◊ Railway Construction - A construction site, presumed to be the building of a railway, possibly the South Western Railway line. A church can be seen in the background but has not been identified. In the foreground is a 'Steam Navvy' in operation. c.1905.

The makers plate states : Dunbar & Rushtons Patent Steam Navvy. Ruston, Procter, and Co. Lincoln, Sole Makers. Presumably it was owned by the contractor John Mowlem & Compy., of Millbank, S.W.1. The navvy is identified as No. 28.

A digital record from the archive of the National Library of Wales of the work of Martin J. Ridley, photographer during the years 1900 to 1910. The archive record is a black and white, glass dry-plate negative. [439] [Preferred citation : Ridley 1269 (similar to : Ridley 1268) ] [20190304]

An article from 'The Engineer' identifies the steam navvy as a ten ton machine whilst the advertisement proclaims :

'Dunbar & Ruston's Patent Steam Navvy. Unapproachable by any other machine for handiness and efficiency in work. Requires two men and a boy to drive the engine ; excavates and delivers in trucks the hardest clay and material known (not being rock), at a rate of from 400 to 600 yards per day.'

Many thanks to Graces Guide for the steam navvy images above. [015] [016] [20190304]