The Museum of the Great Western Railway is filled with fascinating railway artifacts and interactive exhibits. It is also perfectly located in a restored railway building that reflects an important aspect of Swindon’s industrial history. Visit this charming museum to marvel at steam locomotives and see reconstructions of scenes from the past.
Also known as the Swindon Steam Railway Museum, the building dates back to an era when Swindon Railway Works was one of the largest railway engineering complexes in the world. Tour the rooms to see where people worked on providing steam locomotives to the railways across the United Kingdom until 1986. The museum opened in 2000 after the building was refurbished and restored.
Step into the museum and you’ll notice that not only are you surrounded by trains, but you’re also surrounded by life-sized replicas of people at work on the railways. From a man waiting at a platform to a group of workers shoveling materials, the museum shows you the sights you would have encountered when the complex was operational.
Through film archives, books and personal accounts from railway workers, you can trace the history of the Great Western Railway. Ask one of the ex-railway workers on the staff to tell you more of their stories, as their expert knowledge is an invaluable part of the museum experience.
The museum is full of interactive exhibits to keep children and adults alike entertained. Pretend that you are driving a train or let your senses be overtaken with the smells and sounds of a railway machine shop. Visit during the school vacations and in the summer for even more events and classes for children.
The easiest way to access the museum is to drive, as parking is free for museum visitors outside of any special events. Expect to pay an admission fee for entrance, though note that students and children receive discounts. The museum is open every day of the year except for a few days surrounding Christmas.
