sky, and some tips for any budding astronomers who would like to get outside for some stargazing!
Event timings
Date: Friday 8th October 2021
Times: 10am – 12pm, 1pm – 3pm
Booking information
This event is for school groups only and is ideally suited to classes studying in Key Stage 2. Schools are invited to book their class on either the morning or the afternoon timeslot, which will include both activities. Teachers are asked to book a place for each student attending.
If you have any queries or issues with booking, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk
Additional information
Location: The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle NE1 1SE
Children must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.
Our building is fully accessible – if you have any queries about accessibility, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk
In line with updated government advice, all visitors over the age of 16 will be asked to scan the NHS QR code or provide their name and contact details on arrival at The Common Room. Smartphone users can download the NHS COVID-19 app before arrival.
The Common Room is taking a number of precautions to mitigate the risk to the public regarding COVID-19. Visitors will be required to wear a face-covering (unless they have a medical exemption) and to practice social distancing. For further information on our COVID-19 protocol please visit our home page: thecommonroom.org.uk
About The Sill
The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre is a hub for the rural economy; a laboratory; centre and base for education from primary to tertiary level; a driver for the Northumberland economy; a celebration and a reminder of the importance of landscape in understanding who we are as a nation, and a place to emphasise the importance of its care. Their vision is to transform how people connect with landscape and to inspire a new generation and generations to come.

Digging Deep - Industrial Artistry Family Open Day
2021-10-02 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
About this event
Drop by for a creative arts family day on Saturday 2nd October at The Common Room, alongside the ‘Digging Deep: Coal Miners of African Caribbean Heritage & The North East’ exhibition!
Explore for the first time, the Black Miner Stained Glass Window created by artist Stella Chadwick. Be inspired by this artwork and others featured in the Digging Deep exhibition and create your own piece of art, share stories and/or produce a piece of creative writing.
All ages welcome.
Event Timings
AM slot: 10:00-12:30
PM slot: 12:30-15:00
Visitors may arrive and leave at any time during their chosen timeslot.
Booking information
Tickets for the exhibition are free but booking is required as capacity is limited.

Please note, adults accompanying children will also require their own ticket.
These tickets include general admission, so we invite you to take a stroll around the rest of our building to see our other attractions!
Additional information
Location: The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle NE1 1SE
Children must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.
Our building is fully accessible. If you have any queries about accessibility, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk
In line with updated government advice, all visitors over the age of 16 will be asked to scan the NHS QR code or provide their name and contact details on arrival at The Common Room. Smartphone users can download the NHS COVID-19 app before arrival.
The Common Room is taking a number of precautions to mitigate the risk to the public regarding COVID-19. Visitors will be required to wear a face-covering (unless they have a medical exemption) and to practice social distancing. For further information on our COVID-19 protocol please visit our home page.
About Nottingham News Centre CIC
Nottingham News Centre CIC, founded in 2013, is a heritage project management company providing professional services in heritage consultancy and research, heritage media content production (print, online and broadcast) and heritage exhibition production. Based in Nottingham, East Midlands UK, we offer services and support for national and international organisations.
For more information please visit www.nottinghamnewscentre.com and www.blackcoalminers.com or connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
Image Credits: Black Miners Museum Archives

LIVE STREAM: Talk and Q&A with Curator Norma Gregory, on ‘Digging Deep: Coal Miners of African Caribbean Heritage & The North East’ Exhibition
2021-10-01 19:00 - 21:00
Join us via live stream and hear from Digging Deep exhibition curator, Norma Gregory, on the origins, challenges, process, journey and future legacy of the exhibition.

About this event

The Common Room are thrilled to be hosting ‘Digging Deep: Coal Miners of African Caribbean Heritage & The North East’ from Saturday 25th September to Monday 1st November.
Join us via live stream on Friday 1st October, and hear from the exhibition curator, Norma Gregory, about the origins, challenges, process, journey and future legacy of Digging Deep.
If you’d like to attend this event in person, please visit this page.
The Digging Deep exhibition reveals personal narratives, memories and creative representations of former coal miners of Black/African-Caribbean heritage and other diverse groups within UK mining history, including the North East. Visitors can expect to see portraits, poetry and more, which draw their attention to the diversity of our once prestigious mining industry, in contrast to the typical narratives surrounding the industry and its communities.
Event timings
Live stream begins at 7pm
Event close at 9pm
Booking information
An email with the link to access this live stream will be emailed to you a couple of hours prior to the event start time – please make sure you check your inbox (and spam/junk folder).

Image Credits: Black Miners Museum Archives

Talk and Q&A with Curator Norma Gregory, on 'Digging Deep: Coal Miners of African Caribbean Heritage & The North East' Exhibition
2021-10-01 19:00 - 21:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Hear from Digging Deep exhibition curator, Norma Gregory, on the origins, challenges, process, journey and future legacy of the exhibition.

