Monthly Archives: August 2015

Swindon Panel Totem Magnets Available Now

A limited run of fridge magnet WR brown totems with SWINDON in the main part and PANEL SOCIETY in the lower part. Made of enamel with two magnets on the back.

Limited edition, must-have addition to your collection! All funds are used in the preservation and operation of Swindon Panel for the benefit and encouragement of future (and present!) generations of railway signalling enthusiasts – amateur and professional!

Available from SPS at DRC from the Bank Holiday weekend onwards for £2.50 each, or order online for £3.50 each (postage included).

Get yours now!

https://www.heritage-ops.org.uk/product/232/

August Bank Holiday at DRC

The next stand days are the August Bank Holiday weekends at Didcot Railway Centre.

The priority day is Saturday 29th, but if sufficient volunteers are forthcoming we will open on Sunday 30th too!

Please let us know if you can help and we’ll make sure your name is ‘on the door’ – great fun and no special skills required!

Steam trains will be running all weekend and Branch Line signalling in operation. The Black Python Bar will also be open.

Building Rising – Scaffolding Up

The new building has now reached the maximum height it can be worked on from ground level, so scaffolding has been installed!

More photos always available in our photo gallery.

Our bricklayers continue to work on the walls, and soon the roof will start to be constructed!

You can get involved in helping out in this very practical way at any Swindon Panel Day or GWS CE Day in the Activities Calendar!

Panel Domino Replacements Sponsored!

The SECOND items of exciting news from Swindon Panel this week is we are DELIGHTED to announce that one of our members has very kindly sponsored the cost of the reproduction of all the Domino tiles that will be necessary to us to ‘turn back time’ to reinstate all the 1980s infrastructure on the panel in preservation. The tiles will be produced for us by the original company that manufactured them for British Railways in the first place – Henry Williams in Darlington.

This is a really fantastic gesture (and a not inconsiderable expense) so we are really very grateful indeed and on behalf of all the members and supporters of Swindon Panel – THANK YOU very much indeed!

The tiles in the photo are from Kemble station, removed from Swindon Panel when that part of the area was resignalled in August 2014, now safely stored by SPS.

Latest Building Update Video

You can now see the windows in the Controlling The Trains Building!

Another brick cutting session was held on in mid July, dealing with another 2000 for the English Bond, leaving some 600 for August. The next jobs on the building behind handled by the GWS CE Group with help from SPS will be the preparation work on the lintel steels (drilling and painting) and completion of the timber centrings for the window and door arches (nails and wood). These arches will be full thirteen-and-a-half inch thick in blue brick from Reading station and much effort has been put in over the last couple of months preparing all the sets of bricks.

Further photos of the building progress as often uploaded to our Photo Gallery.

You can join us at and help with the construction of the new building at any Swindon Panel Day or GWS Civil Engineer Group day at Didcot Railway Centre. Dates

Lifting and Haulage for Panel Move Sponsored!

We are DELIGHTED to announce that P&D Specialist Services of Matlock, Derbyshire have kindly agreed to sponsor the lifting of Swindon Panel required for its extraction from Swindon, the haulage of the panel to Didcot and lifting onto a railway wagon in the West Yard.

Thank you very much indeed to Bob and all his colleagues at P&D who have worked hard with us recently to formulate a workable plan, from all of us at Swindon Panel Society!

Driving Simulator Auction Earns £420 for SPS

Thank you very much to everyone who took part in our driver simulator auction, kindly donated by First Great Western.

There was a rush of bids at the last minute and the final winning bid was for £420.

We hope the winning bidder enjoys his prize! If we are lucky we may see some photos of it in the future!

Thank you again to everyone who took part in our fundraising auction.