Railway Village Museum and Village Tours

About

Step back in time and visit a former Great Western Railway worker's cottage in the heart of Swindon. Find out what it was like to live, work and eat in a Victorian railway town and take a tour of the area with one of our local guides.

Our volunteers look forward to welcoming you to this special opening of the Railway Village Museum at 34 Faringdon Road.

The cottage was built about 1846 as part of a planned village designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel for the workers of the Great Western Railway. Home to a number of railway workers, including an engine driver and his family, the cottage is preserved as it might have looked in 1900.

Wander around the cottage and find out more about how former residents lived and what they ate, as we explore an 'Edible Swindon' food theme! Examine Victorian kitchen gadgets, take a peek in the pantry and find out more about historic recipes and the origins of foods we love today.

Pick up an 'I-spy' family trail to explore the Railway Village, or join one of our walking tour led by volunteers (starting from the front of the Museum at 11.00am and 1.00pm). Hear more about Brunel's plans for the village and the Grade II* listed Mechanics Institute, built by the railway workers and home to one of the earliest public lending libraries. Find out more about the shops, pubs and the Mechanics market which supplied this new Victorian community with food and finish up by enjoying refreshments and activities at the Central Community Centre, or a drink at The Glue Pot.