Thomas
Brassey
was born in Buerton near Chester in 1805. While working as a land
surveyor he met George Stephenson.
The two became friends and in 1834 Stephenson helped Brassey to obtain
a contract to build a railway viaduct at Bromborough. Soon afterwards
Joseph Locke suggested that Brassey should
tender for one of the contracts to build the Grand
Junction Railway. Brassey got the contract and this was the start
of a long working relationship with Locke.
In 1841 Brassey obtained the contract to build
the Paris & Le Havre Railway in France. Over the next ten years
Brassey's company was involved in several railway projects in mainland
Europe.
Brasseyreturned to England in 1843 to build the Lancaster & Carlisle
Railway. Further contracts included the Caledonian
Railway, the Great Northern Railway,
Tilbury & Southend Railway and Shrewsbury & Hereford Railway.
Brassey was also responsible for the Victoria Docks in London
and the Grand Trunk Railway
in Canada. Brassey built over 6,500 miles of railway, including one-sixth
of the British network and over 50% pf the railways in france. Brassey
was a major employer of navviesand sometimes
had over 10,000 men working for him. When
