London Stations Gallery

Bomb Damage at Royal Oak near Paddington c.1940

Bomb damage to stations was inevitable after the sustained air attacks by the German Luftwaffe in late 1940 and early 1941. This photograph shows the damage to the station at Royal Oak, just outside of Paddington. The two carriages of a London to Swansea train show the effect of a blast, including fire damage and broken windows. The track, platform and station buildings also suffered from the blast with twisted rails and broken slabs evident in the centre of the image

Evacuees at Paddington Station in 1939

This 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. On September 1st, 58 evacuation trains were run by the GWR alone, carrying 44, 042 children from the capital to the countryside. By the 4th September the number was reduced to 28 trains transporting 17, 796 children. In total the GWR ran 163 trains from London during this 4 day period, evacuating 112, 994 children. The evacuation story did not end there however, for the GWR was subsequently involved with the re-evacuation of children from the South and East Coasts to safer places, and the evacuation of more children from the London area

© STEAM Museum of the GWR

US 2-8-0 tender locomotive No. 1604 at Paddington Station, 1942

On 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 caused operational problems that threatened to affect the service the Company could offer to both the government and the general public. This was alleviated in part by borrowing locomotives from other British Railway Companies and also reinstating previously withdrawn engines back into service. In 1942 however, a number of American locomotives were shipped over to Britain to assist the domestic transport network. In a ceremony held at Paddington Station on the 11th December 1942, United States 2-8-0 tender locomotive No. 1604, pictured here adorned with the British and American flags, was formally handed over to Lord Leathers, Minister of War Transport, by Colonel N.A. Ryan, Chief of Transportation for the American Army, who stated that he hoped the locomotive "will do as good work for you as British Engines have done already for us"

© STEAM Museum of the GWR