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139 Photographic Prints
Two little girls awaiting evacuation from Paddington Station, September 1939Part of the evacuation of London during WW2
A man and woman carrying out work on a steam hammer during WW2, 1942A man and woman carrying out work on a steam hammer during WW2 in the GWR Swindon Works, 1942. The man is wearing a blacksmiths apron
Swindon Works War Work, 22nd January 1942Female worker machining a 25 PDR shell on 22 January 1942. Munitions work issued by Ministry of Supply
SS St Julien as a hospital ship, at Newport Docks, c. 1940This image shows SS St Julien at Newport Docks following her conversion into a hospital ship, as denoted by the red cross painted on the side of her hull
Loading Churchill Tanks at Marlborough High Level Station, 1942Taken from the January 1943 edition of the GWR Magazine
Female Ticket Inspector at Paddington Station in 1943An official photograph of a ticket inspector at Paddington Station checking the ticket of a passenger on-board an outbound train in 1943
LMS coach no. 6204 converted to an ambulance train car, 1939This official photograph of an ambulance train car was taken on behalf of the Swindon Works Drawing Office in October 1939
GWR station staff member in a gas mask, c. 1939During 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
U. S. 0-6-0T shunting tank engine No. 1940 in its black War Department livery, 1942This is an unusual inclusion in the photographic collection at STEAM, being an image of a U.S. 0-6-0T shunting tank engine which never actually worked the Great Western network
USA S160 2-8-0 locomotive No. 1606 coupled to an ambulance train, 1942Once the USA joined the war following the bombing of Pearl Harbour in December 1941 the GWR became involved in the provision of rolling stock for use by the American Army
16 inch naval gun loaded on a set of four POLLEN E wagons, 1944This 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
Great Western Tender, No. W84, formerly No. 2641, 1941Great 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
Dean Goods locomotive No. 2533 in War Department black liveryThis official photograph of a Dean Goods locomotive No. 2533 was taken at Swindon Works in October 1939 prior to its shipment overseas
Evacuees at Paddington Station in 1939This moving image of evacuees making their way along platform 4 at Paddington Station was also taken during the 4 day evacuation of London and other major cities in September 1939
Mogul locomotive No. 8314 with bomb damage in 1941A 4300 Mogul locomotive, No. 8314, lies amongst the debris following an air raid in Weymouth on 17th January 1941. Star Class locomotive, Princess Charlotte
Bomb damage to Bowden Hall locomotive at Keyham Station, 1941This 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
Bomb damage to locomotives at Newton Abbot Station, 1940On 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
Air Raid notice, issued to passengers in 1940This 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
US 2-8-0 tender locomotive No. 1604 at Paddington Station, 1942On December 11th 1942, for the very first time, an American built locomotive steamed into Paddington Station. Acute shortages of locomotives on the GW network due to locomotives being sent overseas
Goods vehicle converted into an ambulance ward car, c. 1940This photograph shows an interior view of a goods vehicle that has been converted into an ambulance ward car. The basic slatted bunks held up by chains look to offer little in the way of comfort
Iron Mink Wagon converted into a salvage van, c. 1940This special salvage van was converted from an iron mink wagon. It was used to collect scrap from principal stations on the GWRs network
Australian Navy on locomotive No. 6021 King Richard II, 1945A group of visitors from the Australian Navy pose for this photograph on top of locomotive No.6021 King Richard II. The officers
Australian Navy visiting A Erecting Shop at Swindon Works, 1945An image of the visit from the Australian Navy inside A Erecting Shop at Swindon Works, examining locomotive No. 3827. The officers
Unveiling of the World War 2 memorial at Paddington Station, 1949On the 11th November 1949 the war memorial at Paddington which was erected following the First World War, was again the focus of a moving ceremony when a new plaque was unveiled by former GWR General
Workers riveting a locomotive boiler in V Boiler Shop c. 1942In this image taken at Swindon Works sometime during the latter half of the war, three women are shown working on the riveting of a locomotive boiler in V Boiler Shop
SS St Julien at the Banana Dock in Dieppe c. 1939SS St Julien is pictured here at the Banana Dock in Dieppe during her service as a hospital ship. St Julien was built in 1925 as a vessel to serve the GWRs Weymouth route
U.s locomotive No. 1604 at Swindon Works in December 1942U.S locomotive, No. 1604 is photographed here at Swindon Works in December 1942. Many of the American engines that were shipped to Britain were actually on their way to service on the continent
Female employees at Swindon Works making lamps, c. 1940A larger group of female employees have been photographed here engaged in the making of lamps at Swindon Works. The tin lamp bodies
