Great Western Railway
Dates
| 04/06/1838 | Great Western Railway First part of Great Western Railway opened from Paddington [1st] to Maidenhead [1st] opened. Stations on this section at: Paddington [1st], Royal Oak, Westbourne Park, Acton, Ealing Broadway, West Ealing, Hanwell and Elthorne, Southall, Hayes and Harlington, West Drayton and Yiewsley, Iver, Langley, Slough, Burham, Taplow, and Maidenhead [1st] . |
| 06/04/1839 | Great Western Railway Cooke and Wheatstone 5 needle system electric telegraph installed between Paddington [1st] and Hanwell. This was the first commercial telegraph line (and in fact first commercial use of electricity) and the public were able to pay to send messages. |
| 09/04/1839 | Great Western Railway Electric telegraph completed from Hanwell to West Drayton. Later extended to Slough. |
| 01/07/1839 | Great Western Railway Maidenhead (Old) to Twyford opened. Stations on this section at: Maidenhead (New), and Twyford. |
| 30/03/1840 | Great Western Railway Twyford to Reading opened. Stations on this section at: Reading. |
| 01/06/1840 | Great Western Railway Reading to Steventon opened. Stations on this section at: Tilehurst, Pangborne, Goring & Streatley, Cholsey & Moulsford, Didcot, Steventon. |
| 20/07/1840 | Great Western Railway Steventon to Faringdon Road (now Challow) opened. Stations on this section at: Wantage Road, Challow. |
| 31/08/1840 | Great Western Railway Bristol (Old) to Bath opened. Stations on this section at: Bath, Oldfield Park, Saltford, Keynshaw & Somerdale, St Annes Park, and Bristol (Temple Meads). |
| 17/12/1840 | Great Western Railway Faringdon Road to Hay Lane (just west of Swindon) opened. Stations on this section at: Uffington, Shrivenham, Stratton Park Halt, Swindon, Hay Lane (But was this a station?). |
| 31/05/1841 | Great Western Railway Hay Lane to Chippenham opened. Stations on this section at: Wootton Bassett, Dauntsey, Malford Halt, Chippenham. |
| 31/05/1841 | Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway (Great Western Railway) Swindon to Kemble to Cirencester Town opened. Stations on this section at: Purton, Minety and Ashton Keynes, Oaksey Halt, Kemble and Cirencester Town. |
| 30/06/1841 | Great Western Railway Chippenham to Bath opened, Great Western Railway main line open throughout. Stations on this section at: Corsham, Box, Bathford Halt, Bathmapton. |
| 12/06/1844 | Oxford Branch (Great Western Railway) Didcot Junction to Oxford [1st] opened. Stations on this section at: Appleford Halt, Culham, Radley and Oxford [1st]. |
| 08/07/1844 | Bristol and Gloucester Railway Standish Junction to Gloucester opened. The Great Western Railway had running powers from Standish Junction to Gloucester. |
| / /1845 | Bristol and Exeter Railway Great Western Railway Great Western considers buying the Bristol and Exeter which would be threatened by their planned direct London to Exeter line. |
| / /1845 | Great Western Railway [Ireland] Authorised. |
| / /1845 | Midland Great Western Railway Incorporated. Act for line from Dublin Broadstone to Mullingar and Athlone [MGWR], and purchase the Royal Canal and its hotels. |
| 12/05/1845 | Gloucester Branch (Great Western Railway) Kemble Junction to Gloucester opened |
| 12/05/1845 | Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway (Great Western Railway) Kemble to Gloucester (Standish Junction) opened. Stations on this section at: Tetbury Road, Brimscombe, Stroud and Stonehouse [Gloucestershire]. Standish Junction to Gloucester was owned by the Midland Railway. |
| 07/11/1845 | Bristol and Exeter RailwayGreat Western Railway Great Western^s take over offer refused by the smaller company. |
| / /1846 | South Wales Railway, Great Western Railway Great Western Railway to lease the South Wales Railway at 5%, if South Wales Railway completed to Fishguard. |
| 16/07/1846 | Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow and Dublin Railway Act passed. The Act allows the company to lease the Dublin and Kingstown Railway. The line is Great Western Railway (England) supported. (Known as the ^Three W^s.) |
| / /1847 | Midland Great Western Railway Portion authorised from Mullingar to Athlone [MGWR] and Galway. |
| 28/06/1847 | Midland Great Western Railway Dublin Broadstone to Enfield [Ireland] opened. Engineer G W Hemans. Contractor William Jeffs. |
| 23/10/1847 | Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway (Great Western Railway) Broad Gauge line from Gloucester, Tramway Junction, to Cheltenham, Lansdown Junction, opened. Stations on this section at: Churchdown and Cheltenham. Gloucester to Cheltenham owned by the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway later owned by the Midland Railway. |
| 23/10/1847 | Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway (Great Western Railway) Cheltenham, Lansdown Junction, to Cheltenham St James station opened. |
| 23/10/1847 | Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway (Great Western Railway) Gloucester Avoiding Line (Millstream Junction to Barnwood Junction) opened. |
| 06/12/1847 | Midland Great Western Railway Extended from Enfield [Ireland] to Hill of Down. |
| 02/10/1848 | Midland Great Western Railway Extended from Hill of Down to Mullingar. |
| 01/11/1848 | Basingstoke Branch (Great Western Railway) Reading, Southcot Junction, to Basingstoke opened. Stations on section at: Mortimer, Bramley and Basingstoke. |
