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High Dyke Ironstone Branch


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Good Evening All.

 

It seems that 'Tracks Through Grantham's' Rediscovered wing are at is again:

 

Part 1: http://www.tracksthroughgrantham.uk/recording-the-railway/railways-rediscovered/the-highdyke-branch-rediscovered-part-1/

 

Part 2: http://www.tracksthroughgrantham.uk/recording-the-railway/railways-rediscovered/the-high-dyke-branch-rediscovered-part-2/

 

 

And you lot has not gone unnoticed, seems we trebled the 'hits' of their website after they posted the Woolsthorpe pages:

 

http://www.tracksthroughgrantham.uk/2017/07/25/ironstone-mining-rediscoveries/

 

Even includes a handy link back to this site

 

 

Good effort everyone

 

J

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Interesting. I had a summer job at that Christian Salvesan factory and never realised it was built on the site of an ironstone mine. 

 

I was a little surprised, given the extensive and relatively modern surface buildings, exchange sidings and loading operations, how short a period it operated.

 

I've seen a few photos of shunting locomotives (BR C.02 comes to mind) at the exchange sidings in Eric Tonk's books - were these provided by BR or where they private owned?

 

Looking forward to seeing how this develops  and what it turns up. Helps put David Ford's photos in some context.

 

Cheers,

 

James

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I was a little surprised, given the extensive and relatively modern surface buildings, exchange sidings and loading operations, how short a period it operated.

 

I've seen a few photos of shunting locomotives (BR C.02 comes to mind) at the exchange sidings in Eric Tonk's books - were these provided by BR or where they private owned?

 

Looking forward to seeing how this develops  and what it turns up. Helps put David Cook's photos in some context.

 

Cheers,

 

James

 

 

One of the reasons for the mine's short life was the cost of extracting the ore as compared to opencast quarrying.    Also by 1967 when the mine closed there was less demand for steel.  It was only a few years later that  it was decided that all ironstone quarrying would cease and that all iron ore would in future be imported which is why all the quarries closed during 1972-4.

 

All the shunting locos were owned by the various ironstone quarrying companies (subsidiaries of steel companies), later British Steel.  Some locos were ex BR, such as the Class 14s used around Sewstern (Buckminster Quarries) in the last years.  Most were standard industrial shunters.

 

The trains to and from the quarries were worked by BR locos, sometimes they were also used to place the BR wagons ready for loading, depending on the quarry.

 

My photos of the High Dyke branch etc are on flickr at:

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidwf2009/sets/72157626169910951

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidwf2009/sets/72157626274246892

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidwf2009/sets/72157629665116290

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidwf2009/sets/72157626274180803

 

The photos are also scattered around in my photo thread on RMWeb:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/85326-dave-fs-photos-ongoing-more-added-23rd-april/page-1

 

 

Dad lived in Buckminster from 1971 to 1975, I was there between 1971 and 1974, so we often went to look at the HighDyke branch and took photos.

 

After quarrying ceased the BSC lines were taken over by the Buckminster Estate, Dad managed the railway and other industrial enterprises for a while for them.   That was during the preservation period when Pendennis Castle and Flying Scotsman were based at Market Overton and Ellerman Lines was sectioned for the NRM at Sewstern workshops and finished at Market Overton.

 

David

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One of the reasons for the mine's short life was the cost of extracting the ore as compared to opencast quarrying.    Also by 1967 when the mine closed there was less demand for steel.  It was only a few years later that  it was decided that all ironstone quarrying would cease and that all iron ore would in future be imported which is why all the quarries closed during 1972-4.

 

All the shunting locos were owned by the various ironstone quarrying companies (subsidiaries of steel companies), later British Steel.  Some locos were ex BR, such as the Class 14s used around Sewstern (Buckminster Quarries) in the last years.  Most were standard industrial shunters.

 

The trains to and from the quarries were worked by BR locos, sometimes they were also used to place the BR wagons ready for loading, depending on the quarry.

