Building the last Main Line Railway

Catesby Tunnel and Viaduct: gcrcs78

View of three labourers and a boy labourer preparing to descend down one of Catesby tunnel's shafts. Thought to have been taken in October 1897. The bucket appears to be made from timber and square in shape as seen in image 'gcrcs75'. A square bucket might at first appear to be strange choice of shape, however because it had flat sides it was easier to tip in a controlled direction than a circular bucket, an important consideration when loading a wagon. The steam crane is described as a derrick and was much smaller than the steam shovels used to excavate the earth. All told there were about 50 different types of steam cranes and shovels employed in the building of the railway.

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