Western Region Steam Locomotive Depots

From the opening of the Great Western Railway in 1838 to the end of steam traction on the Western Region in 1965 the 'engine shed' formed a vital role in both the infrastructure and operation of the railway. As the Great Western system expanded so did the need for larger locomotive servicing facilities and from the 1870s right through to the 1930s many sheds were rebuilt into larger locomotive depots or in some cases replaced by entirely new structures. Nationalisation of the railways in 1948 saw the formation of the 'British Railways Western Region'. Apart from a few early sub-shed closures the number of Western Region steam depots and sub-sheds remained almost unaltered until the regional boundary changes of 1958. This book illustrates Western Region steam depots and 'sub sheds' that were in operation in the mid-1950s. Today the unique atmosphere of the steam 'shed' can still be experienced at Didcot, where the original 1932 locomotive shed forms the centrepiece of the Didcot Railway Centre.