RAILSCOT | Great Western Railway

Great Western Railway

Dates

04/06/1838	Great Western Railway First part of Great Western Railway opened from Paddington [1st] to Maidenhead [1st] opened. Stations on this section at: Paddington [1st], Royal Oak, Westbourne Park, Acton, Ealing Broadway, West Ealing, Hanwell and Elthorne, Southall, Hayes and Harlington, West Drayton and Yiewsley, Iver, Langley, Slough, Burham, Taplow, and Maidenhead [1st] .
06/04/1839	Great Western Railway Cooke and Wheatstone 5 needle system electric telegraph installed between Paddington [1st] and Hanwell. This was the first commercial telegraph line (and in fact first commercial use of electricity) and the public were able to pay to send messages.
09/04/1839	Great Western Railway Electric telegraph completed from Hanwell to West Drayton. Later extended to Slough.
01/07/1839	Great Western Railway Maidenhead [1st] to Twyford opened. Stations on this section at: Maidenhead (New), and Twyford.
30/03/1840	Great Western Railway Twyford to Reading opened. Stations on this section at: Reading.
01/06/1840	Great Western Railway Reading to Steventon opened. Stations on this section at: Tilehurst, Pangborne, Goring & Streatley, Cholsey & Moulsford, Didcot, Steventon.
20/07/1840	Great Western Railway Steventon to Faringdon Road (now Challow) opened. Stations on this section at: Wantage Road, Challow.
31/08/1840	Great Western Railway Bristol [1st] to Bath opened. Stations on this section at: Bath, Oldfield Park, Saltford, Keynshaw & Somerdale, St Annes Park, and Bristol Temple Meads.
17/12/1840	Great Western Railway Faringdon Road to Hay Lane (just west of Swindon) opened. Stations on this section at: Uffington, Shrivenham, Stratton Park Halt, Swindon, Hay Lane (But was this a station?).
31/05/1841	Great Western Railway Hay Lane to Chippenham opened. Stations on this section at: Wootton Bassett, Dauntsey, Malford Halt, Chippenham.
30/06/1841	Great Western Railway Chippenham to Bath opened, Great Western Railway main line open throughout. Stations on this section at: Corsham, Box, Bathford Halt, Bathmapton.
08/07/1844	Bristol and Gloucester Railway Standish Junction to Gloucester opened. The Great Western Railway had running powers from Standish Junction to Gloucester.
/ /1845	Bristol and Exeter Railway Great Western Railway Great Western considers buying the Bristol and Exeter which would be threatened by their planned direct London to Exeter line.
07/11/1845	Bristol and Exeter Railway Great Western Railway Great Western's take over offer refused by the smaller company.
/ /1846	South Wales Railway, Great Western Railway Great Western Railway to lease the South Wales Railway at 5%, if South Wales Railway completed to Fishguard.
16/07/1846	Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow and Dublin Railway Act passed. The Act allows the company to lease the Dublin and Kingstown Railway. The line is Great Western Railway (England) supported. (Known as the 'Three W's.)
30/04/1849	Bristol and Exeter Railway Great Western Railway Great Westerns lease expires
08/10/1849	Windsor Branch (Great Western Railway) Slough to Windsor and the west curve at Slough opened.
/ /1850	Great Western Railway Starts to acquire coking coal, for locomotive coal coke ovens, from Great Western Colliery on the Dinas Branch (Taff Vale Railway).
/ /1854	Shrewsbury and Chester Railway Great Western Railway Shrewsbury and Chester Railway merged into the Great Western Railway.
/ /1854	Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway Wolverhampton Low Level station opened by the Great Western Railway.
16/01/1854	Great Western Railway Paddington New station, departure side, opened.
29/05/1854	Great Western Railway Paddington New station, arrival side, opened.
/ /1860	Great Western Railway Buys the Cilely Colliery near Tonyrefail and the Ely Valley Railway. (1860s).
02/08/1860	Ely Valley Railway Broad gauge line opened from Llantrisant on the South Wales Railway. The line is worked by the Great Western Railway.
31/12/1860	Railway Clearing House By this date, Carlisle and Port Carlisle Railway and Dock, Bradford, Wakefield and Leeds Railway, Carlisle and Silloth Bay Railway and Dock, Coleford, Monmouth, Usk and Pontypool Railway, Darlington and Barnard Castle Railway, Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Railway, Great North of Scotland Railway, Great Western Railway, Hertford and Welwyn Junction Railway, Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway, Luton, Dunstable and Welwyn Junction Railway, North Yorkshire and Cleveland Railway, Rhymney Railway, South Wales Railway, Stamford and Essendine Railway, Taff Vale Railway, Vale of Clywd Railway and Warrington and Stockport Railway join.
/ /1861	Ely Valley Railway Great Western Railway takes a 999 year lease of the line.
07/06/1861	Llantrissant and Taff Vale Junction Railway Act passed for this Taff Vale Railway backed line. The line was promoted to stop expansion eastwards of the Great Western Railway backed schemes from Llantrisant. The line ran from Llantrisant Branch Junction, Treforest, to meet the Mwyndy Branch (Ely Valley Railway) at Maesaraul.
01/10/1861	Great Western Railway Third rail laid into London Paddington allowing standard gauge trains to enter the station.
01/07/1862	Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway Leased jointly by the London and North Western Railway, West Midland Railway and Great Western Railway.
/06/1863	Cowbridge Railway Agreement with the Great Western Railway to join South Wales Railway at Llantrisant rather than run to Maesaraul. Third rail laid from Llantrisant to Maesaraul Junction along the Mwyndy Branch (Ely Valley Railway).
13/07/1863	West Midland Railway, Great Western Railway West Midland Railway merged with Great Western Railway.
01/08/1863	South Wales Railway, Great Western Railway South Wales Railway amalgamated with the Great Western Railway.
01/02/1865	Vale of Neath Railway Great Western Railway works the line as part of its network.
