A construction platform at the junction of Kent Street and London Road c 1895 during the construction of the Caledonian Railway Co's new Glasgow Central Railway, which crossed the city from east to west in a tunnel. On top of the platform is a steam boiler and what appears to be heavy lifting equipment.
The GCR line was built beneath busy streets including Argyle Street and Trongate in the city centre, as well as Kelvingrove Park and the Botanic Gardens in the West End. The tunnels were formed by cut and cover, that is, by excavating along the route of the line, forming the tunnels within the excavations and and then covering over the work. All the buildings along the route had to be underpinned in an attempt to prevent subsidence, and the owners of buildings that had to be demolished received compensation. In addition, the contractors had to restore all roads, sewers and pipelines disturbed during the work to their former condition.
The railway opened in 1896.
Reference: 140.77.143
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Museums
Keywords:
Caledonian Railway Co, construction sites, cut and cover, dentists, Glasgow Central Railway, lifting gear, railway tunnels, railways, steam boilers, subsidence
You have 0 images in your photo album.
