Pillow : Swindon Works, 1908

EDITORS COMMENTS

This photograph, taken in the year 1908, offers a glimpse into the bustling world of Swindon Works, a significant locomotive manufacturing site for the Great Western Railway (GWR). The image, now a cherished print at the STEAM Museum, showcases the expansive scene looking towards the turntable and Erecting Shop. Swindon Works, located in Swindon, England, was the largest railway works in the world during its time. It was renowned for its innovative manufacturing techniques and the production of thousands of locomotives and rolling stock. The photograph captures the essence of the works in full swing, with steam billowing from chimneys, workers in their overalls busy at their tasks, and trains being assembled and disassembled. The turntable, a circular structure in the foreground, is a vital component of the railway system. It allows locomotives to be turned around, enabling them to be serviced or coupled to different trains without having to be reversed. The Erecting Shop, located to the right of the turntable, is where the heavy fabrication work on the locomotives took place. The massive cranes and hoists can be seen in action, lifting heavy components into place. The photograph is a testament to the ingenuity, hard work, and dedication of the GWR workforce during the early 20th century. It provides a fascinating insight into the railway industry's past and the role that Swindon Works played in shaping the railway network and the world as we know it today. The print, now preserved at the STEAM Museum, serves as a reminder of Swindon's rich railway heritage and the industrial revolution that transformed the town and the railway industry.