Walk in the footsteps of Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Discover Swindon as it was when 'Steam' was the major invention that changed the way people travelled forever.
In 1841 Brunel, one of the Greatest Britons of all time, and the Great Western Railway Company started to build what was to become one of the most outstanding industrial centres recognised around the world – the 'Swindon Works'.
Known locally as 'The Works' or 'Inside', in its heyday the GWR employed over 14,000 people and turned out over 60 new locomotives a year.
This trail will take you through some of the streets, work places, houses, pubs and social centres the GWR workers and their families worked and lived. Some 270 of the buildings in the railway heritage area are listed, keeping alive what is arguably one of the country’s finest examples of industrial heritage.
This website has been developed by Forward Swindon Limited, with support from Swindon Borough Council and the Tourist Information Centre from the original website developed in 2002. The original research and photographic sourcing was provided by Iainthe Matheson, and original consultancy, research and text supplied by Rosa Matheson. A great deal of help was received along the way with both the original site and this new version, please see acknowledgements.
If you have any comments, interesting facts, stories and images relevant to this site, please get in touch by emailing us at info@forwardswindon.co.uk.
Experience the trail for yourself.
Simply download the trail from the link
below and print out as required.
We hope you find this site interesting, informative and fun. If you would like to explore opportunities for developing the site for use with the school's curriculum, please get in touch on info@forwardswindon.co.uk.
We would also be happy to discuss ideas with local groups, just drop us a line on info@forwardswindon.co.uk.
Getting to Swindon couldn't be easier
By Road
From London or the South West and Wales - M4 motorway, junctions 15 & 16. From the North and Midlands M5 motorway, junction 11a and the A419. From Oxford and the East A420.
By Train
One hour from London Paddington. Frequent high speed services operate from Reading, Bristol and South Wales. Also branch trains from Oxford, Cheltenham, and Gloucester. For further information call National Rail Enquiries on 08457 484950 or visit The Trainline Website.
By Coach/Bus
There are frequent National Express coaches and a rail/air link express between London Heathrow Airport and Reading rail station. For more information call National Express on 08705 808080 or visit the National Express Go By Coach website
First Great Western Train Services
If you travel to Swindon on First Great Western, you can get a 20% discount on normal admission prices for STEAM Museum by buying your admission ticket at the same time you buy your FGW rail travel ticket. For more information please visit the First Great Western website
Hotel Accommodation
Great offer on accommodation at The Marriott Hotel including tickets to STEAM and discount voucher for the Designer Outlet Village in Swindon. Click here for more information
The museum of the Great Western Railway tells the story of the men and women who worked inside the Works. Viewed from its side one can clearly see the three distinct original buildings that make up the museum.
The small dark stone building (1864) was built by Armstrong; in here you can find the museum's Commemorative Wall of Names. The sandstone building (1846) was a Smith's Shop and now holds the Storehouse Exhibition.
The main part of the museum is a magnificent building with unique architectural features designed by Brunel to accommodate the weight of machinery that would be used on the two floors. One can still see the massive beams high up in the reception area and the great thickness of the walls. A second stage building, it is a bigger, stronger version of the first Wheel Machine Shop.
This modern and vibrant shopping centre has been carefully regenerated to reflect its previous heritage as part of the Great Western Railway Works.
Where the shops and restaurants are now situated used to be the Workshops – the Tin Smiths, the Brass Foundry, the Boiler Shop, Machine Shops, and the Hydraulic House. Many items that were used in the daily work, such as an overhead crane, can be still seen inside the Centre.
At the end of the Centre is the GWR Heritage Trust, originally the Iron Foundry. At present this is used for steam engine and carriage conservation work.
The Hooter, originally on the 'R' Shop (STEAM) was later re-sited on Hydraulic House, which came to be known as the Hooter House.
Its sound called the GWR employees to work and regulated their working day. Its loudness caused bitter dispute between local landowner Lord Bolingbroke and the GWR. It sounded for the last time at 4:30 pm March 26th 1986 when it kept going until the steam ran out. The twin domes of the Hooter can still be seen today on the rooftop close to the footpath to the food hall.
Approached from the back one can see the original old stone small building that was the Stores and office of the first Work's Manager Archibald Sturrock 1843 - 1849.
The main Bristol Stone addition is an impressive building that reflects the high status of Locomotive Manager who was based here. The magnificent traditional lamps' brackets were cast in the Works.
One of the earliest buildings in the first stage development of the Works 1841 – 1842. This was a Wheel Machine Shop where engine repairs were carried out. It is a fine example of industrial heritage regeneration.
The National Monuments Record Centre is made up of the Pump House, the Stores and the first offices of the Works. One can still see the original window, under the brown brick arch on the ground floor, of the first Accountant's office. Above this was the Work's Drawing Office and behind here worked and slept Sir Daniel Gooch, then Locomotive Superintendent.
Joseph Armstrong, George Jackson Churchward and Charles B. Collett all made changes and additions to the General Offices. As the GWR network grew so too did the General Offices. Eventually almost 2,000 people worked in these buildings.
Built in 1871 by Joseph Armstrong to give employees safe access to the Works and prevent injuries and deaths from having to cross the main railway line, the tunnel is 380ft (115.8m) long and passes beneath what were the Carriage Works and the main line. At one time iron turnstiles were used to regulate the workers who passed through the tunnel each day. However these were later removed to allow light vehicles the use of the tunnel.
