Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- -23343 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
1 item
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
The London and Birmingham Railway was sanctioned in 1833, and the Company appointed Robert Stephenson as chief engineer. Its construction was dogged by much opposition. The 112 mile long London to Birmingham line took 20,000 men nearly five years to build. The total cost of building the railway was £5,500,000 (£50,000 a mile). The railway was opened in stages and finally completed on 17 September 1838. The line started at Birmingham's Curzon Street Station and finished at Euston Station in London.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0096 MS1122 1836 February Fonds 1 item London and Birmingham Railway
The London and Birmingham Railway was sanctioned in 1833, and the Company appointed Robert Stephenson as chief engineer. Its construction was dogged by much opposition. The 112 mile long London to Birmingham line took 20,000 men nearly five years to build. The total cost of building the railway was £5,500,000 (£50,000 a mile). The railway was opened in stages and finally completed on 17 September 1838. The line started at Birmingham's Curzon Street Station and finished at Euston Station in London.
Senate House Library
Drawing of Tring cutting in Hertfordshire, 1836, which was built as part of the London and Birmingham Railway.
1 item only
Open for research
This item may be copied subject to an inspection of its physical condition
English
Fonds description only
Senate House Library holds other archives, which relate to the London and Birmingham Railway (Refs: MS504, MS940). The Goldsmiths collection at Senate House Library also includes plans for the "Tring" line, circa 1840 (Ref: [G.L.] Case II.7 [Railways Portfolio]).
The National Archives, London, holds business records, 1830-1849 and 1833-1877 (Ref: RAIL 384); Salford University Library contains miscellaneous correspondence from directors, 1830; Bristol University Library holds minutes of evidence given before the House of Lords Committee, 1832 (Ref: DM 1528); the National Railway Museum Library and Archive contains drawings of Curzon Street Station, Birmingham, [1838-1840].
Tring cutting was the largest of its kind in the early railway era with a length of two and half miles and a depth of 40 feet. A big problem for the engineers of the London and Birmingham Railway was building through the chalk ridge of the Chilterns. The solution was to cut through the bottom of the Bulbourne valley. The cutting was built using "horse runs". Horses at the top of the cutting were harnessed to big barrows by lengths of rope over a pulley. The barrow, when filled with earth, was pulled up a steep plank-way by horses, with navvies in attendance. Any irregular movement of the horse could propel both man and barrow into the cutting. There were some 40 of these horse runs used in the construction work at Tring.
Entry compiled by Richard Temple.
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997.
2006-09-16, Richard Temple Construction industry England Europe Hertfordshire Industry Railway construction Tring UK Western Europe London
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Senate House Library
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Drawing of Tring cutting in Hertfordshire, 1836, which was built as part of the London and Birmingham Railway.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
1 item only
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Open for research
Conditions governing reproduction
This item may be copied subject to an inspection of its physical condition
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Senate House Library holds other archives, which relate to the London and Birmingham Railway (Refs: MS504, MS940). The Goldsmiths collection at Senate House Library also includes plans for the "Tring" line, circa 1840 (Ref: [G.L.] Case II.7 [Railways Portfolio]).
Finding aids
Fonds description only
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
The National Archives, London, holds business records, 1830-1849 and 1833-1877 (Ref: RAIL 384); Salford University Library contains miscellaneous correspondence from directors, 1830; Bristol University Library holds minutes of evidence given before the House of Lords Committee, 1832 (Ref: DM 1528); the National Railway Museum Library and Archive contains drawings of Curzon Street Station, Birmingham, [1838-1840].
Publication note
Tring cutting was the largest of its kind in the early railway era with a length of two and half miles and a depth of 40 feet. A big problem for the engineers of the London and Birmingham Railway was building through the chalk ridge of the Chilterns. The solution was to cut through the bottom of the Bulbourne valley. The cutting was built using "horse runs". Horses at the top of the cutting were harnessed to big barrows by lengths of rope over a pulley. The barrow, when filled with earth, was pulled up a steep plank-way by horses, with navvies in attendance. Any irregular movement of the horse could propel both man and barrow into the cutting. There were some 40 of these horse runs used in the construction work at Tring.
Notes area
Note
Tring cutting was the largest of its kind in the early railway era with a length of two and half miles and a depth of 40 feet. A big problem for the engineers of the London and Birmingham Railway was building through the chalk ridge of the Chilterns. The solution was to cut through the bottom of the Bulbourne valley. The cutting was built using "horse runs". Horses at the top of the cutting were harnessed to big barrows by lengths of rope over a pulley. The barrow, when filled with earth, was pulled up a steep plank-way by horses, with navvies in attendance. Any irregular movement of the horse could propel both man and barrow into the cutting. There were some 40 of these horse runs used in the construction work at Tring.
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English