Swindon seeks to be home to new rail body’s head office

Swindon is competing to become home of the new Great British Railways (GBR).

The town, which grew up around the railways, has entered a Government competition to try to be the location for the new railway body’s head offices and Swindon Borough Council leader Cllr David Renard, will write to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps to put Swindon’s case.

The Government requirements state: “The competition will recognise towns and cities with a rich railway history that are strongly linked to the network ensuring the first headquarters will take pride of place at the heart of a new era of Britain’s railways.”

Swindon’s history includes, not just its well-known former railway works, links with Isambard Kingdom Brunel but the maintained Railway Village and the project to turn the former carriage works into a knowledge economy cluster.

Cllr Renard said: “Swindon’s railway heritage is second to none. The town was home to the largest railway works complex in Europe, employing 14,000 at its peak.

“Through the Swindon Heritage Action Zone, the town’s railway heritage area is currently being rejuvenated to deliver a railway heritage area with a national profile.

“GBR would be in good company as well with Swindon already home to several engineering firms, including the HQ for the Western Route of Network Rail.

“This opportunity would provide a win-win for the town and GBR. For Swindon, hosting the GBR headquarters would accelerate the renewal of our town centre. For Great British Railways, they would have access to one of the most productive workforces in the country.

“Brunel was one of the greatest engineers we have ever seen and he recognised the potential of Swindon when choosing it to be the home of the Great Western Railway. I’ll be doing all I can to ask Mr Shapps and the Government to show the same foresight in choosing our fantastic town to be the home of the railway once again.”