Wartime GWR

100 years ago Britain stood on the brink of a world war that was to take the country to the limits of its capabilities. The railways were fundamental to the war effort at home. The Great Western Railways played a significant role in maintaining the flow of people and goods. Although the railways were taken under government control during WWI, the Great Western Railway largely maintained its own character which continued when the railways were grouped under the control of the 'Big Four' in 1923. Two decades later and the country was at war again and the GWR was called on once more to help the war effort. The difference this time was the railways were directly targeted by the enemy as their aircrafts reached far into Britain. At the end of the war the railways were facing financial ruin and were shortly afterwards nationalised. The STEAM Museum of the Great Western Railway at Swindon has built up an unparalleled archive of photographs of the history of the GWR, which accompany the text in this book.