Volume Eleven - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - some more aspects - The Steam Navvy and the Dock Extension of 1883 . . .

The periodical 'Scientific American' [1070] [499] reported the development of Messrs. Dunbar and Ruston's Steam Navvy within its Supplement, No. 87., published 1st September 1877. The text of the article is, however, attributed to 'Engineering'.

Steam Excavating Machine - 'The Steam Excavator , of the general form here shown, a mechanism of American origin ; but is now used and manufactured in various parts of the world. We illustrate in section and perspective the machine designed by Messrs. Dunbar & Ruston, as made by Ruston, Proctor & Co., of Lincoln, Eng.

Steam Excavating Machine by Dunbar and Ruston.

As the machine advances, excavating its own gullet, it fills alternately, first on the one side and then on the other, one of the empty wagons in position for being filled. The lines of rails are arranged for the wagons so that there is always a train of empty wagons standing on a central road behind the “ navvy ", and from whence they are drawn over a short jump road into position on the side roads for filling, while the filled wagons run back from the machine on the side roads. The " navvy ” illustrated is capable of excavating and filling into wagons at the rate of 60 cubic yards per hour, two men and one boy being required to work it.

This machine, as will be seen on reference to the detailed drawings, is constructed mainly of wrought iron, so as to withstand the heavy work that it has to encounter. The mode of working it may be briefly described as follows : The engine-driver, who has the control of all the moving parts, is directed by the man who has charge of the scoop, and who stands on the circular platform at the foot of the jib in front of the machine. When the jib is swung to the position required, the scoop is lowered till the mouth of it rests upon the ground. The man on the circular platform by means of a foot-brake and gear holds the scoop in that position, so fixing the length of the scoop handle from a pivot or point on the jib.