THESE images will fascinate lovers of Swindon history in general and its railway history in particular.

They are among a series created in 1969 and 1970 as the much-needed replacement of the old station inched closer to reality.

For all we know, they are the only surviving copies.

That station had opened in 1942, and by the 1960s had long since become gloomy, grimy, run-down and unsuited to modern railway schedules and passenger needs.

At least one national newspaper reporter had written of the facilities as disgraceful.

The carefully-drawn aerial view of the planned new station with its multi-storey office building is dated January of 1969 and was created by Bromley architects Robert J Wood & Partners.

Most of its lines are familiar, although the layout of the station today has been altered in several ways, notably by the addition of a fourth platform in2003.

The other drawing is dated February 9, 1970, and was issued by the unnamed chief architect of the British Railways Board in London.

It is labelled “Perspective of Swindon Station. Major Facelift & New Office Block scheme.”

The view clearly faces across the main line toward the far platform.

Building work on the new station was completed in 1972.