About this event

The Common Room are thrilled to be hosting ‘Digging Deep: Coal Miners of African Caribbean Heritage & The North East’ from Saturday 25th September to Monday 1st November.
Join us on Friday 1st October, and hear from the exhibition curator, Norma Gregory, about the origins, challenges, process, journey and future legacy of Digging Deep.
If you can’t attend The Common Room in person, you can view this event via live stream by booking via this page.
The Digging Deep exhibition reveals personal narratives, memories and creative representations of former coal miners of Black/African-Caribbean heritage and other diverse groups within UK mining history, including the North East. Visitors can expect to see portraits, poetry and more, which draw their attention to the diversity of our once prestigious mining industry, in contrast to the typical narratives surrounding the industry and its communities.
Event timings
Arrival between 6:30pm and 6:55pm
Talk begins at 7pm, followed by a Q&A session.
Event close at 9pm
Booking information
Tickets are free but booking is required to reserve your space.
Additional information
Location: Wood Hall, The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle NE1 1SE
Children must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.
Hand sanitiser will be supplied. Face masks should be worn by adults at all times unless medically except.
Our building is fully accessible – if you have any queries about accessibility, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk
In line with updated government advice, all visitors over the age of 16 will be asked to scan the NHS QR code or provide their name and contact details on arrival at The Common Room. Smartphone users can download the NHS COVID-19 app before arrival.
The Common Room is taking a number of precautions to mitigate the risk to the public regarding COVID-19. Face masks should be worn by adults at all times unless medically except and visitors should practice social distancing. For further information on our COVID-19 protocol please visit our home page: www.thecommonroom.org.uk
Image Credits: Black Miners Museum Archives

The Common Room Building Tour (12, 13 & 14 September)
2021-09-12 10:00 - 2021-09-14 15:00
The Common Room welcomes visitors to explore the history of The North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers!
About this event
Join The Common Room and the Newcastle City Guides for a unique tour of Neville Hall (formerly known to many as the Mining Institute). The building has been the home to The North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers since 1872, a membership organisation affiliated with some of the 19th century’s most eminent engineers. Inside the building lies centuries of history relating to the Great North Coalfield, full of tales of engineering excellence and innovation.
Booking information
Tickets are free but booking is required. 16 slots are available per tour, but tour groups will be divided into 2 groups of 8 to stay in line with our Covid-19 statement. We will try our best to ensure that your party is not separated, but please note that we may on some occasions have to split parties.
**If you can no longer attend your slot, we kindly ask that you cancel your ticket so someone else may take your place, as demand is very high and we are now operating a waitlist**
Additional information
Location: The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle NE1 1SE
Children must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.
Our building is fully accessible – if you have any queries about accessibility, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk
In line with updated government advice, all visitors over the age of 16 will be asked to scan the NHS QR code or provide their name and contact details on arrival at The Common Room. Smartphone users can download the NHS COVID-19 app before arrival.
The Common Room is taking a number of precautions to mitigate the risk to the public regarding COVID-19. Visitors will be required to wear a face-covering (unless they have a medical exemption) and to practice social distancing. For further information on our COVID-19 protocol please visit our home page.

Graft and Glory at The Sill
2021-09-09 10:00 - 2021-10-24 17:00 | The Sill, National Landscape Discovery Centre, Bardon Mill, Hexham, Northumberland, NE47 7AN, United Kingdom
Explore The Common Room’s Graft and Glory Exhibition at The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre.
About this event
Graft & Glory tells the story of our region’s engineers. They invented, innovated and campaigned to make mining safer, not only in the North East, but also around the world. It is the story of our region’s graft and glory: our responses to challenges facing industry, past, present and future.
Discover geology specimens and items from The Common Room’s archive and collection that link to the heritage of the National Park.
Booking information
The Graft and Glory Exhibition is open daily at The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre between 10:00 – 17:00, Monday – Sunday from 9th September until 24th October 2021.
Access to the exhibition is free and suitable for all ages however children must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.
The Northumberland National Park Authority is following current government guidelines. Given the high levels of Covid infection in our region, and the impact on staffing through the need for some to self-isolate, we are having to review our services and Covid provisions on an on-going basis. Please check The Sill’s website for further updated information ahead of your visit.
About The Sill
The Sill National Landscape Discovery Centre is a hub for the rural economy, a place where local producers and brands have a route to market via our Once Brewed Café and Sill Shop; it’s a centre and base for learning from early years to higher education; a driver for the Northumberland economy; a celebration and a reminder of the importance of landscape in understanding who we are as a nation, and a place to emphasise the importance of its care.

The Greatest Show Un-earthed: Workshops (30 & 31 August)
2021-08-30 - 2021-08-31
This ticket includes general admission to explore our Polymorphic Carbon Library Exhibition, Graft & Glory Exhibition, The Neville Hall LEGO® Model and The Common Room Minerals and Ores Display. In line with our Covid Safety Statement, if you intend to visit as part of a group, please ensure one person in your party books all tickets. Visitors may need to queue at various points in the building to ensure social distance can be maintained in exhibitions, workshops and events.
About this event