/ /1871	Rhymney Railway Connection made between the Rhymney Railway (at south facing Penalltau Branch Junction) to a west facing junction on the Taff Vale Extension. This gave access to the line as far west as Middle Duffryn Junction and also the Taff Bargoed Joint Line and Quakers Yard and Merthyr Joint Railway both of which were jointly owned by the Great Western Railway and the Rhymney Railway to compete with the Taff Vale Railway.
/ /1872	Swansea Canal Bought by the Great Western Railway.
/ /1872	Great Western Railway Takes over the steamer service from Neyland to Waterford from Ford and Jackson.
01/08/1875	Monmouthshire Canal Tramway, Great Western Railway The Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company gives the Great Western Railway running rights over their system.
01/01/1876	Bristol and Exeter Railway Great Western Railway Great Western leases line
01/08/1876	Bristol and Exeter Railway Great Western Railway Great Western absorbs the Bristol and Exeter.
/ /1877	Brynmawr and Blaenavon Railway Extended south to Abersychan and Talywain station and Varteg Hill Colliery. A branch from Garndiffaith Junction ran to Golynos Junction on the Great Western Railway's Cwmffrwd Branch.
/ /1877	Halls Tramway Leased by the Great Western Railway.
01/08/1877	Taff Vale Railway Passenger trains transferred from Merthyr Plymouth Street to Merthyr High Street. Connection from Brandy Bridge Junction to Mardy Junction (Vale of Neath Railway) opened. The connection was joint Great Western Railway and Taff Vale Railway.
/ /1878	Pontypool, Caerleon and Newport Railway Connection made from Llantarnam Junction to Cwmbran Junction on the Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company line. Great Western Railway trains divert to main Newport station.
/ /1878	St Ives Branch (West Cornwall Railway) Great Western Railway St Ives Branch (West Cornwall Railway) part of Great Western Railway.
01/01/1878	East Somerset Railway Cheddar Valley and Yatton Railway (Bristol and Exeter Railway)Great Western Railway The Great Western Railway starts to run passenger trains from the Cheddar line through the Somerset and Dorset Railway's Wells station to Witham.
01/05/1878	Brynmawr and Blaenavon Railway Extension to Abersychan and Talywain opened to passengers. Track in the station was jointly owned by the London and North Western Railway and the Great Western Railway as the line met its Talwain Branch here.
/ /1880	Ely and Clydach Valleys Railway Merged into the Great Western Railway.
02/04/1880	Culm Valley Light Railway Great Western Railway Line sold to the Great Western.
01/08/1880	Monmouthshire Canal Tramway Great Western Railway Act passed for merging the Monmouthshire into the Great Western Railway.
09/05/1881	Morriston Branch (Great Western Railway) Opened from Hafod Junction to Morriston.
/ /1882	Moss Valley Branch (Great Western Railway) Line opened from Moss to Moss Valley Junction
14/09/1882	Cardiff Riverside Branch (Great Western Railway) Opened by the Great Western Railway.
07/07/1884	Pontypridd, Caerphilly and Newport Railway First attempt to open new route. Train departs Pontypridd but is blocked by the Great Western Railway at Bassaleg Junction.
01/05/1885	Exe Valley Railway (Great Western Railway) Line opened by the Great Western. Built to standard gauge.
09/11/1885	Abbotsbury Branch (Great Western Railway) Abbotsbury opened
/ /1886	Severn Tunnel (Great Western Railway) Opened
22/03/1886	Llynvi Valley Extension (Great Western Railway) Abergwynfi opened
/04/1886	Pontypridd, Caerphilly and Newport Railway Owned section of track through Park Mile is opened to West Mendalgief Junction. Route authorised to east of existing lines, but is swapped with Great Western Railway for use of original westernmost route. Great Western Railway moves sideways onto new tracks.
01/04/1886	Quakers Yard and Merthyr Joint Railway (Great Western Railway and Rhymney Railway) Opened. The line connected to the Crawshays Private Railway and the Vale of Neath Railway at Merthyr. Joint Great Western Railway and Rhymney Railway.
/ /1889	Cornwall Railway Great Western Railway Cornwall Railway absorbed by the Great Western Railway.
28/06/1892	East Usk Branch (Great Western Railway) Powers to build East Usk Branch taken over by Great Western Railway.
/ /1894	Cardiff Riverside Branch (Great Western Railway) Converted for passenger use.
/ /1897	Minehead Railway Great Western Railway Minehead Railway absorbed by the Great Western Railway.
/ /1898	Fishguard and Rosslare Railways and Harbours Absorbed by Great Western Railway. (See also Fishguard and Rosslare Railways and Harbours [Ireland].)
/ /1898	New Ross and Waterford Line (Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway) Support of the Fishguard and Rosslare Railways and Harbours withdrawn when absortbed by the Great Western Railway. (See also Fishguard and Rosslare Railways and Harbours [Ireland].)
/ /1898	Helston Railway Great Western Railway Helston Railway absorbed by Great Western Railway.
01/01/1899	Great Western Railway Takes over the Pontypridd, Caerphilly and Newport Railway's Newport to Pontypridd passenger service.
/ /1900	Penllwyn Tramway, London and North Western Railway A new spur, west of Nine Mile Point, is opened to the Penllwyn Tramway by the owners, the London and North Western Railway to give access to Nine Mile Point Colliery. Formerly this tramway was accessible by a point west of Nine Mile Point and thus in Great Western Railway territory.
/ /1901	Devon and Somerset Railway Great Western Railway Devon and Somerset Railway absorbed by the Great Western Railway.
26/07/1901	Bridport Railway West Bay Extension (Bridport Railway) Great Western Railway Absorption of the Bridport Railway by the Great Western Railway confirmed by Act of Parliament.
31/07/1902	Brynmawr and Western Valleys Railway Line taken over jointly by the London and North Western Railway and the Great Western Railway as the Nantyglo and Blaina Iron Company were asking too high a price to buy their private Nantyglo Iron Works to Brynmawr railway.
