78 Rights Managed
We are proud to offer this selection in partnership with STEAM Museum of the GWR
A man and woman carrying out work on a steam hammer during WW2, 1942A man and woman carrying out work on a steam hammer during WW2 in the GWR Swindon Works, 1942
Female Stationmaster, June 1941This image features a young lady called Freda Jones. During the Second World War she was made a GWR Stationmaster at Pontdolgoch, a station in mid Wales on the Welshpool to Aberystwyth line
Swindon Works War Work, 22nd January 1942Female worker machining a 25 PDR shell on 22 January 1942. Munitions work issued by Ministry of Supply
Evacuees at Paddington Station in 1939This 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
GWR station staff member in a gas mask, c. 1939During an air raid the threat of poison gas bombs being dropped by the German Luftwaffe was extremely high. Mustard gas was the most deadly gas available and could take up to 12 hours to take effect
Bomb damage to Bowden Hall locomotive at Keyham Station, 1941This image was taken on 30th April 1941, the morning after an air raid at Keyham Station, Plymouth
Australian Navy on locomotive No. 6021 King Richard II, 1945A group of visitors from the Australian Navy pose for this photograph on top of locomotive No.6021 King Richard II
Australian Navy visiting A Erecting Shop at Swindon Works, 1945An image of the visit from the Australian Navy inside A Erecting Shop at Swindon Works, examining locomotive No. 3827
World War 2 booklet It Can Now Be Revealed, published 1945Throughout the war the British Railways Press Office issued a series of booklets that outlined the official story of the railways at war
Women workers in the Permanent Way Dept at Reading, 1943Three ladies from the Permanent Way Department are pictured here at Reading in April 1943 off-loading wooden blocks from a wagon
Workers riveting a locomotive boiler in V Boiler Shop c. 1942In this image taken at Swindon Works sometime during the latter half of the war, three women are shown working on the riveting of a locomotive boiler in V Boiler Shop
Female employees at Swindon Works making lamps, c. 1940A larger group of female employees have been photographed here engaged in the making of lamps at Swindon Works
GWR lorry delivering paintings from the National Gallery to a slate mine in Wales in 1940This photograph of a GWR lorry was taken around 1940
A Sea Hurricane being loaded onto an armed merchant ship at Cardiff docks, c. 1941As well as assisting in the transportation of military goods by rail the GWR also facilitated the war effort at their docks
Evacuees waiting outside the departure platform at Paddington in 1939One of the very first war time roles that the GWR was engaged in was the evacuation of children from cities to the relative safety of the countryside
The 13th Battalion Home Guard at a rifle shoot at Liddington, c. 1942The 13th Battalion Home Guard at a rifle shoot on the chalk ridge at Liddington, near Swindon
Van loaded with waste paper from the General Stores at Swindon Works, 1941Paper salvage was introduced by the Government at the outbreak of war in 1939. It was designed to encourage the recycling of materials to aid the war effort
Signalman in operating signal levers during wartime, c. 1940A signalman in his gas mask continues normal duties at this unknown signalbox
A petrol trailer fire pump hauled by an ex-GWR Express Cartage van, 1940Fire fighting by the GWR was a important job in the Second World War
Bomb damage to Paddington Station in 1941A view of the departure side of Paddington Station following the explosion of a parachute mine on 17th April 1941
GWR Wartime Emergency Headquarters in Berkshire, 1940A busy office scene pictured here in 1940. This office was part of the GWRs Emergency Headquarters located at Aldermaston, Berkshire
Air Raid damage to Paddington Station, 1941A view of Paddington Station following the explosion of the parachute mine on the 17th April 1941. Showing the internal damage to the station, particularly to Platform 1
Motor landing craft built by the GWR at Swindon Works, 1942In August 1941 the GWR began building the first of a large number of motor landing craft in the Carriage and Wagon shops at Swindon. No. 13, Wagon Frame Shop was where this work took place
Matilda II tanks under construction at Swindon Work in 1941In September 1941, three Matilda II tanks were photographed leaving AE shop on Rectank wagons. The tanks are incomplete and are presumably ready to be transported elsewhere for final assembly
