“THE HOOTER stopped and that was it.”

Those are the sentimental words of John Wheeler, recalling the last blast of the alarm signifying the end of the Swindon railway works on March 26, 1986.

Mr Wheeler, who worked as a mechanical engineer in the works, says time may have passed, but his memories of the industry that the town was built upon have not faded one jot.

He said: “It was like a family – a brotherhood. I cannot believe it was 25 years ago. It feels like last week to me.

“Swindon had moved on so quickly and there were other things we were good at as a town, but nothing so sentimental as the railway works.”

There were more than 2,000 job losses when the works closed, leaving generations of families without work and without the skills to find other employment.

By the time the works had closed, there were new industries and factories springing up on the town and modern industrial estates and retail parks were being developed on the outskirts.

As the 25th anniversary of the railway works closure looms, the Adver is asking readers to recall their favourite memories, the people they knew and the stories that have stuck with them.

Email your stories and picture to newsdesk@swindonadvertiser.co.uk.