/ /1903	Ely Valley Railway Merged into the Great Western Railway.
05/06/1905	~Great Western Railway Aberderfyn Halt opened
/ /1906	Cork City Railways Incorporated. Supported by the Great Western Railway.
/ /1911	Great Western Railway A Cwmtillery to Abertillery Milnes-Daimler bus service starts.
22/03/1915	~Great Western Railway Aberderfyn Halt closed
/ /1919	Great Western Railway Extends Newport to Pontypridd passenger service to Merthyr.
/ /1921	Alexandra (Newport and South Wales) Docks and Railway Great Western Railway Alexandra (Newport and South Wales) Docks and Railway merged with Great Western Railway.
/ /1921	Vale of Glamorgan Railway Merged with Great Western Railway.
19/08/1921	Railways Act Act passed to create London, Midland and Scottish Railway, London and North Eastern Railway, Great Western Railway and Southern Railway by grouping smaller companies into bigger units. This was due to financial problems the railway companies were having in the aftermath of the Great War.
/ /1922	West Somerset Railway Great Western Railway West Somerset Railway absorbed by the Great Western.
10/07/1922	Pontypridd, Caerphilly and Newport Railway Tram Road Motor Halt, Pontypridd, closed when the Great Western Railway arranges for Newport trains to use the Taff Vale Railway's Pontypridd station.
/ /1923	Didcot Newbury and Southampton Railway Great Western Railway Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Junction Railway merged with the Great Western Railway.
/ /1923	Cork City Railways Great Western Railway transfers its share for free to the Great Southern and Western Railway.
18/07/1923	Swansea Harbour Trustees Vested in the Great Western Railway.
/ /1926	Great Western Railway Act passed to allow closure of the Barry Dock and Railways three miles of line from Phenrhos Lower Junction and Duffryn Isaf (the Rhymney Valley Branch). The Penrhos Viaduct, Penyrhoel Viaduct and Llanbradach Viaduct were to be demolished.
/ /1928	Taff Vale Extension Crumlin Viaduct re-plated by the Great Western Railway.
/ /1928	Great Western Railway Swansea North Dock closed.
/ /1930	Great Western Railway Connection made between Barry Dock and Railways (a north facing junction, just north of Tonteg Junction) to the Llantrissant and Taff Vale Junction Railway at a south facing junction just to the east of Tonteg Viaduct. The former Llantrissant and Taff Vale Junction Railway line between the junction just east on Tonteg Viaduct and Llantrissant Branch Junction is closed.
/ /1930	Llancaiach Branch (Taff Vale Railway) Railway between Nelson station and Nelson and Llancaiach on the Taff Vale Extension to be improved by the Great Western Railway to take passengers.
/ /1934	Railway Air Services London, Midland and Scottish Railway London and North Eastern Railway Great Western Railway Southern Railway Imperial Airways Railway Air Services formed by the LMS, LNER, GWR, SR and Imperial Airways. Airport opened at Renfrew Airport.
01/10/1934	Somerset and Dorset Railway Great Western Railway The Great Western makes use of the Somerset and Dorset Railways Wells station (Priory Road)
19/05/1940	Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Railway The line is closed. It was used by the Great Western Railway briefly for storing spare stock.
01/01/1948	British Railways Forth Bridge Railway London, Midland and Scottish Railway London and North Eastern Railway Great Western Railway Southern Railway Britains railways are nationalised.
01/12/1952	Abbotsbury Branch (Great Western Railway) Abbotsbury closed
22/11/1954	London and North Western Railway South Wales Freight services transferred to Great Western Railway routes.
20/11/1955	Great Western Railway 11 are killed when an excursion train enters a goods loop too quickly at Didcot.
13/06/1960	Llynvi Valley Extension (Great Western Railway) Abergwynfi closed
16/03/1964	Cardiff Riverside Branch (Great Western Railway) Closed excluding Currans Siding.
30/11/1966	Exe Valley Railway (Great Western Railway) Thorverton to Stoke Canon closed.
/ /1967	North Cornwall Railway Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway Bodmin Branch (Great Western Railway) Padstow to Bodmin North to Bodmin Road closed to passengers. On the former London and South Western Railway Padstow, Wadebridge [2nd], Grogley Halt, Nanstallon Halt, Boscarne Junction, Dunmere Halt, Bodmin North closed. On the former Great Western Railway Bodmin General closed. Padstow to Wadebridge [1st] and Bodmin North to Dunmere Junction closed completely.
08/07/1968	Cardiff Riverside Branch (Great Western Railway) Curran's Siding closed.
19/09/1997	Great Western Railway 7 people killed at Southall as a result of a collision between a First Great Western express train and a freight train. Following the crash 43011 is withdrawn, the first HST power car to be withdrawn.
05/10/1999	Great Western Railway 31 people killed at Ladbroke Grove when a local train over-runs a signal and crashes into a First Great Western express train.
06/11/2004	Great Western Railway Car stopped on Uffton Level Crossing leads to the death of six on board the train and injury to 130 when struck by a HST which derailed.
14/11/2014	Great Western Railway Electrification begins near Reading.
16/10/2017	Hitachi Rail Europe First Class 800 enters service with Great Western Railway.
27/02/2018	Hitachi Rail Europe The first Class 800 arrived at the Inverness TMD depot for the first time ahead of its introduction later in 2018. This was Great Western Railway liveried Hitachi Class 800 set number 800303.
28/12/2018	Hitachi Rail Europe Final Class 800 of a batch of 36 enters traffic with Great Western Railway.
27/04/2021	Hitachi Rail Europe Class 800s withdrawn after cracks were discovered during routine maintenance of two Great Western Railway trains.
08/05/2021	Hitachi Rail Europe Hairline cracks found in Class 800s operated by Great Western Railway and London North Eastern Railway resulting in many cancellations.

