7: THE WORKS
Back in 1986 when British Rail Engineering made the decision to shrink the Railway Works to a third of its size, Living Archive employed photographer Dave Runnacles to photograph the Works and its employees before the changes were made. At the same time Roger Kitchen did 20 audio interviews. Dave’s exhibition was held in the old Canteen and Roger created a tape-slide show to accompany it using Dave’s colour photos and extracts from the interviews.
The Works is part of the Wolverton on Film 3 DVD, which can be purchased from our on-line shop https://www.livingarchive.org.uk/content/online-shop/dvds
If you enjoyed watching this film please consider clicking on the link below to make a £1 donation and help us make lots more films in the future! https://www.livingarchive.org.uk/content/about-us/make-a-donatio
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I worked at Wolverton Railway Works from 1980 to 1989. I began my apprenticeship in 1980, in the old training school behind Glyn Square. Back then, apprentices were given the chance to try out all the various trades, spending around eight weeks in each section. You could learn a wide range of skills — Vehicle Builder, Electrician, Trimmer, Woodworker, Welder, Sheet Metal Fabricator, Fitter, Signwriter — to name just a few.
After leaving the training school, I worked as a Vehicle Builder. What I loved most about Wolverton Works was the camaraderie. There were some incredible characters working there, and we felt like one huge family. My dad and his brother worked there, as did their father before them.
Once in the main works, apprentices continued their training for a further three years, making four years in total. During that time, we rotated through different workshops, learning new aspects of our chosen trade to gain broader experience. Alongside the hands-on work, we attended Wolverton Technical College one day a week, studying for examinations such as City & Guilds. Only after completing those four years did we finally earn our papers and become fully trained craftsmen. That was a true celebration — it meant we could take our skills virtually anywhere in the world.
Those familiar with Wolverton Works will know it is the oldest railway works in the country, and at one time it even housed Queen Victoria’s Royal Train. A special place indeed — which makes the ending of this story all the more bitter.
In the late 1980s, it was decided to scale down production at Wolverton, and with that came many redundancies. Men who had worked there all their lives suddenly faced the daunting challenge of finding new jobs. My dad was one of them — made redundant just weeks before his retirement. A cruel way to treat someone who had worked there since the age of 14.
As the redundancies mounted, workshops were shut down. One end of the site closed completely, leaving sheds empty and vulnerable. Vandals smashed skylights, rain poured in, birds nested, and even trees began to grow inside. Over the last 35 years, I’ve watched those buildings slowly decay — like wounded, unloved pets, abandoned by everyone except those of us whose memories still live within them.
Milton Keynes Borough Council had the chance to save the site, to turn it into a living museum celebrating nearly 200 years of history. Instead, they chose modernization over heritage. It’s shameful to think that such a proud legacy was sacrificed.
Once, Wolverton was a bustling railway town. Now it’s a shadow of its former glory. The streets are lined with fast-food outlets, vape shops, and mobile phone stores. It’s not a pleasant place to visit. Drive through today, and you’d never know it had such a rich history.
It seems the days of being proud of our heritage are long gone. Cash-strapped councils prefer a quick profit over the long game. And so Wolverton’s story fades — remembered only by those who lived it.
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