Events taking place up and down the country will include talks on fascinating aspects of railway history and behind-the-scenes tours – for free!
Heritage Open Days is England’s largest festival of history and culture, taking place every September.
Events are held across the country and all free to attend.
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In this important year in the history of railways, many of the festival’s events offer the opportunity to learn more about local railway history and even take looks behind-the-scenes at parts of England’s railways not usually open to the public.
These include a behind-the-scenes tour of Crewe Railway Station, a fully-illustrated history talk on the quest by railway engineer designers to achieve faster speeds taking place at Stafford Railway Station, an educational comedy show charting the history of the railways at Castlefield Viaduct, and more.
Heritage Open Days began in 1994. Last year over 2,350 organisers and 41,700 volunteers ran 5,427 events across the country, attracting one million visits.
This year the events run from 12-21 September on the theme of Architecture.
Liam Montgomery, Heritage Open Days Marketing & Projects Manager, said, ‘For many, architecture is about more than just buildings; it’s really all about people, and the ways we interact with the world around us. This year’s festival is a great opportunity to delve into the rich tapestry of local stories across England. It’s an open invitation to explore, learn, and be inspired by people and place’
Other railway-themed events include a talk about George Stephenson in Newcastle, a railway heritage themed walk around Scarborough, an open weekend at The Watercress Line’s Engineering Hub, the chance to take part in signalling demonstrations in a signal box in Nottinghamshire, model railway scenes at Pendon Museum Trust, and a behind-the-scenes tour of Thorpe Light Railway.
Search events near you here.
