The Great Western Railway Map 1924 (Scrolled)

This map traces the entire 305-mile journey from Paddington to Penzance with descriptions of what could be seen from the window of The Cornish Riviera Express and information about the line, its construction and its use in the days of steam.

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This map traces the 305 mile journey from Paddington to Penzance with descriptions of what could be seen from the window of The Cornish Riviera Express and information about the line, its construction and its use in the great days of steam. Few other journeys conjure up such an air of romance as The Great Western Railway route from London Paddington to Penzance. It was the line that headed across the glorious countryside of southern Britain delivering millions of people to the holiday destinations of Devon and Cornwall. But apart from the understandable enthusiasm for the destination it holds a very real fascination for all railway enthusiasts for this is the route that Brunel built taking in his remarkable Thames bridge; the site of his experiment with an atmospheric railway in South Devon; the Royal Albert Bridge that carries the line over the Tamar into Cornwall; the famous slip coaches that enabled passengers to alight without impeding the progress of The Cornish Riviera Express and of course the famous restaurant cars.
And throughout the 305 miles, remarkable engineering feats making economical use of the varied contours of the many hills and valleys that straddle southern Britain. This map, first published by the GWR in 1924 in book form in Through the Window, is now reissued in colour in a strip form that measures over 14 feet (4.26 metres) in length with additional historical railway information. It shows the route winding its carefully planned way through the cities and towns that were lucky to be served by the GWR. Features that could be seen from the window are described, branch lines leaving the main line are marked and historical railway facts and distances are noted. An introduction describes both the development and heyday of this remarkable railway line. What better way to plan a journey to your favourite holiday destination in the great days of the steam railway?