A Swindon man has been speaking about his satisfaction at being able to bring part of restoring the town’s heritage.
Swindon was home to the Great Western Railway works until the facility was closed by British Rail in 1986.
A section of the former works is now part of the STEAM Museum which aims to bring back memories of the GWR’s past.
And the museum has recently held its annual railway festival including traction engines and steam rollers, road-going steam engines.
Colin Hatch from Stratton St Margaret has been responsible for organising the live steam element of the railway festival for many years.
Mr Hatch explained: “We usually bring traction engines to the Railway Festival to give a bit of atmosphere of the sounds and the smells of steam actually working, so people can appreciate the smells of the old day when this was a thriving engineering workshop for the construction of locomotives.
“I first stood on the footplate of a traction engine when I was 14 and that was 53 years ago.
“Partway through my life, it became a job, so I ended up working on traction engines and railway locomotives.”
The 67-year-old added that he still gets hairs on the back of his neck when he sees a steam locomotive working again after a long restoration.
“I’ve actually achieved something and brought something back to life so, it’s very pleasing indeed.”
As a mark of respect for the late Queen, the works hooter was sounded each day at 11 am.
Mr Hatch was given the honour of sounding the hooter.
Visitors and staff members then paused for a minute’s silence to remember the late monarch.
Colin said he was emotional by how silent the museum was during the moment of reflection.
“It was very moving, everybody stood still and gave their minute’s silence and then we blew the hooter for a long period afterwards.
“It was sad, but things change and history moves on.
“I was born in the 50s, so The Queen has been part of my life all the way through.”
As for the railway festival itself, 23 model railway exhibitions of all gauges attended the festival.
Making an appearance was the Swindon Model Railway Club which exhibited its Wood Street layout.
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