Victorian Railways Online Talk Series (7 talks for 6)(RECORDINGS)

These are the recordings of the Victorian Railways Online Talk Series which was recorded between October and December 2023.

The railways are more in the news today than for decades. They are the key to securing low carbon transport for the future but strikes and lack of investment hold them back. As the Victorian Society fights to save one of London’s great cathedrals of steam, Liverpool Street Station, and the former Great Eastern Hotel in London from destruction and disfigurement, it is the perfect time to take a look at 19th Century railway architecture and society and what can be learnt for today.

When the Victorian Society was founded in 1958 the railway system inherited from the previous century was still largely intact. Though much has since been lost, the railways of the period retain their fascination, both for their buildings and for their importance in forging the Victorian world.

The autumn talk series revisits the society's valiant campaign to save Euston station, the world's first long-distance railway terminus. It will also explore some of the diverse and surprising ways in which the railway preservation movement has since found new homes and fresh uses for many less monumental buildings. Other talks present new discoveries on railway company architecture, and on the distinctive work of C.H. Driver. Framing the architectural subjects, two talks by leading scholars reassess the growth of the Victorian railway system and the liberating opportunities presented by the railway excursion. The series concludes with a panel discussion of Liverpool Street station, a great Victorian building currently threatened with ruinous redevelopment.

Buy tickets for all 7 Online Talks for the price of 6. You can watch recordings of the talks at a time which suits you.

Who Built the Victorian Railways - and Did They Get It Right? by Colin Divall

Wed 25 October 7 pm

This talk engages with the history of railway expansion, and the notion that this was informed by ‘high minds’, of Victorian politicians and intellectuals such as Peel and Gladstone.

The Rise and Fall of Euston Station, 1835-1962, by Steven Brindle

Tue 31 October 7 pm

The original Euston Station building was destroyed in 1961 and was the subject of one of the greatest of all conservation battles, a crucial moment in the establishment of the Victorian Society.

The Railway Architecture of C. H. Driver, by Benny O’Looney

Wed 8 November 7 pm

This talk will be about the railway architecture of Charles Henry Driver (1832 - 1900) and the restoration of Peckham Rye Station.

The Smaller Victorian and Edwardian Railway Station Reappraised, by John Minnis

Wed 15 November 7 pm

This talk looks at the similarities between railway buildings which were made by different companies in various parts of the UK and beyond.

Buildings in Motion: the Creative Reuse of Railway Structures in the Preservation Era by Simon Bradley

Wed 22 November 7 pm

We explore the preservation world to reveal some of the challenges and rewards of keeping railway buildings in active use.

Women on the Move: Working Class Railway Excursions in the Early Victorian Period by Susan Major

Wed 29 November 7 pm

This talk looks how the railway excursions gave Victorian working-class women the opportunity to travel.

A Panel Discussion about Liverpool Street Station

Wed 6 December 7 pm

This panel discussion looks at the history of the station and the campaigns to save it.

After booking a ticket, you will be given access to the recording of the event. Please ignore the event date in the listings.

This event helps raise funds for The Victorian Society - the only charity dedicated to fighting for our Victorian and Edwardian heritage. Join us today and safeguard our unique cultural heritage for future generations! For further information, click here.

The Victorian Society is an IHBC recognised CPD provider​.

I mage: St Pancras Station: © Copyright Ben Brooksbank and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.