American S160 Class 2-8-0 locomotive No. 1609 upon arrival at Newport Docks, 1942From late 1942 American locomotives began to arrive at the Great Westerns South Wales Docks, having been shipped over from America to assist allied forces both in Britain and on the Continent
Carriage No. 4329 from US General Dwight D. Eisenhowers Alive train in 1942One of the most important areas in which the GWR was asked to support both the war effort and the US army was in the provision of what was codenamed the Alive train which was to be used by the US
A 16 inch gun barrel loaded onto an eighteen wheel gun wagon in 1942This photograph, taken at Old Oak Common on the 10th April 1942, shows a 16 inch gun barrel that has been loaded onto an eighteen wheel gun wagon ready for delivery
GWR lorry delivering paintings from the National Gallery to a slate mine in Wales in 1940This photograph of a GWR lorry was taken around 1940. It shows the in delivery of historic and valuable paintings from the National Gallery in London to the disused Manod slate mine at Blaenau
Military tanks loaded onto Crocodile G wagons, c. 1939A train load of military tanks, loaded onto Crocodile G wagons, make their way through Acton, en-route to the Channel Ports, for shipment over seas
A Sea Hurricane being loaded onto an armed merchant ship at Cardiff docks, c. 1941As well as assisting in the transportation of military goods by rail the GWR also facilitated the war effort at their docks
0-6-0 Dean Goods locomotives No s. 2479, 2576, 2425 and 2399 in the process of being scrapped, c. 1949The sorry sight of four The sorry sight of four 0-6-0 Dean Goods locomotives, photographed in the late 1940 s, in the process of being scrapped. Identified as engine No s
Siphon G Wagon converted to ward car No. 3209 in 1943By the spring of 1940 Britains railway companies had supplied 25 ambulance trains for use both at home and abroad. In September 1942 the government ordered a further 27 ambulance trains
2-8-0 locomotives under construction in AE shop, 1943In 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
The 13th Battalion Home Guard at a rifle shoot at Liddington, c. 1942The 13th Battalion Home Guard at a rifle shoot on the chalk ridge at Liddington, near Swindon. The Home Guard evolved to be a well-equipped trained army and would partake in numerous drills
Van loaded with waste paper from the General Stores at Swindon Works, 1941Paper 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 1942Swindon 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 goods wagons at Newton Abbot Station in 1940On 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, 1942Swindon 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
Passengers at Paddington Station in 1943This image, taken on Saturday 31st July 1943 (August Bank Holiday), shows hoards of passengers at Paddington Station. In 1939 the slogan " Is Your Journey Really Necessary" was introduced
Bomb damage to Foxs Wood Tunnel, Bristol, 1941A 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
Signalman in operating signal levers during wartime, c. 1940A 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
A petrol trailer fire pump hauled by an ex-GWR Express Cartage van, 1940Fire fighting by the GWR was a important job in the Second World War. Incendiary bombs (designed to start fires) were used extensively during the war
Swindon Works Fire Brigade Dennis Fire Engine, 1942This Dennis fire engine was purchased by the Swindon Works Fire Brigade in December 1942. It was used to strengthen their wartime capabilities
Locomotive 4096, Highclere Castle with its wartime black out screen, c. 1940A train speeding through the countryside at night was a prime target for the German Luftwaffe. The glow from the locomotive firebox
Bomb Damage at Royal Oak near Paddington c. 1940Bomb damage to stations was inevitable after the sustained air attacks by the German Luftwaffe in late 1940 and early 1941
Bomb damage to Paddington Station in 1941A view of the departure side of Paddington Station following the explosion of a parachute mine on 17th April 1941. A gaping hole can be seen to the right of the image where the station offices were
GWR Wartime Emergency Headquarters in Berkshire, 1940A busy office scene pictured here in 1940. This office was part of the GWRs Emergency Headquarters located at Aldermaston, Berkshire
Air Raid damage to Paddington Station, 1941A 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
Motor landing craft built by the GWR at Swindon Works, 1942In 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
Matilda II tanks under construction at Swindon Work in 1941In September 1941, three Matilda II tanks were photographed leaving AE shop on Rectank wagons. The tanks are incomplete and are presumably ready to be transported elsewhere for final assembly
Tanks under construction in A Erecting Shop, Swindon Works. 1941One 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
Shell production for World War 2 in 24F shop at Swindon Works, 1942An image of the shell production line in 24F Shop showing view of the workshop space for shell inspection during World War 2
