SOLVED. Book about about a small Victorian village where a new railway line was being built; made to read at school C1997~ Irish (Navvie?) [s]

[E]

So I was at school (I think secondary school) and in English class we had to read a book about a small Victorian esc villiage where a new railway line was being built.
The story follows a small family and the lodger that has to stay with them while the tracks are built.

I remember the word Navvie or Navvy being used about the Irish men building the tracks but I can’t find it anywhere else as a term.

The lady of the house had a collection of trinkets and the lodger starts to add to them over time.

The lodger is not well liked in the village/the house he is staying in but over time the family start to like him.

Many thanks in advance.

[Ayshe]

The Iron Way by Gillian Cross maybe?

[E]

Thank you so much.

I have now read the blurb of the iron way and this is the book the class had to read. We never got to the end so now I can.