Step back in time to Swindon's GWR glory days

Rodbourne Community History Group has announced free guided tours charting the history of Swindon's Great Western Railway buildings.

The tours will take in former GWR Works structures such as the Designer Outlet, led by a history group member with personal memories of life at the Works.

Dates announced are 8 April, 20 May, 17 June, 15 July, 19 August, 9 and 10 September, 18 November and 9 December.

A group spokesperson said: "The Rodbourne Community History Group was formed from an English Heritage Outreach department project called The Living Story in 2001.

"It was initially established to create a digital archive as an ongoing record of the social and cultural heritage of Rodbourne, Swindon.  

"The group has developed and now plays a key role for local and community history in Swindon, with monthly meetings, regular exhibitions and tours at the Designer Outlet village and contributions to other initiatives across the town.  

"The group maintains and seeks to expand its archive of photographs, other documents, oral and video reminiscences, which it makes available in person and over the internet, through www.rodbournehistory.org."

Scheduled monthly meetings include:

- 26 April: Women of World War Two. Bill King will present a description of how the talents of women were integrated into the British war effort on the Home Front, in industry and in the Armed Services at every level during World War Two.

- 31  May: The Quiet Engineer - A History of Thomas Richard Guppy. Group Secretary Gordon Shaw takes you on a journey through the life of this remarkably little-known engineer and great friend of I.K.Brunel. The journey starts from an investigation into the names of streets in Rodbourne, then travels via the Great Western Railway to a villa in Naples.

Places on the factory tours are limited, and people are invited to register an interest by contacting the group secretary on 01793 616558 or emailing [email protected]