Air Raid Collection

Bomb damage to locomotives at Newton Abbot Station, 1940
On 20th August 1940 Newton Abbot Station was attacked by three German planes. This image shows the devastation that was caused by both bomb damage and extensive machine gun fire

Mogul locomotive No. 8314 with bomb damage in 1941
A 4300 Mogul locomotive, No. 8314, lies amongst the debris following an air raid in Weymouth on 17th January 1941. Star Class locomotive, Princess Charlotte

Air Raid damage to Paddington Station, 1941
A view of Paddington Station following the explosion of the parachute mine on the 17th April 1941. Showing the internal damage to the station, particularly to Platform 1

Swindon Works employees manouvering a wheel set by crane, c. 1940
In this photograph a female crane operator is working alongside two male colleagues, manoeuvring a locomotive wheel set into place

Bomb damage to Bowden Hall locomotive at Keyham Station, 1941
This image was taken on 30th April 1941, the morning after an air raid at Keyham Station, Plymouth. It shows extensive damage to Hall Class locomotive, Bowden Hall

GWR station staff member in a gas mask, c. 1939
During an air raid the threat of poison gas bombs being dropped by the German Luftwaffe was extremely high. Mustard gas was the most deadly gas available and could take up to 12 hours to take effect

Brake Third coach No. 3307 converted into a mobile cleansing unit, 1941
The fear of gas attack was of paramount concern during World War II, as demonstrated by the mass issuing of gas masks prior to the outbreak of war in 1939

A Sea Hurricane being loaded onto an armed merchant ship at Cardiff docks, c. 1941
As well as assisting in the transportation of military goods by rail the GWR also facilitated the war effort at their docks

Great Western Tender, No. W84, formerly No. 2641, 1941
Great Western Tender, No. W84 is featured in this official image taken in April 1941. Formerly No. 2641, this 4000 gallon engine tender was requisitioned by the Government for use with a fire

Air raid damage to goods wagons at Newton Abbot Station in 1940
On 20th August 1940 Newton Abbot Station was attacked by three German planes. This images shows the devastation that was caused by both bomb damage and extensive machine gun fire

Air raid damage to the gas holder at Swindon Works, 1942
Swindon Works following the air raid on 27th July 1942. The gas holder at the gas works is pock-marked by machine gun fire from a lone aircraft that had swooped over the town early in the morning

Bomb damage to Foxs Wood Tunnel, Bristol, 1941
A rather forlorn looking carriage can be seen here at the entrance to No.2 Tunnel at Foxs Wood near Bristol in 1941. A bomb had hit the tunnel mouth and ricocheted into the carriage

Air raid shelter at West Ealing Goods Yard, 1940
A rather intriguing photo here of West Ealing Goods Yard, taken in 1940. The strange molehill shaped mounds dotted along the track are air raid shelters

Air Raid notice, issued to passengers in 1940
This notice was issued to passengers in August 1940 by the GWRs General Manager, James Milne. The safety of staff and passengers was of the utmost importance

Bomb damage to the GWRs salvage warehouse in London, 1940
In a cruel twist of fate, this image from the 15th November 1940 shows bomb damage to the GWRs salvage warehouse at Park Royal in north-west London

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