On Saturday 26 July 2025 Dorset History Centre will be hosting an all-day conference about the history of railways in Dorset.
The conference is free to attend, but we have a maximum capacity in our lecture room, so need to be booked ahead of time. You can book your tickets here.
**Please be aware that tickets have been booked very quickly and there are only limited numbers remaining. Reserve yours now to avoid disappointment**
We have four speakers with fascinating talks on the history of railways in Dorset and the south. Our topics and speakers for the day are:
- “Dorset and Dr Beeching: Railway Closures of the 1960s” by Colin Edwards
- “The Railway Is Not A Natural Place For A Woman” by Jenny Vince
- “Following in the Family Tracks – Migration and Transferable Skills” by Valerie Brenton
- “The First Railway in Dorset – Fayle’s Tramway” by Richard Heacock
The conference will run between 10am and 4.30pm, with a break for lunch. We regret that we cannot provide food or refreshments on the day beyond our water dispenser and hot-drinks machine located in the common room.
There will also be a small exhibition of archival material available to view during the day, and you are welcome to attend to view this exhibition at any time on the day itself without needing to book a ticket for the conference. Please just drop in between 10am and 4pm.
The conference is free to attend, but we are asking for a small donation to Dorset Archives Trust (DAT) to help support our work, and help us put on similar events like this in the future. You can donate on the day using our contactless donations machine, or by putting some cash into our donations box. Alternatively, you can donate to DAT online should you wish to do so.
We hope you are able to join us for what will be a fascinating event!