Tanks under construction in A Erecting Shop, Swindon Works. 1941One of the earliest tasks contracted to the GWR by the Ministry of Supply was the erection of tanks for supply overseas
Shell production for World War 2 in 24F shop at Swindon Works, 1942An image of the shell production line in 24F Shop showing view of the workshop space for shell inspection during World War 2
Staff at Gloucester Station 1944A group of station staff are photographed in front of a locomotive at Gloucester Station in 1944. Women held roles at railway stations during the war that were, until then, male occupations
Goods Yard, Cardiff Docks, 1943The Goods Yard at Cardiff Docks in September 1943 is the subject of this image. It features a group of three women unloading boxes from an open railway wagon
Female Dining Car Attendant, about 1940During the Second World War women took over roles normally assigned to men. This image shows a female GWR dining car attendant serving tea to three passengers
Female wartime workers, 1943This line up of women at Paddington Station shows the varied jobs female GWR employees undertook during the Second World War
Female Clerks at Swindon Works, 1916This image of female clerks was taken in May 1916, just 10 years after women were first employed in clerical positions within the GWR
Female Refreshment Attendant, c. 1918A member of Refreshment Department staff is photographed manning the platform trolley at Paddington Station circa 1918
Carriage and Wagon Stamping (No. 18) Shop in 1915This image of the Carriage and Wagon Stamping (No.18) Shop was taken in March 1915. Although no men are in shot, it shows the busy, dirty and hot nature of this workshop
Swindon Works Polishing Shop in 1914A photograph taken on 7th August 1914 of the Polishing Shop in the Carriage and Wagon Works
The Goods Yard at Cardiff Docks in 1943The Goods Yard at Cardiff Docks in September 1943 is the subject of this image featuring a group of ladies stacking boxes that have probably just been off-loaded from a goods train
Women employee in the Road Motor Department at Slough, 1944The Road Motor Department at Slough was another area that saw the employment of women in traditionally male roles
Swindon Works employees welding superheaters for locomotive boilers, 1942A group of female employees are welding the superheaters for locomotive boilers in P1 Shop
Swindon Works employees manouvering a wheel set by crane, c. 1940In this photograph a female crane operator is working alongside two male colleagues, manoeuvring a locomotive wheel set into place
US soldiers embarking a ship in a GWR South Wales Dock, 1942The GWR docks in South Wales became busy points for the arrival
Railway carriage converted to an ambulance ward car, c1939This internal view of an ambulance ward car gives a clear image of both the ingenuity used in converting rolling stock for medical use, but also the cramped conditions endured within these vehicles
Swindon Home Guard manning an anti-aircraft gun platform, c. 1940Swindon Works was considered a prime target for aircraft strikes during World War II
GWRs Home Guard battalions on parade at Castle Bar Park in London, c. 1940The Home Guard was originally known as the Local Defence Volunteers (LDV). The LDV was formed in May 1940, but in August 1940 the LDV changed its name to the Home Guard
Standing down parade of 13th Battalion Home Guard, Swindon Works, 1944By the end of 1944 the threat of invasion from Germany became unlikely and it was decided that the Home Guard could be stood down
Presentation of the Wiltshire Home Guard in 1944This photograph shows the presentation of an award to Home Guard member Mr C Wheeler in April 1944
GWR fire brigade at Paddington Station taking part in a drill, c. 1940This image shows members of the GWR fire brigade at Paddington Station taking part in a drill. Training was an important part of fire fighting and kept employees prepared in case of an emergency
Air raid shelter at West Ealing Goods Yard, 1940A rather intriguing photo here of West Ealing Goods Yard, taken in 1940
Wartime shells being packed up in 24F shop, ready for transportation in 1942By 1943 the majority of Allied munitions production was undertaken by America and Canada. This eased the pressure on British workshops as there had become a serious shortage of materials
War time work in Q Shop at Swindon Works, 1942This image was taken in March 1942 and shows four women operating a large pressing machine in Q Shop
Production line for wartime shells in No. 24 Shop, Swindon Works, 1942No.24 Shop, on the Carriage and Wagon side of Swindon Works was fitted out with two production lines for 25-pounder shells
