Dame Ruth Railton DBE (14 December 1915 – 23 February 2001) was a British music director and conductor. After St. Mary's School, Wantage, and the Royal Academy of Music, she became director of music or choral work for several schools including St. Catherine’s, Bramley. She founded the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain in 1948. She was an adjudicator of the Federation of Music Festivals from 1946-74. She was created a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1966.