Centrepiece, silver, commissioned and purchased by Sir Daniel Gooch, 1872, engraved with the arms of the Gooch family and of the Great Western Railway Company. At the top is a figure of a woman, representing the Arts, at the base are three seated figures; Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Joseph Locke and George Stephenson. Design also features one of Gooch's Great Western Railway locomotives, a railway viaduct, and a scene showing the laying of a transatlantic cable.

Intended as a centrepiece for a dining table, this silver showpiece is engraved with the arms of the Gooch family and of the Great Western Railway Company. At the top is a figure of a woman, representing the Arts. At the base are three seated figures; Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Joseph Locke and George Stephenson. Also featured at the base are three designs: one of Gooch's Great Western Railway locomotives, one showing a railway viaduct, and a scene showing the laying of a transatlantic cable.

Sir Daniel Gooch, 1st baronet was born in 1816 at Bedlington. He was the first Locomotive Superintendent of the Great Western Railway (GWR) in 1837 and worked under Isambard Kingdom Brunel. He established the company’s locomotive works at Swindon.

Gooch played an important role in ordering Stephenson 2-2-2 ‘Star’ class locomotives from Robert Stephenson’s firm for use on the railway. Later, he went on to develop locomotives to his own design.

He resigned from the company in 1864 to take key responsibility for the laying of the Atlantic cable and was made a Baronet for this work, subsequently rejoining the Great Western Railway in 1865 as chairman.