Locations along the line

These locations are along the line.

Paddington

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Two class 800s at Paddington on 13th April 2019. On the right is 800307 waiting to depart with the 13.22 service to Great Malvern and which a friend ...
David Bosher 13/04/2019

345061 (left) and 345060 in the former Metropolitan Railway Bishops Road station, now an extension of Paddington, on 3rd September 2020. 061 was not ...
David Bosher 03/09/2021

47526 at Paddington in 1991. The former D1109 was previously named 'Northumbria' but denamedÂ in June 1991. I believe this Paddington visit may ...
Crinan Dunbar 18/08/1991

50031 'Hood' approaching Paddington in the Summer of 1984. The vehicle in front of the rake of MkI coaches is a GUV bogie parcels van. ...
Crinan Dunbar /07/1984

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Paddington [1st]

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Westbourne Park

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View of Westbourne Park station, from the ex-12.35 Heathrow Terminal 4 to Abbey Wood Elizabeth Line train, on Sunday, 6th November 2022. The ...
David Bosher 06/11/2022

1 of 1 images.

Ladbroke Grove Junction

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Old Oak Common East Junction

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See also
Old Oak Common East Junction to North Pole Junction (Great Western Railway)

Old Oak Common West Junction

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See also
Old Oak Common to Northold Junction (Great Western Railway)

Acton Main Line

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345002, with a TfL Rail service to Paddington, arriving at its penultimate stop at Acton Main Line on 22nd May 2021. This will cease to be the ...
David Bosher 22/05/2021

66168 on siding to the west of Acton Main Line station, seen here from passing UK Railtours' excursion from Stevenage to Hereford on the morning of ...
David Bosher 26/02/2022

Acton Main Line, originally opened in 1868, looking east towards Paddington, on 22nd May 2021. After a long delay, the new footbridge and ticket hall, ...
David Bosher 22/05/2021

37703 on a 0952 Neasden to Old Oak Common engineers' service, on the goods lines at Acton, on 9th May 1995. 37703 is still in service, most recently ...
Roger Geach 09/05/1995

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Ealing Broadway

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Ealing and Shepherd^s Bush Railway
Ealing Broadway Branch (Metropolitan District Railway)

View from a Paddington to Heathrow Terminal 4 service, approaching Ealing Broadway, as a train of LUL S7 stock departs with a District Line train to ...
David Bosher 09/02/2019

66118 passing Ealing Broadway with a westbound freight, with LUL 1992 Central Line train on left, on 5th September 2015. ...
David Bosher 05/09/2015

