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Image Licensing : Evacuees waiting outside the departure platform at Paddington in 1939
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Evacuees waiting outside the departure platform at Paddington in 1939
One 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. Even before war was declared, plans were drawn up for evacuation so the GWR and the other major railway companies were prepared and on standby to put these plans into action. On August 31st 1939, the day before Germany invaded Poland, the order to begin the evacuation was given. The very next day the mass movement of children began and continued until September 4th. The GWR was responsible for the majority of the children moved from North and East London and while most of the evacuation trains departed from Ealing Broadway, this image shows groups of children being off-loaded from a double decker bus outside the Departure Platform at Paddington Station during the four days of evacuation in September 1939. STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway. © STEAM Museum of the GWR
Media ID 19929961
Filename: 51.jpg
Size: 3528 x 2822 (2.4MB)
Date: 10th March 2014
Source: STEAM Museum of the GWR
1939 Children Paddington Station World War 2 Departure Evacuation Evacuees
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> People > Passengers
> People > War Workers
> The Railway at War > Second World War
> Stations and Halts > London Stations > Paddington Station
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This poignant print captures a significant moment in history - the evacuation of children from cities to the safety of the countryside during World War II. Taken at Paddington Station in 1939, it showcases one of the very first wartime roles undertaken by the Great Western Railway (GWR). Even before war was officially declared, meticulous plans were put in place for this massive operation. The GWR and other major railway companies stood ready to execute these plans as soon as they received the order. That order came on August 31st, 1939 - just one day before Germany invaded Poland. The image depicts evacuees waiting outside the departure platform at Paddington Station. Groups of children can be seen being off-loaded from a double-decker bus, their faces reflecting both uncertainty and hope for what lies ahead. During those four days in September 1939, countless children were moved by GWR trains from North and East London to safer locations across Britain. Although most evacuation trains departed from Ealing Broadway, this particular snapshot immortalizes a crucial moment when young lives were transitioned onto trains bound for unknown destinations. This powerful photograph serves as a reminder of how war disrupts innocent lives but also highlights humanity's resilience and determination to protect its future generations amidst chaos and uncertainty.
