From the archive: Swindon ‘Steam’ opens to the public

['Mark Lancaster', 'Mark Started Life On Two Wheels Aged On A Mobylette In His Grandfather S Back Garden. It Was In The Blood', 'Mark S Great Uncles Raced Sidecars At The Tt', 'Once Finishing His Grandfather Was A Speedway Rider. As For Mark', 'He Once Held A Licence To Race Motorcycles In Italy', 'Has Completed The', 'Iron Biker', 'Challenge Around The Alps', 'One Day Wants To Ride Around The Entire Coastline Of The Uk On A Motorcycle..', '.Wp-Block-Post-Author Box-Sizing Border-Box Display Flex Flex-Wrap Wrap .Wp-Block-Post-Author__Byline Font-Size Margin-Bottom Margin-Top Width'] The Railway Magazine 2026-07-30 18:56:33

We take a verbatim look back at when JOHN STRETTON was given an insight into Swindon’s new £11m railway museum. After many years, alternative suggestions, trials and tribulations along the way, this date was due to mark the formal opening of ‘STEAM – Museum of the Great Western Railway’. Built in the old 20 Shop of Brunel’s magnificent GWR railway works, the project has taken close on two years from conception to completion. The story of Swindon Works is told as well as the remarkable stories of the men and women who built, operated and travelled on ‘God’s Wonderful Railway’. Many smaller, but very important GWR artefacts, such as historical paperwork, plans and photographs, literally did not see the light of day.