| / /1849 | Midland Great Western Railway Dublin Broadstone to Enfield [Ireland] and Hill of Down to Killucan doubled. |
| 30/04/1849 | Bristol and Exeter Railway Great Western Railway Great Westerns lease expires |
| /07/1849 | Midland Great Western Railway Construction of Mullingar to Athlone [MGWR] and Galway begins. Contractor William Dargan. |
| 08/10/1849 | Windsor Branch (Great Western Railway) Slough to Windsor and the west curve at Slough opened. |
| / /1850 | Great Western Railway Starts to acquire coking coal, for locomotive coal coke ovens, from Great Western Colliery on the Dinas Branch (Taff Vale Railway). |
| / /1850 | Midland Great Western Railway Killucan to Mullingar doubled. |
| / /1851 | Midland Great Western Railway Enfield [Ireland] to Hill of Down doubled. |
| / /1851 | Midland Great Western Railway Ballinasloe to Athlone [MGWR] and Oranmore to Galway doubled. |
| / /1851 | Midland Great Western Railway Builds the Railway Hotel in Galway (now The Hardiman). The hotel was leased to operators. |
| 01/08/1851 | Midland Great Western Railway Extended from Mullingar to Athlone [MGWR] and Galway. Double as far as Streamstown. |
| / /1852 | Midland Great Western Railway Doubled from Streamstown to Athlone [MGWR]. |
| / /1854 | Shrewsbury and Chester Railway Great Western Railway Shrewsbury and Chester Railway merged into the Great Western Railway. |
| / /1854 | Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway Wolverhampton Low Level station opened by the Great Western Railway. |
| 16/01/1854 | Great Western Railway Paddington New station, departure side, opened. |
| 29/05/1854 | Great Western Railway Paddington New station, arrival side, opened. |
| / /1855 | Longford Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Opened from Mullingar (Midland Great Western Railway) to Longford. First step in the line to Sligo. |
| / /1856 | Cavan Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Opened from Cavan Junction (Longford Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)) to Cavan. |
| / /1857 | Clara Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Authorised. |
| / /1857 | Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Act gives permission for line from Longford to Strokestown, Boyle and Sligo. |
| / /1858 | Midland Great Western Railway Goods branch to Galway Docks opened. |
| / /1858 | Longford Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Mullingar to Cavan Junction doubled. |
| / /1859 | North Wall Extension (Midland Great Western Railway) Liffey Branch. With Dublin Broadstone being remote from the harbour, and the company increasingly desiring access to harbour, powers in the Act of 1846 were renewed for a branch to Dublin^s North Wall. |
| / /1859 | Chester and Holyhead Railway
North Wall Extension (Midland Great Western Railway) London and North Western Railway steamers from Holyhead serve Dublin North Wall, where the LNWR opens a Dublin North Wall [LNWR] station and sidings connected to the Midland Great Western Railway line, the station located just east of Dublin North Wall Goods [MGWR]. |
| / /1859 | Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Deviation Act for the 1857 Sligo branch Act, for avoidance of mid-Roscommon (Great Northern and Western Railway territory). |
| / /1860 | Great Western Railway Buys the Cilely Colliery near Tonyrefail and the Ely Valley Railway. (1860s). |
| / /1860 | Athlone Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway) Connection to Midland Great Western Railway between Athlone [MGWR] and Athlone installed. |
| / /1860 | Clara Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Attempt to abandon powers to build line. |
| / /1860 | Great Northern and Western Railway Opened from Athlone [MGWR] (Midland Great Western Railway) to Roscommon. |
| / /1860 | Athenry and Tuam Railway Line opened from Athenry (Midland Great Western Railway) to Tuam.Worked by the MGWR until 1870. |
| 02/08/1860 | Ely Valley Railway Broad gauge line opened from Llantrisant on the South Wales Railway. The line is worked by the Great Western Railway. |
| / /1861 | Ely Valley Railway Great Western Railway takes a 999 year lease of the line. |
| 07/06/1861 | Llantrissant and Taff Vale Junction Railway Act passed for this Taff Vale Railway backed line. The line was promoted to stop expansion eastwards of the Great Western Railway backed schemes from Llantrisant. The line ran from Llantrisant Branch Junction, Treforest, to meet the Mwyndy Branch (Ely Valley Railway) at Maesaraul. |
| 01/10/1861 | Great Western Railway Third rail laid into London Paddington allowing standard gauge trains to enter the station. |
| / /1862 | Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Opened from Longford (Longford Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)) to Sligo. |
| 07/04/1862 | Cavan Branch (Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway) Branch opened from Clones to Cavan (Cavan Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)). Worked by the Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway. The line crossed the border between north and south six times between Clones and Redhills stations. |
| 01/07/1862 | Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway Leased jointly by the London and North Western Railway, West Midland Railway and Great Western Railway. |
