Our popular free tour of the buildings still standing of the ex GWR Works. The tour takes in the listed Joseph Armstrong buildings of the Designer Outlet and 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 now Historic England’s National Monuments Records building. You are taken around the site by ex employee Ron Johnson who worked “inside” for 30 years from the age of 16. His anecdotes and stories paint an amusing and sometimes frightening account of life in the factory.

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