Locomotive Works Gallery

Swindon Works employees manouvering a wheel set by crane, c.1940

In this photograph a female crane operator is working alongside two male colleagues, manoeuvring a locomotive wheel set into place. What is particularly interesting to note in this image is the large expanse of roof lights, which have been blacked out as a precaution against air raids. The windows were painted with a thick black paint in order to prevent light from the workshops highlighting the Works as a target for air strikes. This had the effect of turning previously light airy shops into dark, gloomy places to work

U.S locomotive No. 1604 at Swindon Works in December 1942

U.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. However, during their stay in Britain the American engines were put into service on the country's railway networks. The difference between US and Great Western locomotives provided challenges for locomotive crews with the high sided tenders causing issues at coaling stages and the single boiler water gauge leading to several boiler explosions. In total, 174 U.S. 2-8-0 locomotives worked on GW routes, with engine No. 1604 working across the Western network from January 1943 until she was sent overseas in September 1944

Tanks under construction in A Erecting Shop, Swindon Works. 1941

One 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 companies during the initial years of the war, and this image of A Erecting shop at Swindon Works taken in June 1941 shows some of those components being brought together to form the body of 25-27 ton tanks. The tanks under construction are Infantry Tank Mark II, or Matilda II, as they were commonly known. They were difficult and complex tanks to build and required a skilled workforce with specialist machinery to correctly manufacture this model