Mog's Christmas + family activities
2025-12-20 11:00 - 13:00 (Europe/London) | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
On sale now – our festive family screening is back! Enjoy a festive adventure starring our favourite forgetful family cat. Come early to enjoy some crafting time in our Wood Hall beforehand. Includes a delicious treat for every child. Hot and cold drinks and festive snacks available from our 5|Quarter Café Bar.
Doors:11:00
Film: 11:30
Tickets
£10 (admits one child + adult)
£5 for additional tickets

Candlelight: Christmas Movie Soundtracks
2025-12-20 19:00 - 20:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
⭐ Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Newcastle upon Tyne. Get your tickets now to discover the music of Christmas Movie Soundtracks at The Common Room – Wood Hall under the gentle glow of candlelight.
General Info
📍 Venue: The Common Room – Wood Hall
📅 Dates and times: select your dates/times directly in the ticket selector
⏳ Duration: 60 minutes. Doors open 45 minutes before the show and close 5 minutes prior to the start. Late arrivals will not be permitted
👤 Age requirement: 8 years old or older. Anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult
♿ Accessibility: this venue is wheelchair accessible
❓ View the FAQs for this event here
🪑 Seating is assigned on a first come first served basis in each zone
🕯️ If you would like to book a private concert or buy regular tickets for a large group (+30 people), click here
🎻 Check out all the Candlelight concerts in Newcastle upon Tyne
🎁 To treat your friends and family to a Candlelight gift card, click here
Programme
White Christmas from Holiday Inn
Christmas Time Is Here from A Charlie Brown Christmas
Skating from A Charlie Brown Christmas
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late) from Alvin and the Chipmunks
The Nightmare Before Christmas Medley
Believe from The Polar Express
You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch from How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Where Are You Christmas? from Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Jingle Bell Rock from Jingle All the Way
Silver Bells from The Lemon Drop Kid
Winter Wonderland from While You Were Sleeping
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! from While You Were Sleeping
I Believe In You and Me from The Preacher’s Wife
Carol of the Bells from Home Alone
All I Want for Christmas Is You from Love Actually
Performers
String Quartet – String Infusion Quartet

NEIMME Lecture: Network Rail – Managing Mining Risks
2026-01-15 17:30 - 19:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
ind out how Network Rail assesses and manages risks to its infrastructure using innovative techniques to quantify changing risk over time.
The Lecture will look at the historic interface between the railway and mining and then set out how Network Rail assesses and manages mines and minerals risks to its infrastructure. It will include reference to some specific case examples and the use of innovative techniques to quantify the changing risk over time.
Neal Ruston is the Principal Mining Engineer at Network Rail, he is a Chartered Minerals Surveyor and is inked in the Institution to Minerals and Waste Management, Construction, Planning and Development and Geomatics. Neal is also a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining. He has spent the last 47 years working the production mining and more recently in the identification, assessment and management of mining legacy issues. Neal is part of the Network Rail Technical Authority which sets out Policy and Standards to be met by the wider business and supports it with professional advise in respect of mines and minerals matters.
17:30-18:00 – Tea and Coffee
18:00-18:50 – In-person only Lecture Starts
18:50 to 19:00 – Q & A
Welcome to our NEIMME Lecture. NEIMME is the Royal Chartered membership organisation for Engineering, Science and Technology in the North.
For more information about our events and the benefits of NEIMME membership see: https://mininginstitute.org.uk/membership
For information on IOM3 membership see: https://www.iom3.org/

[SOLD OUT] Grant-Lee Phillips
2026-01-17 19:30 - 23:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Grant-Lee Phillips is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He led the group Grant Lee Buffalo in the 1990s, afterwards launching a solo career. He features as the town troubadour in Gilmore Girls.
“In the Hour of Dust” was released Sept. 5th, 2025 and was described by Americana UK as “a personal, reflective record, which comes across strongly in the lyrics. The performances are strong, reflecting the quality of the musicians employed”.
EVENT NOW SOLD OUT