Join the Rock Showman and take part in 3 activities which totally rock, at this family-friendly workshop! Explore geology specimens such as dinosaur fossils, minerals, and shiny crystals. See how many points you can score as you work your way around each activity, and take home your very own dinosaur bone, crystal or fossil! These family-friendly science workshops explore our region’s Earth history and welcome all ages to explore what lies beneath our feet.
Please note, these workshops are the same as those which ran from 16th – 20th August 2021.
Mineral Snap!
Do you know your quartz from your fluorite, or your jet from your coal? Learn how to identify crystals, minerals, fossils and shiny things with Mineral Snap, by matching rocks from the Rock Showman’s marvellous collection, with The Common Room’s own Minerals and Ores Display!
Beach Combing Bingo!
Join The Rock Showman and his team to discover Jurassic fossils in a portable chunk of Yorkshire! Budding paleontologists can learn the skills of fossil hunting, as they dig through millions of years of our world’s past. What could you find if you knew what to look for?
Identify the Fossilised Plant!
Explore our world 300 million years ago through simulation, and match the plants and trees you encounter with the fossils in front of you! This activity brings to life how the fossils we can find in our region today were once part of our carboniferous landscape.
Event timings
Monday 30th August:
11:30, 12:30, 14:30, 15:30
Tuesday 31st August:
10:00, 11:00, 13:00, 14:00
Booking information
Tickets are free for these workshops but booking is required, as capacity is capped at 12 people per workshop. Please note, adults accompanying children will also require their own ticket.
**If you can longer attend your timeslot, we kindly ask you to cancel your tickets so another party may take your place**

Additional information
Location: Map Room, First Floor, The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle NE1 1SE
Children must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.
Hand sanitiser will be supplied. Face masks should be worn by adults at all times unless medically except.
Our building is fully accessible – if you have any queries about accessibility, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk
In line with updated government advice, all visitors over the age of 16 will be asked to scan the NHS QR code or provide their name and contact details on arrival at The Common Room. Smartphone users can download the NHS COVID-19 app before arrival.
The Common Room is taking a number of precautions to mitigate the risk to the public regarding COVID-19. Face masks should be worn by adults at all times unless medically except and visitors should practice social distancing. For further information on our COVID-19 protocol please visit our home page: thecommonroom.org.uk

Industry Takeover Days with Nexus (26, 27 & 28 August)
2021-08-28 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
This ticket includes general admission to explore our Polymorphic Carbon Library Exhibition, Graft & Glory Exhibition, The Neville Hall LEGO® Model and The Common Room Minerals and Ores Display.
About this event
Join us at The Common Room with Nexus for our Industry Takeover Days. Our Industry Takeover Days invite organisations operating across the region to showcase their incredible work and exciting pieces of engineering kit to visitors. Our Industry Takeover Days are suitable for all, including children. Join Nexus on the 26th, 27th and 28th August at The Common Room, along with NA College, and Unipres UK Limited (on 26th and 27th only).

Things to see and do with Nexus:
– Metro Knitted Model
– Build your own LEGO® metro
– Storytime
– Dressing up
– Metro Games
About Nexus:
Nexus provides, plans and promotes public transport to improve the economic prosperity of North East England and the daily lives of its people.
Event timings
Thursday 26th, Friday 27th and Saturday 28th August
Morning ticket provides access from 10am – 1pm
Afternoon ticket provides access from 1pm – 4pm
These tickets are free but advance booking is recommended as capacity is limited. Please note, adults accompanying children will also require their own ticket. Industry Takeover Day tickets include general admission, so we invite you to take a stroll around the rest of our building to see our other attractions!
Additional information
Location: The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle NE1 1SE
Children must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.
Our building is fully accessible – if you have any queries about accessibility, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk
In line with updated government advice, all visitors over the age of 16 will be asked to scan the NHS QR code or provide their name and contact details on arrival at The Common Room. Smartphone users can download the NHS COVID-19 app before arrival.
The Common Room is taking a number of precautions to mitigate the risk to the public regarding COVID-19. Visitors will be required to wear a face-covering (unless they have a medical exemption) and to practice social distancing. For further information on our COVID-19 protocol please visit our home page: www.thecommonroom.org.uk

Industry Takeover Days with NA College (26, 27 & 28 August)
2021-08-28
This ticket includes general admission to explore our Polymorphic Carbon Library Exhibition, Graft & Glory Exhibition, The Neville Hall LEGO® Model and The Common Room Minerals and Ores Display.
About this event
Join us at The Common Room with NA College for our Industry Takeover Days. Our Industry Takeover Days invite organisations operating across the region to showcase their incredible work and exciting pieces of kit to visitors. Our Industry Takeover Days are suitable for all, including children. Join NA College on the 26th, 27th and 28th August at The Common Room, along with Nexus, and Unipres UK Limited (on 26th and 27th only).

Things to see and do with NA College:
– Datsun electric car conversion project
– Virtual Reality simulation activity
Join us in the VR time machine experience to discover the engineering evolution from the William Pit Rotative engine to the Green Revolution.
About NA College:
NA College’s mission is to create modern, interactive learning that is accessible to everyone, engaging learners through their state-of-the-art facilities. Their offer consists of three elements:
‘Real life’ – by instilling the correct values, their enrichment strategy aims to reduce gender gaps in technical programmes, educate on sustainability and prepare learners for the challenges facing the North-East automotive sector.
‘Real education’ – their training delivery model is shaped by industry-trained educators and leverages active blended learning to engage current and future generations.
‘Real knowledge’ – in collaboration with leading advanced manufacturing and engineering employers, their experiential learning incorporates direct delivery, team building and simulated scenarios to apply learners’ knowledge in work environments whilst shaping attitude and behaviour.
Event timings
Thursday 26th, Friday 27th and Saturday 28th August.
Morning ticket provides access from 10am-1pm
Afternoon ticket provides access from 1pm – 4pm

