The arrival of the railways in Reading Online Talk

Brunel’s Great Western Railway arrived in Reading on the 30th March 1840. The history of railway building states that railways destroyed property when the railways were built, and always resulted in huge economic growth for those towns it reached, but was this true in Reading? In this talk, historian Richard Marks, will look at the impact the railway had on the town when it arrived, and how this compared to other places. We will also look at how the first train service compared to the service Reading enjoys today.

2 - 3.15pm

Pre-booking is required because places are limited. Bookings close one day before the event.

To join this talk, you will need a computer device with speakers. Ideally, also a webcam and microphone. You also need to be able to access the internet from it. First-time users of Zoom, will be asked to download a small piece of software, which will be sent in advance.