IEEC4 – Fourth International Early Engines Conference
Location
The Fourth International Early Engines Conference (IEEC4), will take place 20-22 March 2026, in and around Bristol, United Kingdom. The format will be similar to previous IEECs, including publication of Conference Transactions.
Venue
Kingswood Heritage Museum, Warmley, near Bristol, South Gloucestershire, UK.
The Museum is one of the area’s key heritage sites and in addition to engine and mining displays, features models of metal smelting and the largest collection of Douglas Motor Bikes.
The Museum complex lies south of the A420 and borders the Ring Road A4174 and Tower Road North. Entrance is on Tower Lane. GPS: The museum buildings are at BS30 8XT. Map Reference: OS Map 172, 667 728
Overview
The event will run from noon Friday 20th until noon on Sunday 22nd March 2026 and it is our intention to arrange group visits to a number of surviving Newcomen Engine Houses on Thursday 19th and to other significant stationary engine sites on Monday 23th.
Event and Visits
Please note visits are not covered by the conference ticket and detailed logistics have still to be confirmed. The variety of engine and IA sites locally precludes any opportunity for boredom, although there aren’t large single engine sites that can accommodate the whole group of delegates; however we do have a very special location planned for Saturday evening.
Prices
Full Tickets £120, and Day Tickets of £25, £45, £35 and £30 are available (see booking form below)
Booking
Please note: Attendee numbers are limited to 70, so we encourage you to book early.
Ticket options
FULL CONFERENCE TICKET – £120
Includes buffet lunch on Friday and Saturday, evening meal on Friday and
coffee and tea on all three days, plus copies of Conference Transactions.
DAY TICKETS – Options
| Day Ticket | Cost | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Friday 20th (day only) | £25 | Includes lunch, tea and coffee |
| 2. Friday 20th (day and evening) | £45 | As above plus evening meal at Kingswood Museum |
| 3. Saturday 21st (day only) | £35 | Includes lunch, tea and coffee. NB There will a special “off-site” event on Saturday payable separately |
| 4. Sunday 22nd (day only) | £30 | Includes tea and coffee |
Please note that day tickets do NOT include copies of the conference transactions.
If you have specific dietary or access needs, please describe let us know and we will endeavour to comply.
Payment
- By Cheque (see booking form for address details)
- By Bank Transfer – ‘Early Engines’ Starling Bank Account Number 01444552 Sort Code 608371.
- Please include your surname as the payment reference AND send an email to admin@earlyengines.org to confirm your postal address (so we can send the conference transactions). NB If the ‘Early Engines’ name does not match for BACS, the individual named account authoriser is ‘Steve Grudgings’
Programme
You can expect coverage of local engines and engine builders. We already have proposals for papers on:
- The Coster Family
- Bristol’s Engine Builders
- Bristol as the Industrial Revolution’s catalyst
- Clarence O. Becker’s Engine Survivors,
- The Beginning and End of the Coal-fuelled economy,
- Engine builders and Enginewrights and Early Engines around Ripley
Call for Papers
We seek further proposals for papers as early as possible and no later than end October 2025.
Contact: admin@earlyengines.org
Sponsors
