Sri Lanka, Nov. 10 -- One of the first branches associated with train operations in Ceylon was the Way & Works division. The first steam locomotive belched and thundered to Ambepussa in 1864. Therefore, this arm of the railway had to be in operation well ahead to prepare the route.
One of the primary tasks of Way & Works is the laying and maintenance of tracks. If there are no railway lines the trains cannot run. In the pioneer era of the Ceylon Government Railway (CGR) the hard working men of this division were the daring trailblazers who cut through dense uncharted land. They encountered wild animals. It was these crews who surveyed hills and blasted them to create tunnels. The robust men of Way & Works used pick hammers and spades to di...