360203, with a Heathrow Connect service to London Paddington, at Ealing Broadway early on the morning of 5th September 2015. On the right is a Central ...
David Bosher 05/09/2015

LU 1992 stock at the Central Line west London terminus of Ealing Broadway, about to depart east all the way to Hainault via Newbury Park. on the ...
David Bosher 12/11/2022

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West Ealing

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Greenford Loop (Great Western Railway)

360202, from Paddington to Heathrow Terminal 4, departing from rebuilt West Ealing on 9th February 2019. This line opened on 4th June 1838 but the ...
David Bosher 09/02/2019

Now that passengers from the Greenford branch have to change at West Ealing, the least the rail operators can do is make sure the 'connecting' service ...
David Bosher 09/02/2019

Bombardier Aventra EMU 345013, arriving at West Ealing on a working to Paddington, on 9th February 2019. On the right is the new bay platform for ...
David Bosher 09/02/2019

387153 from London Paddington passing West Ealing station, on the GWR main line in west London, on 9th February 2019. ...
David Bosher 09/02/2019

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Hanwell

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Greenford Loop (Great Western Railway)

387155, on a down service from Paddington, passing Hanwell station, west London, at speed on Saturday, 9th February 2019. Minutes later, this train ...
David Bosher 09/02/2019

Taken with a zoom lens, 345012 has just passed through Hanwell and is heading east as it speeds its way over the last seven and a bit miles of the GWR ...
David Bosher 09/02/2019

Hanwell, on the GWR main line in west London, looking west from the up platform on 9th February 2019. The period 'subway' sign is a nice feature. ...
David Bosher 09/02/2019

Hanwell, looking east towards Paddington, on 9th February 2019. The main up and down fast lines are to the right of the fence, blocking off access to ...
David Bosher 09/02/2019

4 of 4 images.

Southall

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Great Western and Brentford Railway

66520 heading east through Southall, on the GWR main line in west London, on Friday, 3rd September 2021. ...
David Bosher 03/09/2021

345040, with a semi-fast service from Paddington to Reading, departing from Southall on 3rd September 2021. I must have been through this station many ...
David Bosher 03/09/2021

A 387 leaves Southall station in full sun. ...
Rod Crawford 26/07/2018

Platform extension work in progress at Southall in April 2017. Quick grabshot from one of the Class 387 EMUs which currently have to use Selective ...
Colin McDonald 05/04/2017

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Hayes and Harlington

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345016, on short working to Maidenhead, arriving at Hayes & Harlington at dusk on 1st January 2023. Many Elizabeth Line trains seem to terminate ...
David Bosher 01/01/2023

Platform widening and extension work in progress at Hayes & Harlington platforms 4 and 5 as part of the Crossrail project.
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Colin McDonald 05/04/2017

One of the 110mph GWR Class 387 EMUs which were introduced in September 2016 on Hayes & Harlington to London Paddington services waits in the recently ...
Colin McDonald 05/04/2017

Grab shot from a passing train on 23 October showing EWS liveried 66179 on a rake of Construction Sector aggregate hopper wagons being unloaded at ...
David Pesterfield 23/10/2013

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West Drayton

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Surviving Victorian building at west end of up local platform, now the Elizabeth Line, at West Drayton on New Year's Day 2024. Once the junction for ...
David Bosher 01/01/2024

Zoom lens view from the station footbridge at West Drayton, looking east, with GWR class 800 on an up service to Paddington, speeding past on the fast ...
David Bosher 01/01/2024

Surviving Victorian buildings at the west end of the obsolete westbound fast tracks platform at West Drayton, on New Year's Day, 2024. The wide space ...
David Bosher 01/01/2024

A Brush Type 4 speeds through West Drayton in 1980 with a Bristol - Paddington express. ...
John Furnevel 18/11/1980

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Iver

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Langley [GWR]

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Slough [1st]

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Slough

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800314, with a westbound fast from Paddington, passing Slough at speed on 13th April 2019. ...
David Bosher 13/04/2019

165117 arriving at Slough from Windsor & Eton Central, on 13th April 2019. ...
David Bosher 13/04/2019

165117 in the bay platform at Slough, just arrived with the one-stop branch shuttle service from Windsor & Eton Central, on 13th April 2019. ...
David Bosher 13/04/2019

The main building of the second station at Slough, on the south side westbound platform, seen from The Railway Touring Company's Flying Scotsman ...
David Bosher 05/03/2022

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Slough East Junction

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See also
Windsor Branch (Great Western Railway)

Slough West Junction

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Windsor Branch (Great Western Railway)

Burnham

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Taplow

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Brush Type 4 47143 heads for Paddington at speed in July 1981 taking eight MkI coaches through Taplow on the fast lines. 47143 was withdrawn from ...
Mark Bartlett 18/07/1981

50044 Exeter hurries a Paddington bound train through Taplow on the Up Slow line in 1981. Thankfully the former D444 was preserved and, over ...
Mark Bartlett 18/07/1981

A Pressed Steel Class 117 suburban DMU leaves the Up slow line platform at Taplow heading for Paddington in 1981. When these 1st generation units were ...
Mark Bartlett 18/07/1981

