Swindon Works Collection (page 3)

GWR Trip Notice, July 1912
The front cover of a booklet providing information about the GWR Mechanics Institution Trip travel arrangements in July 1912

Trip week holiday makers at Tenby, c1930
Swindon Works staff and their families at Tenby during their trip holiday in about 1930

Princess Elizabeth at Swindon Works - Naming of Loco Swindon, 15th November 1950
This image shows Princess Elizabeth on her visit to Swindon Works, seen here naming the Castle Class Locomotive No.7037 Swindon, 15th November 1950

Princess Elizabeth at Swindon Works, 15th November 1950
This photograph shows Princess Elizabeth on her visit to Swindon Works on 15th November 1950. She is receiving a demonstration in the Iron Foundry J Shop in honour of her visit

A Class 120 diesel multiple unit undergoing repair in 19 Shop at Swindon Works in about 1980
A Class 120 diesel multiple unit undergoing repair in 19 Shop at British Rail Engineering Ltd workshops at Swindon in about 1980

Steam locomotives waiting to be scrapped lined up in the Concentration Yard at Swindon Works in 1952
Steam locomotives waiting to be scrapped are shown lined up in the Concentration Yard at Swindon Works in 1952

Locomotive No. 2939, Croome Court, 1935
This image of the Saint class locomotive was take at Swindon Works in June 1935. The locomotive looks to be in A Shop and was probably in for an overhaul

Female Clerks at Swindon Works, 1916
This image of female clerks was taken in May 1916, just 10 years after women were first employed in clerical positions within the GWR

6in. naval guns on display on Macaw B wagons at Swindon Works c. 1915
6in. naval guns on display on Macaw B wagons at Swindon Works. The guns were sent in from elsewhere, but the manufacture of 40 large field carriages upon which the guns were mounted was a specialist

Naval guns outside A Shop, Swindon Works c. 1915
Four 6in. naval guns are proudly displayed on the tracks outside of A Shop, with County Tank, No. 2232, in steam, just behind. The guns are mounted on carriages with limbers attached

No 18 Stamping Shop at Swindon Works in 1915
A view of No. 18 Stamping Shop from March 1915, showing the reverse of a stationary boiler. At the bottom left of the image are sheets of metal ready to be heated in the gas furnaces just above

Nordenfelt anti-aircraft gun in V Shop, Swindon Works c. 1915
This striking image shows a newly made 6 pdr Nordenfelt anti-aircraft gun complete with mounting platform and protective skirting

Carriage and Wagon Stamping (No. 18) Shop in 1915
This image of the Carriage and Wagon Stamping (No.18) Shop was taken in March 1915. Although no men are in shot, it shows the busy, dirty and hot nature of this workshop

Swindon Works Polishing Shop in 1914
A photograph taken on 7th August 1914 of the Polishing Shop in the Carriage and Wagon Works. French polishing was a skilled trade

No 22 Shop, Oil Works stores, 1951
Oil and grease was used in large quantities at Swindon Works. The Oil Works kept a continuous supply for the workshops around the site. It was situated at the edge of the Carriage and Wagon Works

No 21 Shop, timber stores, 1935
This image shows the building of the timber store in June 1935. The stores were part of 21 shop, where wagon repairs and building took place

No 15 Shop, Fitting and Machine Shop, 1931
An overall view of No.15 shop showing a bogie assembly line. A man to the right is operating a belt driven machine, whilst other men are busy assembling pieces for the bogie frames

No 15 Shop, Fitting and Machine Shop, 1951
This image shows a Wilkins and Mitchell drilling and facing machine in No.15 shop. This was one of hundreds of machines in the fitting and machine shops of Swindon Works

No 14 Shop, Smiths Shop, c1910
A photograph taken by Swindon photographer, William Hooper of the smiths shop in the Carriage and Wagon Works. A large steam hammer can be seen in the foreground attached to a stationary steam engine

No 13 Shop, Wagon Frame Shop, late 1940s
In the centre of the image two men can be seen using rivet guns to rivet a wagon frame. To the left two younger men are heating the rivets in a furnace using tongs

No 12 shop, Carpenters Shop, 1934
An exterior view of the Carpenters Shop. This workshop was situated adjacent to Station Road, next to one of the Works underpasses

No 9 shop, Carriage Trimming Shop, 1953
Here a group of men are making seats for train carriages. They are attaching fabric to ready made frames, complete with springs

Making artificial limbs, No 9 Shop, 1953
The skilled craftsmen of the Carriage and Wagon Works didn t just make rolling stock, they also made artificial limbs made from wood

No 9 Shop, Sewing Room, August 1914
The date of this photograph is 7th August 1914. Just three days after Britain entered the war. By this date there were already women employed at Swindon Works

No 4 Shop, Carriage Body Shop, 1949
This image shows an experimental aluminium frame attached to a wooden carriage body. The GWR experimented all the time in order to improve their rolling stock, in terms of speed and efficiency

Timber planing at the sawmill, 1953
A man operates a planing machine in one of the Works sawmills. Hundreds of metres of wood were planed each week ready for use on carriages and wagons

Making tenon joints at the sawmill, 1953
A man operates a double ended tenoning machine at one of the Works sawmills. He is cutting tenon joints out of pieces of timber

No 1 Shop, Sawmill, 1954
A large elm log sits in No 1 Sawmill awaiting cutting into timber. The GWR used all types of woods from around the World