Booking information
These tickets are free but advance booking is recommended as capacity is limited. Please note, adults accompanying children will also require their own ticket. Industry Takeover Day tickets include general admission, so we invite you to take a stroll around the rest of our building to see our other attractions!
Additional information
Location: The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle NE1 1SE
Children must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.
Our building is fully accessible – if you have any queries about accessibility, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk
In line with updated government advice, all visitors over the age of 16 will be asked to scan the NHS QR code or provide their name and contact details on arrival at The Common Room. Smartphone users can download the NHS COVID-19 app before arrival.
The Common Room is taking a number of precautions to mitigate the risk to the public regarding COVID-19. Visitors will be required to wear a face-covering (unless they have a medical exemption) and to practice social distancing. For further information on our COVID-19 protocol please visit our home page: thecommonroom.org.uk

Industry Takeover Days with Unipres UK Limited (26 & 27 August)
2021-08-27
This ticket includes general admission to explore our Polymorphic Carbon Library Exhibition, Graft & Glory Exhibition, The Neville Hall LEGO® Model and The Common Room Minerals and Ores Display.

About this event
This is your opportunity to meet real-life engineers! Our Industry Takeover Days invite firms operating across the region to showcase their incredible work and exciting pieces of kit to visitors. Our Industry Takeover Days are suitable for all, including children. Join Unipres UK Limited, NA College and Nexus on 26th and 27th August at The Common Room.
Things to see and do with Unipres UK Limited:
– Virtual Reality Welder
– Hologram
– Skill test boards
About Unipres UK Limited:

For three decades, Unipres UK Limited has prided itself on delivering excellence in the automotive industry from their base in Sunderland.
Unipres are a global company powered by local people – focused on achieving product excellence, committed to developing their skilled workforce and dedicated to driving forward innovation across their industry.
The Sunderland plant, along with their base in Birmingham, are the focal points of Unipres operations in Europe. As a manufacturer of press-formed automotive components, they apply technical skills, including expertise in safety and environmental performance, to create a range of technology solutions tailored to meet the needs of their customers.
Embracing the ethos of lean manufacturing and continuous improvement, Unipres is a traditional manufacturer with modern values and practices.
Unipres create opportunities, strive for excellence, provide customer satisfaction and make cars safer.
Event timings
26th and 27th August
Morning ticket provides access from 10am – 1pm
Afternoon ticket provides access from 1pm – 4pm
These tickets are free but booking is required as capacity is limited. Please note, adults accompanying children will also require their own ticket. Industry Takeover Day tickets include general admission, so we invite you to take a stroll around the rest of our building to see our other attractions!
Additional information
Location: The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle NE1 1SE
Children must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.
Our building is fully accessible – if you have any queries about accessibility, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk
In line with updated government advice, all visitors over the age of 16 will be asked to scan the NHS QR code or provide their name and contact details on arrival at The Common Room. Smartphone users can download the NHS COVID-19 app before arrival.
The Common Room is taking a number of precautions to mitigate the risk to the public regarding COVID-19. Visitors will be required to wear a face-covering (unless they have a medical exemption) and to practice social distancing. For further information on our COVID-19 protocol please visit our home page: thecommonroom.org.uk

LEGO® Mini Model Workshops
2021-08-25 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
This ticket includes general admission to explore our Polymorphic Carbon Library Exhibition, Graft & Glory Exhibition, The Neville Hall LEGO® Model and The Common Room Minerals and Ores Display. In line with our Covid Safety Statement, if you intend to visit as part of a group, please ensure one person in your party books all tickets. Visitors may need to queue at various points in the building to ensure social distance can be maintained in exhibitions, workshops and events.
Event Details
Build your very own LEGO® model of one of the North East’s greatest engineering feats. The mini models you will have the opportunity to build include:
– Safety Lamp
– Electric Car
– Swing Bridge
– Stephenson’s Rocket
– Wind Turbine
Event Timings
Tuesday 24th and Wednesday 25th August
10am – 11am
11:30am – 12:30pm
1:30pm – 2:30pm
3pm – 4pm
Booking information
Tickets are free for these workshops but advance booking is recommended, as capacity is capped. Please note, adults accompanying children will also require their own ticket. In line with our Covid Safety Statement, if you intend to visit as part of a group, please ensure one person in your party books all tickets.

If you can no longer attend at the time you have booked, please kindly cancel your tickets so space can be freed up for another group.
Additional information
Location: Map Room, First Floor, The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle NE1 1SE
Children must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.
Our building is fully accessible – if you have any queries about accessibility, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk
In line with updated government advice, all visitors over the age of 16 will be asked to scan the NHS QR code or provide their name and contact details on arrival at The Common Room. Smartphone users can download the NHS COVID-19 app before arrival.
The Common Room is taking a number of precautions to mitigate the risk to the public regarding COVID-19. Visitors will be required to wear a face-covering (unless they have a medical exemption) and to practice 2m social distancing. For further information on our COVID-19 protocol please visit our home page: thecommonroom.org.uk

The Greatest Show Un-earthed: Workshops
2021-08-20 - 2021-08-21 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
This ticket includes general admission to explore our Polymorphic Carbon Library Exhibition, Graft & Glory Exhibition, The Neville Hall LEGO® Model and The Common Room Minerals and Ores Display. In line with our Covid Safety Statement, if you intend to visit as part of a group, please ensure one person in your party books all tickets. Visitors may need to queue at various points in the building to ensure social distance can be maintained in exhibitions, workshops and events.
About this event

