THE ICONIC hooter that once called the people of Swindon to their posts at the old railway works sounded today, for the first time in 30 years.

A reproduction of the hooter was made as part of Swindon 175, the celebrations to mark the 175th anniversary of the birth of the new town.

Shortly before 1pm, in front of crowds of distinguished guests and eager onlookers at STEAM, it sounded again.

Iris Selwood, 90, came to hear for herself the sound she remembers so well as a part of daily life in her younger years.

She said: “My dad worked for many years here – first in the foundry, then on the carriage and wagon side, during the war he helped make the invasion barges.

“I remember the hooter very well, it would blow in the morning to get them up for work, first twenty minutes before, then five, then when they were supposed to be at their jobs.

“At lunchtime it was the same thing then in the evening it would blow when they finished for the day.

“I can remember the floods of bicycles coming out of the gates when it sounded, everyone heading home.”

Iris gave the new hooter a thumbs up on Tuesday, saying it reminded her of old times.

The reproduction was lovingly crafted by engineer Colin Hatch who brought along his own pristine traction engine to power it on the day, much to the delight of the enthusiasts who came to see the show.

The hooter is operated by manually turning a wheel to send the steam through the system, the man with that honour was 86-year-old John Walter – the same man who operated it the last time it sounded in 1986.

John said: “At that time you thought it was all finished, that there would be no more.

“I remember asking on the day if I could open it up for the last time, I left instructions with the boiler house that it would continue to go until there was no steam left.

“We let it die away just like the works, it probably went on for ten to fifteen minutes.”

John’s grandfather first came up to start at the works in 1870, he began a family history that echoes that of many families across Swindon.

When asked whether he was worried about using a reproduction hooter and not the real thing, John said: “I was apprehensive at first, but when it got going I could close my eyes and just imagine putting my overalls back on.

“Now I think yes, that is the sound that I remember from all those years ago.”

The hooter will sound again on Saturday at 4.30pm for all those who were unable to hear it today.