Lorne House & Thomas the Tank Engine

Updated 3 October 2026

Lorne House has a special connection with the stories of Thomas the Tank Engine. Wilbert Awdry, who went on to create The Railway Series, lived here from 1920 to 1928. His family called the house Journey’s End.

Thomas the Tank Engine: inspiration beside Box Tunnel

The railway near Lorne House helped shape Awdry’s imagination. As a boy, he listened to steam engines working on the incline at Box and imagined their sounds as conversations between characters with distinct personalities. Those memories later helped inspire the story in which Edward assists Gordon’s train up the hill.

It is a wonderfully local connection: a childhood sound outside a Wiltshire bedroom becoming part of stories enjoyed around the world. Awdry developed the tales for his son Christopher; The Three Railway Engines, the first book in the series, appeared in May 1945.

Blue plaque commemorating Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry on the stone wall at Lorne House
The blue plaque at Lorne House commemorates Awdry’s childhood here.

Journey’s End and a family love of railways

Wilbert’s father, the Reverend Vere Awdry, was also interested in railways. Local historical photographs record that enthusiasm, while former resident Geoff Bence remembered being told about a model railway in the greenhouse at Lorne House.

These are memories of the house in an earlier period. The greenhouse and garden descriptions in historical accounts do not describe facilities available to guests today; the verandah is our guest outdoor space.

The blue plaque at Lorne House

In 2012, Awdry’s family visited Lorne House for the unveiling of its blue plaque. It is a lasting reminder of the house’s place in his childhood and of Box’s railway heritage.

Christopher Awdry beside the commemorative plaque at Lorne House
Christopher Awdry at the plaque unveiling, from the Lorne House archive.

Explore the Thomas the Tank Engine connection

Our history of Lorne House follows the families who lived here. For railway landmarks and a walk through the village, see our Box walking guide.

Further reading: Cambridge Past, Present & Future’s Awdry biography; Vere Awdry photographs; Geoff Bence’s recollections.

A Secret Underground City

Updated 3 October 2026

The secret underground city at Corsham tells an extraordinary chapter of British history: former Bath stone workings adapted for wartime industry and, later, a government headquarters intended for use in a nuclear crisis.

From Bath stone to wartime use

The underground quarries grew alongside the demand for building stone and the arrival of the Great Western Railway. In the years before the Second World War, parts of the workings were converted into ammunition-storage facilities. Wartime activity also included an underground aircraft factory.

The Ministry of Defence’s illustrated history explains how these different uses developed. It is important to distinguish the wider quarry network from the later government bunker, rather than treating every underground chamber as one installation.

A secret underground city for Cold War government

In the 1950s, work created a potential relocation site for central government. Known as the Central Government War Headquarters and by codenames including Burlington, it was designed to support government operations below ground.

Historic England’s records describe accommodation for the Prime Minister, operations rooms, a telephone exchange and a radio studio. These practical spaces make the story especially striking: an emergency headquarters needed places to work, communicate and live, not simply shelter.

Messages below ground

Communication was central to the plan. Alongside telephone facilities and a radio studio, a Lamson pneumatic-tube system carried messages through the complex. These surviving elements are recorded separately in the National Heritage List for England.

Explore the history through official sources

The site was declassified in 2004. Declassification does not establish public visitor access, so this article makes no promise of entry or tours. Use the official records and illustrated booklet to discover the story.

Discover Box above ground

Lorne House is a base for exploring the village and the surrounding area. Our Box walks guide points to public routes, while Hidden Box introduces more of the locality’s history.

Box Walks & Local Points of Interest

Updated 3 October 2026

Box walks bring together valley views, old mills, stone-quarrying history and Brunel’s railway. A useful starting point is the Box Heritage Trail, with a published route and map from the Cotswolds National Landscape.

Box walks: start with the Heritage Trail

The official guide describes a 4.5-mile circular route through the By Brook valley. It includes steep sections and is graded for walkers with moderate fitness. Use the current guide to judge the route against your own abilities, the weather and the time available.

View the official route and download the map

The route links the village’s mills, quarrying landscape and railway heritage. It also passes Lorne House, whose Awdry connection gives this local walk an extra layer of interest.

