Group of men, a railway construction gang, some with shovels, pose beside an old R-Class 0-6-0 steam locomotive (built by Phoenix Foundry) during construction of the Heidelberg to Eltham line circa 1899-1901. The first wagon contains track ballast and the sides have been lowered for the men to shovel it out for distribution on the track. The tall man without hat beside the tender is "Mrs Batherway's Grandfather". Mr Harry Batherway lived in Bridge St, Eltham, between Tillings Timber and Joslyn's and is the original source of this photo about 1970 when photos were collected from the community for the Eltham "Pioneers & Painters" history publication.This photo forms part of a collection of photographs gathered by the Shire of Eltham for their centenary project book,"Pioneers and Painters: 100 years of the Shire of Eltham" by Alan Marshall (1971). The collection of over 500 images is held in partnership between Eltham District Historical Society and Yarra Plenty Regional Library (Eltham Library) and is now formally known as 'The Shire of Eltham Pioneers Photograph Collection'. It is significant in being the first community sourced collection representing the places and people of the Shire's first one hundred years.Digital image 4 x 5 inch B&W Neg B&W Print 18 x 25 cm B&W Print 16 x 21.5 cmsepp, shire of eltham pioneers photograph collection, eltham, railway construction, railway gangers, railways, steam locomotive, workers, old r-class 0-6-0 steam locomotive