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Maidenhead,Maidenhead and Taplow,Taplow [1st]

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Maidenhead

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See also
Wycombe Railway

A First Great Western service from Paddington to Reading with 3-car 165111 calls at Maidenhead at the start of the evening rush hour on 18 June 2009. ...
John McIntyre 18/06/2009

60163 Tornado is seen passing Maidenhead with support coach, en route to St Phillips Marsh depot Bristol, on 6th August 2016. ...
Roger Geach 06/08/2016

FGW service from Paddington to Oxford calls at Maidenhead on 18 June 2009. ...
John McIntyre 18/06/2009

On the GWR main line west of Maidenhead a First Great Western HST heads towards Reading on 18 June 2009. ...
John McIntyre 18/06/2009

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Twyford

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Henley Branch (Great Western Railway)

166216 arrives at Twyford, change here for the Henley on Thames branch, in 2016. This was before the wires went up but they were approaching and soon ...
Roger Geach 06/08/2016

GWR 165119 coming from the Henley branch into the bay platform at Twyford on 13th December 2023. On the other side of this platform is the link to the ...
Peter Todd 13/12/2023

Elizabeth Line 345008 running into Twyford past the Henley branch link, heading westbound for Abbey Wood at 1235 hours on 13th December 2023.
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Peter Todd 13/12/2023

66059, 1244 Theale - Acton service, passing Twyford in 2017. The work on the overhead electification is in progress. ...
Roger Geach 02/06/2017

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Reading

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The view at the west end of Reading station which i took to show how much it has changed from Western days in the 1970s. Nothing is left at all. Even ...
Roger Geach 31/08/2023

165112 leads 166215 into Reading, on the evening of 18 June 2009, while on a Paddington to Oxford service. ...
John McIntyre 18/06/2009

66589 working 6M20 1045 Whatley Quarry to Churchyard sidings, near St Pancras, passing Reading station. The modern bridge which links the platforms ...
Roger Geach 31/08/2023

66560 has had a crew change at Reading platform 15 on 31st August 2023. This is 4L36 0810 Wentloog to Felixstowe service that was very well loaded on ...
Roger Geach 31/08/2023

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Tilehurst

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Flying Scotsman whizzes through Tilehurst with the Cathedrals Express on 13th June 2017. Photo courtesy of Peter Caton. ...
Ken Strachan 13/06/2017

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Pangbourne

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The latest freebie on First Great Western HST's: moving maps on seatback screens. It's good to see railways adopting technology used by their ...
Ken Strachan 18/05/2013

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Goring Watertroughs

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Goring and Streatley

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Platform view north at Goring and Streatley station on 24 May 2002. [Ref query 2 June 2018] ...
Ian Dinmore 24/05/2002

A Virgin CrossCountry Voyager runs through Goring and Streatley in May 2002 heading north west towards Didcot. [Ref query 1657] ...
Ian Dinmore 24/05/2002

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Wallingford Road

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Cholsey

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Wallingford and Watlington Railway

Arriva X-Country 221138, eastbound at Cholsey on the Great Western main line, bound for Reading and probably the south coast on 8 April 2010.
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Peter Todd 08/04/2010

Freightliner 66535 passing eastbound through Cholsey Station on 5 January with a container train. ...
Peter Todd 05/01/2012

Freightliner 66543 brings an eastbound container train through Cholsey on 21 April 2011. ...
Peter Todd 21/04/2011

EWS 66037 takes a freight through Cholsey on 4 April 2010 ...
Peter Todd 04/04/2010

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Didcot Parkway

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Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Junction Railway

These blue Network Rail water tankers were parked in Didcot's station sidings on 24th August 2023. Why? Who knows?
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Peter Todd 24/08/2023

Freightliner 66413, previously a DRS loco, passing through Didcot's platform 4 with 4L36 from Wentloog to Felixstowe on 13th December 2023. ...
Peter Todd 13/12/2023

A Hitachi 800 passing DBC 66044, parked in Didcot station sidings, on 14 September 2023. Recently, a change to the timetables sees these 800s calling ...
Peter Todd 14/09/2023

GBRf 66781 'Darius Cheskin', paused for a crew change in Didcot station and signalled northbound to Oxford and beyond with intermodal 4M18 on 12th ...
Peter Todd 12/10/2022

4 of 290 images. more

Foxhall Junction

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58007 is close to Foxhall Junction, on Didcot's west curve, with the Didcot to Toton empties on 8th February 1992. The train is passing a loaded ...
Roger Geach 08/02/1992

1 of 1 images.

Steventon

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A westbound HST approaches the site of Steventon station on 22 September 2011. In the background is the bridge carrying the A34 road over the railway ...
John McIntyre 22/09/2011

A First Great Western HST heads for Paddington at speed on 22 September. The train is pssing the site of Steventon station (closed 1964) to the west ...
John McIntyre 22/09/2011

2 of 2 images.

Wantage Road

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Disused up platform of the former Wantage Road station, between Didcot Parkway and Swindon, seen from passing UK Railtours' excursion from Stevenage ...
David Bosher 26/02/2022

1 of 1 images.