| 29/08/1862 | Dublin and Meath Railway Opened from Clonsilla (Midland Great Western Railway) to a temporary Navan [DMR] terminus. After earlier consideration of an independent Dublin station, access was granted to Dublin Broadstone. Contractor Moore Brothers. |
| / /1863 | Clara Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Line opened from Streamstown (Midland Great Western Railway) to Clara [MGWR] and a connection to the Great Southern and Western Railway. |
| /06/1863 | Cowbridge Railway Agreement with the Great Western Railway to join South Wales Railway at Llantrisant rather than run to Maesaraul. Third rail laid from Llantrisant to Maesaraul Junction along the Mwyndy Branch (Ely Valley Railway). |
| 13/07/1863 | West Midland Railway, Great Western Railway West Midland Railway merged with Great Western Railway. |
| 01/08/1863 | South Wales Railway, Great Western Railway South Wales Railway amalgamated with the Great Western Railway. |
| / /1864 | Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Permanent station at Sligo opened. |
| / /1864 | Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Sligo to Ballysodare doubled. |
| 01/03/1864 | North Wall Extension (Midland Great Western Railway) Liffey Junction to Dublin North Wall Goods [MGWR] opened. Contractor Moore Brothers. Follows the course of the Royal Canal. |
| 01/02/1865 | Vale of Neath Railway Great Western Railway works the line as part of its network. |
| / /1867 | Taff Bargoed Joint Line (Great Western Railway and Rhymney Railway) Agreement to build line from Nelson to Dowlais for hauling iron ore from Cardiff to the Dowlais Iron Works. |
| / /1867 | Athenry and Ennis Junction Railway Approaches the Midland Great Western Railway to operate line. |
| / /1869 | Drogheda Curve (Dublin and Drogheda Railway and London and North Western Railway) A joint line curve authorised from East Wall Junction (Dublin and Drogheda Railway) to London and North Western Railway sidings at Dublin North Wall] [LNWR] (there was no direct connection to the Midland Great Western Railway). |
| / /1869 | Athenry and Ennis Junction Railway Line opened from Ennis (Limerick and Ennis Railway) to Athenry (Midland Great Western Railway). Line operated by company. |
| 01/06/1869 | Dublin and Meath Railway Midland Great Western Railway takes over the working of the Meath line. |
| /10/1869 | Dublin and Meath Railway Midland Great Western Railway cuts Kells [County Meath] service cut back to Navan [DMR]. |
| / /1870 | Athenry and Tuam Railway Midland Great Western Railway ceases to operate the line. |
| / /1871 | Rhymney Railway Connection made between the Rhymney Railway (at south facing Penalltau Branch Junction) to a west facing junction on the Taff Vale Extension. This gave access to the line as far west as Middle Duffryn Junction and also the Taff Bargoed Joint Line and Quakers Yard and Merthyr Joint Railway both of which were jointly owned by the Great Western Railway and the Rhymney Railway to compete with the Taff Vale Railway. |
| / /1872 | Swansea Canal Bought by the Great Western Railway. |
| / /1872 | North Wall Extension (Great Southern and Western Railway) Act for line from Islandbridge Junction (close to Dublin Kingsbridge) to Glasnevin Junction (North Wall Extension (Midland Great Western Railway)) then following that line and a short link from West Road Junction to Church Road Junction (Drogheda Curve (Dublin and Drogheda Railway and London and North Western Railway)). |
| / /1872 | Great Western Railway Takes over the steamer service from Neyland to Waterford from Ford and Jackson. |
| / /1873 | North Wall Extension (Midland Great Western Railway) Spencer Dock opened, sidings laid in from Newcomen Bridge Junction. North Wall Goods [CDSP] sidings served the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company (just west of Dublin North Wall Goods [MGWR]). |
| / /1874 | Sligo and Ballaghadereen Junction Railway Opened from Kilfree Junction (Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)) to Ballaghadereen. |
| 01/08/1875 | Monmouthshire Canal Tramway, Great Western Railway The Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company gives the Great Western Railway running rights over their system. |
| 01/11/1875 | Navan and Kingscourt Railway Completed to Kingscourt. Worked by the Midland Great Western Railway. |
| 01/01/1876 | Bristol and Exeter Railway Great Western Railway Great Western leases line |
| 01/08/1876 | Bristol and Exeter Railway Great Western Railway Great Western absorbs the Bristol and Exeter |
| / /1877 | Brynmawr and Blaenavon Railway Extended south to Abersychan and Talywain station and Varteg Hill Colliery. A branch from Garndiffaith Junction ran to Golynos Junction on the Great Western Railway's Cwmffrwd Branch. |
| / /1877 | Halls Tramway Leased by the Great Western Railway. |
| / /1877 | Sligo and Ballaghadereen Junction Railway Absorbed by Midland Great Western Railway. (Alternative date 1879.) |
| / /1877 | Edenderry Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Branch opened from Nesbitt Junction to Edenderry. Contractor Bagnell. |
| 01/08/1877 | Taff Vale Railway Passenger trains transferred from Merthyr Plymouth Street to Merthyr High Street. Connection from Brandy Bridge Junction to Mardy Junction (Vale of Neath Railway) opened. The connection was joint Great Western Railway and Taff Vale Railway. |