IMechE: Technical presentation on the benefits of failure investigations
2026-01-22 18:30 - 21:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
This talk will discuss what we can learn from analysing weld failures to help us avoid them in the future and prevent problems with operational plant.
What will you learn?
Failure investigation is only a small, but essential part of the root cause analysis process. This presentation highlights the difference between failure investigation and root cause analysis, considers the methodology of a failure investigation, and using examples, covers some of the pitfalls related to interpreting the data arising from failure investigations. Some of the challenges associated with failures which occur frequently, or occurred due to repairs being carried out without investigation of the failure are also considered.
Our industry expert:
Joanna Nicholas, Consultant Welding Engineer at TWI Ltd
Meet the speaker:
Joanna joined TWI Ltd in 1999, and has been involved in research, materials selection, and failure investigations, mainly with ferritic steels, alongside welding consultancy. She has also been involved in various aspects of computer modelling of weld phenomena and welding software supporting standardisation of weld procedures and welder qualifications.
Joanna has a broad knowledge of ferritic steels with particular emphasis on hydrogen cracking and hydrogen diffusion, HAZ hardness, mooring chains, fasteners, in-service welding and 9% Ni steels. She has carried out numerous investigations in these areas including failure investigation as well as production qualification and research.
Benefits from attending the event:
Information transfer from experts
Discussion, questions and answers on the specific topics
A broader understanding of the extent of standards in the industry
Attendance of this event qualifies for CPD

NEIMME Lecture: Managing Technical Safety
2026-01-29 17:30 - 19:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Protecting People, Environment and Reputations.
This lecture will examine some key Technical Safety incidents from the last 100 years history and outline what we learnt.
This is a joint lecture with the North East Branch of the Institution of Engineering and Technology
By effectively managing Technical Safety, we aim to minimise the risk of our engineering assets causing ‘harm’ (to people, the environment or commercially) across their lifecycle. This lecture will examine some key Technical Safety incidents from the last 100 years of our engineering history and outline what we learnt (or not!) from these often-tragic events. It will also explore the regulatory frameworks in which we operate (e.g. HSE). Finally, the lecture will present a robust engineering strategy targeted at delivering positive Technical Safety outcomes which also facilitates the reliability, availability and maintainability of pertinent assets across their lifecycle.
Richard Burnard is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). Richard has worked in both the public and private sectors across his 40-year career in a variety of industries including Utilities, Nuclear, Chemical, Oil and Gas, Pharmaceutical, Renewables, Manufacturing and Electronics. Richard spent the mid-section of his career as an HM Specialist Engineering Inspector with the United Kingdom Health and Safety Executive (HSE) working as part of their major hazards team. In his spare time Richard volunteers with the IET as a Professional Registration Advisor (PRA) and as a Northumbria Region IET Committee Member. He also works with local colleges and schools to promote careers in engineering and science.
17:30-18:00 – Tea and Coffee
18:00-18:50 – In-person only Lecture Starts
18:50 to 19:00 – Q & A
WNEIMME is the Royal Chartered membership organisation for Engineering, Science and Technology in the North.
For more information about our events and the benefits of NEIMME membership see: https://mininginstitute.org.uk/membership/
For information on IOM3 membership see: https://www.iom3.org/

NEIMME Lecture - Chasing Time : From Sand to Silicon Carbide
2026-02-12 17:30 - 19:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Silicon Carbide (SiC) has a range of novel properties that allow electronic devices to be used at higher voltages, temperatures, and switching frequencies.
Whilst time is generally considered to be the fourth dimension, measuring the passage of time is very much a human endeavour. From early attempts based on the flow of sand, through the Longitude Prize and then to modern national time standards, the need to accurately ‘know the time’ supports almost every aspect of human activity, from transportation to the energy grid and from space exploration to pizza delivery. The talk will consider the technology advancements in the measurement of time, as well as the need in these uncertain times for high accuracy timing systems and how these are realised using quantum mechanics. Finally, consideration of the need for time in off world applications and the challenges therein will be presented.
Alton Horsfall is a leading expert in the development of electronic and electrical systems for deployment in extreme environments. He holds a BSc and PhD in Physics from Durham University, experience working for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency in the Future Concepts team has also worked at Newcastle University, where was promoted to the post of Reader in Semiconductor Technology. He was awarded a Senior Research Fellowship from the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2017. He is currently a professor at Durham University. His work has been supported through collaborations with a range of companies, including Rolls Royce, Raytheon, BAE Systems and MBDA, as well as a range of SMEs. He founded Nascent Semiconductor to provide a commercialisation route to his twenty year portfolio of semiconductor know-how and technology.
17:30-18:00 – Tea and Coffee
18:00-18:50 – In-person only Lecture Starts
18:50 to 19:00 – Q & A
NEIMME is the Royal Chartered membership organisation for Engineering, Science and Technology in the North.
For more information about our events and the benefits of NEIMME membership see: https://mininginstitute.org.uk/membership
For information on IOM3 membership see: https://www.iom3.org/

