Page 24 - link magazine

24
Sw rdon Wide
Taking an overview

Here we display a
remarkable photo of
Swindon railway
works taken in 1982
by Roy Nash who
was featured in the
April Link.
He will be
exhibiting 200
photographs
recording the last
20 years of the
works at West
Swindon Library
from 28 April to 13
May.
The staff from
Steam have
helped to identify
the structures in
the works, many of
which have new
uses or have been
demolished.
Note the town's
expansion west-
wards. West
Swindon Centre
and Great Western
Way and the
Thames Water
depot can be
identified, as well
as housing at
Westlea and the
Shaw landfill site
Swindon Works
1. Was from c1 920s the timber yard and saw mill. From the 1950s it
Come Rain or Shine! was the con' yard where condemned steam locos were kept before
being scrapped. Now Westmead employment area off Great
Roves Farm 2. Western Way. Sainsburys and housing off Paddington Drive.
'A' Shop (Wheel Shop) opened 1920. Now part of Designer
Outlet Centre (DOC) west car park and Churchward housing.
3. 'A' Shop (Erecting Shop) opened c1900. Now part of (DOC)
car park and housing at Churchward.
• ' 4. Pattern Store (1897) and Turntable (1902). Pattern Store now
a pub. Turntable still in existence but not operational. Whole area
forms part of the west car park of DOC and Churchward housing.
^► 1 5. Foundry (J Shop or Long Shop) opened c1875. Now used as a
6
8 ^^^ facility for restoring historic railway vehicles.
6. Various functions within the complex — brass foundry, boiler
Sevenhampton, Nr Highworth, Swindon
shop, patternmakers. Built in early/mid 1870s. Now the
Tel: 01 793 763939
Designer Outlet Centre.
www.rovesfarm.freeserve.co.uk
7. Tender and paint shop built 1876. Later known as tank shop.
Signed off A36l Highworth to Swindon Road
Now forms part of Designer Outlet Centre.
Open May Wednesday - Sunday 10.30am to 5.00pm
8. 'B' Shop built 1876 (erecting shop plus engine repair). This
Daily during school holidays
incorporated part of Brunet's original works. Now a car park
May Half Term: Scarecrow Week!
between STEAM and the National Monument Record Centre
* Meet and feed the animals due for housing development. Only the side wall facing the railway
* The world's largest living willow maze li ne remains.
* Tractor and trailer rides & electric tractors 9. Traverser (for moving rolling stock). Built 1959 and still in existence
* Giant straw bale stack and bouncy castle but due to be scrapped to make way for housing development.
* Kids crafty half hour 10. Points and crossing shop built 1896 ('X' Shop). Now demolished.
Land now used by National Trust HQ and DOC car park.
* Indoor heated toddlers soft play & sandpit
11. Sidings. Came into extensive use c1 920s
* Animal racing at weekends and holidays
* Granary Tea Room - homemade cakes! 12. General Offices built 1842-3. Numerous extensions built over next
80 years. Now National Monuments Record Centre.
THEMED BIRTHDAY PARTIES & SOCIAL EVENTS
13. St Marks Church built 1843-45, the railway church. Still in use.