Visit the Dino Dig, Prospector’s Patch, and Collector’s Corner at The Common Room and The Rock Showman’s family-friendly workshop! Explore geology specimens such as dinosaur fossils, minerals, and shiny crystals. These family-friendly science workshops explore our region’s Earth history and welcome all ages to explore what lies beneath our feet!
Dino Dig!
Join The Rock Showman and his team to discover fossils including real dinosaur bones! Budding palaeontologists can learn the skills of fossil hunting, with the opportunity to find and keep a genuine fossil of their own. What could you find if you knew what to look for?
Prospector’s Patch
Throughout human history, prospecting for mineral resources has been important. For making tools or making art, certain rocks and stones have always had special value. This interactive activity encourages you to get your hands dirty in our treasure chest of opportunity to unearth and identify crystals, minerals, fossils and shiny things! Open to trainee Prospectors of all ages! Every person takes home their own unique piece of Earth History!
Collector’s Corner
Have you collected a fossil, mineral or rock and wanted to know more about it? Here’s your chance to ask an expert! Bring your object with information about where you found it and our experts will help you to:
• Categorise a curious cobble
• Pinpoint a petrification
• Classify a crystal
Event timings

Dates: 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th August 2021
Times: 12:00-12:30, 12:30-13:00, 15:30-16:00, 16:00-16:30

Booking information

Tickets are free for these workshops but booking is required, as capacity is capped at 10 people per workshop. Please note, adults accompanying children will also require their own ticket.
For the full Greatest Show Un-earthed experience, remember to book a place for The Rock Showman Presents: Out of this world – planetary geology and space, or The Rock Showman presents: The Forests that changed the world… twice.

Additional information
Location: Map Room, First Floor, The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle NE1 1SE
Children must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.
Hand sanitiser will be supplied. Face masks should be worn by adults at all times unless medically except.
Our building is fully accessible – if you have any queries about accessibility, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk
In line with updated government advice, all visitors over the age of 16 will be asked to scan the NHS QR code or provide their name and contact details on arrival at The Common Room. Smartphone users can download the NHS COVID-19 app before arrival.
The Common Room is taking a number of precautions to mitigate the risk to the public regarding COVID-19. Face masks should be worn by adults at all times unless medically except and visitors should practice social distancing. For further information on our COVID-19 protocol please visit our home page: thecommonroom.org.uk

The Rock Showman presents: The Forests that changed the world... twice
2021-08-20 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
This ticket includes general admission to explore our Polymorphic Carbon Library Exhibition, Graft & Glory Exhibition, The Neville Hall LEGO® Model and The Common Room Minerals and Ores Display. In line with our Covid Safety Statement, if you intend to visit as part of a group, please ensure one person in your party books all tickets. Visitors may need to queue at various points in the building to ensure social distance can be maintained in exhibitions, workshops and events.
About this event
The Earth is an intimately connected multisphere of chemistry, biology, air and water, but the relationship between these realms is always changing. Join The Rock Showman & Flossy in an interactive performance lecture that walks us through the forests of 300 million years ago, and understand why too much of a good thing turned out to be quite bad. Twice. Meet the plants and animals of the Carboniferous period and reflect upon their importance to our modern world and get hands-on with treasures of the earth, as you learn how details within rocks tell scientists incredible stories.
For the full Greatest Show Un-Earthed experience, make sure you book a place on The Greatest Show Un-earthed: Workshops!
Event timings

Dates: Thursday 19th & Friday 20th August 2021
Times: 10:00-11:00 and 14:00-15:00
Booking information
Tickets are free for this performance but booking is required, as capacity is limited. Please note, adults accompanying children will also require their own ticket.
If you can no longer attend at the time you have booked, please kindly cancel your tickets so space can be freed up for another group.
Additional information
Location: Lecture Theatre, Ground Floor, The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle NE1 1SE
Children must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.
Guests will be allocated seats sat in bubbles.
Our building is fully accessible – if you have any queries about accessibility, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk
In line with updated government advice, all visitors over the age of 16 will be asked to scan the NHS QR code or provide their name and contact details on arrival at The Common Room. Smartphone users can download the NHS COVID-19 app before arrival.
The Common Room is taking a number of precautions to mitigate the risk to the public regarding COVID-19. Visitors will be required to wear a face-covering (unless they have a medical exemption) and to practice social distancing. For further information on our COVID-19 protocol please visit our home page: thecommonroom.org.uk

