1940s Collection

Swindon Works Map, c. 1940s
Swindon Works Map, c.1940s, showing the growth of the GWR Works in Swindon between 1846 and the 1940s. The sheer volume of workshops and sidings can be seen in fascinating detail

Birmingham Snow Hill Station, c. 1940s
A view of Birmingham Snow Hill station, c.1940s, showing platform No.8 and a few passengers strolling along

GWR Publicity Poster, London, 1946
The poster was produced by the GWR just after the Second World War. It was designed by Frank Henry Mason. The huge dome of St Pauls Cathedral dominates the skyline

Holiday Haunts guide book, 1947
A 1947 edition of the popular Holiday Haunts guide books published by the GWR. A glamorous blonde poses in a white two-part swimming costume in front of a lively beach scene

Penzance Station, Cornwall, c. 1940
A view of Penzance station, Cornwall, c.1940, showing Castle Class locomotive No. 5024, Carew Castle, sitting at the platform with the town of Penzance visible in the background

A man and woman carrying out work on a steam hammer during WW2, 1942
A man and woman carrying out work on a steam hammer during WW2 in the GWR Swindon Works, 1942. The man is wearing a blacksmiths apron

Newton Abbot Station, Devon, 1945
A view of Newton Abbot station in Devon, 1945, showing Southern Railway locomotive No. 1848 at the station. Newton Abbot station underwent an extension and rebuild between the wars

Kemble Station, Gloucestershire, c. 1940s
A view of the Junction of Cirencester Branch towards Swindon at Kemble station in Gloucestershire, c.1940s. It opened in 1872, and closed to goods 1967

Swindon Works War Work, 22nd January 1942
Female worker machining a 25 PDR shell on 22 January 1942. Munitions work issued by Ministry of Supply

GWR First Class Sleeper Car, 1946
A female passenger is having her morning tea delivered to her in one of the GWRs first class sleeping car compartments. The attentant delivering the tea stayed in the carriage

Tetbury Station, Gloucestershire, c. 1940s
A view of Tetbury Station in Gloucestershire, c.1940s. This image shows the approach to the station from the tracks. Tetbury station opened in 1889 on the Tetbury Branch Line and closed in 1964

Tetbury Goods Shed and Engine Shed, Gloucestershire, c. 1940s
A view of the Goods Shed and Engine Shed at Tetbury station in Gloucestershire, c.1940s. Tetbury station opened in 1889 on the Tetbury Branch Line and closed in 1964

Autotrain departing from Weymouth Station, Dorset, 1947
A view showing an Autotrain departing from Weymouth Station in Dorset, 1947. Railmotors became popular in the early 20th century on branch lines

Ticket barrier at Paddington Station, London, c. 1940
An image showing passenger tickets being checked at Paddington Station, London, c.1940. A ticket inspector is checking the ticket of a city gentleman wearing a bowler hat

Locomotive No. 6989, Wightwick Hall, 1948
Hall Class locomotive, Wightwick Hall can be seen here at Tyseley in 1948. The locomotive was built in the same year. The locomotive was withdrawn in 1964

Kilpeck Church, Herefordshire, August 1947
A GWR Publicity view of the south door of Kilpeck Church, near the ancient parish of St Devereux in Herefordshire, August 1947

Brine Baths, Droitwich, c. 1936
A GWR Publicity view of the 1935 extension of the St Andrews Brine Baths, Droitwich Spa in Worcestershire. The building is now called St Richards House and is home to the local Heritage Centre

Swindon Junction Station, April 1946
This photograph, taken in April 1946 shows Saint Class No. 2927, Saint Patrick, standing in Swindon Junction station. A number of goods wagons are on the left side of the image

Banbury Station, 1949
A view of Banbury station in Oxfordshire, taken in 1949 showing the platforms under the original overall roof which survived until 1953 when work began on rebuilding the station

Tetbury Station, Gloucestershire, 1947
A view of Tetbury station in Gloucestershire in 1947, showing Autotrailer No 55 at the platform. Tetbury station opened in 1889 on the Tetbury Branch Line and closed in 1964

Polruan, Cornwall, May 1949
View of the Cornish fishing village Polruan, May 1949. The Polruan-Fowey ferry landing can be seen in the image and a number of small fishing boats are moored up in the Fowey Estuary

Lechlade-on-Thames, September 1949
A rather deserted view across the marketplace in Lechlade. The building in the centre is Barclays Bank and is still in operation

GWR staff loading a stretcher into a parcel van which has been converted into an ambulance, 1940. The van bears the GWR roundel branding and a stylised poster on the side

Hallatrow Station and Signalbox, Somerset, c. 1940s
A view of Hallatrow Station and Signalbox in Somerset, c.1940s. The station opened in September 1873 at High Littleton, about a mile north of the village of Hallatrow

