We recently stepped back in time to learn about the Great Western Railway, a network that set the standard for train travel in the UK. STEAM – The Museum of the Great Western Railway is located in Swindon, right next to the Swindon Designer Outlet.
Parking
If you have a Blue Badge you can park immediately outside the museum, where there is a good-sized car park. For everyone else you will need to park in one of the several large carparks that surround the designer outlet centre. However, parking is free if you show your STEAM tickets to the Designer Outlet Information Desk; they’ll give you a free parking pass.
History – what is STEAM – story of Swindon Works
When you enter the museum (having stopped the children from swerving left into the shop!) you walk through ‘rooms’ set up like they would have been ‘back in the day’. You’ll visit the Offices and the General Store, where clerks worked to support a workforce of over 12,000 people.
You then visit the Foundry, the Carriage Body Shop and the Boiler Shop. At the height of business, the Swindon Works produced three locomotives every week.
You then enter a huge space full of locomotives, rolling stock, and vintage road vehicles/vans.
I particularly liked the piles of vintage suitcases on trailers!
Interactivity
As you explore the museum you’ll encounter two interactive opportunities – to drive a steam train, and to change the signals in a signal box. Our group of teenagers enjoyed both of these, especially mastering the order of the signal changes!
Station platform
Towards the end of your visit you’ll reach the recreated train platform. Pulled up in the station is The Bristolian, a King Class 4-6-0 No 6000 locomotive. There are carriages too, obviously, including a Buffet Car.
On the platform you can see ticket machines, the waiting room, and something that really caught my eye. For a coin you can stand on some weighing scales and in return you’ll get a full-sized bar of chocolate, and a ticket with your weight on it! Will you really want to eat the chocolate once you’ve checked out your weight? What a bizarre concept, but at the same time, I love it!
Extras
Once you’ve had your fill of trains, as you walk towards the museum shop and exit you pass an area full of old penny arcade machines. I love these, ever since visiting The Musée Mécanique in San Francisco. The machine that caught my eye was a Palm Reader – you place your hand on a plate and you receive a card describing your character strengths and weaknesses!
I had to have a go, of course. Here’s my card:
… I think it’s rather accurate to be fair!
Café
There is a popular café within the museum. Unfortunately, it was closed during our visit. You are, however, just a short walk from the Outlet Centre, which has many drinking and eating options. So why not combine both … a visit to the museum, followed by some bargain shopping, a nice coffee, and maybe even a meal? An excellent day out on many levels.