[SOLD OUT] Amelia Coburn
2026-02-14 19:00 - 23:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
With a voice as enchanting as her stories, Amelia Coburn is fast becoming one of the UK’s most captivating new artists. Like her heroes Serge Gainsbourg, Scott Walker and Joni Mitchell, Amelia has a gift for making the unusual sound timeless — weaving gothic literature, film noir, and vivid nocturnal characters into songs that linger long after the final note.
Her Bill Ryder-Jones-produced debut album has earned praise from legends like Paul Weller and Paul Heaton, won her national radio play on BBC Radios 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Music and beyond, and found her tipped as “one to watch in 2025” by Louder Than War, Seetickets and Drowned In Sound.
Fresh from spellbinding sets at SXSW in Texas, Amelia’s star continues to rise with acclaimed shows alongside The Levellers, Hamish Hawk, Stornoway and Katherine Priddy — plus a standout feature on Paul Weller’s latest album Find El Dorado.
Both disarming and beguiling, Amelia’s honest, witty, and unmistakably North-Eastern charm makes every performance feel like a secret shared between old friends.
Step into her strange, shadowy world “between the moon and the milkman” — and discover why Amelia Coburn is one of the UK’s most talked-about new voices.
f54 Event.
TICKETS ON SALE WEDNESDAY 9TH HULY 2025 at 10AM

Half Term Films & Crafts: The Scarecrow’s Wedding & Tiddler + Ducks!
2026-02-18 10:00 - 15:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Join us this half term for a fun, family-friendly day featuring screenings of The Scarecrow’s Wedding and Tiddler + crafts AND ducks!
This is a relaxed and welcoming day designed for families.
We’ll be screening two much-loved children’s films, The Scarecrow’s Wedding and Tiddler, alongside hands-on craft activities that children and adults can enjoy together before the screenings.
Film Screening Tickets
£4 (admits one child)
Under 1s & Adults Free
The event also coincides with our monthly General Admission Day, so visitors are welcome to explore this historic building throughout the day (FREE)
From 10am to 3pm, keep an eye out for our mini plastic ducks, hidden around the building. Find a duck and receive 10% off your first order at the 5|Quarter Café Bar — a perfect excuse for a mid-day treat.
Whether you’re coming for the films, the crafts, or simply to explore, it’s a great way to spend a half-term day together.
The 5|Quarter cafe will be open and ready to serve your favourite hot & cold drinks and snacks.

Serious Music for Silly Folk
2026-02-21 19:00 - 22:30 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Horse Loom/SA Malley, the Jasmine Padgett Family Band, Adam Soper, and Tobias Sarra will be performing a selection of serious silly music
The four acts will perform both serious silly music, and silly serious music, in sets featuring music composed and improvised by the artists alongside some traditional folksongs (varying depending on the artists).
Come and enjoy the serious-silliness in the gorgeous space of the Wood Hall at the Common Room, Newcastle, it’s going to be a total treat for both ears and eyes.
£10 in advance (+booking fee)
£15 solidarity (+booking fee)
£15 OTD

Pete Shoulder - The Sunday Sesh
2026-02-22 17:00 - 19:30 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Soak up the atmosphere in this beautiful historic building as Pete, along with his band, perform brand new songs as well as tracks from Winterville, The Union, Silverthorne and One More Satellite.
The Common Room is a historic, beautiful and atmospheric venue, conveniently located just outside of Central Station. The show starts at 5pm prompt, so you’ll even have time to sample the local Newcastle nightlife before and after the show!
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to witness Pete up close and personal with a full live band.
– Under 18 with parent or legal guardian
– Doors (Bar) from 4:15pm
– Refunds up to 14 days before the event
– Show starts from 5pm

TVAM plus Marina Zispin
2026-02-28 19:00 - 22:30 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Somewhere within a lifetime of repeats, reruns and reboots, TVAM lives, crafting work which touch on our memories but toy with our fears. A world in which broadcast becomes performance. Hypnotic tracks which straddle an impressive spectrum of influence; with Boards of Canada’s irresistible nostalgia, Suicide’s deconstructed rock’n’roll and MBV’s infinite noise all becoming touching points in Joseph Oxley’s musical output.
Since his debut album, Psychic Data, first burst onto the scene (direct from a small bedroom studio in Wigan, UK), TVAM has defined the sound and spectacle of nostalgia’s grip on our lives; from the sloganeering of Porsche Majeure, to the electioneering of Semantics.
TVAM’s debut Psychic Data spawned an ‘Album Of The Day’ and two daytime playlists at BBC 6Music whilst signature tune ‘Porsche Majeure’ was KEXP Track Of The Day and featured in HBO’s smash-hit ‘Succession’. Follow-up High Art Lite was released on Geoff Barrow’s Invada Records and received daytime playlist for ‘Double Lucifer’ on BBC 6Music and “Album of the Week’ at Louder Than War.
TVAM website: tvamindustries.com
Fans of Beak>, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Hypernormalisation and Boards Of Canada should be interested in this one!
A Wandering Oak presentation.
Image credit: Debbie Ellis

