Page 23 - link magazine

23

Swindon &
Cricklade Railway

EASTER ,^ r
EGG
SPECIALS`

Friday 14th April to
I '
Monday 17th April
THE LINK MAGAZINE'S GUIDE TO WHAT'S ON IN AND AROUND SWINDON
(diesel engine on Friday and Saturday;
steam engine on Sunday and Monday)
Town's recent railway history on show ,, y IVOR
THE

When Roy Nash, 78, was seven TALKING
years old his father showed him
how to develop film and print pic- ENGINE
tures. The magical experience of Saturday 29th April
seeing images appear from noth-
ing had him hooked, but his future Sunday 30th April
took him into the Swindon railway & Monday 1st May
works as a draughtsman. (on Saturday Ivor will be static at
Roy explained thatwhen the late Hayes Knoll for footplate visits.
Harry Roberts arrived as general Train service will be diesel hauled)
manager in 1973 he asked him to
be the unofficial works photogra- Blunsdon TOPURTON TADPOLE LANE
Station
pher. "Harry told me he wanted to Tadpole Lane SWINDON
NORTH
give the works a fighting chance to Tel: 771615
survive. My job was to record the Trains: 11 p 4pm
visits by VIPs as the management Cafe, shop and e — --e > HAYDON
M
bid for new contracts. Apart from free parking SWINDON
rolling stock the men were building www.swindon-cricklade- railway.org
engines, boats and buses for all under the wheels are another team of workers ready to guide the tons of
around the world. They were in- metal onto the axes.
y
credibly skillful. Photos: Bo Nash
"It was great. Apart from the vis-
its and open days, I would go any-
where taking pictures of the men at
work, the ladies in the offices; any-
thing I thought was interesting."
As a result Roy has an amazing
archive of life inside Swindon
Works during the last years. Most
have never been seen but after he
revealed to librarian Dawn Osborne
that he had the collection, Roy was
persuaded to print some of the
thousands of images of engines
and unusual items built in Swin-
don, the men and women who did
the work and special events.
Some 150 pictures will be on The famous works hooter sounding
display in West Swindon Library for the last time on 26 March 1986.
from 25 April to 13 May, during The wail turned to a moan after 15'
normal opening times. minutes as the hollers ran out of
Roy is considering exhibitions in steam. The workers had gone home
other parts of the town to coincide at midday but Roy captured person-
with the Brunel 200 celebrations. ne/ staff witnessing the last blast