Building the last Main Line Railway

Newton to the Oxford Canal

Additional pages divided on different thematic subjects are available by clicking on the links below:

Ref: gcrcs46 Railway Archive View of some of the temporary construction work required to help bridge the Oxford Canal circa 1896

Ref: gcrcs2 Rugby Library The first temporary timber supports are erected during the construction of the GC bridge over the Oxford Canal

Ref: gcrcs2a Rugby Library Close up showing some of the heavy baulk timber framing used to support the new bridge's steel beams

Ref: gcrcs2b Rugby Library Close up of the opposite end of the temporary bridge showing a smaller derrick and a partially built abutment

Ref: gcrcs90 Railway Archive A later view of the bridge being built to cross the Oxford Canal showing the steel beams nearly complete

Ref: gcrcs72 Railway Archive An excellent view of the construction methods used in building a brick arch on the London Extension

Ref: gcrcs131 Railway Archive A navvy poses for the camera besides a pumping engine fitted with a vertical boiler at the foot of an embankment

Ref: gcrcs111 Railway Archive View of the completed brick abutment and the temporary scaffolding used on the bridge spanning the Oxford Canal

Ref: gcrcs106 Railway Archive View of one of the three piers being built to support the bridge's steel girders used to span the Oxford Canal

Ref: gcrcs143 Railway Archive View of one of the completed skewed brick piers used to carry the steel girders over the Oxford Canal

Ref: gcrcs147 Railway Archive View of two massive brick piers being built to carry the Great Central over low lying ground near Rugby

Ref: gcrcs140 Railway Archive A further view of two of the massive brick piers which formed part of the approach to the Great Central viaduct

Ref: gcrcs158 Railway Archive A close up view of one of the massive brick abutments built to anchor the the north end of the Great Central viaduct

Ref: gcrcs156 Railway Archive View of the elegant four-span structure which formed bridge No 448 in order to cross the Oxford Canal

Ref: gcrcs157 Railway Archive View looking towards the Oxford Canal bridge from the top of the embankment showing temporary trackwork

Ref: gcrcs167 Railway Archive Another view of the four span girder viaduct which carried the GC's Main Line across the Oxford Canal

Ref: gcrcs168 Railway Archive View of the brick built five arch bridge carrying Newton Lane over the Great Central's London Extension

Ref: gcrcs183 Railway Archive A steam powered navvy, built by Whitaker & Sons of Leeds, is seen working in a deep cutting near Rugby

Ref: gcrcs95 Railway Archive A brick arch underbridge near the Oxford Canal at Rugby built to carry the Great Central over a stream

Ref: gcrcs103 Railway Archive A brick built skewed arch underbridge carrying the GC Main Line across a road just north of the River Avon

Ref: gcrcs146 Railway Archive View of part of the temporary camp near Newton Village which were erected by the contractor

Ref: gcrcs223 Railway Archive View of the newly completed four span girder viaduct carrying the GC's Main Line over the Oxford Canal

Ref: gcrcs224 Railway Archive View along a section of temporary trackwork towards a completed brick arch overbridge south of Newton

Ref: gcrcs225 Railway Archive View of the building of a steel girder bridge being erected across a lane one mile south of Newton