A SECTION of Swindon transformed into a living museum which took families on a time-travelling trip into the past.

An impressive array of military vehicles, tanks, weaponry and uniforms were on display at the Swindon and Cricklade Railway to give people an insight into conflicts which shaped the modern world.

Reenactment groups set up tents and tables full of vintage equipment to show what life was like during wartime and pay tribute to those who fought in battles including both World Wars and Vietnam.

This led to unusual sights like a man in full military gear patrolling stalls of snacks, clothes, charity information and trinkets among the crowds of casually-dressed visitors, as well as soldiers from bygone eras stopping to have an ice cream in the sunshine.

The Pound family spent hours having a look around, listening to experts explaining fascinating facts about the past, and riding the steam trains on the railway’s historic tracks.

Jesse Pound said: “It was excellent. It’s great to see people trying to keep history alive, it makes it more tangible than reading it in a book, and they are so knowledgeable.

“The memorabilia is great, the vehicles are good, it’s been well put-together, and the steam trains let us relive our childhood.

“If these events stopped happening, would the history be lost?”

Guests enjoyed refreshments and period-appropriate music, and could stroll over to travel on the trains.

Darren Thomas from Bristol started doing living history exhibits 15 years ago, after leaving the armed forces.

He enjoyed the chance to bring his set-up of the Vietnam war back out to an event after the pandemic put things on pause for a year and a half.

Darren said: “It was very hot and very busy. People go away knowing something they didn’t know before, so that’s our job done.

“Everyone’s here to get an insight into the past, which is important - if you forget history, you end up making the same mistakes.

“People like the weapons and learning about Aussie Vietnam - they don’t know that Australia was involved in that war.”

Vintage vehicle collector Alan Haste brought his 1923 Morris Oxford four-seat open tourer along after being encouraged by a friend to drive over from Faringdon.

He said: “I drive it everywhere, shopping or to the pub, it runs lovely and you get lots of admirers. Families put their children in and take photos, it’s been nice.

"I’ve always been interested in old cars. I’ve restored them for 42 years and collected them for 30. You can’t just get in and go, you need to alter the fuel mixture and timing depending on travel conditions, and hills need a big run-up.

“I got the chance to work in my uncle’s body shop and that’s when I knew what I wanted to do. I used to clean this one for my boss and now I own it.”