Passengers Gallery

Taxi Rank at Paddington Station, 1934

This images shows the busy taxi rank at Paddington Station in 1934. Over 20 taxis are waiting along this stretch. By the 1930s most taxis were motor vehicles, but a lone horse drawn taxi can be seen in the centre

© Steam Picture Library

Cab, Paddington, Taxi

Evacuees waiting outside the departure platform at Paddington in 1939

One of the very first war time roles that the GWR was engaged in was the evacuation of children from cities to the relative safety of the countryside. Even before war was declared, plans were drawn up for evacuation so the GWR and the other major railway companies were prepared and on standby to put these plans into action. On August 31st 1939, the day before Germany invaded Poland, the order to begin the evacuation was given. The very next day the mass movement of children began and continued until September 4th. The GWR was responsible for the majority of the children moved from North and East London and while most of the evacuation trains departed from Ealing Broadway, this image shows groups of children being off-loaded from a double decker bus outside the Departure Platform at Paddington Station during the four days of evacuation in September 1939

Passengers waiting on Platform 5, c1920s

The images is marked "First Arrivals" suggesting the passengers are awaiting a special train for a specific occasion

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Junction, Passenger, Platform, Station, Swindon