Renowned throughout the world as a centre for engineering excellence, the Swindon Works of the former Great Western Railway hold a special place in the affections of rail enthusiasts. Former Swindon apprentice Ken Gibbs remembers the sights, sounds, smells and work from the days of Great Western steam at this magnificent institution. This book recalls with fondness and nostalgia a period that was really the beginning of the end of steam and the start of a new era. Ken Gibbs' family has long had an association with the Great Western. He started his apprenticeship at Swindon Works in 1944.