the old station experience
Behind the Lines Tour, Exhibition, Listening Project & VR Experience
Designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and opened in 1841, Cirencester Town was one of three stations that plugged Cirencester into the national network during the golden age of rail. For over a century it shuttled the town’s commuters, mail, freight and farm stock by steam and diesel, until succumbing to the ‘Beeching cuts’ in 1964.
Come for a behind-the-scenes tour with local architect and new owner, Jonathan Rixon, who has dared to rescue the building from dereliction. Also includes a pop-up exhibition and community ‘listening project’ from those who remember the station in its heyday, put together by local podcaster Joff Elphick; plus virtual reality experience of the Victorian station developed for the festival by Rixon Architects with Cirencester College design students. Tea, coffee and light refreshments served on the old platform!
Event sponsored by the Daniel Bingham Foundation.
Local benefactor Daniel Bingham learnt his trade at the station in the 1840s, before making his fortune on the Dutch railways.
Location
The Old Station Car Park,
GL7 1US
Date & Time
Saturday 25th October,
10am-4pm
Tickets
FREE drop in session
No booking required
Find the event
Parking Info
Nearest car parks: parking available in the Old Station Car Park, Sheep Street Car Park or Brewery Car Park. Some free weekend parking is also available at St James’s Place House, 1 Tetbury Rd, GL7 1FP (thank you SJP).
Accessibility Information
There is level access on the ground floor for the exhibition, listening project and VR experience. The full building tour involves two flights of stairs, and beware that the building is under construction so there are lots of uneven floors and surfaces.