A printed cigarette card depicting part of the labour intensive weekend of final gauge conversion May 1892
- based on an official Great Western Railway view taken on the old route West of Saltash, Cornwall.

The last broad gauge trains ran on Friday 20th May, and all GWR owned broad gauge locomotives
and rolling stock were moved back to Swindon.

Then following advanced preparations - starting at daybreak - over the weekend of Sat 21st and Sun 22nd May 1892,
177 miles of track between Exeter and Truro (and all branches) were narrowed from 7ft 0¼ins to 4ft 8½ins.

This involved some 4,700 men, platelayers and gangers, and the work was completed on time,
allowing the Sunday 'Night Mail' from Paddington to run right through to Penzance.

Men were issued with an 'oatmeal drink' - as no alcohol was allowed during the entire gauge changeover.