17 original drawings of Great Western Railway track layout from Tilehurst to Didcot

Description:

A remarkable folio containing 17 large-scale draughtsman’s ink drawings of the Great Western Railway line between Tilehurst and Didcot, England, covering a 17-mile stretch at the extraordinary scale of 25 inches to the mile. Executed with meticulous precision, these plans depict track layouts, associated fields, parish boundaries, stations, bridges, and buildings, as it passes the Thames River. Each sheet bears the stamp “Great Western Railway, 25165, Engineers’ Office, Paddington”, dated 1882, and initialled. The sequence begins with Sheet No. 37: “Parish of Tilehurst / Parish of St. Mary’s, Reading” and concludes with Sheet No. 53: “Parish of Didcot / Parish of East Hagborne.”

Of particular interest are the contemporary red ink annotations, consisting of queries or requests for clarification, likely in the hand of a senior engineer. These marginalia provide a rare insight into the working methods and exacting standards of the period. It forms an invaluable record of Victorian railway engineering practice.

Beyond their technical value, the drawings possess a striking aesthetic quality, exemplifying the artistry of the 19th-century draughtsman. They offer not only a tangible link to the golden age of steam railway but also a unique object of railwayana.

Condition

Oblong folio (360x700mm), recent cloth, leather title piece. Vg.