- BGG rank
- BGG #13,965
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Ex Libris
- 4–8 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 1991
- BGG rank
- BGG #28,474
- BGG rating
- 5.0
Great Western Railway Game
1985
Rules assistance for Great Western Railway Game
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 90 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.0/5
Rules assistant for Great Western Railway Game
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Great Western Railway Game is a board game released in 1985 for 2–6 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Leslie Scott and Sara Finch and its main mechanics are Set Collection and Trading.
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About the game
The Great Western Railway (GWR) was one of the earliest railway companies, founded 1835, and built largely by the great British engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel. It ran from London to the West Country & Wales, and was nicknamed God's Wonderful Railway. This game was produced as a 150th anniversary edition by Gibson Games (and re-issued later) and has a jigsaw board showing the rail network and a deck of 80 cards in coloured sets. Players move their tokens around the main lines and branch lines, collecting, swapping and forfeiting cards to get sets. Movement is determined only by the lines and junctions. The rules say the game was inspired by a railwayman Richard Morris, but the board shows copyright Sara Finch & Leslie Scott. 5,000 copies were made, each with a serial number on the rulebook. A subsequent print run was not numbered and had a few minor changes to the rules.
Questions and answers
Great Western Railway Game supports 2–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Great Western Railway Game is 90 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Great Western Railway Game for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Great Western Railway Game has a complexity rating of 1.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Great Western Railway Game belongs to these categories: Trains. Its main mechanics are Set Collection and Trading. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Great Western Railway Game are: Leslie Scott and Sara Finch. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Great Western Railway Game as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.