Challow

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DB Schenker 66075, west bound from Theale Puma to Robeston in South Wales on 12th October 2022. It is passing the site of Challow station with 6B33, ...
Peter Todd 12/10/2022

DB 66020, stopped in the westbound loop at the site of the defunct Challow station, on 30th January 2020.
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Peter Todd 30/01/2020

GBRf 66707 stopped in the loop at Challow Station in February 2019. (Pity about the pylon). ...
Peter Todd 20/02/2019

GBRf 66707 'Sir Sam Fay Great Central Railway' and its freight train are stationary in the westbound loop at Challow Station, to the west of Didcot, ...
Peter Todd 05/04/2019

4 of 21 images. more

Uffington

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Faringdon Railway

West Coast Railways usually use 37s or 47s to support steam excursions but they also have two operational BRCW Class 33s and 33025 ventured out with ...
Peter Todd 27/08/2022

Spring colours at Uffington as low-geared Freightliner 66601 passes westbound with stone empties from Banbury Reservoir Tarmac to Bristol Freightliner ...
Peter Todd 23/04/2021

Just how do you pronounce that? Freightliner (low geared) 66606, westbound from Appleford FHH to Whatley Quarry with empty wagons, passing Uffington ...
Peter Todd 03/02/2022

7029 'Clun Castle' westbound passing Uffington on the GWML, with 1Z10, a special from Birmingham Snow Hill to the West Somerset Railway at Bishops ...
Peter Todd 24/06/2023

4 of 29 images. more

Shrivenham

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GWR 800013 passing Shrivenham at speed on 11th June 2022. ...
Peter Todd 11/06/2022

7029 'Clun Castle' was on a Special from Tyseley to Cardiff and return on 11th June 2022. On the westbound outward journey it was 40 minutes late due ...
Peter Todd 11/06/2022

66501, the first of what grew to be a fleet of over 120 Freightliner 66s, is seen westbound at Woolston, near Shrivenham, with a West Drayton Fry's ...
Peter Todd 26/04/2023

Freightliner 66539, westbound at Woolston near Shrivenham on 25th April 2023, with the Oxford Banbury Sidings to East Usk Yard train (6C58) of box ...
Peter Todd 25/04/2023

4 of 23 images. more

Stratton Park Halt

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Tail end shot as preserved Hastings DEMU 1001 passes Stratton footbridge with the 'Avon Ambassador' from Hastings to Temple Meads on 25 March 2023.
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Peter Todd 25/03/2023

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Highworth Junction

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Swindon and Highworth Railway

66097 westbound approaching Swindon on 6th May 2017 with empty stone wagons heading for Whatley Quarry via Melksham & Westbury. ...
Peter Todd 05/05/2017

Taken on the eastern outskirts of Swindon, 34052 (aka 34046) & 46100 pass westbound light engine to Bristol as part of the Great Britain Experience. ...
Peter Todd 05/05/2017

34052 (aka 34046) & 46100 westbound light engines to Bristol as part of the Great Britain Experience. The line disappearing to the right is the stub ...
Peter Todd 05/05/2017

View west showing a selection of the various plant and equipment located at Highworth Junction GW electrification depot to the east of Swindon on 5 ...
Peter Todd 05/05/2017

4 of 4 images.

Swindon

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Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway (Great Western Railway)

59005 slowly passing through Swindon on 24 May 2023. This is a Merehead Quarries to Royal Wootton Bassett stone train. It parks up in the eastern ...
Peter Todd 24/05/2023

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Peter Todd 22/04/2023

Freightliner 66957, eastbound through Swindon, with a Wentloog to Felixstowe intermodal service, reporting number 451E, on 22nd March 2021.
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Peter Todd 22/03/2021

The old 1904 Great Western Railway Reading Library in Swindon in 2022. Many artefacts relating to the GWR are slowly vanishing from Swindon.
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Peter Todd 05/04/2022

4 of 81 images. more

Rushey Platt Junction

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Wootton Bassett Road

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Wootton Bassett

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Wootton Bassett Junction

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South Wales and Bristol Direct Railway (Great Western Railway)

Dauntsey

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Malmesbury Railway

50002 Superb eastbound at Dauntsey on the GWR main line on 23 December 1983. The locomotive is currently being restored by the Devon Diesel ...
Peter Todd 23/12/1983

1 of 1 images.