No 21 (B) Shop, Wagon Paint Shop, 1953
Rows of wagons line up ready to be painted in this view from 1953. It looked like a conveyor belt system is in place to give each wagon its treatment

No. 9 Carriage Trimming Shop, October 1937
A rather busy scene here. Hundreds of men are working on carriage seat upholstery and padding cushions with horse hair. Racks of carriage seats

General Stores, c. 1950s
The General Stores were based at Swindon Works. They supplied not only the Works but stations and depots too. The Stores held thousands of items, such as brooms, lamps, soap, furniture and paint

Coach No. 5189 in the Carriage Body Shop, 1946
Great Western coach No. 5189 is featured in this photograph undergoing refurbishment in the Carriage Body Shop at Swindon Works in the summer of 1946

Australian officers and sailors on a visit to Swindon Works, 1945
Officers and sailors from H.M.A.S Australia on a visit to Swindon Works on July 13th 1945 whilst their ship was docked at Plymouth awaiting repairs

Australian Navy visiting A Erecting Shop at Swindon Works, 1945
An image of the visit from the Australian Navy inside A Erecting Shop at Swindon Works, examining locomotive No. 3827. The officers

Swindon Works employees welding superheaters for locomotive boilers, 1942
A group of female employees are welding the superheaters for locomotive boilers in P1 Shop. As rail operation was essential to the war effort

Railway carriage converted to an ambulance ward car, c1939
This internal view of an ambulance ward car gives a clear image of both the ingenuity used in converting rolling stock for medical use, but also the cramped conditions endured within these vehicles

A corridor brake composite carriage converted into a rail mobile emergency canteen, 1941
In November 1941 this 56 feet corridor brake composite carriage was converted at Swindon Works into a rail mobile emergency canteen

A paper recycling cart outside the General Stores at Swindon Works, 1941
A paper recycling cart outside the General Stores at Swindon Works in 1941. Bound bundles of paperwork and ledgers can be seen piled on the cart ready to be taken away to be pulped

Standing down parade of 13th Battalion Home Guard, Swindon Works, 1944
By the end of 1944 the threat of invasion from Germany became unlikely and it was decided that the Home Guard could be stood down

Presentation of the Wiltshire Home Guard in 1944
This photograph shows the presentation of an award to Home Guard member Mr C Wheeler in April 1944. He was a member of the 13th Battalion of the Wiltshire Home Guard which was formed in 1943 to

Wartime shells being packed up in 24F shop, ready for transportation in 1942
By 1943 the majority of Allied munitions production was undertaken by America and Canada. This eased the pressure on British workshops as there had become a serious shortage of materials

Shell production for World War 2 in 24F shop at Swindon Works, 1942
An image of the shell production line in 24F Shop showing view of the workshop space for shell inspection during World War 2

War time work in Q Shop at Swindon Works, 1942
This image was taken in March 1942 and shows four women operating a large pressing machine in Q Shop. The women are making 4.5inch copper bands for ammunition shells

No. 24F shop, Swindon Works, undergoing war time alterations in 1941
This image, taken in September 1941, shows the alterations taking place in 24F Shop to accommodate the new shell production for the Ministry of Supply

Production line for wartime shells in No. 24 Shop, Swindon Works, 1942
No.24 Shop, on the Carriage and Wagon side of Swindon Works was fitted out with two production lines for 25-pounder shells

Welding Containers for Bombs, K Shop, 1940
Some rather intricate hot work is taking place in this photograph taken in K Shop, the Coppersmiths, in November 1940. The men are welding exploder containers for 250lb bombs that were ordered by

Bailey Bridges, No. 2 Shop, 1942
This Official image taken in April 1942 shows timber components for Bailey Bridges under manufacture in No.2 Shop, the Sawmill, at Swindon Works

4000lb Bombs at the Swindon Works, 1940s
Over 2, 000 bodies for the 4, 000lb bombs were constructed at Swindon Works. This image taken at the L2 Tank Shop in December 1940 shows the construction of these bodies prior to them being sent to

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"Swindon Works: A Historical Journey Through Time" Step back in time with this captivating collection of images showcasing the rich history of Swindon Works. Delve into the past as you explore a vintage Swindon Works Map from the 1940s, providing a glimpse into the bustling hub of locomotive production during its heyday. Witness the grandeur and power of 7 King Class Locomotives at Swindon Shed in 1930, an awe-inspiring sight that exemplifies the engineering prowess of this iconic establishment. Meet George Jackson Churchward (1857 - 1933), a visionary engineer whose innovative designs revolutionized railway technology and left an indelible mark on Swindon Works' legacy. Join us on a memorable Swindon Works Trip in 1931, where workers proudly showcase their craftsmanship and dedication to building exceptional locomotives that would traverse Britain's rail network. Marvel at Railway Queen Mabel Kitson as she graces King George V at Swindon in 1928, embodying elegance amidst industrial might. Discover how even during times of conflict, such as World War II, Swindon Works played a vital role by converting LMS coach no. 6204 into an ambulance train car – demonstrating resilience and adaptability in service to our nation. Uncover stories untold as we witness men and women diligently working on steam hammers during WW2 in 1942; their unwavering commitment contributing to the war effort. Transport yourself further back to c1860 with a mesmerizing view capturing the essence of early days at Swindon Works when it was still taking shape but already showing immense promise for future success. Experience No. 6000 King George V being meticulously crafted within these very walls - an emblematic symbol representing both power and prestige synonymous with British railways.