Queen Victoria welcomed guests to Windsor & Eton Central as Great Western Railway marked 175 years since winning the race to open the Royal town’s first railway station.
Her Majesty was joined by Prince Albert and a couple of other Victorian gentry (all lookalikes of course!) as guests including the Mayor of Slough and the Mayor of Windsor and Maidenhead were treated to a right Royal celebration.
During the 1840s, GWR was locked in a battle with the rival London & South Western Railway to win the Queen’s patronage for opening the first station in Windsor. GWR opened the line from Slough to Windsor & Eton Central station, then named simply Windsor, on 8 October, 1849.
Following issues with a bridge at nearby Datchet, London & South Western Railway’s Windsor & Riverside station finally opened on 1 December, 1849.
GWR Sales & Marketing Director, Amanda Burns, said:
“Windsor & Eton Central is one of the most iconic stations on our network and we’re incredibly proud of its rich history.
“As with so much of the Great Western, we owe an enormous debt of gratitude to those who have provided us with such a rich heritage: from Isambard Kingdom Brunel who planned the route, to all who have updated, transformed and maintained the branch line since.
“It’s been wonderful to reflect on 175 glorious years of history and the part Great Western Railway played in transforming this town with a station befitting of its Royal status.”
Windsor and Maidenhead Mayor, Cllr Simon Bond, said:
“Having been a regular commuter from Maidenhead to Windsor, I know the route extremely well and understand its importance. It’s also great because it offers the best view of the castle when you arrive into town.”
Slough Mayor, Cllr Balwinder Dhillon, said:
“Windsor and Eton branch line is a vital connection between the two towns and is in constant use by Slough commuters. This branch line has connected Windsor with the wider railway network and is still as important today as it was 175 years ago.”
Visit Windsor Visitor Manager, Julia White, said:
“Windsor plays a huge role for the visitor economy, both domestic and internationally, with some of the UK’s most iconic attractions, including Windsor Castle, Windsor Great Park and LEGOLAND Windsor Resort, and sits on the Great West Way touring route between London and Bristol.
“Latest figures from Visit Windsor demonstrate the value of tourism to the area, with over 12 million visits spending £485m in the tourism economy.”
