Images Dated 20th February 2007

Soldiers and Sailors Buffet at Paddington Station, 1919

A shot capturing the last servicemen to be offered refreshments at the Soldiers and Sailors Free Buffet at Paddington Station on 28th June 1919. The forces canteen opened in April 1915 to offer sustenance to the servicemen who passed through Paddington during the war years. It was staffed day and night by a dedicated group of more than 80 female volunteers who, during the four years that the Buffet was open, served refreshments to more than 3 million men. The soldier sitting in the corner seat was himself a Great Western man, possibly on his journey home from active duty

© STEAM Museum of the GWR

Platform 1 at Paddington Station, 1904

This view of passengers boarding a train on Platform 1 was taken on the August Bank Holiday 1904.
Teeming with people, passengers and porters bustle about the platform by the clock at the First Class end of the train before it departs

© STEAM Museum of the GWR

1900s, 1904, August, Bank Holiday, Boarding, Edwardian, Paddington, Passengers, People, Platform, Platform 1, Station

New Swindon, 1847

Lithograph of New Swindon in 1847 with broad gauge locomotive, Fire Brand, in foreground.
Swindon Works can be seen to the right on the image, with the Railway Village to the left

© STEAM Museum of the GWR

1847, 2 2 2, Broad Gauge, New Town, Railway Village, Swindon, Swindon Works, Victorian, Village, Wiltshire