Crossrail engineers are building a 21st century railway across London and they have now literally unearthed a hidden part of Brunel's Victorian rail infrastructure near Paddington.
 
This has been carefully carried out as part of the UK's largest archaeological programme and the engineering wonders of the Great Western Railway (GWR) have been uncovered for the first time in over a century.
 
The findings have revealed the foundations of a 200 metre long engine shed, a workshop, and turntables used to service the broad-gauge railway from 1838.
 
Crossrail's archaeology team is documenting the remains using laser scans, creating 3D models of the buildings which date from the 1850s which were demolished in 1906 to make way for a goods yard.
 
The conservation work will help historians understand the early development of UK railways and the methods Brunel used.
 
Other buildings identified are railway workshops and a 45 foot train turntable dating from the 1880s.
 
The broad-gauge engine shed was built in 1852/1853 and came into use from 1854 when Brunel's new Paddington station opened.
 
The turntable dates from 1881/1882 and was built at Swindon and located at the western end of the engine shed.
 
Within the brick superstructure there was a wrought iron "turning circle" decked with timber on which both broad gauge and standard gauge engines could be turned.
 
They Said
 
Jay Carver, Crossrail's Lead Archaeologist said, "Isambard Kingdom Brunel's Great Western Railway is the most complete early mainline railway in the world. Whenever we expose parts of the original infrastructure it is vital to record these for posterity and the history of rail in this country. Using the latest 3D scan technology provides a permanent and accurate model of Brunel's distinctive architectural legacy."
 
The remains were located on a construction site known as Paddington New Yard, to the east of Westbourne Park Tube station.
 
When Crossrail is operating from 2018, this land will accommodate Crossrail tracks, turn-back sidings, an elevated bus deck, and cement factory which were temporarily relocated to enable construction to go ahead.
 
The engine shed shows evidence of the change from 7 foot wide broad gauge train tracks used by Brunel's Great Western Railway, to the standard gauge tracks prescribed in an Act of Parliament in 1846 and widely implemented by the 1860s.
 
The archaeological excavations are undertaken on behalf of Crossrail by Oxford Archaeology in partnership with Ramboll.
 
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