Durnin Research Ltd is delighted to be appointed by Didcot Railway Centre as the evaluation consultant for the Didcot’s Historic Railway Shed project.
Didcot Railway Centre occupies 21 acres around the original Great Western Railway Engine Shed, providing a historic and functional context for its collections. The site includes restored locomotives and rolling stock, workshops for maintenance and restoration, and educational spaces. It operates as both a museum and a living railway, offering visitors the opportunity to see heritage trains in operation and to understand the behind-the-scenes work of railway maintenance.
The Grade II listed structure was built in 1932 and is the last remaining example of this type of engine shed in the UK. The project, which will be run by Great Western Society, will see the Engine Shed fully restored and saved for the future. Alongside this, new interpretation will be installed in the museum and a programme of activities and events planned.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund project aims to restore the historic Engine Shed, add sustainable features, enhance interpretation, deliver engagement activities, and encourage exploration of the wider site.
During the Development Phase, the evaluation will develop and produce a logic model to provide a picture of how Didcot’s Historic Engine Shed is intended to work and can be evaluated with clear outputs and outcomes.
For more information, please see: https://didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/article.php/619/heritage-fund-support-for-historic-engine-shed-restoration
Jonathan Durnin Research 