TWO important Swindon-based organisations featured in Adver stories this week a dozen years ago.

One was the Particle Physics and Research Council in North Star, which had been a major backer of the Beagle 2 Mars lander project.

The robotic probe had stopped transmitting after heading for the surface of the Red Planet the previous December, but the mission was back in the headlines following the release of an official report into the disappearance.

It concluded little beyond the fact that there could be no conclusion, and that the fate of Beagle 2 remained unknown.

The truth wouldn’t emerge for another 11 years, when an American orbiter photographed Beagle 2 and discovered that two of its solar panels failed to deploy. This news came too late for Colin Pillinger, the charismatic West Country scientist most associated with Beagle 2, who died in 2014.

The other Swindon institution in the news was Steam, the Museum of the Great Western Railway, which had opened in 2000 and been financially troubled ever since. The problem wasn’t the museum itself – which was universally praised as excellent – but a severe over-estimation of the likely visitor numbers during the planning stage.

Careful management had brought deficits down and now it seemed the climate was also doing its bit.

“The wet weather may have brought misery to some,” we said, “but the downpours have been good news for the troubled Steam museum.

“Families seeking to keep children entertained during the miserable weather have been flocking to the loss-making railway museum in droves.

“Around 9,000 people have passed through the doors during the holidays – an increase of 16 percent on last year’s figure of 7,700.”

Other money spinners included a forthcoming convention for GWR enthusiasts and a Thomas the Tank Engine fun day.

There was also a new exhibit in the form of Glorious, a surviving example of the Class 50 locomotives which still have a large fan base among loco lovers.

The machine, we said, had often passed through Swindon during its years of service with British Rail, but would now have a permanent home at Steam.

As things turned out, Glorious was later moved to what was then the Birmingham Railway Museum but is now Tyseley Locomotive Works.

There was good news – or so we were led to believe - about the future of a building forever associated with the glory days of the GWR.

We wrote: “The Mechanics’ Institute could be about to get a new lease of life as a hotel and conference centre.

“The building, which this year is celebrating its 150th anniversary, has been the subject of a long planning saga.

“Now it could be the key to Swindon’s future prosperity, with the introduction of levels of hotel service not previously seen in this country. The plan is to convert the building in Emlyn Square into a hotel, conference centre, restaurant and apartments.

“While owned by businessman Mathew Singh’s company, Forefront Estates, it would be managed by Swindon Chamber.

“It is hoped to be running by next February.”

Sadly the plan came to nothing, although Swindon Chamber chief executive Dennis Grant said the refurbished building would offer service standards not seen outside the Far East and America.

Mr Grant, as many Rewind readers will recall, later moved to head the Cotswold Water Park Society, and later still was jailed for stealing more than £700,000 from the charity.

On a completely different note, we ran a local-person-makes-good story about a Swindon man with an unusual role in the world’s most spectacular motor sport.

“There aren’t many men,” we said, “who can claim to spend more time with Jenson Button than his girlfriend.

“But that’s something Phil Young, of Old Town, can do.

“Phil, 43, is Button’s sports therapist, and the Formula One driver relies on him for everything from post-race massages to fitness training and nutrition.”

We added: “Phil grew up in Park North and qualified as sports therapist eight years ago. Since then he has worked for the British Cycling Federation and the Renault Formula One team.”

Phil’s schedule before the end of the season was set to include trips to Belgium, Italy, China, Japan and Brazil.

He told us: “Jenson has to be very fit. The G force involved in racing is huge. Drivers can face up to five Gs as they race into corners.

“Combine that with the nine-kilo weight of the helmet and that’s the sort of force you’re looking at.”

Button later said of him: “He’s great such a down to earth guy, so relaxed, and a very calming influence.”

We also ran a story about another sport requiring ruthless and steely determination.

Alex Morris, 27, from Pinehurst, beat competition from across the UK to win a place in that year’s UK Monopoly Championships.

At stake was a place in the World Championships that October in Tokyo.

She said: “I am not competitive in other areas of my life but when it comes to Monopoly I am determined to win.

“I love collecting all the money and houses.”

Sadly for Alex, the UK crown – or perhaps top hat – was taken by another competitor, Adrian Prince, who went on to take 16th equal place in Tokyo.