Marshall Gilmour Webbs
2026-03-08 19:00 - 23:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Marshall Gilmour Webbs are a group formed of Louise Marshall (celebrated vocalist from the Jools Holland band) Romany Gilmour (of number one single ‘Between Two Points’) and Hattie & Charley Webb (known for their work with Leonard Cohen and Tom Petty).
They developed a close bond on David Gilmour’s 2024 Luck and Strange tour. Performing a series of shows in July they took Piano Smithfield by storm, selling out and releasing extra dates.
Subsequently they have worked with RGB sessions to release both cover and original music online.
With swelling vocals, ethereal harmonies and eclectic instrumentation, they have performed the music of The Roches, Dolly Parton, Billy Joel, Minnie Riperton and more, along with their own original songs written collaboratively from Louise’s living room.
“A new vocal group steps into the spotlight with harmony, soul, and heart.” Wine Travel & Song
“A fresh sound and strong female presence in contemporary music.”
RouteNote
£15 – unreserved seating.

NEIMME Lecture: Project Groundwater Northumbria [Free Ticket]
2026-03-12 17:30 - 19:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Project Groundwater Northumbria (PGN) has sparked questions about mining legacy, ownership and how we share responsibility.
PGN has been more than a technical exercise. It has sparked questions about mining legacy, ownership and how we share responsibility. This talk will tell the story of PGN through the lens of partnership working, highlighting lessons learned and how they can shape future decision-making.
Rhiannon Marchi-Smith is a hydrogeologist with expertise in mining, mine water management, and groundwater flooding. Her career spans both public sector and consultancy in the UK and internationally, with hands-on experience delivering complex mine water projects from concept through to delivery. She founded RMS Groundwater Strategies to help organisations understand and manage groundwater risks, improve cross-sector collaboration, and embed geoscience into decision-making. In her role as Lead Hydrogeologist for PGN, she supports Gateshead Council on groundwater flooding and mining legacy, translating technical insight into practical strategies for communities and decision makers.
17:30-18:00 – Tea and Coffee
18:00-18:50 – In-person only Lecture Starts
18:50 to 19:00 – Q & A
NEIMME is the Royal Chartered membership organisation for Engineering, Science and Technology in the North.
For more information about our events and the benefits of NEIMME membership see: https://mininginstitute.org.uk/membership
For information on IOM3 membership see: https://www.iom3.org/

Distilled Consultant Whisky Quiz Night
2026-03-13 19:00 - 21:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
In person whisky tasting event.
An evening of tasting, and (hopefully) WINNING whisky! Join our own Lee “Connas” Connor for a seven dram tasting and accompanying Whisky Quiz. Test your whisky knowledge, and be in with a chance of winning a whole host of spot prizes. Lucky individuals will get the opportunity to delve into my special bag of 20+ minis, containing (among other things) Tomatin 18, Lakes Whisky Maker Reserve No6, SMWS 71.60, Tobermorey Hebridean Series 25yr, Glenfarclas 21yr 95 proof Whisky Exchange Exclusive…. and many many more….
With the grand winner taking home a bottle of Glen Scotia Campbeltown Festival bottling from 2025, donated by the excellent Gary Mills!
Drams for tasting will be….
Daftmill 15 Bottled 2022
Arbikie Highland Rye 2015

Purple WiFi - Open to Secure...
2026-03-17 15:00 - 17:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
…WiFi Risk & Compliance.
Get your FREE TICKET and join us for all you need to know about providing WiFi safely and securely!
Whether you run a single café or a national enterprise, providing WiFi comes with legal and security responsibilities.
Join us in person for an engaging event all about transforming your WiFi from open to secure! We’ll dive into the latest risks and compliance challenges, sharing tips and tricks to keep your network safe. And follow this up with a free drink in the bar.
It’s the perfect opportunity to learn, network, and get hands-on advice. Don’t miss out on making your WiFi safer and smarter!

