Photo of STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway in South West1 / 3
Trains & Railways

STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway

📍 Swindon, South West

★4.7(2,474 Google reviews)💰£10.50-£14👶All ages

Railway museum inside the original Swindon Works locomotive shed, housing full-size GWR engines, a signal box, and a train-driver simulator. Volunteer guides provide detailed context on the workers who built and ran the railway.

✓ Impressive locomotive collection✓ Engaging storytelling✓ Knowledgeable volunteers✓ Historic building✓ Great for all ages✓ Special events worth visiting

🏆 Funzaroo Verdict

Strong choice for school-age children curious about engineering, railways, or social history — the storytelling about factory workers gives it depth beyond locomotives. Under-fives get their own play area and can walk under massive engines safely.

ℹ️ What to Know Before You Go

💡Allow at least two hours — the building is much larger than photos suggest
⏰Ask volunteer guides about specific engines for the most detailed stories
🎟️Check the events calendar before visiting — the Brick Show and other specials significantly enhance the experience
🚗The original locomotive workshop structure is itself a listed building worth examining

💬 What Families Are Saying

View all reviews →
4.7
★★★★★

2,474 Google reviews

G Reviews from Google

L

Lon Welsh

5 months ago

★★★★★

“If you like Trains then it’s already obvious that you have to come here. But for everybody else, there’s a surprising amount also. There’s a lot of great stories about the different types of people that were required to build a site and build all of these locomotives. There’s quite a lot of work that went into picking out the route and building the railroad itself before even they got around to building the steam engines and the cars. I didn’t realize that there was a large effort on marketing to drive tourism using the rails, but there’s a good explanation of all that as well. It’s all well laid out and there’s very friendly people to explain stuff. It’s a good visit.”

K

kerry baker

a month ago

★★★★★

“Excellent museum with lots to see and learn about. My son loves Great Western engines and he throughly enjoyed looking at the engines on display. The volunteers were all friendly and informative giving us background to the engines. We especially liked that the museum is in a building where people worked building the steam engines. We really enjoyed our day out here and I would recommend to anyone with an interest in steam engines. Well worth the visit from Sussex.”

M

Mike Freeman

5 months ago

★★★★★

“A fantastic musuem with a great collection. The story telling and education is certainly well thought through, delivered in multiple ways for a wide audience. But what's better still is a visit during one of the many great events held here. Our favourite is the Great Westen Brick Show, put on by Brickish (a LEGO User Group). This fills the entire museum with incredible LEGO models that sit alongside the already impresive artefacts. Well worth a visit.”

💬 What parents mention

Engaging for train and history enthusiastsKnowledgeable, friendly volunteersLarger and more impressive than expectedSpecial events add extra value

Overview

STEAM fills the vast Victorian erecting shop with GWR giants including City of Truro and The Earl of Merioneth. Families can step into a recreated station platform, operate signal levers, and try the driver simulator. Volunteer guides share personal stories of the 14,000 workers who once filled this building. Little Locos sessions target under-fives; the Great Western Brick Show (annual) adds a LEGO dimension that draws repeat visits.

🕐 Opening Hours

Monday10:00 – 17:00
Tuesday10:00 – 17:00
Wednesday10:00 – 17:00
Thursday10:00 – 17:00
Friday10:00 – 17:00
Saturday10:00 – 17:00
Sunday11:00 – 16:00
Free to use

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