Steam shovel and navvies near Regents Canal, London
This is a marvellous close up of a steam powered excavator, at rest with a group of navvies near Regents Canal, London. From the photograph it is easy to recognise the imposing size and scale of these formidable machines. The engine's cab is an improvised structure made from wood and corrugated metal: when new these excavators were supplied without shelters of any kind. These men would most likely have worked for J.T. Firbank of London Bridge, the company responsible for building Contract No.7 of the Last Main Line (West Hampstead to Marylebone).
