History | |||||||||||||||||||||
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1835 | Act of incorporation | ||||||||||||||||||||
1838 | First train ran | ||||||||||||||||||||
1869–92 | 7 ft 1⁄4 in (2,140 mm) Brunel gauge changed to 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge | ||||||||||||||||||||
1903 | Start of road motor services | ||||||||||||||||||||
1923 | Keeps identity though the Grouping | ||||||||||||||||||||
1935 | Centenary | ||||||||||||||||||||
1948 | Nationalised | ||||||||||||||||||||
Successor organisation | |||||||||||||||||||||
1948 | British Rail, Western Region | ||||||||||||||||||||
Key locations | |||||||||||||||||||||
Headquarters | Paddington station, London | ||||||||||||||||||||
Locale | England; Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||
Workshops | Swindon Wolverhampton | ||||||||||||||||||||
Major stations | Birmingham Snow Hill Bristol Temple Meads Cardiff General London Paddington Reading General | ||||||||||||||||||||
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The Great Western Railway (GWR) was incorporated by an act of Parliament in 1835 and nationalised on 1 January 1948. During this time it amalgamated with, or purchased outright, many other railway companies. These are listed here in two groups. The early amalgamations (mostly between 1843 and 1900) often involved railway companies that were already being financially supported by the GWR. The Railways Act 1921 brought many new companies into the fold including many successful Welsh lines.
The Railways Act 1921 provided for the compulsory amalgamation of many of Britain's railways. 27 of the larger railways (termed "Constituent Companies" by the act) would amalgamate on or before 1 January 1923 to create four larger railways (termed "Amalgamated Companies"). About 100 of the smaller railways (termed "Subsidiary Companies") would be absorbed by either the Constituent Companies or the Amalgamated Companies. In what was termed the "Western Group", the Constituent Companies were:
These amalgamated on 1 January 1922, and the company continued to use the name Great Western Railway, and its new board of directors included representatives from all seven of the constituent companies. There was no board representation for the Subsidiary Companies, which were:
After the grouping, two organisations voluntarily sold their operations and locomotives to the GWR. Both of these worked the railways of Swansea Docks:
Later, the GWR purchased the Corris Railway from the Bristol Tramways and Carriage Company Ltd, together with associated road services and vehicles.[6]