What made the Great Western Railway "Great"?

Question

What made the Great Western Railway "Great"?

Answer 1

IKB made the GWR what it was during the 1st half of the 19th century but long after his death, the GWR still had a reputation for speed, reliability, safety and innovation.

The GWR was the first railway in the world to introduce Automatic Train Control (1906). Over a century later, this cab-mounted safety device is still being improved on and updated.

The GWR is reputed to have run the first train to reach 100mph - the 'Ocean Mail' near Taunton, hauled by the locomotive, 'City of Truro'.

The GWR once operated the fastest scheduled train in the world - the Cheltenham Flier - and was also first to use high-speed diesel trains, in the 1930's.

The GWR built the most powerful 4-6-0 ('ten wheeler') class in Europe - the 'King' - class - and introduced the taper boiler to the UK's railways.

The GWR works at Swindon was for many years the most advanced technologically in standardisation, metallurgy, and other engineering practices. Its 'rolling road' testing plant was the envy of other railway companies which used it to test their locomotives.

Other railways had their achievements as well,of course, e.g. the LNER with 'Mallard', the fastest steam locomotive ever, the Southern Railway with its widespread electrification of suburban lines in London in the 1920's - '30's and the LMS which nearly snatched the rail speed record from the LNER, and its 8F freight locomotive which was built in large numbers for the war effort in WW2.

The above however gives some idea of why the Great Western Railway was 'Great'.

Answer 2

The Swindonians,,and the Yorkshire people who all worked for it,,,,

Answer 3

it was one of the first large scale operations that was opened. Thus the Great, plus its something to do with mileage of track. GWR, GNE etc

Answer 4

The Great Western Railway is great because it's God's Wonderful Railway. Enough said.

Answer 5

I.K.B was a great engineer who had the 'vision' to open up the countryside to the 'new' form of transport.... RAIL.. He wasn't afraid to launch himself into new fangled ideas. Tracks , tunnels , bridges and ships... the industrial revolution was here to stay. (Isimbard Kingdom Brunell)

Answer 6

it was so long and for the 1800s a big achievement plus the sambos in the dining car were good

Answer 7

The answers which suggest Brunel are partly right. But it was also a nomenclature thing - it was quite common in the early days of railways for the prefix to be used - Great Eastern and Great Northern were two other early railways using it. Then, the broad gauge with its superior comfort over the often cattle truck conditions of other mid 19th century railways made it seem superior. Its locos were also seen as among the best - Swindon adopted a system of standardisation unknown at the time and its green, copper capped, locos became  seen as paradigms. The company was the only major railway to remain in existence at grouping in 1923, so a continuity of design and general company ethos remained until nationalisation, unlike the other 3 of the Big Four which suffered, at least in the years after grouping, from battles at boardroom and engineering levels from between staff from the various incorporated companies. And, of course, the company played upon its reputation - our name includes 'great' and we are 'great' and you had better believe it - and people did. Swindon ploughed its own furrow right throughout the 1950s - the years after nationalisation - reintroducing 'chocolate and cream' coloured carriages on its main expresses  and when dieselisation was introduced, building the Western, Hymek and Warships classes, all with diesel hydraulic transmission, rather than the diesel electric which was the norm on the other regions.

Finally, of course, it is no coincidence that the initials 'GWR' can also be read as 'God's Wonderful Railway...'

Answer 8

i was trying to sound great

it was trying to make other companies like LNER feel smaller

Answer 9

The fact that they named it great

Answer 10

Because it strethed from the American Eastern Seaboard to London according to its owners. Also the speed that it developed and grew would have made it one of the greats.

Answer 11

At that time, "Great" was often used as a term referring to large. Now, the only time we say great to imply large, is with "Great big". Also, we now suppliment great with mighty and or superior. Anyway, I study language and the English language often has words that evolve in to other meanings, several hundred in the last 100 years. There was also the Great Northern Railroad - now part of BNSF.

Answer 12

Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

(The name was his idea, the railway his achievement)

Alternative for abbreviation GWR -  God's Wonderful Railway.

Answer 13

The Bar in the dining car!

Answer 14

Isambard Kingdom Brunel, one of the greatest engineers ever born, not just railways but ships as well, the Box tunnel just outside of Bath is a real masterpiece, at certain times of the year(not certain when) the sun shines all the way through it, and the tunnels a mile long, superb

Answer 15

Not "what", but "who".

Isambard Kingdom Brunel, to be exact

Answer 16

The Great Western Railway originated from the desire of Bristol merchants to maintain the position of their port as the second port in the country and the chief one for American trade. The increase in the size of ships and the gradual silting of the River Avon made Liverpool an increasingly attractive port, and with its rail connection with London developing in the 1830s it threatened Bristol's status. The answer for Bristol was, with the co-operation of London interests, to build a line of their own, a railway built to unprecedented standards of excellence to outperform the other lines being constructed.

The Company was founded at a public meeting in Bristol in 1833, and was incorporated by Act of Parliament in 1835. Isambard Kingdom Brunel was appointed as engineer at the age of 27.