 

My photos of the High Dyke branch etc are on flickr at:

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidwf2009/sets/72157626169910951

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidwf2009/sets/72157626274246892

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidwf2009/sets/72157629665116290

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidwf2009/sets/72157626274180803

 

The photos are also scattered around in my photo thread on RMWeb:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/85326-dave-fs-photos-ongoing-more-added-23rd-april/page-1

 

 

Dad lived in Buckminster from 1971 to 1975, I was there between 1971 and 1974, so we often went to look at the HighDyke branch and took photos.

 

After quarrying ceased the BSC lines were taken over by the Buckminster Estate, Dad managed the railway and other industrial enterprises for a while for them.   That was during the preservation period when Pendennis Castle and Flying Scotsman were based at Market Overton and Ellerman Lines was sectioned for the NRM at Sewstern workshops and finished at Market Overton.

 

David

Fantastic selection of shots!!!

You definitely took advantage of the opportunity you had to take a great moment in time.

               Respect,

                       chris.

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An area crying out to be modeled. Not many places where you could run a 40+ wagons on a single track (in places) mainline... 

 

Paul A. 

.

 

It has been modelled in the past. A Google search show the EM layout was featured in Model Railways magazine April 1982 and also MRJ 180 from 2008.

 

As I grew up in Grantham, the Model Railways magazine was one I saved for a very long time but eventually got binned in a house move.

 

.

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Good Evening All.

 

It seems that 'Tracks Through Grantham's' Rediscovered wing are at it again:

 

Part 1: http://www.tracksthroughgrantham.uk/recording-the-railway/railways-rediscovered/the-highdyke-branch-rediscovered-part-1/

 

More parts to follow....(will add them when they are posted)

 

 

 

And you lot has not gone unnoticed, seems we trebled the 'hits' of their website after they posted the Woolsthorpe pages:

 

http://www.tracksthroughgrantham.uk/2017/07/25/ironstone-mining-rediscoveries/

 

Even includes a handy link back to this site

 

 

Good effort everyone

 

J

Thanks for the mention - we've had another 3x increase in page views on several days during the past week ...and I've just added another four evocative B&W photos taken up the branch in steam days.

John

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Thanks for the mention - we've had another 3x increase in page views on several days during the past week ...and I've just added another four evocative B&W photos taken up the branch in steam days.

John

 

Fantastic set of photos and documentation John.

 

Just to keep some reference all in the same place here is the Industrial Records documentation of quarries of the branch for those that have not seen it already.

 

J

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Quite an interesting method of operation at the Easton Mine

 

"This consists of an electrically-operated trolley running on 2' 3½" gauge track between the standard gauge metals, and controlled by a lookout man in the gantry. At the upper end of its run, a hook engages with the leading axle of a set of four wagons, which are then hauled underneath the gantry for loading, and inched along as required to distribute the load" (Industrial Record)

 

Do any photos survive of this?

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  • 8 months later...

 Juno looking like its on its last legs.

 

Yes, the first photo I've seen of her looking so - she was generally kept in good condition. Happily preserved of course (Shildon at the moment, I believe), as are several other locos from the quarries which fed the High Dyke branch.  

 

Paul A. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

One would hope so, it being less than 15 years old!

 

Less than 11! She went for preservation in 1969.

 

18'' Austerities at Exton Park quarries in Rutland were cut up at less than 10 years after being built, but that's progress for you I suppose...

 

Paul A. 

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Just so you know not all is lost Paul here are my Juno nameplates.

 

I have a NB body to mesh with a RT chassis. Should be just the the real thing

 

That's so 2 years ago... :sungum:

 

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/83043-oo-gauge-j94-austerity-tank-locomotive/?p=2465213

 

Best of luck with it - the larger footsteps she sports now are not original, though she did gain them at Buckminster at some point. 

 

Paul A. 

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