Servicemen drinking tea from a refreshment trolley on Paddington station, during WWIIA member of Refreshment Department staff serving tea to servicemen from her platform trolley at Paddington Station is the feature of this official photograph taken in 1943
GWR parcel van converted into an ambulance, 1940. The driver and another man in uniform are wearing gas masks
Woman pasting a billboard poster at Paddington station, 1943Woman up a ladder pasting a billboard poster at Paddington station, 1943. The poster reads Remembrance Day FM Earl Haigs Appeal. Wear a Flanders Poppy. A locomotive in steam is in the background
Female Clerks at Swindon Works, 1916A group shot of female clerks taken in May 1916. This group are from the Accounts Office at Swindon Works and were managed by Mr Kelynack, the Clerk in Charge
Norton Fitzwarren train crash, 1940On the night of November 4th 1940 locomotive No. 6028 King George VI left Paddington Station hauling thirteen coaches heading for Penzance
Norton Fitzwarren train crash in 1940On the night of November 4th 1940 locomotive No. 6028 King George VI left Paddington Station hauling thirteen coaches heading for Penzance
Female rivet hotter, A Shop, c. 1940During the Second World War Swindon Works employed women in both the workshops and offices. Here a female employee is helping her male colleague with riveting
Mobile emergency canteen at Paddington Station, during WWIIPaddington station in 1943 and a shot of the mobile emergency canteen, which was used to feed station staff, APR wardens
Women porters working in the left luggage office at Paddington station, during WWIIThe Left Luggage Department at Paddington Station was, during the war, manned by female staff as can be seen in this image taken in 1943
Locomotive driver in air raid kit, during WWIILocomotive no. 5085 Evesham Abbey with a locomotive driver on the footplate wearing a gas mask during WWII
GWR Works Home Guard passing out parade, December 1944
Female worker servicing a Thorncroft lorry at Slough Road Motor Department, 1944During the Second World War women were given jobs normally assigned to men. At the GWR Road Motor Depot at Slough this involved car and lorry maintenance and repair
Shunter in the wartime blackout, c. 1940Blackouts were challenging times for some GWR employees, as this image of a shunter taken at Bristol shows
Swindon Works War Work, 23rd January 1942Female workers sorting 25 PDR shells. Work issued by the Ministry of Supply
Female track maintenance workers during WW2
Women working on a locomotive boiler in Swindon Work during WW2
Retired staff returning to work at Didcot Station, 1917These retired members of staff returned to work during the First World War to help out where there was a shortage of men. They are (L-R) James Stock, David Ireland and George Wilks
V Shop, 1943Female worker drilling crown plate of boiler firebox. During World War 2 female staff were employed at Swindon Works to replace the men who had been enlisted
Women war workers making ammunition shells in 24F Shop, 1943These women have been tasked with the pressing on of copper bands and insertion of base plates for 25-pounder quick firing, high explosive, streamline shells
Female Ticket Inspector at Paddington Station in 1943An official photograph of a ticket inspector at Paddington Station checking the ticket of a passenger on-board an outbound train in 1943
No 3 Company Swindon Battalion Home Guard, January 1941Marching alongside the Iron Foundry (J Shop)
Female permanent way workers, c1940During the Second World War women were employed in various different roles within the GWR
Women workers at the Road Motor Department, Slough, March 1944During the Second World War women were given jobs normally assigned to men. At the GWR Road Motor Depot at Slough this involved car maintenance and repair
Woman using steam press at Swindon Works, 1942Although women were employed on the railways prior to 1939, work involving the operating of heavy machinery, as shown in this photograph, was considered to be unsuitable for the fairer sex
Women war workers stamping ammunition shells in B Shop, 1942
Swindon Works war work, 22nd January 1942Female worker machining a 25 PDR shell. Work issued by Ministry of Supply
Swindon Works War Work, 26th June 1942A female worker varnishing the inside of a 9.2" shell. This work was issued by the Ministry of Supply
Female employees working in the Permanant Way Department during WW2
Female Ticket Collector at Paddington Station during WW2An official photograph of a ticket inspector at Paddington Station checking the ticket of a passenger on-board an outbound train in 1943
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