Christian Malford Halt

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Chippenham

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Calne Railway

First Great Western HST departs west from platform 1 at Chippenham in October 2014. Power car 43003, then named 'Isambard Kingdom Brunel', has since ...
John McIntyre 18/10/2014

Chippenham station has an unusual feature, in that the platform adjacent to the main entrance, ticket office and cafe has no tracks - it used to serve ...
Ken Strachan 01/01/2023

When I saw David Panton's image 76633 of a stone bridge in Craigleith with houses beyond, it reminded me of this bridge to the west of Chippenham ...
Ken Strachan 31/05/2021

This small stone building at Chippenham was used by IKB as a site office to lay out the whole of the GWR from London to Bristol. It wouldn't be big ...
Ken Strachan 01/01/2023

4 of 18 images. more

Thingley Junction

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Thingley to Westbury (Wiltshire, Somerset and Weymouth Railway)

Corsham

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Box (Mill Lane) Halt

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Box

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This sturdy new footbridge has just been completed at Shockerwick (near Box) between Bath (right) and Chippenham (left). The tall walls will doubtless ...
Ken Strachan 10/10/2015

They're a bit keen on bridge rails down Somerset way see image 53123. These fine examples (there are at least four posts) hold up a fence near the ...
Ken Strachan 10/10/2015

Having regained the right line see image 42041, a London-bound HST clears Middle Hill tunnel and heads for Box tunnel on 9 February 2013. Although ...
Ken Strachan 09/02/2013

3 of 3 images.

Bathford Halt

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Bathampton

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Bradford Line (Frome, Yeovil and Weymouth Railway)

A 158 heading for Weymouth approaches the former station and Bathampton Junction past a rather decrepit looking hut on 30 March 2013. The A4 dual ...
Ken Strachan 30/03/2013

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Hampton Row Halt

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Bath Spa

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There is a stark contrast between the immaculate paintwork of the Westbound Hitachi unit and the peeling paint on the woodwork on the right. Bath Spa ...
Ken Strachan 27/02/2022

Everything you could possibly want to know about IET's see image 61791 - except whether you will get a cold shower from the HVAC. ...
Ken Strachan 05/11/2017

Bath Spa station looking very welcoming on a cold dark November night. Compare to see image 37202 ...
Ken Strachan 02/11/2019

Transport interchanges are nothing new, you know. A selection of bicycles sheltering from the elements below the platforms see image 43555. View ...
Ken Strachan 08/11/2015

4 of 34 images. more

Oldfield Park

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UK Railtours' excursion from Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare behind 67003 passing Oldfield Park, to the west of Bath Spa, on 4th July 2015. This ...
David Bosher 04/07/2015

Never mind the quality, feel the length. This is undoubtedly the longest string of tickets (4 feet one inch, or 124.5cm) that I have ever bought. ...
Ken Strachan 19/02/2023

Upward mobility: from 1st April 2023, it will be illegal to discriminate against applicants for the role of Traction Inspector on the grounds of ...
Ken Strachan 18/02/2023

Happy New Year: the Portsmouth to Cardiff Central train via Bath Spa (1926hrs) was a little late passing Oldfield Park on New Year's Day. The red ...
Ken Strachan 01/01/2023

4 of 12 images. more

Tiverton-on-Avon

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Saltford

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Keynsham

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Pleasant floral posters brightened up a dull concrete wall behind platform 1 at Keynsham in May 2022. ...
Ken Strachan 01/05/2022

Doctor Day's prescription for Hinksey Yard was to send it a train (631U) full of ballast. 66570 leans to the curve at Keynsham on 4th November 2018. ...
Ken Strachan 04/11/2018

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Keynsham Watertroughs

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North Somerset Junction

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Bristol Temple Meads [1st]

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Bristol Temple Meads station, 26th May, a very impressive station. This is the entry into the original passenger terminus. ...
Alan Cormack 26/05/2017

Brunel's original train shed at Temple Meads in February 2013. The site is now used for car parking (with a ï¿½1 discount for parking outdoors!), ...
Ken Strachan 10/02/2013

Bristol Temple Meads the original western terminus of the GWR. Note signalbox back right. ...
Ewan Crawford //

3 of 3 images.

Books

A History of the Great Western Railway

An Illustrated History of Great Western Diesel Railcars

Great Western Railway Then and Now

Great Western Railway: A History

The Great Western Railway Volume One: Paddington to Bristol: 1

The Great Western Railway: 150 Glorious Years (GWR)

Great Western Railway

Dates

Locations along the line

Paddington

Paddington [1st]

Westbourne Park

Ladbroke Grove Junction

Old Oak Common East Junction

Old Oak Common West Junction

Acton Main Line

Ealing Broadway

West Ealing

Hanwell

Southall

Hayes and Harlington

West Drayton

Iver

Langley [GWR]

Slough [1st]

Slough

Slough East Junction

Slough West Junction

Burnham

Taplow

Maidenhead,Maidenhead and Taplow,Taplow [1st]

Maidenhead

Twyford

Reading

Tilehurst

Pangbourne

Goring Watertroughs

Goring and Streatley

Wallingford Road

Cholsey

Didcot Parkway

Foxhall Junction

Steventon

Wantage Road

Challow

Uffington

Shrivenham

Stratton Park Halt

Highworth Junction

Swindon

Rushey Platt Junction

Wootton Bassett Road

Wootton Bassett

Wootton Bassett Junction

Dauntsey

Christian Malford Halt

Chippenham

Thingley Junction

Corsham

Box (Mill Lane) Halt

Box

Bathford Halt

Bathampton

Hampton Row Halt

Bath Spa

Oldfield Park

Tiverton-on-Avon

Saltford

Keynsham

Keynsham Watertroughs

North Somerset Junction

Bristol Temple Meads [1st]

Books

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