GWR message postcards

The Great Western Railway published several different small series of picture postcards with soecific pre-printed messages, either to acknowledge a communication, or for passengers to use whilst travelling aboard a train. Those examples held in our collection can be found by selecting Correspondence cards within the 'Postcard collection/GWR postcards' option under the 'MEMORABILIA' menu tab. The vast majority of these cards were printed for the GWR by Wyndham & Co. of Acton in London using their own stock images. We have been able to gather images of many of these cards from various sources since 2014 and thought it would be useful to make them available for reference purposes. We maintain a list of all the cards known to us, and this can be accessed via the 'Postcard collection/GWR postcards' web page referenced above.

Dining Car cards

These cards were made available for use by passengers in Dining Cars. They could be completed whilst waiting for service and handed to a steward for onward posting at the next convenient stop.

1902 series

Between 1902 and 1905 a set of four known cards were in use. These had a reddish brown tinted vignette view on the left hand side of the picture side with the words GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY printed across the top, whilst the address side had two interior views on the left showing a Luncheon and Dining Car and a Smoking Saloon. The four known cards illustrated Ann Hathaway's Cottage, Great Western Express Train, Saltash Bridge and St.Michael's Mount.

1905 series

From 1905 to about 1909 four similar known cards were produced. Again, these had a reddish brown tinted vignette view on the left hand side of the picture side whilst the right hand side contained details of the resort featured. The wording GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY was printed across the top centre of the picture side. The address side carried a two shield crest in the top left corner with the words Dining Car, ……..190.. below. The four known cards illustrated Fowey, Penzance, Teignmouth and Tenby

Seat Reservation cards - 1910

These postcards were produced from around 1910 to specifically acknowledge receipt of a request for seat reservations on West Country bound expresses from Paddington. On the left of the address side the pro-forma message from the Station Master’s Office, Paddington read Dear ......................... I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the …….... and to inform you that seats are registered in the Express, leaving here at ...…… on payment of 1/- for each seat. If you require any seats registered and will kindly send the necessary amount I shall be pleased to reserve the number required. Taking up about two thirds of the picture side was a photograph of an express train at speed. To the right was a table showing distances from Paddington, above which was printed GREAT WESTERN above a two shield crest with RAILWAY below. Only two different photographs of an express train are thought to have been used The Cornish Riviera Limited, Express and West Country Express, a table of timings for the daily Cornish Riviera Limited, Express was also included on that card. We have so far been unable to obtain either for our collection.

Restaurant Car cards

1910 series

From around 1910 a series of 16 cards was produced with the same images as later used on the Wyndham’s Series of correspondence cards from 1913 to 1915. Titles on the picture side of the cards were written in either black or white together with the letters G.W.R. which were in the bottom right hand corner. Similar to the earlier Dining Car cards, these cards were made available for use by passengers using an Express train Restaurant Car. Again, they could be completed whilst waiting for service and handed to a steward for onward posting at the next convenient stop. The wording read G.W.R. EXPRESS TRAIN, en route, Restaurant Car, .........191

c1923

One final card, for which we do not have an image, was published around 1923. It showed the routes of the restaurant car services and was printed in dark blue with the two shield company crest on the address side above the words G.W.R. Restaurant Car, en route to ……………

Registration Office cards

The Registration Office was responsible for keeping a register of GWR shareholders and was based at the head offices in Paddington.

First series - late 1920s to early 1930s

These four cards feature pencil sketches by Claude H.Buckle. One particular image is titled HEREFORD - On the Great Western Railway. Centre for the Wye Valley. Another shows the FISHGUARD BAY HOTEL, Goodwick, Pembrokeshire - Ideally situated, overlooking Fishguard Harbour. Golf, Tennis, River and Deep Sea Fishing., the third to be seen is titled MANOR HOUSE HOTEL - A select hotel on the edge of Dartmoor.. The fourth card in this series illustrates the TREGENNA CASTLE HOTEL, St.Ives, Cornwall - A most comfortable Hotel in 100 acre grounds. Mild and equable climate, 9 hole Putting Course.. The pro-forma message on these cards read Dear Sir, (or Madam), I have to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of ………………………………………… Yours faithfully, XXXXXX, Registrar.. The registrar seen named on these cards was either W.Heditch or A.C.Barnes.

Second series - mid 1930s

A series of three cards was produced from about 1936 carrying pencil sketches of Tregenna Castle Hotel, Fishguard Bay Hotel and the Manor House Hotel, all signed by the artist Charles H.J.Mayo. The printed message on these cards was essentially the same as before but the registrar seen noted on these cards is S.G.Voles.

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