Great Western main line facts for kids
The Great Western main line is a very important railway line in England. It travels west from London Paddington station to Bristol Temple Meads. This railway line first opened in 1841. It was the main route for the original Great Western Railway company. Today, Network Rail manages this line as part of the national rail system. In 1948, it became the Western Region of British Railways.
Modernizing the Railway: Electrification
Electrification means changing a railway line so that trains can run on electricity. This makes trains quieter and better for the environment. The Great Western main line was first electrified from Paddington to Heathrow Airport in the late 1990s.
Work to electrify more of the line began in 2011. The original plan was to finish electrifying the entire route to Bristol by 2016. However, some parts of the project were put on hold. This happened because the costs became much higher than expected.
The sections that were delayed include:
- From Didcot to Oxford
- From Bristol Parkway to Bristol Temple Meads
- From Royal Wootton Bassett Junction to Bristol Temple Meads
- The smaller lines in the Thames Valley that go to Henley-on-Thames and Windsor
Who Runs the Trains?
Most of the trains that run on the Great Western main line are operated by a company called Great Western Railway.
Images for kids
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St James Railway Bridge, Bath
See also
In Spanish: Línea Principal del Great Western para niños
