Didcot Railway Centre

The Didcot Railway Centre is a railway museum and heritage railway engineering centre, based in a former engine shed at Didcot. It became the home of the Great Western Society in 1967, and has since developed into a fully-fledged heritage railway attraction.

As the name suggests, the focus is on the heritage of the Great Western Railway (GWR), one of the 'Big Four' railways companies nationalised into British Railways in 1948. Didcot is an appropriate location as the junction of the original Great Western Main Line from London to Bristol with its branch to Oxford and Birmingham.

The showpiece of the centre is the original 1932 railway shed and associated workshops. There is also an elevated coaling stage from the original yard. Around this, the centre has added two short demonstration lines for trains to run on, complete with replica stations, which provide short rides behind steam engines (mostly at weekends and school holidays - check website for details and also for special event days). Entry tickets provide for unlimited numbers of rides, however.

Of particular interest is the display of the broad-gauge line (7'01/4") originally chosen by Brunel for the Great Western in 1840, but which was gradually replaced in the 19th century by standard gauge track. This comprises an original transhipment shed, used to move goods from broad to standard gauge trains, and a length of broad gauge and mixed-gauge track.

The collection of locomotives includes a number of 4-6-0 Great Western express and mixed traffic engines, some steam and diesel shunters, a GWR railcar from 1940, and the GWR-commissioned gas turbine locomotive 18000, built in 1949. There are also replicas of two broad gauge locomotives, the 2-2-2 Firefly and the 4-2-2 Iron Duke. There is also a varied collection of coaching stock, including a functioning autocar of the type used on branch lines.

The site has a small museum, shop selling souvenirs, two second-hand bookshops supporting specific aspects of the society's work, and a cafeteria serving light meals, beverages and snacks (including excellent choice of home-made cakes).

Access is via a subway tunnel from Didcot station (18 steps), with parking in the station car park. Despite the steps, the site welcomes visitors with physical, sensory and learning disabilities and guided tours, booked in advance, can be provided - see website for details. The site itself has concrete walkways but the nature of the site means not all areas have level access.

It makes for a great day out for rail fans of all ages.

There are many things to see on a large site including short rides on two stretches of track. It isn't quite like a heritage railway or a conventional museum but it is a bit of all those things and more. Plenty to see and a good cafe as well.

We were there last Saturday in April 2015, and I was a bit nervous with the weather as this is an outdoor experience museum. The weather held off and I'm very glad for the morning out. It's next door to Didcot mainline station so very easy to get to.

At the ticket booth a helpful map is handed out and off you go! It felt very odd to be walking along rail tracks. There were no steam trains but the single carriage diesel train going up and down the line made our day. How much "posher" things were back then! the volunteer conductor was very helpful and knowledgeable, you could tell she was bursting with enthusiasm. The sheds were the engines were stores would have provided a bit of shelter if the event of rain, but it's the experience if just standing next to the trains that was amazing. It's a working museum, so it's not a tidy place, there are tools, paints, cloths for cleaning, the smells of a work in progress to many items.

It was nice to also look inside the carriages, and to get up close with projects that are waiting restoration. We had a nice look around "Didcot Halt" station before returning back to the small restaurant for a drink and a slice of delicious home-made cake.

I would allow a good 3 hours around the site, a bit longer if you like to read all the descriptions.

All in all, well worth the £5 entrance fee.

I love steam trains but only if I can ride on them. This outdoor museum has plenty of interesting stuff and the chance to ride on steam trains on special days and some weekends. You don't go far on your train ride but you do get to learn some of the history and to see plenty of other trains some of which are still being restored. You need to check their web site to find out when they are steaming.


You can reach the museum by train as it is just the other side of the main line station. In fact when you are on normal trains going through Didcot you sometimes see the steam trains if you look out of the right side of your train.


If you want a longer train ride check out the Cholsey and Wallingford (CWR) railway which runs from Cholsey to (bet you can't guess) Wallingford. I don't know how far it is in miles but it is a proper ride through countryside not just a quick shunt to the end of a museum site and then back. Cholsey is a mainline station so you can reach it by train.

Our Abingdon team include this in their top 5 family days out. Didcot Railway Centre is home to a unique collection of Great Western Railway steam engines, coaches, wagons, buildings and small relics; and a recreation of Brunel's broad gauge railway.
Railway Experience Days allow many grown-ups to fulfil their childhood dreams and drive a steam engine. Thomas the Tank Engine is also a regular visitor!

I went to didcot train centre on a open day it was great fun too see all the trains at torching distance and all the different projects that go on. The staff were friendly and the food was nice and if you have kids then tomes days are fantastic after my day i became a member and i volunteer now too i strongly remand Didcot Railway Centre.