Building the last Main Line Railway

Catesby Tunnel and Viaduct: gcrcs148

View of the heavy timber framed headgear sited at the top of Catesby Tunnel's shaft No 8. It was the largest to be sunk during the construction of the tunnel. Note the wooden centrings on the right of the picture: these would be used to provide the shape of the tunnel arch. Piled beside the contractor's temporary railway - waiting to be lowered to the army of labourers working below - are some of the thirty million bricks which are estimated to have been used for the tunnel's construction.

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