A £20,000 donation from the Clifton Rocks Railway Trust has been awarded to City of Bristol College’s Advanced Engineering Centre to help inspire and educate the next generation of engineers.
Formed over 20 years ago by a passionate group of local historians and engineers, the Clifton Rocks Railway Trust initially set out to restore the iconic Victorian funicular railway in the Avon Gorge.
Despite raising an impressive £80,000 through a combination of public donations, merchandise and book sales, sadly, plans to fully restore the site were halted as the funds weren’t quite enough to fully acquire or restore the site.
Now unable to utilise the funds, the trust has made the decision to donate the money to four local organisations, one of which is City of Bristol College.
Chair of Trustees, James Tonkin and Trustee Ed Scammel recently paid a visit to the Advanced Engineering Centre in Parkway to officially award the £20,000 and to tour the innovative centre whilst meeting passionate students.
“We realised we didn’t really have much of a job left,” joked trustee Ed Scammell. “So we decided the best thing to do was reinvest that money into the future of engineering, and City of Bristol College was a perfect fit.”
According to James Tonkin, Chair of Trustees, the choice was made after canvassing members and restoration volunteers: “The overwhelming answer was something Bristol-based, something engineering-focused, and something educational. The college ticked every box; it was a unanimous decision.”
The £20,000 donation will go directly towards enriching students’ experiences through educational trips, competitions and hands-on projects. These initiatives aim to unite historical engineering achievements with modern innovation.
“It’s not just a long-term benefit; students will feel the impact of this donation from as early as September,” said a college spokesperson. “This is about giving young people real opportunities to explore and excel in engineering.”
“Bristol has engineering in its blood, from the Clifton Suspension Bridge to Concorde,” said James. “But if we don’t teach these skills to the next generation, those legacies die out.”
Ed echoed the sentiment: “Whether it’s aircraft restoration or steam engines, the average age in these communities is rising. If we don’t get young people involved now, those specialist skills will be lost forever.”
Reflecting on the tour of the college’s engineering workshops, Ed laughed: “When I was 16, we were let loose on machines with no real training. It’s clear that things have come a long way, but it’s also inspiring to see students learning with real kit in a safe, supportive environment.”
The trustees hope to stay connected with the college and support future engineering initiatives. “This is just the beginning,” said James. “If we can inspire even one student to pursue engineering, we’ve honoured the legacy of the Clifton Rocks Railway.”
Find out more regarding the engineering courses that are offered at the Advanced Engineering Centre.
