Our popular free tour of the surviving buildings of the ex GWR Works. The tour focuses on the listed Joseph Armstrong buildings of the Designer Outlet but also refers to others on the old factory site, including STEAM – Museum of the Great Western Railway, The Managers Office, the Chain Test shop and the ex drawing and administrative offices that are now Historic England’s Archive and English Heritage’s offices. We include anecdotes from Rodbournite and ex GWR employee Ron Johnson who worked “inside” for 30 years to paint an amusing and sometimes frightening account of life in the factory.

The tours start from the Designer Outlet Reception Desk adjacent to Pizza Express at 11am. If your club or association is visiting STEAM the Museum of the Great Western Railway or the Designer Outlet we can arrange to incorporate our tour into your day so please contact us for further details.

It is essential to book a tour so please email secretary@rodbournehistory.org