| 01/12/1877 | Dublin North Wall [LNWR] London and North Western Railway First served by Great Northern Railway [Ireland] (ex Dublin and Drogheda Railway) and Midland Great Western Railway passenger trains. |
| / /1878 | Pontypool, Caerleon and Newport Railway Connection made from Llantarnam Junction to Cwmbran Junction on the Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company line. Great Western Railway trains divert to main Newport station. |
| / /1878 | Longford Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Cavan Junction renamed Inny Junction. |
| / /1878 | Longford Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Cavan Junction to Longford doubled. |
| 01/01/1878 | East Somerset RailwayCheddar Valley and Yatton Railway (Bristol and Exeter Railway)Great Western Railway The Great Western Railway starts to run passenger trains from the Cheddar line through the Somerset and Dorset Railway^s Wells station to Witham. |
| 01/05/1878 | Brynmawr and Blaenavon Railway Extension to Abersychan and Talywain opened to passengers. Track in the station was jointly owned by the London and North Western Railway and the Great Western Railway as the line met its Talwain Branch here. |
| / /1879 | Midland Great Western Railway Broadstone Works commences building locomotives. |
| / /1880 | Ely and Clydach Valleys Railway Merged into the Great Western Railway. |
| 02/04/1880 | Culme Valley Light Railway Great Western Railway Line sold to the Great Western. |
| 01/08/1880 | Monmouthshire Canal Tramway, Great Western Railway Act passed for merging the Monmouthshire into the Great Western Railway. |
| / /1881 | Midland Great Western Railway
North Wall Extension (Midland Great Western Railway) Exchange platforms opened at Liffey Junction. |
| 09/05/1881 | Morriston Branch (Great Western Railway) Opened from Hafod Junction to Morriston. |
| / /1882 | Moss Valley Branch (Great Western Railway) Line opened from Moss to Moss Valley Junction |
| / /1882 | Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Double track extended from Ballysodare to Carrignagat Junction, in anticipation of the opening of the Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway. |
| 14/09/1882 | Cardiff Riverside Branch (Great Western Railway) Opened by the Great Western Railway. |
| / /1883 | Cavan, Leitrim and Roscommon Light Railway and Tramway Incorporated. Act for a narrow gauge line from Dromod (exchange with the Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)) via Ballinamore [Leitrim] to Belturbet (exchange with the Belturbet Branch (Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway). Act includes a branch from Ballinamore [Leitrim] to Arigna. |
| / /1883 | Killeshandra Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Branch authorised from Crossdoney to Killeshandra. (Considered a possible start point for a line to Enniskillen [DandER].) |
| 07/07/1884 | Pontypridd, Caerphilly and Newport Railway First attempt to open new route. Train departs Pontypridd but is blocked by the Great Western Railway at Bassaleg Junction. |
| / /1885 | Belturbet Branch (Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway) Opened from Ballyhaise Junction station (Cavan Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)) to Belturbet. |
| 01/05/1885 | Exe Valley Railway (Great Western Railway) Line opened by the Great Western. Built to standard gauge. |
| 09/11/1885 | Abbotsbury Branch (Great Western Railway) Abbotsbury opened |
| / /1886 | Severn Tunnel (Great Western Railway) Opened |
| / /1886 | Killeshandra Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Opened from Crossdoney (Cavan Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)) to Killeshandra. |
| 22/03/1886 | Llynvi Valley Extension (Great Western Railway) Abergwynfi opened |
| /04/1886 | Pontypridd, Caerphilly and Newport Railway Owned section of track through Park Mile is opened to West Mendalgief Junction. Route authorised to east of existing lines, but is swapped with Great Western Railway for use of original westernmost route. Great Western Railway moves sideways onto new tracks. |
| 01/04/1886 | Quakers Yard and Merthyr Joint Railway (Great Western Railway and Rhymney Railway) Opened. The line connected to the Crawshays Private Railway and the Vale of Neath Railway at Merthyr. Joint Great Western Railway and Rhymney Railway. |
| / /1888 | Dublin and Meath Railway Absorbed by Midland Great Western Railway. (Or 1889?) |
| / /1888 | Navan and Kingscourt Railway Absorbed by Midland Great Western Railway. |
| / /1890 | Midland Great Western Railway Loch Atalia Viaduct, Galway, swing span fixed in position. |
| / /1890 | Loughrea and Attymon Light Railway Opened from Attymon (Midland Great Western Railway) to Loughrea. |
| / /1890 | Ballinrobe and Claremorris Light Railway Working agreement concluded with the Midland Great Western Railway. |
| / /1890 | Claremorris and Swinford Railway
Collooney and Swinford Railway Light railway companies created for the Waterford and Limerick Railway to complete from Claremorris (Great Northern and Western Railway)to Sligo Collooney Junction (Midland Great Western Railway). Initially proposed by the Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway. |
| 01/07/1890 | Great Northern and Western Railway Absorbed by Midland Great Western Railway. |
| / /1891 | Midland Great Western Railway Increasing traffic leads to decreasing the lengths of sections with the addition of five extra signal cabins, including 34th, 39th and 46th, named for the distance from Dublin. |