Steve Knightley: Sanctuary - songs from sacred spaces
2026-03-21 19:00 - 22:30
Steve Knightley, the multi-award-winning singer and principal songwriter of the acclaimed acoustic roots duo Show of Hands, is renowned for his powerful, historically accurate, and socially conscious songs that capture the essence of English life and history. Praised as the “gravel-voiced spokesman of the rural poor,” he has crafted enduring anthems like the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award-winning “Arrogance, Ignorance and Greed” and the widely celebrated “Country Life” and “Cousin Jack.”
A formidable solo performer, Knightley delivers evenings of captivating storytelling and musical mastery. Expect a set list woven with crowd favourites, deep cuts from his extensive catalogue, and material from his solo album The Winter Yards. This is a unique opportunity to experience one of the UK’s most respected and enduring folk musicians live.
Special guest performance by Daniel Salvatore – hand-pan soundscapes and meditative ambience.

Coalfields of Song and Verse (Book Launch & Performance)
2026-03-24 14:00 - 16:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
NO TICKET REQUIRED
Johnny Handle will be joined by Benny Graham, Jim Mageean, Ingrid and Barrie Temple who will perform a selection of songs and poems from the book Coalfields of
Song and Verse – a collection of coal mining songs and poems.
The book is history of the coal mining industry in the North East of England told by the voices of the workers and their families.
The selection was made by Johnny Handle who worked for thirteen years in Northumberland pits. A prominent local folk singer he discovered many of these fascinating verses in libraries, museums, or in the performances by those with connections to the many villages dependent on mining.
A people’s chronicle of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries recording the tumult and energy of a past industrial age.
Doors open at 1pm.

NEIMME Lecture: Future Fusion Power [Free Ticket]
2026-03-26 17:30 - 19:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Come and find out more about the latest development in engineering and materials supporting future fusion power technologies.
Ryan Ramsey is a seasoned leader in the business world and military, Ryan translates leadership experience and knowledge from corporate sectors such as energy, electricity transmission, renewables and nuclear translating strategy into tactical employment. Among a variety of leadership roles, he has led as Head of Electricity Construction (VP) for National Grid, leading a team of 250 National Grid employees and 4000 contractors delivering 148 major infrastructure projects around the UK. He also led as an Offshore Installation Manager on Shell’s flagship oil and gas ‘rig’ in the North Sea – Shearwater, achieving cultural change and leading profitably during the slump in oil prices.
His bedrock has been a career in the Royal Navy Submarine Service. His leadership and teamwork have been tested during an operationally focused career operating as far afield as under the Arctic Ice Cap to the Indian Ocean. He has also worked for the Royal Netherlands Navy, US Navy and Counter Terrorism forces. His notable military assignments were Captain of the nuclear-powered submarine HMS Turbulent and Commander of the world-renowned Submarine Command Course ‘Perisher’. He was responsible for teaching submarine captains to deal with the challenges of leadership, risk-taking and decision-making in the 21st Century. He has two Masters degrees and is part of the Windsor Leadership Programme Alumni. He is a published author.
17:30-18:00 – Tea and Coffee
18:00-18:50 – In-person only Lecture Starts
18:50 to 19:00 – Q & A

APOCALYPTICON UK 2026
2026-03-28 09:00 - 2026-03-29 18:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
APOCALYPTICON UK returns in 2026! March 28/29th. Hosted by Animosity.
It’s a huge 40K Apocalypse weekend, in which we invite players to bring out the big guns (or lots of little ones 🤷‍♂️) for some narrative wargaming insanity!
Saturday 28th: Arrival 8am-9am. Play starts 9am. Ends 9pm.
Sunday 29th: Arrival 8am-9am. Play starts 9am. Ends 6pm.
To find out more, or sign up, head over to our Facebook Page or email apocalypticonbooking@gmail.com

