The GWR built a small railway village to house some of its workers.
The facilities provided in the village included a health centre and a hospital. The workers had a small fee deducted from their wages to cover part of the cost aaand the services were freely avaialble for workers and their families.The health centre included clinics, a pharmacy, laundries, baths, Turkish baths and swimming pools
The Mechanics’ Institute was formed in 1844 and moved into an imposing building and this was the centre of social, cultural and educational activities for the community. It also included a library and a covered market space. It has been neglected for close on 35 years but there have been recent plans to restore it to use.
Across the road from the Institute is the Glue pot, which started life as a shop. Eventually converted into a public house it drew its name from association with the wordworkers from the carriage works.
The village was connected to the works (on the other side of the mainline tracks) by a tunnel. In the picture below workers at the end of a shift can be seen exiting from the tunnel at the village end
The roads in the village are all named after destinations on the GWR – Oxford Rd; London Rd; Gloucester Rd etc.
Pete's Favourite Things 