| 28/06/1892 | East Usk Branch (Great Western Railway) Powers to build East Usk Branch taken over by Great Western Railway. |
| / /1894 | Cardiff Riverside Branch (Great Western Railway) Converted for passenger use. |
| / /1894 | Drumcondra and North Dublin Link Railway Act for a line between Drumcondra Junction and Church Road Junction, and a curve from North Strand Junction to Dublin Amiens Street. This line follows an easier gradient than the parallel North Wall Extension (Midland Great Western Railway). |
| / /1895 | Clifden Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Opened from Galway to Oughterard, the first part of the Connemara Railway. |
| / /1895 | Clifden Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Extended from Oughterard to Clifden. |
| / /1895 | Achill Extension Railway Line opened from Mallaranny [2nd] (replacing the Mullaranny [1st] of the Westport and Mullaranny Railway) to Achill. The Government backed line was handed over to the Midland Great Western Railway on completion. |
| / /1895 | Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Doubled from Collooney [MGWR] north to Collooney Junction (junction for the Collooney and Swinford Railway) Double track was not extended a little further north to the nearby Carrignagat Junction. |
| / /1895 | Claremorris and Swinford Railway
Collooney and Swinford Railway Sligo branch of the Waterford and Limerick Railway opened from Claremorris South terminus (Athenry and Tuam Extension to Claremorris Railway) to Claremorris (Great Northern and Western Railway) and on to Collooney Junction (Midland Great Western Railway), Sligo. |
| / /1895 | Collooney and Swinford Railway Connection under the Midland Great Western Railway to the Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway near Collooney Junction opened to goods. |
| /07/1896 | Claremorris and Swinford Railway
Collooney and Swinford Railway Connection under the Midland Great Western Railway to the Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway near Collooney Junction opened to passengers. |
| / /1897 | Minehead Railway
Great Western Railway Minehead Railway absorbed by the Great Western Railway. |
| / /1898 | Fishguard and Rosslare Railways and Harbours Absorbed by Great Western Railway. (See also Fishguard and Rosslare Railways and Harbours [Ireland].) |
| / /1898 | New Ross and Waterford Line (Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway) Support of the Fishguard and Rosslare Railways and Harbours withdrawn when absortbed by the Great Western Railway. (See also Fishguard and Rosslare Railways and Harbours [Ireland].) |
| 01/01/1899 | Great Western Railway Takes over the Pontypridd, Caerphilly and Newport Railway^s Newport to Pontypridd passenger service. |
| / /1900 | Penllwyn Tramway, London and North Western Railway A new spur, west of Nine Mile Point, is opened to the Penllwyn Tramway by the owners, the London and North Western Railway to give access to Nine Mile Point Colliery. Formerly this tramway was accessible by a point west of Nine Mile Point and thus in Great Western Railway territory. |
| / /1901 | Devon and Somerset Railway Great Western Railway Devon and Somerset Railway absorbed by the Great Western Railway. |
| / /1901 | Waterford, Limerick and Western Railway Absorbed by Great Southern and Western Railway. Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway granted running powers from Waterford to Limerick. Midland Great Western Railway (who had opposed the merger) granted running powers from Athenry to Limerick, used for a passenger train, goods and cattle trains until 1911. |
| / /1902 | Clifden Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Recess Hotel Platform opened to serve the railway company hotel (acquired 1895, rebuilt 1898). |
| 31/07/1902 | Brynmawr and Western Valleys Railway Line taken over jointly by the London and North Western Railway and the Great Western Railway as the Nantyglo and Blaina Iron Company were asking too high a price to buy their private Nantyglo Iron Works to Brynmawr railway. |
| / /1903 | Ely Valley Railway Merged into the Great Western Railway. |
| 02/11/1903 | Roath Dock Branch (Great Western Railway, Cardiff Railway) Joint line opened from Pengam Junction to Queen Alexandra Dock, Cardiff. |
| 05/06/1905 | ~Great Western Railway Aberderfyn Halt opened |
| / /1906 | Cork City Railways Incorporated. Supported by the Great Western Railway. |
| / /1911 | Great Western Railway A Cwmtillery to Abertillery Milnes-Daimler bus service starts. |
| / /1911 | Edenderry Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Served by a slip coach. |
| / /1911 | Shantalla Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) A 1.5 mile mineral branch is laid from close to Corrib Viaduct on the Clifden Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) to Shantalla for granite and marble quarry workings. |
| / /1911 | Waterford and Limerick Railway The Midland Great Western Railway ceases stabling two engines at Limerick for its traffic using running powers to and from Athenry. |
| / /1912 | Midland Great Western Railway Attymon Junction to Athenry doubled. |
| 22/03/1915 | ~Great Western Railway Aberderfyn Halt closed |
| / /1919 | Great Western Railway Extends Newport to Pontypridd passenger service to Merthyr. |
