Didcot

Didcot is a town in South Oxfordshire, located about 15 miles south of Oxford and connected to major railway lines linking London, Bristol, and Southampton through its central station. The town grew around the rail network and now includes several schools, community facilities like the Civic Hall, and residential neighborhoods serving a population over thirty thousand.

Archaeological finds show that people lived in the area for around nine thousand years, from the Mesolithic through the Bronze Age. The modern settlement developed in the mid-1800s after the Great Western Railway built its line through the site.

The Didcot Railway Centre preserves steam locomotives and rolling stock from the Great Western Railway era, showing how rail transport shaped local life. Visitors can walk through the workshops and platforms to see how crews maintained engines and prepared trains for the network.

The main railway station sits in the center and connects the town to Oxford and other destinations in southern and western England. Several footpaths lead from the station into residential areas and toward community facilities.

Three research sites form the Science Vale technology cluster near the town: Milton Park, Culham Science Centre, and Harwell Science and Innovation Campus. These facilities focus on nuclear fusion, space research, and biotechnology development.

Location: South Oxfordshire

Shares border with: East Hagbourne, South Moreton, Long Wittenham, Appleford-on-Thames, Harwell, West Hagbourne, Sutton Courtenay

Website: http://didcot.gov.uk

GPS coordinates: 51.60611,-1.24111

Latest update: December 13, 2025 19:41