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Rights Managed > STEAM Museum of the GWR > The Railway at War > Second World War

Second World War Rights Managed Collection (#2)

138 Rights Managed

We are proud to offer this selection in partnership with STEAM Museum of the GWR

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: 16 inch naval gun loaded on a set of four POLLEN E wagons, 1944

16 inch naval gun loaded on a set of four POLLEN E wagons, 1944
This image shows a 16 inch naval gun being carried on a set of four POLLEN E wagons in March 1944. Built in the early 1900s

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: 0-6-0 Dean Goods locomotives No s. 2479, 2576, 2425 and 2399 in the process of being scrapped, c

0-6-0 Dean Goods locomotives No s. 2479, 2576, 2425 and 2399 in the process of being scrapped, c. 1949
The sorry sight of four The sorry sight of four 0-6-0 Dean Goods locomotives, photographed in the late 1940 s, in the process of being scrapped. Identified as engine No s

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: 2-8-0 locomotives under construction in AE shop, 1943

2-8-0 locomotives under construction in AE shop, 1943
In this image, War Department 2-8-0 locomotives are shown under construction in AE shop at Swindon Works in May 1943. In order to meet the demand for locomotives for war work

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Swindon Home Guard manning an anti-aircraft gun platform, c. 1940

Swindon Home Guard manning an anti-aircraft gun platform, c. 1940
Swindon Works was considered a prime target for aircraft strikes during World War II. Here, two members of the Home Guard are manning an anti-aircraft gun platform situated on the roof of uniform

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Air raid damage to the gas holder at Swindon Works, 1942

Air raid damage to the gas holder at Swindon Works, 1942
Swindon Works following the air raid on 27th July 1942. The gas holder at the gas works is pock-marked by machine gun fire from a lone aircraft that had swooped over the town early in the morning

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Bomb damage to Foxs Wood Tunnel, Bristol, 1941

Bomb damage to Foxs Wood Tunnel, Bristol, 1941
A rather forlorn looking carriage can be seen here at the entrance to No.2 Tunnel at Foxs Wood near Bristol in 1941. A bomb had hit the tunnel mouth and ricocheted into the carriage

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Swindon Works Fire Brigade Dennis Fire Engine, 1942

Swindon Works Fire Brigade Dennis Fire Engine, 1942
This Dennis fire engine was purchased by the Swindon Works Fire Brigade in December 1942. It was used to strengthen their wartime capabilities

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Air raid shelter at West Ealing Goods Yard, 1940

Air raid shelter at West Ealing Goods Yard, 1940
A rather intriguing photo here of West Ealing Goods Yard, taken in 1940. The strange molehill shaped mounds dotted along the track are air raid shelters

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Air Raid notice, issued to passengers in 1940

Air Raid notice, issued to passengers in 1940
This notice was issued to passengers in August 1940 by the GWRs General Manager, James Milne. The safety of staff and passengers was of the utmost importance

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Motor landing craft built by the GWR at Swindon Works, 1942

Motor landing craft built by the GWR at Swindon Works, 1942
In 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

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Scammel being loaded with Anderson Air Raid Shelter, West London, 1939

Scammel being loaded with Anderson Air Raid Shelter, West London, 1939
Westbourne Park Yard in April 1939 is the focus of this interesting pre-war image. Parts of Anderson shelters are being unloaded from a line of wagons onto a 3 ton Scammell tractor by a Ransome

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: 250lb Bombs at the Swindon Works, early 1940s

250lb Bombs at the Swindon Works, early 1940s
An image of some completed 250lb bombs being loaded onto GWR open wagon No. 44 in December 1940. Like with the majority of the war work undertaken at the Works specialist equipment was built to cater

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: 0-6-0 tender locomotive Dean Goods No. 2430 in wartime livery, c. 1939

0-6-0 tender locomotive Dean Goods No. 2430 in wartime livery, c. 1939
0-6-0 tender locomotive Dean Goods No.2430 is pictured here in its wartime livery. The tender is painted with the WD for War Department and the engine bears its War Department number, 177

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Staff at Gloucester Station 1944

Staff at Gloucester Station 1944
A 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

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Goods Yard, Cardiff Docks, 1943

Goods Yard, Cardiff Docks, 1943
The 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

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Female Dining Car Attendant, about 1940

Female Dining Car Attendant, about 1940
During 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

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Female Stationmaster, June 1941

Female Stationmaster, June 1941
This 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

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Female wartime workers, 1943

Female wartime workers, 1943
This line up of women at Paddington Station shows the varied jobs female GWR employees undertook during the Second World War

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Damaged railway lamps, 1942

Damaged railway lamps, 1942
These rather forlorn looking lamps appeared in an article from the April 1942 edition of the GWR Magazine. The article looks at the daily toll of damaged and lost locomotive equipment

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Coach No. 5189 in the Carriage Body Shop, 1946

Coach No. 5189 in the Carriage Body Shop, 1946
Great Western coach No. 5189 is featured in this photograph undergoing refurbishment in the Carriage Body Shop at Swindon Works in the summer of 1946

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: War memorial at Paddington Station in 1949

War memorial at Paddington Station in 1949
This full length image of the newly rededicated war memorial at Paddington appeared in the December 1949 edition of the, by this time, British Railways magazine

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Australian officers and sailors on a visit to Swindon Works, 1945

Australian officers and sailors on a visit to Swindon Works, 1945
Officers and sailors from H.M.A.S Australia on a visit to Swindon Works on July 13th 1945 whilst their ship was docked at Plymouth awaiting repairs

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Australian Navy visiting A Erecting Shop at Swindon Works, 1945