Full Power Cacao: Ceremony - 2026 Tour
2026-04-11 14:00 - 19:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
This is not your ordinary cacao ceremony.
Liam creates a powerful ceremonial container, honouring the great plant medicine Cacao and calling in his guides to open the space. Shamanic drumming shifts your energy, guided meditation grounds you into the earth, and the journey opens you to the truth, healing and clarity waiting beneath the surface.
You’ll meet the areas of your life that are ready to be released — and make space for who you really are to rise.
A 5-Hour Deep Dive
Every ceremony is crafted to take you deeper into all your energetic bodies.
Music and sound weave through the entire night, inviting movement, dance, shaking and release when your body needs it most.
Healing & Energetic Support
Liam and his team provide:
• Bodywork
• Entity clearing
• Intuitive energy healing
• Sound therapy
All held in a beautifully curated soundscape to support your journey. This is a cacao ceremony like no other.
What You Will Leave With
These ceremonies open your heart, show you what’s ready to be released and propel you toward your personal greatness.
You’ll leave feeling empowered, rejuvenated and with a renewed thirst for life.
You are the person you have been waiting for.
HEALING – MEDITATION – BREATHWORK – KIRTAN – DANCING…ARE YOU READY TO TRANSFORM?
FULL POWER!!!

Free Easter Scavenger Hunt [Drop-In]
2026-04-16 10:00 - 15:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
An Easter adventure awaits at The Common Room 🐰
Search the building, uncover hidden letters, and solve the puzzle for a choccie reward 🔎 🍫
🕙 16th April | 10am–3pm | Drop in
☕ 10% off café treats
🎨 Crafts for little ones
Free to attend, just come along! 🐣
[No Tickets Required]

The History, Engineering & Maintenance of the Metro
2026-04-16 17:30 - 19:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
With Phil Kirkland from RATW Railway Consulting Services Ltd.
The presentation will cover the concept of the Tyne and Wear Metro, its history and construction, which will also reference its extensions to Newcastle Airport, Sunderland and more recently the doubling of the track between Pelaw and Jarrow. Consideration will also be given to some of the innovative techniques and equipment used over the years, many of which are now standard items practices on the national and international networks.
Phil Kirkland is a career railwayman with over 52 years continuous frontline service. He started his railway career with British Rail Newcastle in 1973, and over the years has worked for numerous post-privatisation organisations both within Permanent Way Maintenance and Renewals where he would be seconded to the BR Metro construction team in 1979. After a wide-ranging career including work overseas, Phil would return to take up the role of Head of Maintenance Delivery at Nexus (Tyne and Wear Metro) in 2007. His role at Nexus encompassed heading up all infrastructure inspection, maintenance and rapid response, covering Track, Overhead Line, Signalling, Plant and Equipment, E&M, Civils and all other non-rail (bus) infrastructure.
To give some particular context, Phil worked on Metro in two spells – during its original design and construction phases up to and after the handover from British Rail until 1984 before returning in 2007 to head up the infrastructure maintenance department. Here he has brought influence and strong leadership qualities to ensure the necessary changes and working practices were actioned in order that Nexus kept pace with the wider rail industry, but importantly conducted its business in a safe, professional, assured and technically competent manner. His extremely high levels of personal availability all hours and commitment have been the hallmark of his time with Nexus, often recorded in dispatches.
Phil has also worked overseas in North America, Australia, New Zealand and Europe, drawing on these experiences and always sharing his learning opportunities widely via the Permanent Way Institution, where he became Vice President for over 20 years. In recent years Phil has been instrumental in supporting the concept and development of the Newcastle College Rail Academy, which today is the envy of many. Through consistent support and guidance, the Academy is now teaching appropriate curriculae in disciplines such as the inspection, maintenance and renewal of Track, Signals, OLE and Railway Civils. In semi-retirement, Phil is Director of his own business, RATW Railway Consultancy Services Ltd., established in 2019.
17:30-18:00 – Tea and coffee
18:00-18:50 – In-person only lecture starts
18:50 to 19:00 – Q & A
NEIMME is the Royal Chartered membership organisation for Engineering, Science and Technology in the North.
For more information about our events and the benefits of NEIMME membership see: mininginstitute.org.uk/membership
For information on IOM3 membership see: www.iom3.org

Whisky Tasting - An Evening With...Brendan McCarron
2026-04-17 19:00 - 21:30 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
In person whisky tasting event.
Brendan has earned his place as THE go to consultant on whisky distilling and blending since working along side some of the biggest brands in the industry. Being responsible for notable releases from distilleries such as Ardbeg, Deanston,Bunnahabhain,Glenmorangie,Tobermory and Ledaig. He now spends most of his time advising existing brands on improving spirit quality and and furnishing new brands with the ability to produce the character of whisky they desire.
He will be taking time out of his busy schedule to join is at the Common Room on 17th April for a evening of chat and tasting some of the releases he has played a part in, including…
Benbecula prophecy
Kaze Blended from Japan
Deanston 18
Glenmorangie 19 yo (with a twist)
Glenmorangie Signet Reserve
Bunnahabhain Cask Strength 12 2025
Ardbeg 19 yo
And a special surprise from the Isle of Mull – the Tobermory 21 year old!
It’s very rare that Brendan hosts whisky tastings outside of trade and headline festival masterclasses, we’re very lucky to host him in Newcastle!