| / /1921 | Alexandra (Newport and South Wales) Docks and Railway
Great Western Railway Alexandra (Newport and South Wales) Docks and Railway merged with Great Western Railway. |
| / /1921 | Vale of Glamorgan Railway Merged with Great Western Railway. |
| 19/08/1921 | Railways Act Act passed to create London, Midland and Scottish Railway, London and North Eastern Railway, Great Western Railway and Southern Railway by grouping smaller companies into bigger units. This was due to financial problems the railway companies were having in the aftermath of the First World War. |
| / /1922 | #West Somerset Railway# Great Western Railway West Somerset Railway absorbed by the Great Western. |
| / /1922 | Clifden Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Recess Hotel Platform closed with burning down of the railway owned hotel by Republicans during the Civil War, preventing its use by the Free State Army. |
| / /1922 | Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Sligo station burned down. |
| 10/07/1922 | Pontypridd, Caerphilly and Newport Railway Tram Road Motor Halt, Pontypridd, closed when the Great Western Railway arranges for Newport trains to use the Taff Vale Railway^s Pontypridd station. |
| / /1923 | Didcot Newbury and Southampton Railway Great Western Railway Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Junction Railway merged with the Great Western Railway. |
| / /1923 | Cork City Railways Great Western Railway transfers its share for free to the Great Southern and Western Railway. |
| 18/07/1923 | Swansea Harbour Trustees Vested in the Great Western Railway. |
| / /1924 | Bantry Bay Extension Railway
Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway
Great Southern and Western Railway
Midland Great Western Railway Absorbed by Great Southern Railway. |
| / /1924 | Longford Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Longford to Inny Junction singled. |
| / /1925 | Clara Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Clara and Banagher Railway Great Southern Railways - Clara exchange platforms closed, service altered so a single engine could serve both lines. |
| / /1926 | Great Western Railway Act passed to allow closure of the Barry Dock and Railways three miles of line from Phenrhos Lower Junction and Duffryn Isaf (the Rhymney Valley Branch). The Penrhos Viaduct, Penyrhoel Viaduct and Llanbradach Viaduct were to be demolished. |
| / /1926 | Midland Great Western Railway Oranmore to Galway singled. |
| / /1927 | Midland Great Western Railway Broadstone Works ceases building locomotives, having built 132 steam locomotives. |
| / /1927 | Midland Great Western Railway Attymon Junction to Athenry singled. |
| / /1928 | Taff Vale Extension Crumlin Viaduct re-plated by the Great Western Railway. |
| / /1928 | Great Western Railway Swansea North Dock closed. |
| / /1928 | Midland Great Western Railway Ballinasloe to Athlone [MGWR] singled. |
| / /1928 | Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Sligo station replaced. |
| / /1929 | Midland Great Western Railway Mulligar to Killucan singled. |
| / /1929 | Midland Great Western Railway Athlone [MGWR] to Mullingar singled. |
| / /1929 | Longford Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Inny Junction to Mullingar singled. |
| 01/10/1929 | Midland Great Western Railway Meath and Cavan trains diverted from Dublin Broadstone to Dublin Amiens Street. |
| / /1930 | Great Western Railway Connection made between Barry Dock and Railways (a north facing junction, just north of Tonteg Junction) to the Llantrissant and Taff Vale Junction Railway at a south facing junction just to the east of Tonteg Viaduct. The former Llantrissant and Taff Vale Junction Railway line between the junction just east on Tonteg Viaduct and Llantrissant Branch Junction is closed. |
| / /1930 | Llancaiach Branch (Taff Vale Railway) Railway between Nelson station and Nelson and Llancaiach on the Taff Vale Extension to be improved by the Great Western Railway to take passengers. |
| / /1930 | Midland Great Western Railway Killucan to Consilla singled. Nesbitt Junction to Consilla becomes two parallel single track lines - the main line and Edenderry branch. |
| / /1930 | Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Carrignagat Junction taken out, the line runs as two single track lines south from Ballysodare. |
| / /1930 | Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Collooney [MGWR] north to Collooney Junction singled. Collooney Junction controlled by power points from Ballysodare. |
| / /1931 | Edenderry Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Closed to passengers. Remains open to excursions and goods. |
| / /1931 | Longford Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Inny Junction station closed to public (platforms still used by railway families), exchange of passengers changed to Multyfarnham. Junction cabin replaced by power points. |
| / /1932 | Edenderry Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Closed to goods, with the exception of cattle trains. |
| / /1933 | Midland Great Western Railway Broadstone Works ceases maintaining locomotives and is closed. Transferred to the road services division of the railway. |
| / /1934 | Railway Air Services London Midland and Scottish Railway London and North Eastern Railway Great Western Railway Southern Railway Imperial Airways Railway Air Services formed by the LMS, LNER, GWR, SR and Imperial Airways. Airport opened at Renfrew |
