More information on the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory The Rutherford Appleton Laboratory is located in Oxfordshire, near Didcot, and is conveniently situated for air, rail and road networks.

The Rutherford Appleton Laboratory has a staff of around 1200 who support the work of over 10000 scientists and engineers, mainly from the university research community. Its main facilities enable research into new materials and structures, for example from battery electrolytes to turbine blades, X-ray laser research, space-based astronomy, the co-ordination of particle physics and many other topics as detailed elsewhere on the website. The laboratory also has responsibility for Science and Technology Facilities Council 's third site, the Chilbolton Observatory near Andover in Hampshire, which specialises in radio propagation research related to mobile communications. Through its links with the Appleton Laboratory, the laboratory can trace a history back to 1921. A laboratory has existed on the Chilton site since 1957 when the then Rutherford High Energy Laboratory, an establishment of the National Institute for Research in Nuclear Science, was set up. Following mergers with the Atlas and Appleton Laboratories in 1975 and 1979 respectively, the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory was formed with a diverse remit to support a wide range of university research activities. Together with Daresbury Laboratory, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory was brought under the umbrella of the Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CCLRC ) in 1995.

How to get there

By Car - From the A34 (northbound)
Take the A4185 (A417) exit, signposted for Science and Technology Facilities Council Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (R.A.L.) and Wantage. Turn left onto the A4185. After about 0.5 mile at the roundabout, take the first exit onto Fermi Avenue. Go straight across two mini roundabouts and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory can be found on the left hand side after the Diamond Light Source building.

By Car - From the A34 (southbound)
Take the A4130 (A417) exit signposted Milton, Chilton, Didcot and Wantage. At the roundabout take the fourth exit signposted A4130 Wantage, Steventon, Drayton, Harwell. Follow this road for one and a half miles and continue straight on at the Rowstock roundabout onto the A4185. After about two miles turn right at the roundabout onto Fermi Avenue. Go straight across two mini roundabouts and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory can be found on the left hand side after the Diamond Light Source building.

By Rail
The Rutherford Appleton Laboratories are located close to Didcot Parkway Railway Station, which is on the main line between Oxford and London (Paddington).

By Air
Both Birmingham and London Heathrow airports have good transport links to the Rutherford Appleton Laboratories.

From Birmingham International station take the train to Oxford and change there for the onward journey to Didcot Parkway.

From Heathrow Airport, take the Heathrow Express direct to Paddington Station or the Tube into London and make your way to Paddington Station. From Paddington station there are direct trains for Didcot Parkway.

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