How common was having a ceremony for digging the first sod of earth for a new railway construction in the Victorian era? was this mainly for larger builds or did this kind of thing happen also for new branch lines? I'm specifically looking at the L&Y here.
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Digging The First Sod Ceremony
- Thread starter Andy873
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RailUK Forums
Gloster
Veteran Member
How common was having a ceremony for digging the first sod of earth for a new railway construction in the Victorian era? was this mainly for larger builds or did this kind of thing happen also for new branch lines? I'm specifically looking at the L&Y here.
Very common. Having read a lot of branch line histories I have frequently come across pictures of a group done up in their best togs with an engraved spade and often a decorated wheelbarrow. The wife or daughter of the chairman would delicately lift a small amount of earth, everyone would cheer and then they would all go for a massive blow-out.
It was probably slightly more common with branch lines as that was a source of local pride and local politicking. For an extension of a larger company or line it would probably be a bit more low-key, with one of the company’s senior staff and a couple of others using a new spade, but there was still a certain amount of publicity to be gained with having the ‘Deputy Chief Civil Engineer turning the first sod of the Buggleskelly Extension’. A large project, such as a drive to a new area, might still get the full treatment even with a major company.
It was an era prone to more ceremonial. My great great grandfather was a mason, and my father ended up with three ceremonial trowels used for laying foundation stones of new lodge buildings in the late Victorian/Edwardian period.Very common. Having read a lot of branch line histories I have frequently come across pictures of a group done up in their best togs with an engraved spade and often a decorated wheelbarrow. The wife or daughter of the chairman would delicately lift a small amount of earth, everyone would cheer and then they would all go for a massive blow-out.
It was probably slightly more common with branch lines as that was a source of local pride and local politicking. For an extension of a larger company or line it would probably be a bit more low-key, with one of the company’s senior staff and a couple of others using a new spade, but there was still a certain amount of publicity to be gained with having the ‘Deputy Chief Civil Engineer turning the first sod of the Buggleskelly Extension’. A large project, such as a drive to a new area, might still get the full treatment even with a major company.
Especially commonplace when the line in question was being promoted locally with local notables providing most or all of the capital - even if the line was to be operated by an established company. Rather less ceremony perhaps where a main line company was involved in building a modest extension mainly for its operating convenience.
It was probably slightly more common with branch lines as that was a source of local pride and local politicking. For an extension of a larger company or line it would probably be a bit more low-key, with one of the company’s senior staff and a couple of others using a new spade, but there was still a certain amount of publicity to be gained with having the ‘Deputy Chief Civil Engineer turning the first sod of the Buggleskelly Extension’. A large project, such as a drive to a new area, might still get the full treatment even with a major company.
Yes, this is what I thought, and I find it very strange that I can find no record of any such ceremony for the loop line, maybe there wasn't one? I have found all sorts of things over the years about the construction but no hint of a ceremony, the local board holding any lunch or dinner to celebrate the start of the build...It was an era prone to more ceremonial
Gloster
Veteran Member
Yes, this is what I thought, and I find it very strange that I can find no record of any such ceremony for the loop line, maybe there wasn't one? I have found all sorts of things over the years about the construction but no hint of a ceremony, the local board holding any lunch or dinner to celebrate the start of the build...
So, quite possibly, as it was considered to be only a minor extension of a large company’s network, there was either no ceremony at or just a case of the senior people who happened to be there watching as the first bit of physical work was be done. The most you might get would be a note in the L&Y staff magazine and, possibly, a brief note appearing in the local paper to say that work had started on the new line. Even then, even in an era where they wanted to fill up the pages, it might wait until ‘our special correspondent’ had gone down and looked at the work.