| 01/10/1934 | Somerset and Dorset Railway Great Western Railway The Great Western makes use of the Somerset and Dorset Railways Wells station (Priory Road) |
| 27/04/1935 | Clifden Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Line closed. In closing the line, the Great Southern Railways particularly cited the increase in road competition. |
| 22/11/1936 | Midland Great Western Railway
Drumcondra and North Dublin Link Railway New link installed at Glasnevin reversing the previous connection. This allows access to North Strand Junction from the Liffey Junction direction. |
| 18/01/1937 | Midland Great Western Railway Dublin Broadstone closed to passengers. |
| 19/05/1940 | Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Railway The line is closed. It was used by the Great Western Railway briefly for storing spare stock. |
| / /1941 | Clara Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Closed to most trains. |
| / /1944 | Clara Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Goods withdrawn. |
| / /1945 | Clara Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Goods restart. |
| / /1946 | Clara Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Passenger trains restart. |
| / /1947 | Clara Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Scheduled trains withdrawn. |
| / /1947 | Killeshandra Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Regular trains withdrawn. |
| / /1947 | Cavan Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Passenger trains withdrawn (also withdrawn in Second World War). However, Cavan station remains open, served from the north by the former Cavan Branch (Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway) branch trains from Clones. |
| 23/10/1947 | Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway (Great Western Railway) Gloucester T Line (Tramway Jnct - T Station) opened. |
| 01/01/1948 | British Railways
Forth Bridge Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
Great Western Railway
Southern Railway Britains railways are nationalised. |
| / /1951 | Quakers Yard and Merthyr Joint Railway (Great Western Railway and Rhymney Railway) Branch over the river to Merthyr Vale Colliery closed. |
| 12/02/1951 | Quakers Yard and Merthyr Joint Railway (Great Western Railway and Rhymney Railway) Closed to passengers. |
| 01/12/1952 | Abbotsbury Branch (Great Western Railway) Abbotsbury closed |
| 22/11/1954 | London and North Western Railway South Wales Freight services transferred to Great Western Railway routes. |
| / /1955 | Killeshandra Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Closed. |
| 14/10/1957 | Cavan Branch (Midland Great Western Railway)
Cavan Branch (Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway) Cavan station closed following withdrawal of passenger trains via the Cavan Branch (Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway) branch from Clones. |
| / /1959 | Sligo Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Ballysodare to Sligo singled following the closure of the Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway in 1957. |
| / /1960 | Midland Great Western Railway Galway Docks goods branch closed. |
| 01/01/1960 | Cavan Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Cavan Junction to Cavan branch closed. |
| 13/06/1960 | Llynvi Valley Extension (Great Western Railway) Abergwynfi closed |
| / /1963 | Edenderry Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Closed. |
| 07/10/1963 | #Tiverton and North Devon Railway# Exe Valley Railway (Great Western Railway) Dulverton to Tiverton (excluded) to Thorverton (excluded) closed. |
| 16/03/1964 | Cardiff Riverside Branch (Great Western Railway) Closed excluding Currans Siding. |
| 15/06/1964 | Taff Bargoed Joint Line (Great Western Railway and Rhymney Railway) Closed to passengers. |
| / /1965 | Taff Bargoed Joint Line (Great Western Railway and Rhymney Railway) Connected to Ocean Colliery and Taff Merthyr Colliery on closure of the Taff Vale Extension. |
| / /1965 | Clara Branch (Midland Great Western Railway) Closed. |
| 10/04/1966 | Midland Great Western Railway Galway renamed Galway Ceannt to honour Éamonn Ceannt, one of the executed leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising. |
| 30/11/1966 | Exe Valley Railway (Great Western Railway) Thorverton to Stoke Canon closed. |
| 08/07/1968 | Cardiff Riverside Branch (Great Western Railway) Curran^s Siding closed. |
| / /1973 | Midland Great Western Railway Galway Ceannt and Mayo trains cease using the Athlone [MGWR] to Mullingar section, diverted to the Athlone Branch (Great Southern and Western Railway). |
| 14/01/1985 | Midland Great Western Railway Athlone [MGWR] closed with the re-opening of Athlone (Great Southern and Western Railway). |
| / /1987 | Midland Great Western Railway Regular Athlone [MGWR] to Mullingar trains cease. |
| 19/09/1997 | Great Western Railway 7 people killed at Southall as a result of a collision between a First Great Western express train and a freight train. Following the crash 43011 is withdrawn, the first HST power car to be withdrawn. |
| 05/10/1999 | Great Western Railway 31 people killed at Ladbroke Grove when a local train over-runs a signal and crashes into a First Great Western express train. |
Locations along the line
These locations are along the line.
