Staff Gallery

GWR Wartime Emergency Headquarters in Berkshire, 1940

A busy office scene pictured here in 1940. This office was part of the GWR's Emergency Headquarters located at Aldermaston, Berkshire. 12 departments were evacuated from the head office at Paddington at the start of the war and relocated to this purpose built site, comprising of 6 separate buildings. Special trains conveyed clerical staff from their homes to the station at Aldermaston each day. Other country houses on the outskirts of London were also used to accommodate head office workers

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. 38 million gas masks were distributed in Britain to protect against any ill effects should gas bombs be dropped. After an air raid GWR staff would continue their normal duties, but in some instances would continue to wear their gas masks. This image shows a porter at Paddington Station wearing his mask. It must have been difficult to carry out normal tasks with limited visibility and restricted movement

Women porters working in the left luggage office at Paddington station, during WWII

The Left Luggage Department at Paddington Station was, during the war, manned by female staff as can be seen in this image taken in 1943. Such roles were regarded by the GWR as ideal for women, allowing male workers to transfer to heavier manual roles within the company. Restrictions were placed on passenger luggage from the early days of the war in an attempt to discourage travel for pleasure, but as the quantity of luggage in this photograph shows, this campaign was not completely successful. Note that the lady on the right is in the process of storing a soldier's tin helmet on the shelves behind her

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