Step back in time to the world-beating glory days of the Great Western Railway

By Barrie Hudson barrie@positive-media.co.uk

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

As you can probably see from this month’s cover I successfully managed to cross the Sahara Desert in aid of Prospect Hospice. You can read all about the team’s trials and tribulations, and even about the dreaded toilet tent, on page 14.

But for me returning to Swindon having spent time surrounded by camels was a bit of a culture shock, especially when I returned to find the town had been gripped by election fever.

The local elections, which take place on Thursday 4 May, are pretty important this year with every seat but one up for contention. This time you need to ensure you bring your ID with you to vote. With so much at stake it’s essential we all get out and vote.

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 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.”

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 secretary@ rodbournehistory.org

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

Group Editor and Owner: Jamie Hill

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