.The Mansion House, home to the Lord Mayors of York since 1732, will be open on Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 3pm. Last year the building welcomed over 1,500 people who enjoyed its magnificent interior throughout the weekend. Residents will be able to see the Caps of Maintenance, worn by the Sword bearer on ceremonial occasions, including the one presented by the Queen during her 2012 visit, as well as a special display of the work of York Camera Club.

On Saturday at West Offices, author and railway historian Dr Bill Fawcett will tell the story of York’s first railway station in an illustrated presentation entitled ‘Still serving the people’. Bill has lectured and published extensively on railway and architectural history, twice receiving the David St. John Thomas award for best transport history book of the year. He has also assisted with the historical background to conservation development strategies for many railway buildings. He is editor of the journal York Historian and is a member of the Railway Heritage Trust advisory panel. His talk will be followed by a tour of the original station hotel, refreshment rooms and train shed canopy – now part of West Offices –and a look around the modern offices of City of York Council
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