Top national award for Great Western Society and Didcot

THE Great Western Society has scooped the Heritage Railway Association’s Interpretation award for 2022.

The annual award, sponsored by Heritage Railway magazine, has been given for 60 years of excellence for the society’s ever-expanding collections of exhibits, ranging from its locomotives and rolling stock collection down to museum display and railway relics and extensive photographic archive, plus the activities of the education team and individual attractions such as the Swindon signalling panel, the genuine Second World War air raid shelter and the re-enactors team.

As highlighted in our special 60th anniversary special feature in issue 282, the venue, which houses the biggest collection of historic rolling stock from any railway company in the world, had its beginnings in 1961 when four teenage enthusiasts, disappointed by the omission of a GWR Collett 0-4-2T from plans to set up the National Collection of locomotives, decided to buy on of their own, and formed the 488XX Preservation Society. This became the GWS, and three years later they bought No.1466 from BR for £750, and matching auto trailer No. 231 followed.

Evolved

In 1967, the society moved into Didcot locomotive depot, and in the decades that followed evolved it into a unique showcase for the multi-faceted products of the Swindon empire, with two running lines and a dual-gauge section which allows Brunel 7ft ¼in gauge stock to be run. There is even a section of vacuum piping from Brunel’s short-lived South Devon atmospheric railway on prominent display.

Not only is the centre a fount of knowledge and discovery both for enthusiasts and the general public alike, but it has an education team of around a dozen volunteers at any one time tasked with teaching adults or children about the GWR and key events in its history.

School activities are aimed at all ages, from nursery through to senior school pupils and to young volunteers and apprentices. For instance, the centre’s Second World War evacuation days see the team educate children using its own classroom disguised as a railway carriage and the air raid shelter.

As part of the day the children are ‘evacuated’ to the country on board a steam train where volunteers meet the train and talk to the children about what would have happened during 1940.

Filled the gaps

Not only has the society amassed the huge collection of rolling stock, but it has also used its resources to fill missing gaps in the GWR story, such as the building of a new Saint 4-6-0 No.2999 Lady of Legend.

The rest of the winners of the Heritage Railway Association 2022 Annual Awards, which invited nominations for 10 categories covering all aspects of the preservation, will be announced on Saturday, March 19. A full awards presentation evening will be held at the Burlington Hotel near Birmingham New Street station, subject to any unexpected coronavirus related restrictions.

For tickets visit www.hra.uk.com