Swindon Works and Railway Sites Walkaround Tour

We plan to have a walkaround tour of the various remaining railway sites in Swindon. The tour will last approximately two hours and will be led by a former Swindon works employee and lifelong Swindon resident Martin Telling. During the walkaround tour we plan to visit the various workshops that still remain in the former works complex (many now converted for other uses), as well as a number of other GWR buildings in the vicinity of the railway works site.

Our Guide Martin Telling started his railway career in September 1973 aged 16 as an Apprentice in the BREL Swindon Works Training School in Dean Street, Swindon. Martin is proud to say that he is a fifth generation Swindon Railwayman. He served his time inside ‘the wall’ that encompassed Swindon Works, completing his Apprenticeship in refurbishment of Locomotives and Rolling Stock in May 1977. Following this he then worked as a Technical Officer in the Works Drawing Office, working on projects including the re-organisation of the Works, Kent Coast Stock refurbishment, Gloucester Y25 Bogies, Plasser & Theurer Cranes, Gun Boats for Nigeria and a Traversing Turntable for Hong Kong Railways. In 1983 Martin was promoted to the British Rail Western Region CM&EE’s department (still located within the Railway Works) where he worked on a number projects throughout the Western Region, and following privatisation throughout the UK railway industry. Martin retired from the railway industry after over 45 years service in April 2019.

Limited spaces available. Email tv-fixtures@rcts.org.uk to book your place. A £5 per person
donation (in aid of a local charity) will be taken on the day