Medical Fund Hospital Operating Theatre, 1947
The Medical Fund Hospital was established in 1871. It had a number of facilities including an operating theatre

Towednack near St Ives from Trendrine Hill, June 1946
A GWR publicity view of the village of Towednack near St Ives in Cornwall from Trendrine Hill. The image was taken in June 1946 to publicise rambling using the GWR network along the Cornish Riviera

Chester, Cheshire, 1940s
A GWR Publicity view of the River Dee at Chester, Cheshire, in the late 1940s. People are sitting on the benches and strolling along The Groves beside the banks of the river

Readymoney Cove, Fowey, July 1947
A GWR Publicity view of Readymoney Cove at Fowey, Cornwall in July 1947. Children on holiday are playing on this sheltered beach near Fowey with the distinctive building behind

Passengers at Paddington Station in 1943
This image, taken on Saturday 31st July 1943 (August Bank Holiday), shows hoards of passengers at Paddington Station. In 1939 the slogan " Is Your Journey Really Necessary" was introduced

1000 lb Bombs at the Swindon Works, 1941
This image taken in March 1941 shows two 1000lb bombs sat next to each other in the X Shop, one with a fin and one without

Motor landing craft under construction, 1942
In August 1941 the GWR began building the first of a large number of motor landing craft in the Carriage and Wagon shops at Swindon. No

250lb Bombs at the Swindon Works, early 1940s
An image of some completed 250lb bombs being loaded onto GWR open wagon No. 44 in December 1940. Like with the majority of the war work undertaken at the Works specialist equipment was built to cater

Jackaments Bridge Halt, Gloucestershire, c. 1940s
A view of Jackaments Bridge Halt near RAF Kemble on the boarder between Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. The small wooden platform opened in July 1939 and closed in September 1948

GWR Third Class sleeping car, 1946
A male passenger is having his morning tea delivered to him in one of the GWRs third class sleeping car compartments. The attentant delivering the tea stayed in the carriage

Exeter St Davids Station, Devon, 1940
The smart exterior view of the Refreshment Rooms and Snack Bar at Exeter St Davids Station, 1940. It was part of a modernisation project led by GWR Chief Architect Percy Culverhouse

Promenade Gardens, Penzance, c. 1948
A GWR publicity view of the Promenade Gardens at Penzance, Cornwall in c.1948, showing pristinely kept planted beds and benches with a sea view

Shunt with Great Care Label
This is an example of a shunt with great care label that warned goods staff in the 1940s that some of the goods travelling on the GWR were fragile or dangerous!

Loco No. 3446 Goldfinch at Stratford on Avon, 1948
A view of locomotive number 3446 Goldfinch at Stratford on Avon on 6:10pm service to Honeybourne on 18th September 1948

Par Cliffs, Cornwall, May 1949
A GWR publicity view of the cliffs at Par Sands, Cornwall, May 1949. Par Beach lies on the Cornish Riviera by the fishing port of Par which became an important industrial town in the 19th century for

Par Sands, Cornwall, May 1949
A GWR publicity view of Par Sands in Cornwall, May 1949. This image shows the long stretch of white sand along the beach with the town of Par which lies on the Cornish Riviera just visible in

Luxulyan Valley Stream, Cornwall, May 1949
A GWR publicity view of a stream in the Luxulyan Valley in Cornwall taken in May 1949. It was an important industrial area in the 19th century

High Street, Oxford, October 1948
A view looking west down the High Street in Oxford. The central buildings belong to Queens College, founded in 1341. The spire in the background belongs to the University Church of St Mary the Virgin

St Johns Ruins, Chester, Cheshire, August 1948
A GWR Publicity view of the ruins at St John the Baptist church in Chester, Cheshire, in August 1948. A man sits on a bench by the ruins near Grosvenor Park

Stokesay Castle & Church, Shropshire, August 1947
A GWR Publicity view of the North Tower at Stokesay Castle & the Church of St. John the Baptist, near Craven Arms in Shropshire, August 1947

St Andrews Brine Baths, Droitwich, c. 1936
A GWR Publicity view of the 1935 extension of the St Andrews Brine Baths, Droitwich Spa in Worcestershire. The building is now called St Richards House and is home to the local Heritage Centre

St Davids, Pembrokeshire, September 1946
A GWR Publicity view of the UKs smallest city, St Davids in Pembrokeshire, Wales, September 1946. The cathedral, seen on the left of this photograph, is the resting place of Wales patron saint David

High Street Gate, Salisbury, Wiltshire, May 1947
A GWR Publicity view of High Street Gate, Salisbury, Wiltshire in May 1947. The gate is the main entrance to Salisburys historic Cathedral Close and was built between 1327 and 1342

All Professionally Made to Order for Quick Shipping