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The life and works of John Cooke Bourne
The Great Western Railway
After the success of the London & Birmingham Railway drawings, the architect, printer and publisher, Charles Cheffins (1777-1844) commissioned Bourne to draw a series of wash drawings of the Great Western Railway (GWR). These were printed in the "The History and Description of the Great Western Railway" published by David Bogue in 1846. This time it was the stations, bridges and scenery he depicted rather than the construction.
A lithograph depicting Paddington Station on the Great Western Railway (exterior view).
© Science & Society Picture Library
The book opens with a picture of the locomotive 'Archeron' travelling through a tunnel with a bridge above it, engraved "The Great Western Railway by J C Bourne". The inspiration for this book was the achievements of the railway as an heroic enterprise.
A lithograph depicting Bristol Station on the Great Western Railway (interior view).
© Science & Society Picture Library
A drawing of a 2-2-2 tender steam locomotive (broad gauge).
© Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust
A drawing of a 2-2-2 tender steam locomotive (broad gauge).
© Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust
The preface explained the purpose behind the book and showed the engineering and architectural structures produced for the railway, which usually go unnoticed due to their remote siting or the speed of travel. The writer also added geographical notes and information on ecclesiastical architecture. The book is a guide to the history and architecture surrounding the GWR as well as a showcase of its engineering feats. Generally, the tone is more reverent than in the London & Birmingham Railway book.