In September every year, Heritage Open Days is a nation-wide set of events providing unparalleled access to Britain’s history and heritage. In 2026, it runs from 11-20 September, on the theme of ‘Everyday Histories.’ As you can imagine, this really fits with the Railway Work, Life & Death project, given we look at ordinary British and Irish railway workers of the past.
The Railway Work, Life & Death project has put together a free database of accidents to railway staff before 1939. Though that, it’s possible to find out much more about the women and men who kept Britain and Ireland’s railways running. Often they’re people who’ve been seen as insignificant and who haven’t really featured in people’s understanding of the railway past. Our project shines a light on them and puts them front and centre. It’s make it possible to tell the stories of everyday railway workers of the past. One of the key routes to sharing that research into individuals is via the Railway Work, Life & Death project blog.
Heritage Open Days & the project
This year, you can find the Railway Work, Life & Death project contributing to Heritage Open Days in a number of places. A number of those are close to Portsmouth, home of project co-lead Mike Esbester. Research from the Portsmouth Area Railway Pasts project is appearing in events put on by the Buriton Heritage Bank (Saturday 26 September) and Rowlands Castle History and Heritage (12-13 September).
Also from the Portsmouth Area Railway Pasts project, the ‘South coast’s forgotten railway workers’ exhibition is appearing at Emsworth Museum. That’s particularly nice as there are a couple of Emsworth railway staff featured in the exhibition. The exhibition will be there until 18 October 2026. If you miss it during Heritage Open Days there will be opportunities to see it later.
Further afield, some of our work is appearing at an event at Stoke-on-Trent station. This picks up on the work we did last year with New Vic Borderlines, as part of its ‘Tracks Through Time’ exhibition. Some of the past railway staff we researched from the Stoke-on-Trent area will be featured on posters at the station.
And of course, this is on top of the Railway Work, Life & Death project’s more usual heritage work, with heritage railways. We’ve worked with a few heritage railways over the last couple of years. Together, we’ve co-produced museum displays, leaflets, posters, and a walking tour of Didcot Railway Centre. You can read more about our work with heritage railways here.
What’s particularly nice about all of this is that all of these events and initiatives are collaborative. They’re in and of their communities. That’s really important to the Railway Work, Life & Death project.
Needless to say, across the Heritage Open Days there’s a lot going on – including with a railway focus. You can find out more about the railway-themed events here – enjoy!