List of Great Western Railway heritage sites

7 ft 14 in (2,140 mm) Brunel gauge
changed to
4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge1903Start of road motor services1923Keeps identity though the Grouping1935Centenary1948NationalisedSuccessor organisation1948British Rail, Western Region
Constituent companies
See full list of constituents of the GWR
1854Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway
Shrewsbury and Chester Railway
1862South Wales Railway
1863West Midland Railway
1876Bristol and Exeter Railway
South Devon Railway
1889Cornwall Railway
1922Rhymney Railway
Taff Vale Railway
Cambrian Railways
1923Midland & S W Junction Railway
Key locationsHeadquartersPaddington station, LondonLocaleEngland; WalesWorkshopsSwindon
WolverhamptonMajor stationsBirmingham Snow Hill
Bristol Temple Meads
Cardiff General
London Paddington
Reading General
Route mileage
Mileage shown as at end of year stated[1][2][3][4][5]
1841171 miles (275 km)
18631,106 miles (1,780 km)
18762,023 miles (3,256 km)
18992,504 miles (4,030 km)
19192,996 miles 68 chains (4,823.0 km)
19213,005 miles (4,836 km)
19243,797 miles (6,111 km)
19253,819 miles 69 chains (6,147.5 km)
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Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway near Goodrington
Bristol Temple Meads station
Penzance station
Box Tunnel
Windsor Bridge

Great Western Railway heritage sites are those places where stations, bridges and other infrastructure built by the Great Western Railway and its constituent railways can still be found. These may be heritage railways, museums, operational railway stations, or isolated listed structures.

Operational GWR style heritage railways

These heritage railways operate on old GWR branch lines. Many other heritage railways and museums also have GWR locomotives or rolling stock in use or on display.

Museums

These museums have a GWR theme or are located in old GWR buildings.

Listed structures

This transport-related list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (October 2021)

In addition to the places listed below, there are a great many smaller bridges and other structures that have been given listed status. The listing may only cover certain buildings and structures at each location.

World Heritage Site

UNESCO is considering a proposal to list the Great Western Main Line as a World Heritage Site. The proposal comprises seven individual sites.[7] These are Bristol Temple Meads railway station (including Brunel's Company Offices, Boardroom, train shed, and the Bristol and Exeter Railway Offices along with the route over the River Avon); Bath Spa railway station along with the line from Twerton Tunnel to the Sydney Gardens, Middlehill and Box Tunnels; the Swindon area including Swindon railway works and village; Maidenhead Railway Bridge; Wharncliffe Viaduct; and London Paddington station.

Grade I listed

Grade II* listed

Grade II listed

See also

A map of the GWR system

References

  1. ^ MacDermot, E T (1927). "Appendix 1". History of the Great Western Railway, volume I 1833-1863. London: Great Western Railway. Reprinted 1982, Ian Allan, ISBN 0-7110-0411-0
  2. ^ MacDermot, E T (1931). "Appendix 1". History of the Great Western Railway, volume II 1863-1921. London: Great Western Railway. Reprinted 1982, Ian Allan, ISBN 0-711004-12-9
  3. ^ "A brief review of the Company's hundred years of business". Great Western Railway Magazine. 47 (9). Great Western Railway: 495–499. 1935.
  4. ^ The Railway Year Book for 1920. London: The Railway Publishing Company Limited. 1920. p. 154.
  5. ^ The Railway Year Book for 1926. London: The Railway Publishing Company Limited. 1926. pp. 154–172.
  6. ^ Potts, C R (1998). The Newton Abbot to Kingswear Railway (1844 - 1988). Oxford: Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-387-7.
  7. ^ "The Great Western Railway: Paddington-Bristol (selected parts)". United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. 1999. Retrieved 22 May 2008.
  8. ^ Historic England. "Avon Bridge (1219892)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 16 March 2007.
  9. ^ Oakley, Mike (2002). Bristol Railway Stations 1840-2005. Wimbourne: The Dovecote Press. ISBN 1-904349-09-9.
  10. ^ Brindle, Steven (2004). Paddington Station: its history and architecture. Swindon: English Heritage. ISBN 1-873592-70-1.
  11. ^ Binding, John (1997). Brunel's Royal Albert Bridge. Truro: Twelveheads Press. ISBN 0-906294-39-8.
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Main routes
Map showing extent of Great Western Railway in 1926, from London to Penzance, Fishguard and Chester
Related companies
Locomotives
Works and depots
Train services
Rolling stock
People
Canals
Other
• Category:Great Western Railway