The Great Western Railway at Swindon, with its highly skilled craftsmen, is world-famous. It has been written about and filmed countless times, and many of its old steam locomotives have been saved from the scrapyards and lovingly rebuilt to run again on heritage lines. But despite such affection, its skill in the construction and repair of the carriages and wagons has often been sadly overlooked. Rolling stock is essential for the operation of any railway and no doubt played a key role in the success of the GWR, transporting people and goods of all kinds across its extensive network. Retired GWR railwayman Ken Gibbs seeks to redress the balance and reveal for the first time exactly 'how they did it' - showcasing the history and work of the Carriage and Wagon Works at Swindon. AUTHOR: Ken Gibbs spent his career working for the GWR, starting an apprenticeship into Fitting, Turning and Steam Locomotive Erecting in 1944. He was the fourth generation of his family to do so. After a period in the RAF he returned to the shop floor in 1953, later becoming an industrial consultant on Plant Maintenance. He retired early and joined the GW Society at Didcot and the Firefly project, constructing a broad gauge replica from scratch, a 23-year project for which he became technical director. He has previously written, 'The Steam Workshops of the GWR' and 'Steam Rail Motors of the GWR' for The History Press. SELLING POINTS: ? These vital workshops comprised 50% of the total Swindon site yet are little mentioned ? Timed for the 175th anniversary of the building of GWR's Swindon Works ? With a large collection of photographs, maps and plans, many previously unpublished ? Expert author who spent his career working on the GWR workshop floor ? Ken Gibbs is a fourth generation GWR worker and in the process of restoring an 1986 Cambrian railway coach 208 pages
