Announcing ‘Doing Time’ STEAM’s newest exhibition about the Railway Apprentice
STEAM Museum Launches New Exhibition ‘Doing Time’ Chronicling Swindon Works Famous Apprenticeship and Training Programme in celebration of Railway 200.
STEAM’s exciting new exhibition Doing Time – The Railway Apprentice opens on Thursday 6th February and tells the fascinating story of the young men, and women, who entered the world of railways as a trainee apprentice at Swindon Works to learn the skills of the trade on the job.
Doing Time has been produced as part of STEAM Museum’s celebration of Railway 200, a year-long nationwide campaign that celebrates the 200th anniversary of the birth of the modern railway and the historic moment on 27 September 1825, with the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway. Railway 200 celebrates the past, present and future of rail and recognises Swindon’s pivotal role in the growth of the nation’s railway that helped change the world forever.
From the mid-1800s, to today, the railway apprentice has played a vital role in ensuring that the knowledge and trade of experienced staff is passed on to the next generation. Doing Time begins by looking at the experiences of the first railway apprentices, and follows the story through to the final apprenticeships offered at Swindon’s Pre-Apprentice Training School, up until the closure of Swindon Works in 1986.
The exhibition features a wealth of objects from the Swindon Museums collections. A rare apprentice register dating from 1908 documents the names of the GWR’s newest recruits. A charcoal drawing from the Museum & Art Swindon collection by local artist Hubert Cook depicts an apprentice at work in Swindon Works. In addition, an array of archives and apprentice made objects from Swindon’s Pre-Apprentice Training School depict an era in the history of apprenticeships that some visitors to the exhibition may recognise.
Felicity Jones, Collections and Exhibitions Officer at STEAM said: “Doing Time features a range of fascinating images and objects from the Swindon Museums collections. My particular highlights include some exquisite brass and metalwork objects made by the highly skilful apprentices with many items going on display at STEAM for the very first time. The exhibition highlights the huge contribution Swindon Works apprentices played in the development of the nation’s railway network and the pride they took in their work”.
Admission to the special Doing Time – The Railway Apprentice exhibition is included with STEAM admission and free to STEAM Season Ticket holders.
Many images of railway apprentices can be seen on the STEAM Picture Library website www.steampicturelibrary.com
STEAM is open daily. Monday to Saturday – 10am – 5pm and Sundays 11am – 4pm.
Tickets can be booked in advance on the STEAM website: www.steam-museum.org.uk
For updates, follow STEAM on Facebook and Instagram (@SteamMuseum), or X (@Steam_Museum).
Accompanying image captions:
Image 1
Students being tutored at the Apprentice Training School, Swindon, circa 1962.
Image 2
Apprentice piece – British Railways logo in brass and copper work.
