'God??s Wonderful Railway'
STEAM; the Museum of the Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was built in a period of great technological innovation and strenuous manual labour. The result was undoubtedly the most advanced and respected railway network in the world.
Full steam ahead
An Act of Parliament in 1835 gave the go ahead for the railway, which was to provide a double tracked line from Bristol to London. The engineer chosen for the all important position of overseeing construction was the young Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Even though only twenty-seven years old, he had demonstrated huge ability in his plans of the Clifton Suspension Bridge.
STEAM, the Museum of the Great Western Railway, tells the story of the men and women who built, operated and travelled on the Great Western Railway. It is full of fascinating exhibits and displays. At the museum you can get a feel for what it would have been like to work in the hot, grimy Foundry or in the Boiler, where the noise endured by the workers meant that many were deaf by the age of 30.
Pictures courtesy of STEAM
Submitted by: Catherine Thomas, 18 August 2003
