A Lecture by Phil Marsh

Tuesday 4th November  2025, Palestra House

Written by John Doyle

Phil was welcomed by members of the audience. Phil has a long and extensive career on the railway and currently describes himself as a "railway historian". He has a particular interest in Wolverton works through family connections and having lived nearby for many years.

The railway works was the very first in the world having been opened in 1838 by the world's first trunk railway, the London and Birmingham. Situated 52 1/2 miles from London, about half way to Birmingham, at its greatest extent the works occupied 87 acres of which some 37 acres were undercover. The site originally straddled what we now known as the West Coast mainline. To allow expansion of the works it was diverted and remodelled early in the 20th Century to its present alignment.

The works was initially a place of locomotive construction which included many famous classes of locomotives such as the "Wolverton bloomers". Relatively early on during the 1860's the LNWR decided to concentrate locomotive building at rival Crewe works. Wolverton concentrated on carriage building thereafter. 

The works constructed many carriages to what were advanced designs such as those of the London Midland and Scottish Royal and Coronation Scot express trains. Post-war until 1962 the works turned out many vehicles to BR standard designs including electric multiple unit trains. After 1962 as a consequence of the "Beeching" report the works was dedicated to maintenance rather than manufacture. 

During wartime the works played a contributory part. In the Great War the works converted vehicles to form ambulance trains and was a site for the manufacture of munitions. In the second World war the site was used for the repair of Whitley bomber aircraft and for the manufacture of gliders.

Wolverton works has long been associated with Royal trains. The earliest being constructed there in 1869 and the most recent converted from prototype Mark 3 carriages in the mid 1970s. In more recent years the works has been the maintenance and operations base for the current Royal train, which is  to be decommissioned in 2027. 

Phil illustrated how over the years royal trains have changed: from the plush sumptuous boudoirs, used by Queen Victoria, to more functional, almost utilitarian, interiors used by the current royal family. He commented, that rather like formula one racing cars, royal trains have been a test bed for advanced design features which find their way into everyday rolling stock use.

Changing working practices and requirements have seen the works decline in recent years. Employment at the site which peaked at 5000 is now much reduced. Since railway privatisation  Wolverton has changed ownership many times. Today the site is reduced in extent, been partially redeveloped and is in part derelict. While many artefacts and documents have been saved during the rundown of the site Phil lamented the loss of many potentially valuable items of historic interest.

On a brighter note railway engineering continues at the site as a centre for vehicle repair, modification and maintenance under the ownership of Gemini rail Services.

Phil delivered his talk in a light hearted style and provided a wealth of illustrations stressing human interest and reflecting the social history of the site as well as its core engineering activities. The audience expressed their appreciation in the usual way.