Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre

01/06/2026

Community Rail Week is here! 🚆

Join us outside Bedford Library this Wednesday, from 10am to 4pm, for a fun and informative day celebrating local rail travel!

Discover amazing days out on the Marston Vale Line and the Beds & Herts Line. Meet the team, grab some leaflets and get inspired for your next adventure! You can also chat with us about our wide range of volunteer opportunities 😀

📅 Wednesday 3 June
🕤 10am to 4pm
📍 Outside Bedford Library



London Northwestern Railway Thameslink Marston Vale Community Rail Partnership Beds & Herts Community Rail Partnership Bedford Borough Council Community Rail Network Bedford Borough Libraries Bedford Market

29/05/2026

We're excited to have a special Marston Vale Line 180th Anniversary display in the foyer at our good friends The Higgins Bedford until Sunday 7 June!

This display has been curated by our wonderful Friends of Ridgmont Station volunteers, sharing key milestones and stories for the Marston Vale Line over the decades.

Entry is free and the display includes a memories folder containing a selection of photos depicting places, trains and events related to the line. Visitors are invited to share memories these photos evoke for them or to complete a ‘Share Your Story’ postcard.

This is all part of the Marston Vale 180 Memories Project through which 180 memories about the line, community and stations from local people will be compiled and published.

A huge thanks to the Bedford Borough Council Reprographics Team for all their help with design and printing, and Arts Council England for their support with funding.

Visit https://bit.ly/4dJYQDx for details.

28/05/2026

Now available - Rare Railway History on DVD 🚆🎞️

We’re delighted to offer two fascinating railway history DVDs for sale at Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre - perfect for enthusiasts of the Marston Vale Line and the wider Oxford-Cambridge route.

📀 The Golden Mile: Bletchley to Bedford
A compelling farewell to traditional semaphore signalling on the Marston Vale Line. This film captures the last days of mechanical signalling, hand-operated level crossings and signal boxes along the route before modern systems were introduced. Featuring lineside views, signalling detail and stories from those who worked the railway - a true record of a disappearing way of life.
⏱ Approx. 1 hour 36 minutes

📀 The Story of the Oxford to Cambridge Railway
An in-depth historical account of the original Oxford-Bletchley-Bedford-Cambridge route, from its opening in the 19th century through closure and into modern-day proposals. Packed with archive photographs, film footage, maps and station scenes, this DVD traces a line that has played a crucial role in regional railway history.
⏱ Approx. 2 hours

Both titles are produced by Kingfisher Productions and are ideal additions to any railway collection.

👉 Available to purchase at Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre! Pop in when we’re open or message us for availability (opening hours Weds to Sat, 11am to 4pm).

27/05/2026

Good morning everyone! We hope that you're all doing well and - if you've got kids - are enjoying the half-term.

With that in mind, if you're looking for somewhere to go with your children (especially if they like trains!), then why not pop by for some light refreshments and cake/scones at Ridgmont 🍰🍵

We also have a gift shop that sells all sorts of train/railway-related items.

We're open Wednesday to Saturday, 11 to 4pm 😀

26/05/2026

Enjoy the great outdoors with your family! We're fortunate to have some fantastic walking and cycling routes nearby 🌳

Check out three of our favourites on our website: https://bit.ly/3Sktqa7

After your adventure, swing by for refreshments (Wednesday to Saturday) from our fantastic volunteers! 🍰🚶‍♂️🚴‍♀️

25/05/2026

Our fortnightly, award-winning Rails to Roots gardening group is back this Wednesday! 🌿

Join us at the station for gentle gardening, friendly conversation and a warm community atmosphere. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just curious to get involved, everyone is welcome.

📅 Wednesday 27 May
🕙 10am to 12pm
📍 Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre

Full details here:

Join our regular ‘Rail to Roots’ garden group to help create and tend our garden at Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre. You can access this project easily from st

21/05/2026

Looking for some lovely, locally-made candles to brighten up your home? Pop in to Ridgmont and get your own Emma Vine candles! 🕯️

£7.99 for small and £9.99 for large. Different designs available: Vanilla scents or Steam train 😍

Emma Vine Design

19/05/2026

Good morning everyone! We hope that you're all doing well.

A reminder that we're open from Wednesday to Saturday, 11am to 4pm 😀

Pop by for a tea/coffee and a nice cake or scone 🍰🍵

Marston Vale Community Rail Partnership

18/05/2026

Good morning! We hope you had a lovely weekend. A reminder that Bedfordshire Bus Pass holders can hop on board with a 50% discount on the Marston Vale Line - the perfect excuse for a day out at Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre 🚆✨

Marston Vale Community Rail Partnership London Northwestern Railway

14/05/2026

A reminder that you can now read the East West Railway Company consultation materials for yourself at Ridgmont. Come and read them with a nice slice of cake and cup of tea 🍰☕️

The consultation closes Tuesday 9 June.