Chester in Cheshire West and Chester, England, United Kingdom — Northwestern Europe (the British Isles)
Thomas Brassey
The Greatest Railway Builder in the World
Photographed by Ray Gurganus, April 9, 2024
1. Thomas Brassey Marker
Brassey was born in 1805 in the parish of Aldford near Chester, where he attended school.
From his Canada Works factory in Birkenhead he established himself one of the greatest railway builders of his age, working with the early railway engineers.
He introduced revolutionary new working practices by providing his navvies with better clothing, ration and wages.
As a result, he was admired and respected by his huge workforce.
At the time of his death in 1870, Thomas Brassey had built one third of the railway in the UK, and 1 in 20 miles of the world's railway network across most continents.
Chester Station
Thomas Brassey was the building contractor for Chester Station, which opened in 1848. Francis Thompson was the architect; Robert Stephenson and Charles H. Wild were the railway engineers. Its Italianate façade, at 1,050 feet, formed the longest station building in England. Chester Station is the junction for railways
this page online
Cefn Mawr Railway Viaduct
Brassey was commissioned to construct this viaduct in 1848 to carry the Chester and Shrewsbury Railway across the valley of the River Dee. The viaduct, 1,500 feet long supported by 19 arches, lies 1 mile from Thomas Telford's Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Victoria Bridge, Montreal
In 1852, Brassey was awarded one of his largest contracts, the 540 mile Grand Trunk Railway in Canada. It included the 2 mile long Victoria Bridge, spanning the St. Lawrence River. The bridge was prefabricated at Brassey's factory in Birkenhead and shipped to Canada. Designed by Robert Stephenson, it was considered the longest bridge in the world at the time.
Erected by Thomas Brassey Society.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars.
Location. 53° 11.798′ N, 2° 52.805′ W. Marker is in Chester, England, in Cheshire West and Chester. It is on Station Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal
Photographed by Ray Gurganus, April 10, 2024
2. Chester Station
The marker is not-quite visible here, lurking behind the black car, i.e, just to the right of the passageway leading into the main station area.
Regionally, this marker is in North West England. Globally, it is on the Atlantic Ocean, in the North Atlantic Region, in Europe, in Atlantic Europe, on one of the British Isles, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Roman Empire.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A different marker also named Thomas Brassey (a few steps from this marker); Parker's Buildings (approx. 0.6 kilometers away); King Charles Tower (approx. 0.7 kilometers away); Heritage Features (approx. 0.8 kilometers away); Chester Cathedral (approx. 0.8 kilometers away); East Gate (approx. 0.9 kilometers away); The Church of St John the Baptist (approx. 0.9 kilometers away); North Eastern Chapel (approx. 0.9 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chester.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 6, 2024. It was originally submitted on April 28, 2024, by Ray Gurganus of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 257 times since then and 31 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 28, 2024, by Ray Gurganus of Washington, District of Columbia. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
