Swindon Works Collection (page 2)

No 12 Shop, Carpenters Shop, 1953
Carpentry was a skilled craft. Here three men are making various bits of furniture, including chairs, desk and cabinets. A stack of timber can be seen piled on the mezzanine floor behind them

No 21 Shop, Wagon Repair Shop, c. 1950s
Here a wagon frame is being removed from its wheels in preparation for some repairs. Temporary trolley wheels were added to move the frame into the workshop

No 1 Shop, Sawmill, c1950s
A view looking down the length of No.1 Shop, the sawmill. A crane is carrying a large log ready to be cut into timber. To the right newly cut timber lengths have been processed

No 9 Carriage Trimming Shop, c1930s
Two ladies are sat weaving luggage racks for the carriages built at Swindon Works. The majority of women were employed at the Works in roles that required good dexterity and skill

J Shop - Iron Foundry, 1924
This images shows the length of the Iron Foundry, which was often known as the Long Shop

No 19 (C / D) Shops, c1930
No 19 C and D shops covered both carriage lifting and bogie repairs. 3 men can be seen in this image lift a frame onto a set of wheels with the help of an overhead crane

12a Carpenters Shop, 1960
The carpenters shop was based within the Carriage and Wagons Works. Here they made an array of wooden items for use within the Great Western Railway

Frederick J. Hawksworth (1884-1976)
Frederick J. Hawksworth was Chief Mechanical Engineer of the GWR from 1941 to 1947. He took over his role half way through the Second World War

No 8 Shop, Paint Shop, 1953
Two men can be seen here painting a carriage. The carriages, like locomotives, had their own special livery that had to be painted with precision

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

No 17 Shop, Road Vehicle Shop, 1907
This image show both horse drawn vehicles and motor vehicles being built or repaired. The motor vehicles were omnibuses and were part of the GWR road passenger service that started in 1903

No 7 Carriage Finishing Shop, 1907
This photo looks to have been taken at the end of a working day. Tools have been left and sawdust can be seen on the floor after a day preparing doors

Old Saw Mills, Newburn Crescent, c1870
Before No 1 Sawmills opened in the far west of the Works wood was cut at a mill on Newburn Crescent. The men in this image have been busy cutting length of timber

King George V and Queen Mary on the footplate of Windsor Castle during their visit to Swindon Works
April 28th 1924

Women war workers making ammunition shells in 24F Shop, 1943
These women have been tasked with the pressing on of copper bands and insertion of base plates for 25-pounder quick firing, high explosive, streamline shells

No 4 Shop, Carriage Body Shop, c1920s
Several men can be seen here working on building coaches in No 4 Shop. The carriages are in varying stages from early frameworks to near completion

No. 16 Shop (Wheel Shop)
A 19th century view of the Wheel Shop at the Swindon Works

Class 52 Western Locomotive No. D1000 Western Enterprise, the first Western to be built at Swindon Works. Type 4 diesel hydraulic locomotives built at Swindon Works and Crewe Works between 1961

Apprentice Training School, Class of 1980 / 1981
Group photograph of the class of 1980/1981 of the Apprentice Training School in Swindon, taken in August 1981. The training school was situated at Dean Street

Macaw B railway wagon No. 84350 loaded with gun carriages at Swindon Works, c. 1915
Macaw B railway wagon No. 84350 has been photographed here loaded with 2 gun carriages awaiting dispatch from Swindon Works

Naval guns at Swindon Works, alongside Star Class locomotive, no. 4013 Knight of St Patrick, c. 1915
A view of four naval guns at Swindon works, positioned with Star Class locomotive, no. 4013 Knight of St Patrick on show on the turntable. This is very much a publicity photograph for the GWR

No 3 Shop, Carriage fitting and machine shop, 1953
Two men operate a 90 ton press in the carriage fitting shop. The press enabled sheet metal to be bent into shapes. It was cut and then assembled on carriages and wagons

Australian Navy on locomotive No. 6021 King Richard II, 1945
A group of visitors from the Australian Navy pose for this photograph on top of locomotive No.6021 King Richard II. The officers

Female employees at Swindon Works making lamps, c. 1940
A larger group of female employees have been photographed here engaged in the making of lamps at Swindon Works. The tin lamp bodies

Presentation of a War Savings League Cup to members at Swindon Works, 1944
This photograph was taken on 20th April 1944 and shows Chief Mechanical Engineer, F.W. Hawksworth, presenting a War Savings League Cup to members at Swindon Works

16 inch naval gun loaded on a set of four POLLEN E wagons, 1944
This image shows a 16 inch naval gun being carried on a set of four POLLEN E wagons in March 1944. Built in the early 1900s

2-8-0 locomotives under construction in AE shop, 1943
In this image, War Department 2-8-0 locomotives are shown under construction in AE shop at Swindon Works in May 1943. In order to meet the demand for locomotives for war work

Swindon Home Guard manning an anti-aircraft gun platform, c. 1940
Swindon Works was considered a prime target for aircraft strikes during World War II. Here, two members of the Home Guard are manning an anti-aircraft gun platform situated on the roof of uniform

Van loaded with waste paper from the General Stores at Swindon Works, 1941
Paper salvage was introduced by the Government at the outbreak of war in 1939. It was designed to encourage the recycling of materials to aid the war effort

Bomb damage to No. 24 shop at Swindon Works in 1942
Swindon Works should have been a prime target for the German Luftwaffe, but the Works remained relatively unscathed from any air raids on the town

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

Signalman in operating signal levers during wartime, c. 1940
A signalman in his gas mask continues normal duties at this unknown signalbox. But what is interesting about this photograph is the strange looking metal cabinet with its door ajar stood in

Swindon Works Fire Brigade Dennis Fire Engine, 1942
This Dennis fire engine was purchased by the Swindon Works Fire Brigade in December 1942. It was used to strengthen their wartime capabilities

Motor landing craft built by the GWR at Swindon Works, 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. 13, Wagon Frame Shop was where this work took place

Tanks under construction in A Erecting Shop, Swindon Works. 1941
One of the earliest tasks contracted to the GWR by the Ministry of Supply was the erection of tanks for supply overseas. Thousands of tank components were being made by all the British railway

Swindon Works Fire Brigade, 1916
This is a really impressive image of the Swindon Works Fire Brigade, taken in 1916. The smartly uniformed firemen are sat upon the Dennis Fire Engine which was purchased by the GWR in 1912

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

Swindon Medical Fund Society Cottage Hospital
The GWR Cottage Hospital was fully equipped with wards, treatment rooms and even an operating theatre

Patient number board from Swindon Medical Fund waiting room
GWR Medical Fund patients wanting to see a doctor, had to sit in the waiting room until their number was shown on the patient call board

Female rivet hotter, A Shop, c. 1940
During the Second World War Swindon Works employed women in both the workshops and offices. Here a female employee is helping her male colleague with riveting

Princess Elizabeth at Swindon Works, November 1950
Princess Elizabeth, now Queen Elizabeth II, is stood on the footplate of Star Class locomotive, No 4057, Princess Elizabeth

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

All Professionally Made to Order for Quick Shipping