Building the last Main Line Railway

Rugby to Barby: gcrcs74

The scale of the engineering on the London Extension can clearly be seen in this photograph showing a Steam Navvy at work, being dwarfed by the bridge overhead carrying Ashlawn Road in Rugby. The bridge was built prior to the excavation of the cutting requiring the line of the bridge being excavated then the bridge was built.

The excavation of the cutting then took place as seen above. The excavator is fitted with a ramshackle cab while the wagon behind it probably carried coal or water. The size of the machine can be appreciated when compared to the wheel barrow sitting just behind it and the boy standing just in front of the wagon.

Note the temporary gas light to the right of the picture. The wagon appears to be of a different type to those seen earlier being narrower but much higher. Presumably reflecting the need for it to work in a more confined area. This section of the railway was constructed by T. Oliver & Son between 1894 and 1897.

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