Transhipment/Exchange Yards

Good morning,

In the East Midland Ironstone fields, several tipping docks still survive, one that springs to mind has been mentioned by Gwernol in an earlier reply, the transhipment dock of the former Eastwell Quarries. Also in the vicinity are a couple of others worth seeking out. Over at the end of the former Eaton Branch is the embankment to the tipping dock of the Waltham Ironstone Company's quarries. A little further along the branch towards Eaton The Holwell Iron Company's substantial tipping dock is still extant, along with the narrow-gauge loco shed adjacent.

In Northamptonshire, one splendid survival springs to mind, this is the STANDARD gauge to narrow-gauge tipping dock on the former Finedon Quarry system of Richard, Thomas and Baldwin. This dock is situated within what is now, a country park and was used to transfer ore onto the 3 foot gauge system of RTB's Irthlingborough mine system for taking through the underground tunnel to Irthlingborough for processing and onward transit.

Staying in Northants., over on the former Islip system, several tipping docks survive, these being narrow-gauge to narrow-gauge transfers - 2'-6" gauge mine system to 3'-0" gauge quarry system, they are Church Mine North, Woodfield Mine, Crops Acre and Willow Close Mines. The dock for Willow Close has become easier of access and much more visible in recent years with the clearing of the undergrowth in vicinity.

All of the above are worth a visit if you are in industrial archaeology mode, especially at this time of the year when a lot of the boskage is dormant - I think that I may have talked myself into a day out in the East Midlands!!

Cheers

Alan

 

Here's a couple of obscure ones for you!

First, in 1912 a three foot guage line was constructed from an interchange with the Midland at Bamford station on the Hope Valley line in Derbyshire. The narrow guage line ran for about 8 miles up the Derwent valley to carry stone and other materials for the construction of Howden and Derwent dams.

Second:From 1913 onward a three foot guage line several miles long was laid into the Black Mountains for reservoir construction materials. The interchange with the Great Western was at Llanfihangel ( or "Llanvihangel"...) on the Newport to Hereford line, and for transhipment purposes there was even a section of mixed guage track in Llanfihangel yard.

46118

 

And if not mentioned before, the Harrogate Gasworks Railway, two foot guage, with interchange with the rail network at Bilton Junction or Bilton Lane.

 

Not chalk, but I can think of a few examples on the Isle of Man. The IMR had a quiet extensive sandpit at St Johns, and also there was a small tramway which met the MNR on the opposite side of Peel Road Station (the loading dock is still in situ). I found a narrow gauge rail at the side of a road a few months back being used as a signpost. I've attached images here. I also think there was a funicular railway which met the MNR near Sulby.

Then there's the mixed Gauge track at Laxey which was used to move the SMR 3'6" stock onto 3' Gauge bogies for transfer on the MER.

Then the Dhoon quarry sidings, little is left there.

Finally there's the Dreemskerry Quarry System which is largely extant but buried. I think the gauges included 3' (the MER meeting the system, there are the odd rails from this lying around, but it is not laid to gauge any more, plus a pole for the wires), with a 2' and 18" system within the quarry, which is still very much in situ. I've included pictures of this.

 

Butser Hill Lime Works, on the LSWR Portsmouth Direct line near Buriton in Hampshire. There were several kilns fed by a narrow gauge system from the nearby chalk pits. It was hand / horse worked 3ft gauge. Closed in the 1930s. There were narrow gauge to std gauge exchange sidings. During WW2 the site was used for defusing and investigating German munitions.

 

There was an internal Narrow Gauge railway system around part of the explosives works in the Tillingbourne Valley near Guildford. It had an interchange siding at or near Shalford station.

 

Monkton Farleigh ammo dump had quite a bit of cable/hand hauled NG and a transshipment with SG near Batheaston, not sure if the NG went there or if it was conveyors.
Most ammo dumps: West Dean, Trecwn, Broughton Moor etc. Most main coal mines. Large gas works?

 

And to prove it, here it is :


R577. Minffordd coal shute. June,1961. by Ron Fisher, on Flickr


R579. Minffordd coal sidings. June,1961. by Ron Fisher, on Flickr


R578. Minfordd coal shute. June,1961. by Ron Fisher, on Flickr

 

There was an exchange yard on the LNWR Rickmansworth Church Street line with the Colne Valley Waterworks 2' gauge railway. Sadly, I didn't take any pictures of the exchange yards, but here's a shot of the 2' gauge line :


R0433 Colne Valley Waterworks Rly Aug1960 by Ron Fisher, on Flickr

 

Don't forget Penygroes where the ex LNWR interchanged with the horse worked Nantlle tramway until the early 60's. Ray.

 

Go to http://www.pmmmg.org/Progress.htm and scroll down and you will see an aerial shot of RNAD Trecwn exchange shed between Standard and 2' 6" if you scroll down.

 

This is now "listed" under the building preservation legislation.

PH

 

Wasn't that at Talysarn at the end of the short SG branch from Penygroes?

 

Slightly further afield the Cavan & Leitrim transhipped coal to the 5'3" at both Dromod (MGWR, later GSR, later CIE) and at Belturbet (GNRI).

 

RHDR for sand at New Romney? And also at Hythe, I think, in both cases south of the passenger stations.

 

Loads of RNAD & Army ammo depots: Chilmark, West Dean, Broughton Moor, Trecwn etc. Bound to be load of others. ROF at Puriton had a SG branch going in and IIRC NG around the site. What about the major gasworks? Lots would have had SG bringing in coal and NG moving stuff around site.