The Rock Showman Presents: Out of this world – planetary geology and space
2021-08-17 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
This ticket includes general admission to explore our Polymorphic Carbon Library Exhibition, Graft & Glory Exhibition, The Neville Hall LEGO® Model and The Common Room Minerals and Ores Display. In line with our Covid Safety Statement, if you intend to visit as part of a group, please ensure one person in your party books all tickets. Visitors may need to queue at various points in the building to ensure social distance can be maintained in exhibitions, workshops and events.
About this event
2021 has been an epic year for the science of planetary geology. From humankind’s first-ever powered flight on another planet to the spectacular recovery of 4.5 billion-year-old space rocks in Gloucestershire. Scientists are now studying both of these events to understand the formation of our solar system and reveal the holy grail of science – the beginnings of life. Join The Rock Showman & Flossy in an interactive performance lecture that reveals secrets of the Candy Floss of our solar system, explores the Pork Pie from Outer Space, and questions whether there ever was life on Mars. Audiences get hands-on with space rocks as they learn how details within rocks tell scientists incredible stories.
For the full Greatest Show Un-Earthed experience, make sure you book a place on The Greatest Show Un-earthed: Workshops!
Event timings
Dates: Monday 16th & Tuesday 17th August 2021
Times: 10:00-11:00, 14:00-15:00
Booking information
Tickets are free for this performance but booking is required, as capacity is limited. Please note, adults accompanying children will also require their own ticket.
If you can no longer attend at the time you have booked, please kindly cancel your tickets so space can be freed up for another group.
Additional information
Location: Lecture Theatre, Ground Floor, The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle NE1 1SE
Children must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.
Maximum of 6 tickets per block booking and audience members must be sat in their bubbles.
Our building is fully accessible – if you have any queries about accessibility, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk
In line with updated government advice, all visitors over the age of 16 will be asked to scan the NHS QR code or provide their name and contact details on arrival at The Common Room. Smartphone users can download the NHS COVID-19 app before arrival.
The Common Room is taking a number of precautions to mitigate the risk to the public regarding COVID-19. Visitors will be required to wear a face-covering (unless they have a medical exemption) and to practice social distancing. For further information on our COVID-19 protocol please visit our home page: thecommonroom.org.uk

Family-Friendly STEAM Day - My Carbon Capsule Origami
2021-08-11 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
This ticket includes general admission to explore our Polymorphic Carbon Library Exhibition, Graft & Glory Exhibition, The Neville Hall LEGO® Model and The Common Room Minerals and Ores Display. In line with our Covid Safety Statement, if you intend to visit as part of a group, please ensure one person in your party books all tickets.
Event Details
What will life look like in 2100? Will we all drive electric or hydrogen cars? How will we heat our homes and charge our phones? How would you like your relationship with carbon to be in the future?
Join us in our Polymorphic Carbon Library at The Common Room, and explore these questions and more. Learn about the ways carbon has impacted and intersected with our lives.
Then, capture your own thoughts and your own promise for what your relationship with carbon will look like in the future, through origami. You will be guided through a special carbon-themed origami piece – your Carbon Capsule – and invited to add your piece to our archive in the Polymorphic Carbon Library. Of course, you can take it home if you like!
Get creative – decorate your Carbon Capsule however you like. You will also have the opportunity to explore other people’s Carbon Capsules in the archive, to inspire your own.
This informal session is suitable for all ages – our staff and volunteers cater the content around you and your group.
No prior experience with origami is required.
Make sure you book for our LEGO® Mini Model Workshop too, running on the same day!
Event Timings:
Wednesday 11th August 2021
10:15am – 11am
11:15am – 12pm
12:15pm – 1pm
2pm – 2:45pm
3pm – 3:45pm

Booking information
Tickets are free for this session but booking is required, as capacity is limited to two bubbles per session. Please note, adults accompanying children will also require their own ticket. In line with our Covid Safety Statement, if you intend to visit as part of a group, please ensure one person in your party books all tickets.

Additional information
Location: Wood Hall, The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle NE1 1SE
Children must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.
Our building is fully accessible – if you have any queries about accessibility, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk
In line with updated government advice, all visitors over the age of 16 will be asked to scan the NHS QR code or provide their name and contact details on arrival at The Common Room. Smartphone users can download the NHS COVID-19 app before arrival.
The Common Room is taking a number of precautions to mitigate the risk to the public regarding COVID-19. Visitors will be required to wear a face-covering (unless they have a medical exemption) and to practice social distancing. For further information on our COVID-19 protocol please visit our home page: www.thecommonroom.org.uk

Industry Takeover Day with Equinor and FWS Consultants
2021-08-05 10:00 - 16:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Try chocolate core samples, do your own rock strength tests and more, as Equinor and FWS Consultants join us at our first Industry Takeover Day of the summer!

About this event

Come face to face with professionals working in the energy, mining and geotechnical sectors, get to grips with some of the work geologists do in our region today, and discover the Dogger Bank project – set to be the world’s biggest offshore wind farm, located just off our North East coast (delivered by Equinor, in partnership with SSE Renewables and Eni)!

Activities on the day include:

Chocolate core samples
Word search
Rock strength tests
Soil and rock samples and artefacts to view

Event Timings
Thursday 5th August
Morning ticket provides access to The Common Room from 10am – 1pm
Afternoon ticket provides access to The Common Room from 1pm – 4pm

Booking information
These tickets are free but booking is required as capacity is limited. Please note, adults accompanying children will also require their own ticket. Industry Takeover Day tickets include general admission, so we invite you to take a stroll around the rest of our building to see our other attractions!

