Guided Walk and a Talk Celebrating Guildford’s Railway Heritage

Published on: 21 May, 2025
Updated on: 21 May, 2025

Following Geoff Burch and David Rose’s successful recent exhibition of vintage railway photos and memorabilia at Guildford station, they have a free guided walk and a talk coming up.

Join them on Saturday morning, June 7, for a circular walk, in conjunction with the National Trust’s River Wey Navigations, that takes in the Godalming Navigation at St Catherine’s and on towards Stonebridge.

Hear how the commercial waterway adapted after the railway had arrived, and while en route you’ll see a railway embankment that never saw a train!

At Shalford railway station hear about the wartime collision which set alight wagons full of aviation fuel.

After a rest at the Snooty Fox cafe, if you would like refreshments, on to a footpath on the trackbed of the former Guildford to Horsham railway line, and back to the starting point.

You will hear lots of stories about the railway lines here, plus David and Geoff will show vintage photos of the railway and waterway in these parts. This walk is roughly five miles in length.

Booking is essential for this walk phoning the National Trust River Wey Navigations on 0344 249 1895.

Click here for details on the National Trust’s website.

Then on Sunday, June 8, David and Geoff will be giving their popular illustrated talk, When The Railways Came To Guildford.

This will be at Worplesdon Memorial Hall, Perry Hill, starting at 3pm. Free entry, no need to book.

Some of the vintage railway pictures that were on display at the exhibition at Guildford railway station will also be on display as well.

Both the walk and talk are timed to celebrate 2025 being the 180th anniversary of the railway coming to Guildford and the national Railway 200 celebrations, marking the birth of the world’s modern railway.