Great Western Railway
Coat-of-arms of the Great Western Railway, incorporating the shields, crests and mottoes of the cities of London (left) and Bristol (right)
History
1835Act of Incorporation
1838First train ran
1869–927 ft 14 in (2,140 mm) Brunel gauge
changed to
4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
1903Start of road motor services
1904City of Truro sets speed record
1948Nationalised
Successor organisation
1948British Rail, Western Region
Constituent companies
See full list of constituents of the GWR
1854Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway
Shrewsbury and Chester Railway
1862South Wales Railway
1863West Midland Railway
1876Bristol and Exeter Railway
South Devon Railway
1889Cornwall Railway
1922Rhymney Railway
Taff Vale Railway
Cambrian Railways
1923Midland & S W Junction Railway
Key locations
HeadquartersPaddington station, London
WorkshopsSwindon
Wolverhampton
Major stationsBirmingham Snow Hill
Bristol Temple Meads
Cardiff General
London Paddington
Reading General
Route mileage
Mileage shown as at end of year stated[1][2][3]
1841171 miles (275 km)
18631,106 miles (1,780 km)
18762,023 miles (3,256 km)
18992,504 miles (4,030 km)
19212,900 miles (4,700 km)
19243,797 miles (6,111 km)