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Crinan Dunbar 20/11/2010
Ken Strachan 18/05/2019
Ken Strachan 23/03/2019
4 of 55 images. more
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Bill Roberton 25/07/2014
John Furnevel 18/03/1969
3 of 3 images.
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Ealing and Shepherd^s Bush Railway
Ealing Broadway Branch (Metropolitan District Railway)
David Bosher 05/09/2015
John McIntyre 04/06/2011
John McIntyre 04/06/2011
John McIntyre 26/01/1990
4 of 26 images. more
David Bosher 09/02/2019
David Bosher 09/02/2019
David Bosher 09/02/2019
3 of 3 images.
Colin McDonald 05/04/2017
K A Gray //
John Furnevel 18/11/1980
4 of 15 images. more
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Colin McDonald 05/04/2017
Colin McDonald 05/04/2017
David Pesterfield 23/10/2013
3 of 3 images.
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John Furnevel 18/11/1980
John Furnevel 18/11/1980
John Furnevel 18/11/1980
John Furnevel 18/11/1980
4 of 4 images.
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Mark Bartlett 27/01/2018
Mark Bartlett 27/01/2018
Mark Bartlett 27/01/2018
David Pesterfield 05/06/2013
4 of 6 images. more
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Mark Bartlett 18/07/1981
Mark Bartlett 18/07/1981
Mark Bartlett 18/07/1981
3 of 3 images.
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John McIntyre 18/06/2009
John McIntyre 18/06/2009
John McIntyre 18/06/2009
3 of 3 images.
Ken Strachan 18/05/2013
2 of 2 images.
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Ian Dinmore 24/05/2002
Ian Dinmore 24/05/2002
Ian Dinmore 24/05/2002
Peter Todd 28/11/2016
4 of 58 images. more
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Ken Strachan 13/06/2017
1 of 1 images.
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Ken Strachan 18/05/2013
1 of 1 images.
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Ian Dinmore 24/05/2002
Ian Dinmore 24/05/2002
2 of 2 images.
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Peter Todd 21/04/2011
Peter Todd 05/01/2012
4 of 8 images. more
Peter Todd 09/12/2020
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Peter Todd 09/12/2020
4 of 225 images. more
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John McIntyre 22/09/2011
1 of 1 images.
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Peter Todd 30/01/2020
Peter Todd 20/02/2019
Peter Todd 05/04/2019
Peter Todd 08/10/2015
4 of 20 images. more
Peter Todd 26/11/2020
Peter Todd 15/06/2020
Peter Todd 05/12/2020
Peter Todd 21/05/2020
4 of 20 images. more
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Peter Todd 17/06/2017
Peter Todd 16/05/2018
Peter Todd 27/04/2019
4 of 17 images. more
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Peter Todd 05/05/2017
Peter Todd 05/05/2017
Peter Todd 05/05/2017
Peter Todd 05/05/2017
4 of 4 images.
Peter Todd 01/03/2017
Alastair McLellan 22/03/2019
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Peter Todd 10/03/1999
4 of 70 images. more
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Peter Todd 23/12/1983
1 of 1 images.
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Ken Strachan 10/10/2015
Ken Strachan 14/08/2011
4 of 14 images. more
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Ken Strachan 10/10/2015
Ken Strachan 10/10/2015
Ken Strachan 09/02/2013
3 of 3 images.
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Ken Strachan 30/03/2013
1 of 1 images.
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Ken Strachan 05/11/2017
Ken Strachan 02/11/2019
Ken Strachan 08/11/2015
4 of 31 images. more
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Ken Strachan 31/10/2020
Ken Strachan 05/03/2017
Ken Strachan 22/04/2019
Ken Strachan 01/01/2017
4 of 8 images. more
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Ken Strachan 04/11/2018
1 of 1 images.
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Alan Cormack 26/05/2017
Ken Strachan 10/02/2013
Ewan Crawford //
3 of 3 images.
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