Brunel, Cirencester and the Golden Age of Rail

What changed when Brunel's railway reached Cirencester?

Tim Bryan traces what happened when the railway reached Cirencester in 1841, connecting the town to a network reshaping nineteenth-century Britain. The talk follows the branch through Kemble and Sapperton, then looks at its growth, decline and lasting effect on the town.

A railway historian and former curator at STEAM and the Brunel Institute, Bryan places Cirencester's line within Brunel's wider plans for the West Country, Midlands and Wales. The event follows last year's Old Station Experience, and a signing of Bryan's book, Iron, Stone and Steam, is planned afterwards.

Ashcroft Church has level access to the hall and an accessible toilet, but no dedicated car park. The festival points visitors to Brewery and Sheep Street car parks.

Ticketed. Both sittings are sold out, with waiting lists available through the organiser's event page.

Wednesday 28 October 2026 · Ashcroft Church, 21 Ashcroft Road, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 1RA · 5pm and 7pm sittings