Radstock Museum's 2025 programme of Bygone Days Talks will start with a captivating presentation by Norman Andrew on the Kilmersdon Colliery and Gravity Incline Railway.

Due to popular demand, Mr Andrew will return after nearly seven years to repeat his presentation on the colliery and railway, which will taking place on Tuesday, February 4, at 7:30pm. The event will be held at The Somer Centre, Midsomer Norton.

As a young train enthusiast in the 1960s, Norman spent his summer holidays with his grandmother in Radstock, where his uncle Bill worked at the Kilmersdon Colliery in Haydon, and he spent countless hours by the railway, riding the little engine Jinty as it hauled coal trucks up the steep incline to the top of the hill above Radstock.

Once the coal trucks reached the top, they were attached to a metal line or rope, and a hand-operated braking mechanism was used to release the full trucks down the slope to the railway sidings in Radstock. The trucks would then be loaded onto trains for transportation to their final destination.

The incline railway worked using a looped metal line, where the weight of the full trucks coming down the hill would pull the empty trucks back up to the top.

This talk will offer a “then and now” look at the Kilmersdon Colliery and the incline, blending Norman’s childhood memories with a recent revisit to the area. Attendees will be able to view many historical slides and footage, including footage of Norman riding in Jinty.

Norman will also share photos showing what remains of the incline railway, which can still be explored between Radstock and Haydon.

Admission is £5, with funds going to Radstock Museum (Charity no: 1151573). No booking is required; simply turn up on the night.