Additional information
Location: The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle NE1 1SE
Children must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.
Our building is fully accessible – if you have any queries about accessibility, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk
In line with updated government advice, all visitors over the age of 16 will be asked to scan the NHS QR code or provide their name and contact details on arrival at The Common Room. Smartphone users can download the NHS COVID-19 app before arrival.
The Common Room is taking a number of precautions to mitigate the risk to the public regarding COVID-19. Visitors will be required to wear a face-covering (unless they have a medical exemption) and to practice social distancing. For further information on our COVID-19 protocol please visit our home page: thecommonroom.org.uk

Image credits: Dogger Bank O&M Base – Credit Dogger Bank Wind Farm, Service Operation Vessels – Credit North Star Renewables, GE Wind Turbine – Credit GE Renewable Energy

Steve Mayes Presents: Life as a LEGO® architect (Live Stream)
2021-07-31 14:00 - 15:00
Join LEGO® architect, Steve Mayes’ live stream, as he tells us all about engineering some of the most famous landmarks in the north east.
About this event
Join us via live stream and hear from North East LEGO® artist Steve Mayes about his career to date working on ‘engineering’ some of the region’s most iconic landmarks such as Stephenson’s Rocket, Tyne and Wear Metro, Bowes Museum and the Angel of The North.
An email with the link to access this live stream will be sent to you a couple of hours prior to the event start time – please make sure you check your email inbox (and spam/junk folder).
About Steve
Steve Mayes’s company ‘Brick This’ specialises in bespoke architectural models made of LEGO®. Over the past few years Steve has worked with a range of clients including English Heritage, The Alnwick Garden, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Bowes Museum, Tyne and Wear Metro and the Newcastle United Foundation. Steve prides himself on building highly accurate models that are used by clients to attract visitors or to raise awareness of projects. At The Common Room, you can visit Steve’s LEGO® brick model of our building, Neville Hall, with over 30,000 bricks going into the scale model.
Event timings

Dates: Saturday 31st July
Times: 14:00-15:00

Booking information
Tickets are free for this live stream but booking is required.
Additional information
If you have any further queries about this event, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk

Steve Mayes Presents: Life as a LEGO® architect
2021-07-31 14:00 - 15:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
This ticket includes general admission to explore our Polymorphic Carbon Library Exhibition, Graft & Glory Exhibition, The Neville Hall LEGO® Model and The Common Room Minerals and Ores Display. In line with our Covid Safety Statement, if you intend to visit as part of a group, please ensure one person in your party books all tickets. Visitors may need to queue at various points in the building to ensure social distance can be maintained in exhibitions, workshops and events.
About this event
Hear from North East LEGO® artist Steve Mayes about his career to date working on ‘engineering’ some of the region’s most iconic landmarks such as Stephenson’s Rocket, Tyne and Wear Metro, Bowes Museum and the Angel of The North.
About Steve Mayes

Steve Mayes’s company ‘Brick This’ specialises in bespoke architectural models made of LEGO. Over the past few years Steve has worked with a range of clients including English Heritage, The Alnwick Garden, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Bowes Museum, Tyne and Wear Metro and the Newcastle United Foundation. Steve prides himself on building highly accurate models that are used by clients to attract visitors or to raise awareness of projects. At The Common Room, you can visit Steve’s LEGO® brick model of our building, Neville Hall, with over 30,000 bricks going into the scale model.
Booking information
Tickets are free for this event but booking is required, as capacity is limited. Please note, adults accompanying children will also require their own ticket.
Additional information
Location: Lecture Theatre, Ground Floor, The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle NE1 1SE
Children must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.
Guests will be allocated seats sat in bubbles.
Our building is fully accessible – if you have any queries about accessibility, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk
In line with updated government advice, all visitors over the age of 16 will be asked to scan the NHS QR code or provide their name and contact details on arrival at The Common Room. Smartphone users can download the NHS COVID-19 app before arrival.
The Common Room is taking a number of precautions to mitigate the risk to the public regarding COVID-19. Visitors will be required to wear a face-covering (unless they have a medical exemption) and to practice social distancing. For further information on our COVID-19 protocol please visit our home page: thecommonroom.org.uk

LEGO® Mini Model Workshop with artist, Steve Mayes
2021-07-30 10:00 - 16:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
This ticket includes general admission to explore our Polymorphic Carbon Library Exhibition, Graft & Glory Exhibition, The Neville Hall LEGO® Model and The Common Room Minerals and Ores Display. In line with our Covid Safety Statement, if you intend to visit as part of a group, please ensure one person in your party books all tickets. Visitors may need to queue at various points in the building to ensure social distance can be maintained in exhibitions, workshops and events.
About this event
Join LEGO® artist, Steve Mayes, and build your very own LEGO® model of one of the North East’s greatest engineering feats. The mini models you will have the opportunity to build include:
– Safety Lamp
– Electric Car
– Swing Bridge
– Stephenson’s Rocket
– Wind Turbine
Event timings
Date: Friday 30th July 2021
Workshop times:
Workshop 1: 10:00 – 11:00
Workshop 2: 11:30 – 12:30
Workshop 3: 13:30 – 14:30
Workshop 4: 15:00 – 16:00
This workshop ticket will also enable access to all of our exhibitions as part of our Opening Festival celebrations.
Booking information
Tickets are free for these workshops but booking is required, as capacity is capped at 30 people per workshop. Please note, adults accompanying children will also require their own ticket.
About Steve Mayes

Steve Mayes’s company ‘Brick This’ specialises in bespoke architectural models made of LEGO. Over the past few years Steve has worked with a range of clients including English Heritage, The Alnwick Garden, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Bowes Museum, Tyne and Wear Metro and the Newcastle United Foundation. Steve prides himself on building highly accurate models that are used by clients to attract visitors or to raise awareness of projects. At The Common Room, you can visit Steve’s LEGO® brick model of our building, Neville Hall, with over 30,000 bricks going into the scale model.
Additional information
Location: Map Room, First Floor, The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle NE1 1SE
Children must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.
Our building is fully accessible – if you have any queries about accessibility, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk
In line with updated government advice, all visitors over the age of 16 will be asked to scan the NHS QR code or provide their name and contact details on arrival at The Common Room. Smartphone users can download the NHS COVID-19 app before arrival.
The Common Room is taking a number of precautions to mitigate the risk to the public regarding COVID-19. Visitors will be required to wear a face-covering (unless they have a medical exemption) and to practice 2m social distancing. For further information on our COVID-19 protocol please visit our home page: thecommonroom.org.uk

