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Didcot Railway Centre
Locomotives 5051, 29 (visiting), 2999, 3738, and others sitting in front of the engine shed.
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Established	1967
Location	Didcot, Oxfordshire, England
Type	Operational Railway museum
Key holdings	GWR 6000 Class No.6023 King Edward II GWR 4073 Class No.4079 Pendennis Castle GWR Firefly Class Firefly
Owner	Great Western Society (site leased from Network Rail)
Public transit access	Didcot Parkway

The Didcot Railway Centre is a cool place in Didcot, Oxfordshire, England. It's a museum and a workshop where old trains are kept and fixed. This spot used to be a big shed for Great Western Railway (GWR) engines. It was a place where locomotives rested and were prepared for their journeys.

The Story of Didcot Railway Centre

The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a famous railway company. Its founders wanted to create a fast way to travel between London and New York City. This involved both trains and steamships. But the railway also needed to make money. So, it added many routes for passengers and goods. Some people even called it The Great Way Round because of its many detours!

The main line from London Paddington to Reading was quite straight. However, the best route to Bristol would have gone further south. This would have missed Didcot and Swindon. But trains also needed to go to Oxford and the Midlands. This meant the railway had to go a bit more north.

Also, the railway needed to be near a canal. Canals were cheaper for moving coal for trains back then. A landowner named the Marquess of Ailesbury didn't want the railway on his land. So, Swindon became the next best place for a railway junction. This also meant the Oxford connection had to move north, passing through Didcot. The GWR built the first railway line through Didcot in 1839. Its first station opened there in 1844.

Building the Engine Shed

DidcotRailwayCentre(ChristineMatthews)Oct2001

Didcot Railway Centre in October 2001

Didcot was a perfect spot for maintaining and storing locomotives. This was because it was halfway between London and Bristol. It also served trains going to Oxford. In the 1800s, a wooden shed was built for the wide-track trains.

Later, in June 1932, a new, bigger shed was finished. It was made of steel and brick. This shed had four tracks for trains to pass through. It also had a repair shop, a place to load coal onto trains, and a sand furnace. A large turntable was also added. This allowed engines to be turned around.

How the Shed Operated

After World War II, the site stayed mostly the same. It was then owned by British Railways (BR). The types of locomotives kept there remained similar. These included Hall, Dukedog, and Pannier class engines.

When the Shed Closed

Steam trains were replaced by diesel trains. This was part of the Modernisation Plan. Because of this, the Didcot engine shed was no longer needed. It closed in June 1965.

Saving the Site

The Great Western Society (GWS) was given the chance to use the old Didcot locomotive depot. They took it over in 1967. In the 1970s, the society got a long-term lease from British Railways. This lease was set to end in 2019. However, it had a clause that meant Network Rail (NR) could end it with just six months' notice.

To make sure the site would be safe for the future, the GWS started talking to Network Rail in 2002. They wanted to either buy the land or get a longer lease. In May 2007, Network Rail said they would sell the site. But this needed approval from the Office of Rail Regulation. There was a worry that the site might be needed for other railway projects.

In September 2008, Network Rail changed its mind. They said the site was no longer for sale. A lease extension was still possible, but it still had the six-month termination clause. The GWS then contacted their local Member of Parliament. They also put their long-term plans on hold. However, in October 2011, the Chairman of the Great Western Society signed a new 50-year lease with Network Rail. This secured the site for many years to come!

The Museum and Railway Centre Today

Reconstructed mixed-gauge track, showing both standard and broad gauge

A Travelling Post Office carriage

A model of Isambard Kingdom Brunel's atmospheric railway with original piping

Today, the Great Western Society has made the site into a fantastic place. Many of the original GWR buildings are still there. It's now a working museum for steam locomotives and railways. It's also a place where trains are repaired. Visitors can even enjoy short rides on the railway lines.

You enter the site from Didcot Parkway station. This brings you to where coal wagons used to go up to the coaling stage. Beyond that is the original 1932 engine shed. Further on are the repair shed and the locomotive works. These areas have limited access for safety reasons. There's also a large Ransomes & Rapier turntable. It was first built for the Southern Railway at Southampton Docks.

The centre often hosts special events. These include days focused on steam trains and diesel railcars. Members of the Great Western Society work hard to keep old locomotives and carriages in good condition. They have even built new versions of old locomotives that were scrapped. Examples include the Firefly locomotive and a 'Saint' class engine.