Doon The Waggonway with Les Turnbull
2026-04-23 13:00 - 14:30
Join us at The Common Room for an introduction to Doon the Waggonway: a Railway Heritage Walk, a brilliant new booklet by historian Les Turnbull that reclaims Tyneside’s rightful place as the true cradle of the railways. For far too long, the Stockton and Darlington Railway has stolen the spotlight, but this fascinating exploration sets the historical record straight. It delves deep into the Great Northern Coalfield’s massive network of waggonways, revealing how our local colliery lines, early steam locomotives, and pioneering engineers truly birthed the transport revolution that changed the world. The booklet also outlines a walking route from Freeman Road to Coach Lane.
Focusing on the historic Kenton and Coxlodge Waggonway, the booket brings to life a time when monumental engineering feats bridged our valleys and coal was king. We are absolutely thrilled to welcome the author himself to guide us through this history. A Durham University history graduate, former lecturer, and dedicated NEIMME Council member, Les has spent years championing the story of our early railways. Whether you are a railway enthusiast or a local history buff, this is a fantastic opportunity to hear from a true expert and celebrate the North East’s world-changing legacy in the very building dedicated to preserving it!
Event takes place in our Lecture Theatre at 1pm.
FREE, no tickets required.

NEIMME Lecture: Rail Baltica Estonia: Geotechnical Conditions and Mineral Materials
2026-04-30 17:30 - 19:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Rail Baltica is a major transnational railway extending over 800 km across the Baltic States; this lecture will focus on Estonia.
The Rail Baltica project is a major transnational railway development extending over 800 km across the three Baltic States. This presentation provides an overview of the current progress of the Estonian sections of the project. Key geotechnical conditions encountered along the route are outlined, alongside the principal technical challenges faced. The talk will also cover mineral material requirements and considerations relevant to construction in Estonia, including project requirements, sustainability, material reuse, and project execution.
Margus Evart – Margus is currently the Materials Lead within the Technical Assurance Unit of Rail Baltica Estonia. He has over 10 years of experience in the testing, development, and construction processes of mineral materials and asphalt mixtures in Estonia. Margus has been involved in the Rail Baltica project since 2021, with a focus on the Estonian construction sections since 2023. His current role includes providing technical oversight of design-and-build construction sections and alliance contracts, managing compliance with earthworks design proposals and construction processes.
Chris Davies – Chris is the acting Principal Geotechnical Engineer within the Technical Assurance Unit of Rail Baltica Estonia. He has over 10 years of experience spanning research, major infrastructure and nuclear decommissioning projects in the United Kingdom and internationally, working on both the designer and client sides. Chris has been involved in the Rail Baltica project since 2019 as the Pan-Baltic Geotechnical Engineer, with a focus on the Estonian construction sections since 2024. His current role includes providing technical oversight of design-and-build construction sections and alliance contracts, reviewing and approving design proposals, and addressing site queries- particularly those relating to ground investigations, the design and construction of temporary and permanent works as well as instrumentation and monitoring.
17:30-18:00 – Tea and Coffee
18:00-18:50 – Lecture Starts
18:50 to 19:00 – Q & A
NEIMME is the Royal Chartered membership organisation for Engineering, Science and Technology in the North.
For more information about our events and the benefits of NEIMME membership see: https://mininginstitute.org.uk/membership
For information on IOM3 membership see: https://www.iom3.org/

Whisky Tasting - An Evening With... Justine Hazlehurst
2026-05-01 19:00 - 21:30
Justine is the founder of Kask Whisky – a tasting events and tour company. She is also the co-founder and co-director of the annual Fife Whisky Festival.
Her passion and enthusiasm for whisky has led to her being selected as a judge for a number of whisky awards including the World Whiskies Awards and Icons of Whisky Awards as well as a number of tasting panels. Her knowledge of Scotch whisky history has led her to work with several distilleries, organisations and publications delving into the heritage of brands.
Justine will be joining us on Friday May 1st at the The Common Room to talk about her recent book “Opening The Case: The Affairs of Pattisons’ Whisky” with six drams chosen specifically to accompany. Including…
JG Thompson Blended Grain 1972 Batch 2
Cameron Bridge Cadenhead 31 yr Single Cask
Oban Distillery only Batch 3
Aultmore 14 Single Cask Rare Find
Benrinnes Single Malts of Scotland Single Cask PX 15 yr
SMWS 1.288 What the bells of St. Clemence say.
And possibly even an old school treat from Leith itself!
Attendees will also have the opportunity to pre-order a copy of “Opening The Case: The Affairs of Pattisons’ Whisky” for a discounted price of 14.99 via this link. Pre-order deadline is Sunday 5th April.
We’ll see you there!

