More finds from your scribe at Broadway. This bottle is one I haven't even heard of, let alone seen one:

GWR Codd bottle

The inscription says:  

      GWR
Refreshment Dept.
  SWINDON

The neck is missing, and this once held a marble which was Mr. Codd's patent way of keeping the contents sealed. Unfortunately, the marble was popular with children, so once empty, the bottles were often broken to recover the marble. Again, by Googling I didn't find out much about GWR's refreshment department, and certainly not in Swindon. I imagined that it would be based at Paddington, as indicated on the ceramics. What I do know about refreshments at Swindon I put in one of my articles in the 'Cornishman' - trains were required to stop there in the early years to allow passengers the chance to frequent the franchise holder's establishment, and that there was a twin hotel / refreshment room strung across the platforms, and one wing of the two burned down. Any additional info on the Refreshment Dept. at Swindon and this bottle would be gratefully received.

A selection of GWR cup remains

Since taking this picture, I have come to realise that there are at least three different styles of cup in the box ! What I think is the oldest is the one with the band of leaves in the top LH corner, as this band matches the plates with the older GWR crest on it. I have since found about another 20 pieces in this style, but hardly any of them fit together. Just how many cups did those stewards throw out of the window???

Type 2

This looks like the second style, without a crest. It has a more modern font to it, unembellished. The caption reads:

       Property
           of
        GWR
      Return to
Paddington Station

The third style I suspect is the most recent, and looks like this:

Type 3

This one does away with the crest, and has the more simplified roundel with the word 'HOTELS' underneath. But still return to Paddington, if you would be so kind. So far, I have found two cups like this one.

I am still digging, in between jobs at Broadway. I am determined to find enough pieces to stick something together that is recognisable. Although, I have to admit that the complete GWR dinner service suggested by a colleague at Broadway may require more patience still.

Finds at Cheltenham? Why yes ! On Monday I found the metal top to a champagne cork, and an aluminium tube that once held a Cuban cigar near the former waiting room. Different type of customer here, see :-)