There is also a small museum and archive on site. It is run by the Great Western Trust. The Railway Centre has been used as a setting for movies. These include Anna Karenina, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, and The Elephant Man.

Running Lines for Visitors

The old broad-gauge transfer shed is now a station building

The broad-gauge transfer shed in its original spot

There are three short railway lines for visitors to ride on. Each line has a station at both ends.

The Branchline

This line starts at a small GWR station called Didcot Halt. It runs north along the western side of the centre. It ends at a platform called Burlescombe Station. This is next to the transshipment shed. This shed dates back to the days of broad gauge railways. It was used to move goods between wide-track and standard-track trains. The shed was carefully moved to its current spot from nearby.

The Broad Gauge Line

This line uses the wider 7ft 0.25in track. It starts from the transshipment shed. It runs part of the way back down the branchline. The replica of the GWR Fire Fly from 2005 is kept in this shed when it's not running.

The Mainline

This line starts from the Main Line Platform. This platform was moved from Eynsham station. It runs along the eastern side of the centre. It ends at a new platform called Oxford Road Station. This is near the transshipment shed. A building designed by Brunel from Heyford station is being rebuilt here.

How to Get There

The railway centre is surrounded by active railway lines. It doesn't have any road access. You can only get there by walking through a subway from Didcot Parkway station. This station connects the centre by rail to London and many parts of southern and central England.

For a long time, it was hard for people using wheelchairs or prams to get in. This was because there were concrete steps. To make it easier for everyone, the Great Western Society built a ramp in 2023-2024.

Collection of Trains

Steam Locomotives

Class	Number (& Name)	Image	Status	Notes
Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns 0-4-0ST	No.1 Bonnie Prince Charlie		Static Display	Built in 1949 for moving wagons in docks. It is waiting for a major repair.
George England 0-4-0WT	No.5 Shannon		Static Display	Built in 1857. It ran in the 1970s, but too many old parts would need replacing to make it work again. It is on display in its 1920s red paint.
GWR Steam Railmotor	No.93		Static Display	Built in 1908. It was fully restored in 2012. It often runs with its trailer carriage No. 92. Its boiler certificate expired in 2021.
GWR 1000 Class	1014 County of Glamorgan		Under Construction	A replica of a 1946 design. It uses parts from original GWR and LMS locomotives.
Kitson & Co. 0-4-0ST	No.1338		Static Display	Built in 1898. It used to work for the Cardiff Railway.
GWR 1340 Class	1340 Trojan		Operational.	Built in 1897. It used to work for the Alexandra (Newport and South Wales) Docks and Railway. It is painted in GWR green. It started running again in 2021 after being repaired off-site.
GWR 1361 Class	1363		Under Overhaul	Built in 1910. It is currently undergoing a big repair, especially on its boiler and frame.
GWR 1400 Class	1466		Operational	Built in 1936. This was the first locomotive bought by the society. It started running again in 2025 after a repair.
Hunslet 0-6-0T	No. 2409 King George		Operational	Built in 1942 for use in coal mines. It was rebuilt at Didcot and finished in 2022.
GWR 2900 Class	2999 Lady of Legend		Operational	A 1902/06 design. It was finished at Didcot in 2019. It uses parts from another engine, No. 4942 Maindy Hall.
GWR 5700 Class	3650		Under Overhaul	Built in 1939. Its ten-year repair started in 2018.
GWR 5700 Class	3738		Static Display	Built in 1937. It has not been running since 2013 due to problems with its firebox.
GWR 2884 Class	3822		Static Display	Built in 1940. It appeared in the Queen music video Breakthru. It stopped running in 2010.
GWR 4073 Class	4079 Pendennis Castle		Operational	Built in 1924. Its boiler certificate expires in 2031. This engine was brought back from Australia in 2000. It had been there for 22 years.
GWR 5101 Class	4144		Operational	Built in 1946. Its boiler certificate expires in 2025.
GWR 4073 Class	5051 Earl Bathurst		Static Display	Built in 1936. It is currently named Drysllwyn Castle.
GWR 5205 Class	5227		Static Display	Built in 1924. It was bought in 2010 to provide parts for a new engine, No. 4709. It arrived at Didcot in 2013. It is on display as a reminder of how hard it was to save old trains. Some of its parts are being used for another new engine, 3840 "County of Montgomery". The rest of the engine was sold to someone who plans to restore it. It is expected to stay at Didcot.
GWR 4300 Class	5322		Static Display	Built in 1917. It was used in France during World War I. It stopped running in 2014 due to boiler problems.
GWR 4575 Class	5572		Static Display	Built in 1929.
GWR 4900 Class	5900 Hinderton Hall		Static Display	Built in 1931.
GWR 6000 Class	6023 King Edward II		Static Display	Built in 1930. It started running again in 2010 after a long restoration. It was originally bought for parts for another engine. Its boiler certificate expired in 2020. It is painted in BR blue.
GWR 6100 Class	6106		Static Display	Built in 1931.
GWR 5600 Class	6697		Static Display	Built in 1928. This was the only engine of its type bought directly from British Railways for preservation.
GWR 6959 Class	6998 Burton Agnes Hall		Static Display	Built in 1949.
GWR 7200 Class	7202		Under Restoration	Built in 1934.
GWR 7800 Class	7808 Cookham Manor		Static Display	Built in 1938.
GWR Firefly Class	Fire Fly		Static Display	Built in 2005 as a working copy of an 1840 wide-track engine.
GWR Iron Duke Class	Iron Duke		Static Display	Built in 1985 as a working copy of an early wide-track engine. It is on loan from the National Railway Museum.
Breakdown Crane	RS1054		Under restoration	Built in 1930. It is a 50-ton steam crane.
Steam Crane	23059	For restoration	Built in 1954.