The Late Shows 2026: Beneath the Surface
2026-05-09 18:00 - 22:30 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
We are thrilled to once again to be part of The Late Shows. For 2026, step inside our spectacular heritage building and immerse yourself in a bespoke mining soundscape that brings our region’s history to life through sound and scent!. In an exciting partnership with Newcastle University, we are hosting a striking architectural installation that will take you on a journey into the lost future of coal mining, allowing you to discover our shared industrial heritage in a completely new way.
While you are exploring, be sure to get hands-on and enjoy some LEGO®. Finally, round off your evening downstairs in our 5|Quarter café bar, where you can grab a drink and join us for a brilliant sing-along!
We are proudly dog-friendly, so please feel free to bring your four-legged companions along on your culture crawl. We cannot wait to welcome you!
Last entry 10:00pm

NEIMME Lecture: Subsurface Voids – Implications for Shallow Coal Mine Geothermal
2026-05-14 18:00 - 19:00 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
Join us for a fascinating talk exploring the potential of former coal mines in Durham and Northumberland as future geothermal energy reservoirs.
While historical “pillar and stall” mining methods left open spaces that are seemingly ideal for water flow, time and pressure often lead to roof collapses and the buildup of backfilled waste (goaf). This research, incorporating extensive fieldwork along the Northumberland coast, investigates how these structural changes act as long-term barriers to flow. By establishing one of the first datasets of its kind, this project aims to de-risk subsurface mine workings and determine the true geothermal viability of older, highly compacted mines.
About the Speaker:
Stuart Jones is a sedimentologist at Durham University, specialising in subsurface reservoir characterisation for the energy transition—including geothermal, carbon capture, and hydrogen storage. With a rich background in both academia and the hydrocarbon industry, Stuart currently leads major multi-disciplinary research programmes, including the Geothermal Energy from Mines and Solar (GEMS) project. He is also a passionate champion of Earth Science education and the NetZero transition.
17:30-18:00 – Tea and Coffee
18:00-18:50 – In-person only Lecture Starts
18:50-19:00 – Q & A
NEIMME is the Royal Chartered membership organisation for Engineering, Science and Technology in the North.
For more information about our events and the benefits of NEIMME membership see: https://mininginstitute.org.uk/membership
For information on IOM3 membership see: https://www.iom3.org

Pint of Science: Pioneering better science - Alternatives to animals
2026-05-18 19:00 - 21:30 | The Common Room, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE, United Kingdom
At the UK’s National Centre for the 3Rs, we work with the scientific community to drive forward the 3Rs of animal research. We help scientists replace their use of animals and, where this is not currently possible, reduce the number of animals used and refine the care of the animals to keep pain and suffering to a minimum. Using new and advanced technologies, scientists today have more ways to study human biology, health and disease without animals than ever before. Join us as we showcase the latest innovations and explore the future of alternatives to animal research.
Can you 3D print human tissues?
Professor Kenny Dalgarno (Professor of Manufacturing Engineering)
Imagine a 3D printer that combines living cells with biomaterials. Scientists use ‘bioprinters’ to create 3D cell-based models of how human tissues are built and behave. Learn about a state-of-the-art system with the potential to replace up to 1,000 mice a year to predict drug responses in medicines development at Newcastle University. Kenny Dalgarno is sharing the technology with scientists across the country to replace animals in other areas of research – from leukaemia and liver cancer to blood and bone biology.
Heart disease: From donors to discoveries
Rebecca Conway (PhD student)
Donated human organs and tissues are a valuable resource for scientists. Rebecca Conway uses human heart tissue to better understand how heart disease develops and is working towards the ability to test new treatments without animals. Learn more about how Rebecca keeps heart tissue alive in the lab and studies cardiac disease in a dish. Her approach could replace up to 2,500 mice a year at Newcastle University – with tens of thousands of animals used in similar research across the UK the replacement potential of this technology is huge!
