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Great Western Main Line Steam, Review of 1985, by Roger Siviter

Published by Kingfisher in 1986, 48 pages. A4 size booklet - c.21cm by 27cm (A14KX1)

From the introduction: Amongst the majority of railway enthusiasts, 1985 will long be remembered as the 150th anniversary of the Great Western Railway - GWR 150. Unlike the other big railway companies at the grouping in 1922, the Great Western was simply enlarged with the addition of a few smaller companies, whereas the LNWR and Midland Railway, for example, were merged together to form part of the LMS and so lost their names and eventually their identities, as did all the big companies that formed the LMS, LNER and Southern Railway.

When the railways were nationalised in 1948, the GWR by and large retained its identity. The principal reasons for this were that the 'new' Western Region covered more or less the same area as the GWR and above all, its elegant locomotives retained the same numbers as before, each with brass number plates. The locomotive numbers on the other regions were, in a lot of cases, completely changed.

Even today, in 1985, there is a fascination about some stations on the Western Region which are still unmistakably GWR. Two examples that spring to mind are Taunton and Newton Abbot, each still complete with (for the time being) fine examples of GWR-type semaphore signals and signal boxes. One sad piece of news in 1985 was the announcement of the closure of Swindon Locomotive Works in the near future. This meant that the celebrations planned to take place at Swindon Works never materi­alised. Fortunately, many other events did take place, not least of all, the many fine steam trips on former GWR lines, some of which have not seen steam traction for over twenty years. Many types of locomotives have been used, from BR standard classes, which were regular performers on the Western Region, to many GWR locomotives that have been so beautifully restored to their former glory.

This book sets out to show these fine locomotives at work on the former GWR lines in 1985 and in doing this I am grateful for the help of many people; for the photographers who have let me choose from their pictures; to John Kenward of the Great Western Society for much helpful advice and information; to the Great Western Society for their hard work in organising many of the events; to my publishers for allowing me complete freedom of layout; to Joan Wappett for the typing and to my wife Christina for the map and help with the layout; but most of all to the railwaymen, amateur and professional alike, who really made it all possible. Thank you for making GWR 1985 such a happy and successful year. Here's to GWR 2035!

The condition of the booklet is generally very good. The covers have one or two minor scuffs but are clean and bright, the staple spine is intact and all pages are clean, intact, unblemished and bound.

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