ON Friday, March 18, 1960, Swindon saw an era end.

Our main front page story began: “Stephenson’s North Star (1837) looked down from its nearby platform in the British Railway Works today when the last steam locomotive to be made in the works was named Evening Star.”

The machine was not merely the last of its kind to be made in Swindon, but also the last made by British Railways.

In service only until 1965, Evening Star was preserved. It is now an exhibit at the National Railway Museum in York, although it returned to its birthplace for a two-year stint at Steam in 2008.

Our 1960 story continued: “The ceremony was performed by Mr KWC Grand, former general manager of Western Region and now a member of the British Transport Commission.

“Mr RF Hanks, chairman of the Western Area Board, invited Mr Grand to name the engine and unveil a commemorative plaque on the locomotive.

“This told the day’s story: ‘No. 92220 built at Swindon, March, 1960. The last steam locomotive for British Railways. Named at Swindon on March 18, 1960 by KWC Grand Esq, member of the British Transport Commission.’ “A distinguished assembly attended and afterwards showed a keen interest in exhibits which included museum pieces and old engines like the City of Truro, which for a long time was housed in the museum at York and was brought back to do further service on special trips such as pulling excursions for railway enthusiasts.”

Mr Hanks said: “I trust I shall not be considered parochial when I say that Great Western Men everywhere will find satisfaction, since there had to be a ‘last one,’ that it should fall to the lot of Swindon to see the job through.

“For 118 years these works these works have specialised in steam locomotive production of outstanding merit.

“In this last of a great line we pay tribute to Gooch, Armstrong, Dean, Churchward, and Collett, and that great band of Swindon craftsmen, who through the many decades have backed their leaders and given of their best.”

North Star, on which railway workers perched to get a better view of the ceremony, is on display at Steam, as is City of Truro.