replacement buses and coaches will operate between Bristol Parkway and Newport, with some calling additionally at Patchway and Severn Tunnel Junction Several locomotives have been given the name Great Western. The first was an Iron Duke class broad-gauge locomotive built in 1846, the first locomotive entirely constructed at the company's Swindon locomotive works. This was withdrawn in 1870, but in 1888 a newly built locomotive in the same class was given the same name; this was withdrawn four years later when the broad gauge was taken out of use. [137] A standard-gauge 3031 class locomotive, number 3012, was then given the name. The last GWR locomotive to carry the name was Castle class number 7007, which continued to carry it in British Railways days. [138] Changing from First Great Western to GWR". GWR. Great Western Railway. Archived from the original on 21 January 2016 . Retrieved 7 January 2016.

Great Western Railway has said that on strike days, only a significantly reduced service will operate on a limited number of routes and that some parts of the GWR network will have no service at all. Where services are running, they are expected to be extremely busy, and there won't be any bus replacement services provided. Vaughan, Adrian (1985). Grub, Water and Relief: Tales of the Great Western 1835–1892. London: John Murray. ISBN 0-7195-4176-X. Engineering work is taking place in various places on the Great Western Railway network, closing some lines. The GWR is known admiringly to some as "God's Wonderful Railway", [100] but jocularly to others as the "Great Way Round" [101] as some of its earliest routes were not the most direct. The railway, however, promoted itself from 1908 as "The Holiday Line" as it carried huge numbers of people to resorts in Wales and south-west England. [102] [103] [104] Tourism [ edit ] 1934 camp coach brochureWork is well underway to install scaffolding for the north and south gable ends, aiming to start refurbishment of the north gable end early next year. It was several years before these remote lines were connected with the parent LSWR system and any through traffic to them was handled by the GWR and its associated companies. [24] Number 47815". The 47's. 2009. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011 . Retrieved 20 November 2009. CrossCountry trains will continue to run trains from the north as far as Bristol Temple Meads. However, you should change at Bristol Parkway for replacement buses towards Taunton or Tiverton Parkway.

With the railway line closed to train services between Bristol Parkway and Newport, trains will run to an amended timetable from Good Friday, Friday 19, to Easter Monday, Monday 22 April, and bus replacement services provided where trains are unable to operate. No trains will be able to run between Yeovil Pen Mill and Dorchester West from Monday 27 February to Friday 3 March, or from Monday 6 to Friday 10 March. No trains run between Reading and Westbury (via Newbury). Trains between London and the south west will be diverted via Swindon. In addition, RMT union strikes have now been scheduled over the Christmas period from 6 pm on December 24 until December 27. Allen, G. Freeman (1979). The Western Since 1948. Shepperton: Ian Allan. pp.11–15. ISBN 0-7110-0883-3.

Devon signalling upgrade

Long-distance trains between London Paddington and Devon/Cornwall will be diverted. Journey times will be extended by around 30 minutes The new Great Western Railway had more routes in Wales, including 295 miles (475km) of former Cambrian Railways lines and 124 miles (200km) from the Taff Vale Railway. A few independent lines in its English area of operations were also added, notably the Midland and South Western Junction Railway, a line previously working closely with the Midland Railway but which now gave the GWR a second station at Swindon, along with a line that carried through-traffic from the North via Cheltenham and Andover to Southampton. Potts, C.R. (1993). Windsor to Slough: a Royal branch line. Oxford: Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-442-3. The GWR's first locomotives were specified by Isambard Kingdom Brunel but proved unsatisfactory. Daniel Gooch, who was just 20 years old, was soon appointed as the railway's Locomotive Superintendent and set about establishing a reliable fleet. He bought two locomotives from Robert Stephenson and Company which proved more successful than Brunel's, and then designed a series of standardised locomotives. From 1846 these could be built at the company's newly established railway workshops at Swindon. He designed several different 7ft ( 2,134mm) broad-gauge types for the growing railway, such as the Firefly 2-2-2s and later Iron Duke Class 4-2-2s. In 1864 Gooch was succeeded by Joseph Armstrong who brought his standard-gauge experience to the railway. Some of Armstrong's designs were built as either broad or standard gauge just by fitting different wheels; those needing tenders were given old ones from withdrawn broad-gauge locomotives. [82] National Rail Enquiries can provide you with detailed information about train delays and cancellations anywhere on the network. Call 0345 748 4950 or visit nationalrail.co.uk. Luggage on replacement buses