Swindon Steam Railway Museum

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Swindon 'Steam' Railway Museum is located at the site of the old railway works in Swindon, England - Wiltshire's 'railway town'. Apart from the museum itself, the site has become home to the McArthur Glen Designer Outlet and the new (2005) Head Office of the National Trust.

Contents 1 The site 2 The museum 3 Location 4 References 5 External links

[edit] The site

The museum is housed in a restored Grade II listed railway building.^[1] This was part of the old Swindon Great Western Railway works, which was one of the largest in the world and operated from 1843 to 1986. In its heyday, it covered more than 300 acres (120 hectares) and could turn out three locomotives per week.

[edit] The museum

Apart from many exhibits of interest to railway engine and rolling stock enthusiasts, it tells the social story of the railway community in Swindon, with recorded personal experiences and film archives. Life-like exhibits show people at work and human interactions. There are exhibits explaining the construction of locomotives, of railway equipment and of the railways themselves. It also tells the history of the Great Western Railway and the life of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the famous Victorian engineer, who masterminded the Great Western Railway. There are many hands-on exhibits and interactive displays. Enthusiastic ex-railway workers are on hand, to give a personal insight into many of the exhibits.

There is a series of reconstructions of areas of work, such as office, stores, workshop, signal box and foundry.

The museum holds a massive archive of books, periodicals, photographs, drawings and plans, relating to the Great Western Railway.

[edit] Location

The museum is near Swindon's town centre, adjacent to the McArthur Glen Designer Outlet Village. It is located at Ordnance Survey mapping six-figure grid reference SU 143848

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• STEAM Museum official website
• Map of location
• Friends of Swindon Railway Museum

Railway museums and heritage railways in England

Amerton Railway - Appleby Frodingham Railway - Avon Valley Railway - Barrow Hill Engine Shed - Battlefield Line - Bideford and Instow Railway - Birmingham Railway Museum - Bluebell Railway - Bodmin and Wenford Railway - Bowes Railway - Bredgar and Wormshill Light Railway - Bressingham Steam Museum - Bristol Harbour Railway - Buckinghamshire Railway Centre - Bure Valley Railway - Cambrian Railway Society - Cambrian Railways Trust - Chasewater Railway - Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway - Cholsey and Wallingford Railway - Churnet Valley Railway - Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway - Colne Valley Railway - Coventry Railway Centre - Darlington Railway Centre and Museum - Dartmoor Railway - Dean Forest Railway - Derwent Valley Light Railway - Didcot Railway Centre - East Anglian Railway Museum - East Kent Railway - East Lancashire Railway - East Somerset Railway - Ecclesbourne Valley Railway - Eden Valley Railway - Elsecar Steam Railway - Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway - Epping-Ongar Railway - Foxfield Light Railway - Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway - Great Central Railway - Great Whipsnade Railway - Helston Railway Preservation Company - Hythe Pier Railway - Isle of Wight Steam Railway - Keighley and Worth Valley Railway - Kent and East Sussex Railway - Kirklees Light Railway - Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway - Lappa Valley Steam Railway - Launceston Steam Railway - Lavender Line - Leighton Buzzard Light Railway - Llewellyn's Miniature Railway - Lincolnshire Wolds Railway - Lynton and Barnstaple Railway - Mangapps Railway Museum - Mid-Hants "Watercress" Line - Mid-Norfolk Railway - Mid-Suffolk Light Railway - Middleton Railway - Midland Railway Butterley - Moseley Railway Trust - National Railway Museum, York - Nene Valley Railway - North Gloucestershire Railway - North Norfolk Railway - North Tyneside Steam Railway - North Yorkshire Moors Railway - Northampton & Lamport Railway - Northamptonshire Ironstone Railway Trust - Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway - Peak Rail - Perrygrove Railway - Plym Valley Railway - Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway - Ribble Steam Railway - Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway - Rudyard Lake Steam Railway - Rushden, Higham & Wellingborough Railway - Rutland Railway Museum - Seaton Tramway - Severn Valley Railway - Shildon Locomotion Museum - Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway - South Devon Railway Trust - South Tynedale Railway - Spa Valley Railway - Steeple Grange Light Railway - Swanage Railway - Swindon and Cricklade Railway - Swindon Steam Railway Museum - Tanfield Railway - Telford Steam Railway - The Railway Age, Crewe - Volk's Electric Railway - Walthamstow Pump House Museum - Weardale Railway - Wells and Walsingham Light Railway - Wensleydale Railway - West Somerset Railway - Wisbech and March "Bramleyline" - Yaxham Light Railway

Heritage Railways: England - Scotland - Wales - Northern Ireland - Isle of Man - Channel Islands