Box Tunnel and the railway

Box Tunnel is one of the village’s defining landmarks. The heritage trail includes a viewing point for its western portal and explains the surrounding railway features. Follow the published route and public paths; railway land and the tunnel itself are not places to explore on foot.

Stone western portal of Box railway tunnel
Box Tunnel, from the existing Lorne House local-photo archive.

The same railway landscape helped inspire the young Wilbert Awdry. Read the story of Lorne House and Thomas the Tank Engine before setting out.

Quarry woods, views and a pub stop

The official trail crosses Box Hill Common and passes through Quarry Woods, with an optional extension towards Hazelbury Manor. Stay on public paths: references to old workings are historical context, not an invitation to enter quarry shafts or mine passages.

The route also passes the Quarryman’s Arms. For food stops, opening and booking information, see our Food & Drink guide and check directly with the venue.

A shorter village outing

If the full trail is more than you want, start with Box Parish Council’s visitor information and our Box guide. Our Hidden Box article gives some background to the village’s buildings and stories.

Real World Studios is a working recording facility rather than a public touring attraction. Enjoy the village from public routes and respect private property.

Little Solsbury Hill

For another walking option near Bath, the Cotswolds National Landscape publishes a Little Solsbury Hill circular walk. Check its current route details and suitability separately; it is a different outing from the Box Heritage Trail.

Plan your stay for Box walks

Check the latest route information before leaving, allow for hills and road crossings, and choose footwear for the conditions. For more days out to combine with your walk, explore Things to Do.

A History of Lorne House & its Occupants

Updated 3 October 2026

The history of Lorne House is woven into Box’s story: stone quarrying, changing family homes, the childhood of Wilbert Awdry and, more recently, welcoming visitors to the village.

The history of Lorne House: Victorian beginnings

The house’s recorded history dates Lorne House and its neighbouring property, Glenavon, to 1876, built by a branch of the quarry-owning Pictor family. Lorne House was originally known as Lorne Villa. Earlier research for this website traced a succession of residents through census and local records.

That background gives the house a place in the wider story of Box, where Bath stone and the railway shaped the village’s development. The house has changed through the years as successive residents adapted it to their lives.

1920–1928: the Awdry family’s Journey’s End

Wilbert Awdry lived at Lorne House from 1920 to 1928. His family renamed it Journey’s End. The nearby railway and the sounds of steam engines became part of the imaginative world he later drew on for The Railway Series.

His father, the Reverend Vere Awdry, shared his enthusiasm for railways. Local photographs and former residents’ memories preserve glimpses of that family life. Our Awdry article explores the connection in more detail.

From 1928: the Bence family

Geoff Bence’s first-hand recollections record his family’s move to Lorne House in 1928. His parents, Leslie and Violet, were part of the village’s shopkeeping community.

His account makes the old house feel lived in: a basement washroom, a room for charging the accumulators that powered wireless sets, and a cool cellar used for storing food and preserving eggs. He also remembered a pump drawing water from a well. These are historical memories, rather than descriptions of today’s guest facilities.

Old metal water pump beside a sink at Lorne House
Archive photograph of the water pump mentioned in the house’s earlier history.

Read Geoff Bence’s original account on Box People and Places for the fuller family story.

A new chapter in the history of Lorne House

The house’s earlier history records its conversion to guest accommodation in the early 2000s. Mike and Fran Ralli subsequently refurbished Lorne House, with a project documented by Julie Kent Interiors. Bob and Liz Matthews continued the business from 2016.

In January 2026, Harry and Eliza took over running Lorne House. Today it welcomes guests to eight en-suite bedrooms, with both individual room stays and whole-house stays.

Meet the family welcoming you today

Visit About Harry & Eliza for the current chapter of Lorne House. For more of the village’s past and places to explore, follow our Box guide and Things to Do.

Historical background: Lorne House’s original house-history research; Geoff Bence’s recollections; Vere Awdry photographs. Harry and Eliza’s January 2026 takeover is confirmed by the family.

Lorne House

A characterful house in Box.
Boutique B&B rooms and exclusive whole-house stays near Bath.

London Road, Box
Wiltshire, SN13 8NA

01225 742597 · Voice & WhatsApp
info@lornehousebox.co.uk

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