Australian Navy visiting A Erecting Shop at Swindon Works, 1945
An image of the visit from the Australian Navy inside A Erecting Shop at Swindon Works, examining locomotive No. 3827. The officers

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Unveiling of the World War 2 memorial at Paddington Station, 1949

Unveiling of the World War 2 memorial at Paddington Station, 1949
On the 11th November 1949 the war memorial at Paddington which was erected following the First World War, was again the focus of a moving ceremony when a new plaque was unveiled by former GWR General

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: World War 2 booklet It Can Now Be Revealed, published 1945

World War 2 booklet It Can Now Be Revealed, published 1945
Throughout the war the British Railways Press Office issued a series of booklets that outlined the official story of the railways at war

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: The Goods Yard at Cardiff Docks in 1943

The Goods Yard at Cardiff Docks in 1943
The 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

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Workers riveting a locomotive boiler in V Boiler Shop c. 1942

Workers riveting a locomotive boiler in V Boiler Shop c. 1942
In 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

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Swindon Works employees welding superheaters for locomotive boilers, 1942

Swindon Works employees welding superheaters for locomotive boilers, 1942
A group of female employees are welding the superheaters for locomotive boilers in P1 Shop. As rail operation was essential to the war effort

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Female employees at Swindon Works making lamps, c. 1940

Female employees at Swindon Works making lamps, c. 1940
A larger group of female employees have been photographed here engaged in the making of lamps at Swindon Works. The tin lamp bodies

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: US soldiers embarking a ship in a GWR South Wales Dock, 1942

US soldiers embarking a ship in a GWR South Wales Dock, 1942
The GWR docks in South Wales became busy points for the arrival and departure of US troops from mid 1942 when the first American ship to arrive at the Companys docks berthed at Swansea on the 18th

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: American Flag flying from Paddington Station hotel on July 4th 1941

American Flag flying from Paddington Station hotel on July 4th 1941
This image shows the American Flag flying from the front of the hotel at Paddington Station on July 4th, American Independence Day, 1941

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Chevrolet Thornton military trucks lined up at Caerphilly Works, 1941

Chevrolet Thornton military trucks lined up at Caerphilly Works, 1941
This image taken in April 1941 shows five Chevrolet Thornton military trucks lined up outside the GWRs works at Caerphilly. These trucks were imported from the USA and arrived unassembled in crates

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: A Sea Hurricane being loaded onto an armed merchant ship at Cardiff docks, c. 1941

A Sea Hurricane being loaded onto an armed merchant ship at Cardiff docks, c. 1941
As well as assisting in the transportation of military goods by rail the GWR also facilitated the war effort at their docks

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Railway carriage converted to an ambulance ward car, c1939

Railway carriage converted to an ambulance ward car, c1939
This 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

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Norton Fitzwarren train crash, 1940

Norton Fitzwarren train crash, 1940
On the night of November 4th 1940 locomotive No. 6028 King George VI left Paddington Station hauling thirteen coaches heading for Penzance

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: A corridor brake composite carriage converted into a rail mobile emergency canteen, 1941

A corridor brake composite carriage converted into a rail mobile emergency canteen, 1941
In November 1941 this 56 feet corridor brake composite carriage was converted at Swindon Works into a rail mobile emergency canteen

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Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: A paper recycling cart outside the General Stores at Swindon Works, 1941

A paper recycling cart outside the General Stores at Swindon Works, 1941
A paper recycling cart outside the General Stores at Swindon Works in 1941. Bound bundles of paperwork and ledgers can be seen piled on the cart ready to be taken away to be pulped

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Bomb damage to the GWRs salvage warehouse in London, 1940

Bomb damage to the GWRs salvage warehouse in London, 1940
In a cruel twist of fate, this image from the 15th November 1940 shows bomb damage to the GWRs salvage warehouse at Park Royal in north-west London

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: The 13th Battalion Home Guard at a rifle shoot at Liddington, c. 1942

The 13th Battalion Home Guard at a rifle shoot at Liddington, c. 1942
The 13th Battalion Home Guard at a rifle shoot on the chalk ridge at Liddington, near Swindon. The Home Guard evolved to be a well-equipped trained army and would partake in numerous drills

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: GWRs Home Guard battalions on parade at Castle Bar Park in London, c. 1940

GWRs Home Guard battalions on parade at Castle Bar Park in London, c. 1940
The 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

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Van loaded with waste paper from the General Stores at Swindon Works, 1941

Van loaded with waste paper from the General Stores at Swindon Works, 1941
Paper 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

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Standing down parade of 13th Battalion Home Guard, Swindon Works, 1944

Standing down parade of 13th Battalion Home Guard, Swindon Works, 1944
By the end of 1944 the threat of invasion from Germany became unlikely and it was decided that the Home Guard could be stood down

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Presentation of the Wiltshire Home Guard in 1944

Presentation of the Wiltshire Home Guard in 1944
This photograph shows the presentation of an award to Home Guard member Mr C Wheeler in April 1944. He was a member of the 13th Battalion of the Wiltshire Home Guard which was formed in 1943 to

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Passengers at Paddington Station in 1943

Passengers at Paddington Station in 1943
This image, taken on Saturday 31st July 1943 (August Bank Holiday), shows hoards of passengers at Paddington Station. In 1939 the slogan " Is Your Journey Really Necessary" was introduced

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Anti-aircraft platform at Swindon Station c. 1940

Anti-aircraft platform at Swindon Station c. 1940
An anti-aircraft platform can be seen in this image of Swindon Station, but what is most intriguing is the very small Swindon Junction sign hanging in the centre of the platform canopy

Background imageSecond World War Rights Managed Collection: Wartime shells being packed up in 24F shop, ready for transportation in 1942

Wartime shells being packed up in 24F shop, ready for transportation in 1942
By 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




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