IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Lethbridge Road, SWINDON, SN1 4BY

Over forty years ago, this was the route of the single track railway line from Andover to Cheltenham, with a connection that provided a link from the nearby Swindon Town Railway Station (now demolished) to Swindon Junction Railway Station. The latter still exists, although the word junction has long been removed from its name. For many years prior to closure, a shuttle service used to run between the two stations, hauled by a tank engine. It was very popular with schoolboys (not schoolgirls) on Saturday mornings. Today the route is used as a cycle path and public footpath, and at one point it crosses the closed Wilts & Berks Canal. The bridge which can be seen here carries Devizes Road over the path. The building which can be glimpsed is a public house known as The Plough. The beams on the outside make it look very old, but the building only dates from 1838, and didn't become a pub until some years later. The station was the other side of the bridge and the site is now an industrial estate called Signal Way. Part of The Plough's garden was sold to the railway company, which opened the station in 1881.

Late 19th Century houses in Lethbridge Road.

The trackbed of the dismantled Midland & South Western Junction Railway Company seen from the bridge carrying Croft Road. The Midland & South Western Junction Railway Company was formed when the Swindon, Marlborough and Andover Railway merged with the Swindon and Cheltenham Extension Railway in 1884. The line closed to passengers in 1961 but the track here was not lifted until 1978.

The route of the former Midland & South Western Junction Railway near Swindon Town Station, viewed from Devizes Road bridge. This path is now part of National Cycle Network Route 45.

Built in the mid 1880s the street of terraced houses is named after one of the lords of the manor, Ambrose Lethbridge Goddard. The Goddard family owned large tracts of land in the Swindon area at one time. Houses in Old Town command something of a premium, parking difficulties notwithstanding.

Swindon's Old Town district is blessed with plenty of pubs along the main road. This one has a fairly interesting history: it began as a cottage around 1838, but by 1866 was being advertised as "Parlor, taproom, scullery and 6 bedrooms." Shortly after it was taken up by local brewers, Arkells. In 1880 it found itself right beside the Swindon, Marlborough and Andover Railway - later to become the Midland and South Western Junction Railway. In order to run the line here part of the cottage garden was sold off and the concrete wall marks where the tracks ran underneath. Swindon Town station was located close by but by 1971 the line had seen its last train. A cycle path now runs past a small industrial area.

Pub on Devizes Road, said to be the oldest in Swindon. According to the pub's website, the earliest deeds for the building date from 1836 when it was a cottage, but an offer for sale in 1866 described as a parlour and taproom. Beyond is another pub, the Royal Oak.

The Limes is a late 17th century two bay house extended in the mid 18th century and again in the mid 19th century. Listed, grade II, with details at: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1023484 Old Town, on its hill above the 'new' railway town, is the cultural heart of Swindon. The old and the new combined into a single town in 1900.

Lethbridge school dates from 1891 and was built for pupils of 7 to 14 years. By the 1950's it had become a 7-11 junior school with an infant department to the right [off picture] housed in 1930's huts [now demolished]. At the rear were playgrounds for boys and girls separated by a high wall, against which were built the outside toilets [now all demolished]. The contributor attended here many decades ago and has fond memories of the place.

House at 1 Croft Road, part of which dates from the late 17th Century. Grade II listed - see https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1023484?section=official-list-entry.