The First Tanfield Railway - Book Launch and Talk with Les Turnbull (Live Stream)
2021-07-29 18:00 - 19:30
Join Les Turnbull live from The Common Room to celebrate the launch of his latest publication, ‘The First Tanfield Railway’
About this event

An email with the link to access this live stream will be sent to you a couple of hours prior to the event start time – please make sure you check your email inbox (and spam/junk folder).
About ‘The First Tanfield Railway’
The Tanfield Railway is one of the treasured heritage railways of the North East. This book is about its predecessor, the wooden railway which carried coal to Dunston largely for shipment to London and the South East of England. The line was opened in 1725 and is famous for its huge engineering works notably the Causey Arch and the great embankments across Causey Dene and Burdon Dene which attracted visitors from elsewhere in Britain and from overseas. Built 100 years before George Stephenson’s railways, it is a reminder of the extensive network of railway which served the Great Northern Coalfield, long before Stephenson began his career.
The book examines the nature of the coal trade from Newcastle and the important role that railways played in this industry. It considers the forerunners of the Tanfield Railway, the many waggonways which were built in the century before the Tanfield line opened to traffic. The anatomy of the waggonways, both on the surface and underground, is described in detail. This is essential reading for all who are interested in the origins of our railway, and it is worth remembering that the standard gauge of today’s high speed lines throughout the world was determined by the colliery waggonways of the Great Northern Coalfield.
About Les Turnbull
Les Turnbull graduated in history from Durham University and after a career in the education service now works as a volunteer in the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineering. He is acknowledged as an expert on the Great Northern Coalfield, which was the cradle of the railway, and has written several books on the subject. His recent publication, ‘The Railway Revolution’, has been described by the reviewer from the Stephenson Locomotive Society as ‘a must-buy purchase for any historian interested in either early railways or the industrial North East’. There is no doubt that his latest publication in the Early Railways series of the Mining Institute will have a similar reception.
Event timings

Live stream and talk begins at 6:00pm
Q&A from 7:00pm
Event close at 7:15pm

Additional information
Tickets for this event are free, but booking is required.
If you have any further queries, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk

The First Tanfield Railway - Book Launch and Talk with Les Turnbull
2021-07-29 18:00 - 19:15 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Join Les Turnbull to celebrate the launch of his latest publication, ‘The First Tanfield Railway.’ In line with our Covid Safety Statement, if you intend to visit as part of a group, please ensure one person in your party books all tickets.

About this event

Join Les Turnbull at The Common Room for a special talk about his latest publication, ‘The First Tanfield Railway’.
Location: Lecture Theatre, The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 1SE
The Common Room is taking a number of precautions to mitigate the risk to the public regarding COVID-19. Face masks should be worn by adults at all times unless medically except and visitors should practice 2-metre social distancing. For further information on our COVID-19 protocol please visit our home page: thecommonroom.org.uk

Event timings

– Arrive from 5:30pm
– Talk begins at 6:00pm
– Q&A from 7:00pm
– Event close at 7:15pm

About ‘The First Tanfield Railway’
The Tanfield Railway is one of the treasured heritage railways of the North East. This book is about its predecessor, the wooden railway which carried coal to Dunston largely for shipment to London and the South East of England. The line was opened in 1725 and is famous for its huge engineering works notably the Causey Arch and the great embankments across Causey Dene and Burdon Dene which attracted visitors from elsewhere in Britain and from overseas. Built 100 years before George Stephenson’s railways, it is a reminder of the extensive network of railway which served the Great Northern Coalfield, long before Stephenson began his career.
The book examines the nature of the coal trade from Newcastle and the important role that railways played in this industry. It considers the forerunners of the Tanfield Railway, the many waggonways which were built in the century before the Tanfield line opened to traffic. The anatomy of the waggonways, both on the surface and underground, is described in detail. This is essential reading for all who are interested in the origins of our railway, and it is worth remembering that the standard gauge of today’s high speed lines throughout the world was determined by the colliery waggonways of the Great Northern Coalfield.
About Les Turnbull
Les Turnbull graduated in history from Durham University and after a career in the education service now works as a volunteer in the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineering. He is acknowledged as an expert on the Great Northern Coalfield, which was the cradle of the railway, and has written several books on the subject. His recent publication, ‘The Railway Revolution’, has been described by the reviewer from the Stephenson Locomotive Society as ‘a must-buy purchase for any historian interested in either early railways or the industrial North East’. There is no doubt that his latest publication in the Early Railways series of the Mining Institue will have a similar reception.
Additional event information

Tickets for this event are free, but booking is required.
Our building is fully accessible – if you have any queries about accessibility, please contact lucy.stockdale@thecommonroom.org.uk
Guests will be allocated seats sat in bubbles.
All guests over the age of 16 will be asked to scan the NHS QR code or provide their name and contact details on arrival at The Common Room. Smartphone users can download the NHS COVID-19 app before arrival.
Children attending the event must be supervised at all times.
