All Aboard: Discover How the Railway Transformed Our Village

All Aboard: Discover How the Railway Transformed Our Village

Great Ayton’s fascinating past comes alive this October as the Society launches its 2025/2026 winter talks series with a journey back to the age of steam.

Local history and rail enthusiasts as well as curious newcomers alike are invited to the Friends’ Meeting House on High Green on Wednesday, October 15 for a captivating presentation by Peter Morgan. His talk, How the Railway Changed Great Ayton, will reveal how the railway’s arrival reshaped the village beyond simply improving travel.

The event coincides with the region’s wider celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of the passenger railway, first established with the Stockton to Darlington line. In Great Ayton the greater impact was economic and social with the railway sparking an industrial boom that transformed Ayton into a hub of progress. Attendees will also discover traces of the railway’s legacy still visible in and around Great Ayton today.

The talk begins at 7pm and is free to attend, no need to book, just turn up. Guests will be welcomed with tea, coffee, and biscuits, with donations gratefully received to support our ongoing work.