From its beginnings, the Institute was the social, cultural and educational heart of the railway community. The original building (northside, foundation stone laid 1854) housed an office, a classroom, library and refreshments room (no alcohol), hot and cold baths and later a concert hall.
At the south end was the reading room and the octagonal market which was demolished in 1891 and a major extension undertaken adding a number of social rooms and a marble staircase.
During World War 2, the roof, being the highest spot in the area, was used as a point for fire watching.
Since the 1980s the building has been empty, however a project of restoration and refurbishment is now underway.
Originally built as a three-story house and shop it was first occupied in the 1840s by a Mr Fidler, whose trade is unknown. In the 1850s, a William Warner occupied it as a wool and linen drapery after which it was converted into a public house, which was called 'The London Stout House'.
It got its current, unusual name because of its association with the woodworkers from the nearby carriage shops.
It retains its link with the GWR as it serves
beer now brewed in part of the former
Carriage Works.
Brunel's sketches show clear plans for the village settlement for the GWR employees and their families. Designed with imposing and elegant frontages, despite the very basic interiors, because at that time they would have been clearly visible to the travellers on the trains. Started in 1842 - under contract by J.D & C Rigby, the village took almost fifteen years to complete.
The streets were named after important stations on GWR's system.
No 34 Faringdon Road has been restored to a period of around 1900. Entering from the backsies you come into the small backyard with its outside privy on the right. Entering into the cottage is like turning back time – you can even smell it. The cottages, initially one-up and one-down, eventually varied in size and were allocated on status within the works. Sometimes several families plus lodgers shared one small house.
The cottage is open by prior arrangement for visiting groups.
Initially a lodging house for single men with shared common rooms and kitchen. Each bedroom had a bed, chair and chest of drawers. Its austerity and strict regime earned it the name 'The Barracks'. It was remodelled into small flats to accommodate the influx of Welsh families in 1861 who came to work in the new Rolling Mills.
Sold and extensively rebuilt in 1869 it was consecrated as a Wesleyan Methodist Chapel. It remained as such for 90 years. Many railway employees were married there. In 1962 under the Corporation of Swindon, it was turned it into the GWR Railway Museum, which it remained until October 1999.
The Barracks has now been converted into The Platform Youth Centre which includes a 30 seat train carriage which is used as a break out and activity room.
The Medical Fund Society (established 1847) by means of a mandatory subscription deducted from the wages of the men employed in the Works, provided welfare services to them and their families from 'the cradle to the grave.' It served for over 100 years until the coming of the National Health Service, for which it is believed to have acted as one of the models.
The Fund Hospital (now the Community Centre) with ward, bathroom, operating theatre and post mortem room, was converted from the X1 Wiltshire Volunteer Rifle Corps armoury and an adjoining cottage into the nurses' residence at a total cost to the GWR of £130. The first patient was received in December 1871. Later cottage conversions added a dispensary and consulting room. The hospital finally closed in 1961.
The Baths were built in 1891 to provide washing baths and recreational swimming and Turkish baths. The building also housed a wide range of the Medical Fund facilities such as the dentist, the dispensary and consulting rooms. The large bath was for male swimmers who used changing boxes alongside the pool. A smaller pool was provided for the women and children. The coloured glass window is a major feature of the large pool.
A substantial house of London yellow brick built in 1876 for the Company's Chief Medical Officer it originally had an attached surgery. This was the place that engine drivers from all over the system would come for their annual medical. Prospective employees were also examined here before being taken on.
The house was renovated in August 1984 and is home to a number of small businesses.
Previously known as the GWR Park and before that as the Cricket Field, it played a large part in the social life of the railway villagers. Gifted in 1844 to them by Colonel Villett, a local landowner, it hosted many inter-shop cricket matches as well as fixtures against other towns.
It was also home to the Children's Fete, an extraordinary annual event with a fair ground ride and tea and cake for all the children. In 1904 38,000 people attended. The Fete has been rescued and continues today.
Designed in gothic style by prominent Victorian architects Scott and Moffat and built in Swindon stone during 1843-5, it was consecrated on 25th April 1845, the Feast Day of St. Mark, with some 10,000 people and dignitaries attending. The Reverend Joseph Mansfield was appointed first Vicar.
In the north-western corner of the church stands the later addition 140ft (42.7m) tower and spire which received mixed reviews. However it has secured the church’s place as a landmark within the historic area.
Many of the early railway workers were buried in the grounds around the church including:
Works Manager, Minard Rea (1857)
Joseph Armstrong, Locomotive, Carriage & Wagon Superintendent (1877)
G.J. Churchward (1932)
With the coming of the Carriage Works it was necessary to have a better satisfactory source of high pressured water close by for fire fighting purposes. The Water Tower was built in 1871 to provide this and give a more adequate supply of water to all parts of the Works.
Designed as several tiers of long iron columns standing on each other, it stands at almost 75ft. The tank at 6' deep has a working capacity of 41,000 gallons (186,386 litres). It is a fine example of industrial architecture.
In the early years the privies were emptied of 'nightspoil' daily by a man coming along these back alleys with his horse and cart to take the spoil away to the countryside. One can still see the privy access point (now bricked up) outside No.5 Bristol Street.
The backsies were also the delivery access to the backyards where coal and wood, bought from the Works, were stored. Rabbits and chickens bred for food were also kept here. In an effort to control unsanitary conditions competitions for the 'cleanest
back premises' were run.