Diesel Locomotives and Other Vehicles

Class	Number (&Name)	Status	Notes
GWR Railcar	No.22	Operational	Built at Swindon in 1940.
Hunslet	DL 26	Operational	Built in 1957. It arrived at Didcot in 1978. It was the only diesel shunter there for many years. It mostly moves light wagons. It was repainted in 2023.
British Rail Class 08	08604 Phantom	Operational	Built in 1959. It was named Phantom. It was sold to the GWS and moved to Didcot in 1994.
British Rail Class 14 diesel-hydraulic	D9516	Operational	Built at Swindon in 1964. It was bought for preservation and arrived at Didcot in 2014.
British Rail Class 31	31270 Athena	Operational
British Rail Class 52 diesel hydraulic	D1023 Western Fusilier	Static Display	Built at Swindon in 1963. It was preserved by the National Railway Museum. It arrived at Didcot in January 2023 on a 5-year loan.
GWR 18000 gas turbine	18000	Static Display	Built in Switzerland in 1949. It arrived on July 29, 2011. It is owned by Pete Waterman.
British Railways Wickham trolley	B42W	Operational	Built in 1956. This is a small vehicle used by railway workers for inspections.
Diesel Crane	CD24	Operational	Built in 1949.

Other Rolling Stock

The GWS has many other GWR carriages and wagons. This includes three of the special GWR Super Saloons that carried passengers to Plymouth for boat trips. There are also vehicles for staff and maintenance.

