Swindon's Railway Village Gallery

Family boarding a train in the carriage sidings at Swindon, for the annual Works trip, 1932

Swindon Works closed down for two weeks every year, and the workers and their families went on a holiday known as the Trip. Complimentary trains ferried families to their destinations. In order to reduce any disruption to normal services, these trains were boarded from inside the Works or further down the line

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Medical Fund Dispensary, 1947

This large dispensary was sitauted on theground floor of the Milton Road building. The prescriptions were handed out through hatches to people in the waiting rooms adjacent. The Medical Fund Society in Milton Road housed swimming baths, Turkish and Russian Baths, a dispensary and a dentist. It was built in 1892

© STEAM Picture Library 2007 - All Rights Reserved

Mechanics Institute, 1933

This view of the Mechanics Institute shows the entrance to The Playhouse Theatre. The fly tower for the theatre can be seen in the centre of the building. This was built when a fire destroyed the old stage in December 1930.
The Institute provided a library, theatre and games rooms for GWR employees and their families. It was built in 1854 and stood in the heart of the Railway Village

© STEAM Picture Library 2007 - All Rights Reserved