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GWR Branchlines By C. J. Gammell w dust jacket
GWR Branchlines By C. J. Gammell
Hardbound With Dustjacket
192 Pages
Copyright 1995
Contents
Page
Preface6
London Area7
Oxfordshire with East Bucks and North Berks11
Wiltshire with Hants and West Berks25
Somerset and Dorset38
Devon59
Cornwall76
Gloucestershire and the West Midlands88
Herefordshire and Worcestershire102
Shropshire and Montgomeryshire, including the Wrexham Area109
North and Mid Wales127
West Wales142
South Wales - Glamorganshire155
Monmouthshire179
Bibliography189
Acknowledgements190
Index191
Preface
The Great Western was a railway of branch lines, so it has been said, and the Company's map featured numerous cross-country railways feeding the main line system. The GWR had main lines from London to Penzance, Wales, the Midlands and the North West; all other lines were of a minor nature. The railway survived until 31st December 1947 but the GWR lived on in spirit for a great deal longer, the Western Region being a nationalised version of the former company. The GWR atmosphere disappeared with the cessation of steam working during the 1960s and is alas no more.
During its heyday the GWR was a massive system, stretching over a large part of the West of England and Wales. The railway employed 111,000 people at the Grouping, had a mileage of nearly 4,000 and used over 4,000 locomotives. The railway company was a pioneer in catering for the needs of the rural community and invented the steam railmotor - a combined locomotive and coach and placed the first units in traffic on the Stonehouse to Chalford line as early as 12th October 1903. The steam railmotors were built at Swindon and were used on both urban and suburban routes. However, they were a victim of their own success as they increased passenger traffic but could not take extra coaches. Steam railmotors gave way to separate locomotive hauled trains worked by the standard GWR 0-4-2 tanks of the 517 class with auto trailers. Steam railmotors ran until 1935, but the loco-hauled trains operated by the later 1400 class 0-4-2Ts and 0-6-0 pannier tanks, as well as the 4575 class 2-6-2Ts, lasted well into BR days. The GWR also pioneered the use of
diesel railcars from 1934, and these could be seen all over the system.
The GWR supplemented its local passenger services with its own buses - the largest of the railway bus fleets. In some timetables the GWR showed `railmotor' and 'road motor' in the same table, thus supplementing passenger services in rural areas. The GWR opened hundreds of halts during the inter-war years and these invariably had the 'pagoda' type waiting shelter with a short, wooden-edged platform. The GWR, more than any other company, landscaped its locations commencing in the late 19th century and lasting up until the time of the new 'cut-off' lines in the early part of the 20th century. The GWR standard station came complete with flowerbeds, shrubs and trees laid out to placate landowners in the areas through which the railway passed. Today, many of the country stations have gone but the GWR pine trees can still be seen marking the spot where a station once stood. A few stations have survived on preserved lines and a visit to one of these can give the traveller, nearly but perhaps not exactly, the impression of what the real thing was like. The sharp bark of a GWR engine pulling away from a short stop, the crowing whistle and the chatter of the local people who have joined the train to journey into town to shop or work are still remembered. The pitter patter of the 14)0C or pannier coasting on a down gradient and the engines 'squawk' at oncoming stations were all part of the daily scene in England's West and the damp valleys of Wales.
C. J. Gammell London 1995
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