Carriages

Type	Number (&Name)	Status	Notes
Churchward Auto Trailer	No. 92	Restored to run with Steam Railmotor 93.	Built at Swindon, 1912.
Collett Auto Trailer	No. 190	Operational, needs some work.	Built at Swindon, 1933.
Hawksworth Auto Trailer	No. 231	Operational, needs some work.	Built at Swindon, 1951.
Bristol & Exeter Railway Broad Gauge Coach	No. 250	Enough parts remain to rebuild a small section.	Built between 1852 & 1892.
Dean 4w 1st 2nd Composite	No.290	Restoration started in 2011.	Built at Swindon, 1902.
Dean 4w Brake Third	No. 416		Built at Swindon, 1891.
Collett Third	No. 536	Operational.	Built at Swindon, 1940.
Dean 4-Wheel Third	No. 975	Restored.	Built at Swindon, 1902. It was restored to look like a Victorian train.
Collett Third	No. 1111	No current plans for restoration.	Built at Swindon, 1938.
Collett 'Excursion' Third	No. 1289		Built at Swindon, 1937.
Dean 8 Compartment Third Clerestory	No. 1357	Waiting for a major restoration.	Built at Swindon, 1903.
Dean Third	No. 1941	Operational.	Built at Swindon, 1901.
Hawksworth Brake Third	No. 2202	Operational.	Built at Swindon, 1950.
Hawksworth Brake Third	No. 2232	First restored as a staff locker room.	Built at Swindon, 1950.
Dean 6-wheel Family Saloon	No. 2511	Operational. It was saved from a house and put on a train frame.	Built at Swindon, 1894.
Churchward “Dreadnought” 9 Compartment Third	No. 3299	Major restoration started.	Built in 1905. One of the first coaches the society bought.
Churchward Non-Corridor Brake Third	No. 3755	Restored and sometimes used.	Built at Swindon, 1921.
Churchward Non-Corridor Brake Third	No. 3756	Under restoration.	Built at Swindon, 1921.
Churchward Toplight Corridor Third	No. 3963	No current plans for restoration.	Built at Swindon, 1919.
Collett Third - Bow Ended	No. 4553	No current plans for restoration.	Built at Swindon, 1925.
Collett 8 Compartment Bow-Ended Third	No. 5085		Built at Swindon, 1928.
Collett Brake Third	No. 5787	No current plans for restoration.	Built at Swindon, 1933.
Collett All Third	No. 5952	No current plans for restoration.	Built at Swindon, 1935.
Dean 6-Wheel Tricomposite	No. 6824	Stored on an LMS frame.	Built in 1887. It could be changed for wide-track use.
Collett Composite	No. 7285		Built at Swindon, 1941.
Collett Composite	No. 7313	Restored.	Built at Swindon, 1940. It has a wartime chocolate paint scheme.
Collett Brake Composite	No. 7371	Under restoration.	Built at Swindon, 1941.
Hawksworth Brake Composite	No. 7372	Operational.	Built at Swindon, 1948.
Collett Brake Composite	No. 7976		Built at Swindon, 1923.
Collett Special Saloon	No. 9002	Operational.	Built at Swindon, 1940. Used by Winston Churchill and the Royal Family during WWII.
Hawksworth First Class Sleeping Car	No. 9083	Operational.	Built at Swindon, 1951.
Collett Super Saloon	No. 9112 Queen Mary	No current plans for restoration.	Built at Swindon, 1932.
Collett Super Saloon	No. 9113 Prince of Wales	Under restoration.	Built at Swindon, 1932.
Collett Super Saloon	No. 9118 Princess Elizabeth		Built at Swindon, 1932.
Dean Composite Diner	No. 9520	No current plans for restoration.
Collett 'Centenary Diner'	No. 9635		Built at Swindon, 1935.

Broad Gauge Replica Carriages

Type	Number (&Name)	Image	Status	Notes
Six-Wheeled, Second Class, Broad Gauge Covered Carriage	BG1		On display.	Built in 1984 to an old design.
Six-Wheeled, Third Class, Broad Gauge Open Carriage	BG2		On display.	Built in 1984 to an old design.

Non-Passenger Carriages

These are carriages not used for carrying people.

Type	Number (&Name)	Status	Notes
Tool Van	No. 1	Used by staff for tools.	Built in 1908.
Tool Van	No. 47	Used for storage.	Built in 1908.
Tool Van	No. 56	Used by staff for tools.	Built in 1908.
Collett Full Brake	No. 111	No current plans for restoration.	Built in 1934.
Hawksworth Passenger Brake Van	No. 316		Built in 1950.
Hawksworth Passenger Brake Van	No. 333	Used as a sales vehicle.	Built in 1951.
Churchward 'Monster' Carriage Truck	No. 484		Built in 1913.
Churchward 'Python'	No. 565	Used as a workshop and storage vehicle.	Built in 1914.
Travelling Post Office	No. 814	Not currently running.	Built in 1940.
Dean Full Brake	No. 933	Operational by 2019.	Built in 1898.
Medical Officers' Coach	No. 1159		Built in 1925.
Collett Full Brake	No. 1184	Being restored to run with TPO 814.	Built in 1930.
Collett 'Siphon G'	No. 2796	Restored. Operational.	Built in 1937.
Six-Wheel Milk Tank	S4409	Operational.	Built in 1931. It is painted for "MILK C.W.S SERVICE".
Special Cattle Van	No. 752	Restored.	Built in 1952.
'Bloater' Fish Van	No. 2671	Restored.	Built in 1925.
'Fruit C' Van	No. 2862	Partially restored.	Built in 1939.
'Fruit D' Van	No. 2913		Built in 1941.
'Fruit' Van	No. 47886	Operational.	Built in 1892.
'Mink G' fitted goods van	No. 112843	Restored.	Built in 1931.

