DANIEL Gooch’s diligence had paid off in Swindon and the GWR was able to expand the works.

Gooch pulled a master stroke building the “New carriage Works” and creating more than 1,000 jobs. Orders were issued for 1,000 trucks, many carriages and 100 new standard gauge locomotives.

A sewing shop had been added to employ the “sterner sex”, and in 1872 2,000 wagons were constructed along with 70 locomotives and 200 carriages.

With more than 4,000 workers Swindon was now a powerhouse that could withstand a recession/depression.

It was now time to expand the works westward to Rodbourne lane.

It was a bold move and would help Swindon escape another recession in 1873.

Like previous recessions this one had its roots in America.

It was caused when the American rampant speculation in rail roads bubble burst putting three million Americans out of work, and causing a stock market crash, and extreme poverty in rural America, as well as a collapse in food prices.

In 1872 the drive forward towards Rodbourne Lane would be an ambitious plan with a new boiler shop, an erecting shop and a painting shop, along with a tender shop, and a machine shop.

There would also be a brass foundry and an iron foundry with a finishing shop, plus all the appropriate stores facilities.

The plan was for 225,000sq ft of workshops.

The locomotive factory was a sight to behold and the Swindon Advertiser ran a long series of articles on the works and the delights of the equipment and processes carried out within the works.

The Victorians were obviously fascinated by it, but I am sure the workers were less enamoured by it.

It was still a hard job in a noisy and dirty environment, and, though for the reporter it was an excitement, for the staff working 12 hours in there must have been fatiguing.

Some of the workers would trudge home after a long shift to tend their gardens and see to the pigs they kept there.

This was typical in cottages in the small development that was built on a field then known as Kingsdown Close, now best known as Cambria Place.

This area of housing was in fact constructed by Thomas Ellis who was the manager of the rolling mill, for his staff.

He formed his own company to finance the building of these properties, a real example of self help.

Lethbridge Goddard provided most of the money for Ellis, as well as the land, and the stone from his quarries.

He took out a mortgage and then rented the houses for two shillings and sixpence a week (12.5p).

The rents soon doubled going up to 5s (25p) a week and at that point tenants were offered the right to buy them at the freehold cost of £57 at 1876 prices.