Scammel being loaded with Anderson Air Raid Shelter, West London, 1939Westbourne Park Yard in April 1939 is the focus of this interesting pre-war image. Parts of Anderson shelters are being unloaded from a line of wagons onto a 3 ton Scammell tractor by a Ransome
Motor landing craft under construction, 1942In 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
0-6-0 tender locomotive Dean Goods No. 2430 in wartime livery, c. 19390-6-0 tender locomotive Dean Goods No.2430 is pictured here in its wartime livery. The tender is painted with the WD for War Department and the engine bears its War Department number, 177
Staff at Gloucester Station 1944A group of station staff are photographed in front of a locomotive at Gloucester Station in 1944. Women held roles at railway stations during the war that were, until then, male occupations
Goods Yard, Cardiff Docks, 1943The Goods Yard at Cardiff Docks in September 1943 is the subject of this image. It features a group of three women unloading boxes from an open railway wagon
Female Dining Car Attendant, about 1940During the Second World War women took over roles normally assigned to men. This image shows a female GWR dining car attendant serving tea to three passengers
Female Stationmaster, June 1941This image features a young lady called Freda Jones. During the Second World War she was made a GWR Stationmaster at Pontdolgoch, a station in mid Wales on the Welshpool to Aberystwyth line
Female wartime workers, 1943This line up of women at Paddington Station shows the varied jobs female GWR employees undertook during the Second World War
Damaged railway lamps, 1942These rather forlorn looking lamps appeared in an article from the April 1942 edition of the GWR Magazine. The article looks at the daily toll of damaged and lost locomotive equipment
Coach No. 5189 in the Carriage Body Shop, 1946Great Western coach No. 5189 is featured in this photograph undergoing refurbishment in the Carriage Body Shop at Swindon Works in the summer of 1946
War memorial at Paddington Station in 1949This full length image of the newly rededicated war memorial at Paddington appeared in the December 1949 edition of the, by this time, British Railways magazine
Australian officers and sailors on a visit to Swindon Works, 1945Officers and sailors from H.M.A.S Australia on a visit to Swindon Works on July 13th 1945 whilst their ship was docked at Plymouth awaiting repairs
World War 2 booklet It Can Now Be Revealed, published 1945Throughout the war the British Railways Press Office issued a series of booklets that outlined the official story of the railways at war
The Goods Yard at Cardiff Docks in 1943The Goods Yard at Cardiff Docks in September 1943 is the subject of this image featuring a group of ladies stacking boxes that have probably just been off-loaded from a goods train
Women workers in the Permanent Way Dept at Reading, 1943Three ladies from the Permanent Way Department are pictured here at Reading in April 1943 off-loading wooden blocks from a wagon
Women employee in the Road Motor Department at Slough, 1944The Road Motor Department at Slough was another area that saw the employment of women in traditionally male roles. This photograph was taken on April 18th 1944
Swindon Works employees welding superheaters for locomotive boilers, 1942A group of female employees are welding the superheaters for locomotive boilers in P1 Shop. As rail operation was essential to the war effort
Swindon Works employees manouvering a wheel set by crane, c. 1940In this photograph a female crane operator is working alongside two male colleagues, manoeuvring a locomotive wheel set into place
Presentation of a War Savings League Cup to members at Swindon Works, 1944This 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
US soldiers embarking a ship in a GWR South Wales Dock, 1942The GWR docks in South Wales became busy points for the arrival and departure of US troops from mid 1942 when the first American ship to arrive at the Companys docks berthed at Swansea on the 18th
American Flag flying from Paddington Station hotel on July 4th 1941This image shows the American Flag flying from the front of the hotel at Paddington Station on July 4th, American Independence Day, 1941
Brake Third coach No. 3307 converted into a mobile cleansing unit, 1941The 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
Chevrolet Thornton military trucks lined up at Caerphilly Works, 1941This image taken in April 1941 shows five Chevrolet Thornton military trucks lined up outside the GWRs works at Caerphilly. These trucks were imported from the USA and arrived unassembled in crates
Tanks being loaded onto Rectank flat wagons, c. 1940Three tanks are being loaded onto Rectank flat wagons which were designed and built specifically for the movement of military vehicles by rail
Railway carriage converted to an ambulance ward car, c1939This internal view of an ambulance ward car gives a clear image of both the ingenuity used in converting rolling stock for medical use, but also the cramped conditions endured within these vehicles
A corridor brake composite carriage converted into a rail mobile emergency canteen, 1941In November 1941 this 56 feet corridor brake composite carriage was converted at Swindon Works into a rail mobile emergency canteen
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