Wagons

Type	Number (&Name)	Status	Notes
Tar Wagon	No. 1	Needs to be restored again.	Built in 1898.
6w Drinking Water Tank	No. 101	Stored.	Built in 1948.
Department Mess Van	No. 263	Used by staff.	Built in 1905.
Oil Tank Wagon	No. 795	Restored.	Built in 1912. It is painted for "Anglo American Oil Co Ltd - Pratts Perfection Spirit".
'Rotank' flat wagon carrying trailer tank	No. 3030	Restored.	Built in 1947. It is painted as a Simonds Beer tank.
Goods Van	No. 516673	Restored, used for storage.	Used to be an LMS wagon.
Goods Van	No. 517791	Restored, used for storage.	Used to be an LMS wagon.
Four wheel 7-plank mineral wagon	No. 10153	Restored.	Built by Gloucester RCW. It is the only surviving wagon from the Taff Vale Railway.
Iron Mink	No. 11152	Restored, not operational.	Built in 1900.
"Toad" Brake Van	No. 17447	Partially taken apart, stored.	Built in 1940.
4 wheel 5-plank open wagon	No. 18553	Operational.	Built in 1927.
"Open A" open wagon	No. 19818	Restored.	Built in 1917.
'Mite' Single Bolsters	Nos. 32337 & 32338	Not operational.	Built in 1881.
'Coral A' crated glass wagon	No. 41723	Waiting for restoration.	Built in 1908.
20/21ton Loco Coal wagon	No. 63066	Restored.	Built in 1946.
'Pollen E'	Nos 84997-85000	Restored, on loan from National Railway Museum.	Built in 1909.
'Macaw B' bogie bolster wagon	No. 70335	Restored.	Built in 1939.
'Crocodile F' bogie well trolley	No. 41934	Operational.	Built in 1908. Now rare.
'Hydra D' machinery wagon	No. 42193	Stored outside.	Built in 1917. Now rare.
Grain Wagon	No. 42239	Stored, waiting for restoration.	Built in 1927.
'Loriot L' machinery wagon	No. 42271	Operational.	Built in 1934.
Creosote Tank Wagon	No. 43949	Stored.	Built in 1901.
16ton 'Toad' brake van	No. 56400	Used by staff.	Built in 1900.
20ton 'Toad' brake van	No. 68684	Restored.	Built in 1924.
20ton 'Toad' brake van	No. 950592	Restored.	Built in 1950.
Mink A ventilated van	No. 101720	Restored.	Built in 1924.
Mink A ventilated van	No. 101836	Restored.	Built in 1925.
Mink A ventilated van	No. 145428	Restored.	Built in 1944.
Mink A ventilated van	No. W146366	Restored.	Built in 1948.
Open A open wagon	No. 117993	Restored.	Built in 1930.
Open C open wagon	No. 94835	Restored.	Built in 1920.
Open wagon	No. 143698		Built in 1945.
Clay wagon	No. 92943	Restored.	Built in 1913.
'Tevan' perishable traffic van	No. 79933	Restored.	Built in 1922.
'Mica B' refigerated meat van	No. 105860	Restored.	Built in 1925.
"Fruit B" Banana Van	No. 1055993	Restored.	Built in 1929.
'Mogo' Motor Car Goods Van	No. 105742	Restored.	Built in 1936.
'Asmo' Motor Car Van	No. 116954		Built in 1930.
'Cone' Gunpowder Van	No. 105781	Restored.	Built in 1939.
Shunters' truck	No. 100377	Operational.	Built in 1953.
Ballast wagon	No. 80659	Operational.	Built in 1936.
Ballast wagon	No. 80668	Operational.	Built in 1936.
Ballast wagon	No. 80789	Operational.	Built in 1937.
Chaired sleeper wagon	No. 100682 (GWS 91200)	Operational.	Built in 1939.
Hand crane and match truck	No. 205	Restored, not operational.	Built in 1894.
Hand crane	No. 537	Restored, not operational.	Built in 1899.
Pooley mobile workshop van	No. 82917	Used by staff.	Built in 1911.
Demountable beer tank wagon, displayed as aircraft propeller wagon	No. B749039	Restored, not operational.	Built in 1951.
2 ft gauge slate wagon	No. 67 (?)	Under restoration.	Built in 1903.