The railway factory dominated life in Swindon for close on 150 years. When the Works closed in 1986 a raft of skills were lost, consigned to history, and a way of life ended. But are we guilty today of preserving a nostalgic and sentimental view of life in the railway factory, especially as it existed back in the good old days?
Last month I attended a talk by Graham Carter about Alfred Williams who worked in the railway factory as a steam-hammer man for 23 and a half years. In 1912 he wrote a warts and all book called Life in a Railway Factory. It wasn’t published until 1915, three years after Alfred had left the factory, his own health compromised by years of back breaking labour.
His book didn’t sell well in Swindon. You could say that with the vast majority of men employed in the Works they didn’t need or want to read about life ‘inside’ but was it more to do with fear of sanction by the GWR foremen?
A less than favourable review appeared in the February 1916 edition of the Great Western Railway Magazine.
The mighty GWR (God’s Wonderful Railway) was sacrosanct and beyond criticism and the reviewer soon delivered a few barbs.
“In fairness to all concerned at the Swindon Works – and from the highest to the lowest no one escapes more or less castigation – it is well to bear in mind the oblique mentality of the writer, due so largely to the uncongenial environment.
He detested the factory simply because it was a factory. To him the buildings, because they shut out views of hills and fields, were like fortresses or prisons.”
But it wasn't just the view from the factory that Alfred attacked. Alfred describes working conditions long before health and safety regulations, something we laughingly deride today, were implemented to do just that - protect the worker's health and safety.
"Great care is requisite in moving about amid so much fire and heated material, for everything - the floors, principals, rollers, the bogie handles, tools and all - is very hot. Some of the carrying is done with a kind of wheelbarrow that requires a special balance. The least obstruction will upset it, and a little awkwardness on the part of the workman is sufficient to bring the weltering burden down to the ground.
Not long ago, as a youth was drawing a large, white hot pile from the furnace to the steam-hammer, he slipped on the iron floor and fell at full length on his back upon the ground.
As he fell the bogie inclined forward and the huge pile slid down and lodged on his stomach, inflicting frightful injuries. He was quickly rescued from his tortuous position, but there was no hope of recovery from such an accident, and he died a day or two afterwards."
And it wasn't just the accidents but the day to day working conditions in the railway factory that Alfred exposed. Here he writes about the boiler shop.
"There is nothing to be compared with it [the noise]. The heaviest artillery is feeble considered with it; thunder is a mere echo ... All the men very soon become more or less deaf, and it is inconceivable but that other ailments must necessarily follow. The complete nervous system must in time be shattered, or seriously impaired, and the individual become something of a wreck."
The reviewer eventually comes to a benign conclusion:-
“If one of the objects of the book is to gird at labour because it is labour, we can only say that, after all, labour is honest and manly – since man was born to it; and it is to be hoped that until we reach the millennium there will be plenty of it. In the past, the lack of it has given great trouble.
But it wasn't just the view from the factory that Alfred attacked. Alfred describes working conditions long before health and safety regulations, something we laughingly deride today, were implemented to do just that - protect the worker's health and safety.
"Great care is requisite in moving about amid so much fire and heated material, for everything - the floors, principals, rollers, the bogie handles, tools and all - is very hot. Some of the carrying is done with a kind of wheelbarrow that requires a special balance. The least obstruction will upset it, and a little awkwardness on the part of the workman is sufficient to bring the weltering burden down to the ground.
Not long ago, as a youth was drawing a large, white hot pile from the furnace to the steam-hammer, he slipped on the iron floor and fell at full length on his back upon the ground.
As he fell the bogie inclined forward and the huge pile slid down and lodged on his stomach, inflicting frightful injuries. He was quickly rescued from his tortuous position, but there was no hope of recovery from such an accident, and he died a day or two afterwards."
And it wasn't just the accidents but the day to day working conditions in the railway factory that Alfred exposed. Here he writes about the boiler shop.
"There is nothing to be compared with it [the noise]. The heaviest artillery is feeble considered with it; thunder is a mere echo ... All the men very soon become more or less deaf, and it is inconceivable but that other ailments must necessarily follow. The complete nervous system must in time be shattered, or seriously impaired, and the individual become something of a wreck."
The reviewer eventually comes to a benign conclusion:-
“If one of the objects of the book is to gird at labour because it is labour, we can only say that, after all, labour is honest and manly – since man was born to it; and it is to be hoped that until we reach the millennium there will be plenty of it. In the past, the lack of it has given great trouble.
But Mr Williams is a good writer, and we recommend his book to impartial perusal. If he labours at making some more, they will be welcome.”
I would rather finish with Alfred's description of one of those 'manly' men at the end of his working life.
"By the age of fifty the shingler and forgemen are usually worn out and superseded at the forge. When they can no longer perform their duties at the steam hammer they are removed from the manufacturing circle and presented with a broom, shovel, and wheel-barrow. Their wages are cut down to that of a common labourer, and thus they spend their few remaining years of service. At an early age they drop off altogether, and their places are filled by others who have long gone through the same experience."
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Steam hammers
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Boiler Shop
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Alfred Williams
I would rather finish with Alfred's description of one of those 'manly' men at the end of his working life.
"By the age of fifty the shingler and forgemen are usually worn out and superseded at the forge. When they can no longer perform their duties at the steam hammer they are removed from the manufacturing circle and presented with a broom, shovel, and wheel-barrow. Their wages are cut down to that of a common labourer, and thus they spend their few remaining years of service. At an early age they drop off altogether, and their places are filled by others who have long gone through the same experience."
Steam hammers
Boiler Shop
