UNITED STEEL CORPORATION, ORE MINING BRANCH
The quarries at Colsterworth, Stainby, Cringle Pit and Sproxton were all served by and built subsequent to the opening of the GNR Highdyke Branch in 1916. Initially owned by the Frodingham Iron & Steel Co., they passed into USC ownership in 1946. There were quarries both north and south of the Highdyke branch with exchange sidings and loco facilities at Colsterworth. The locomotives were all numbered in the same series as the locomotives at Scunthorpe steelworks and there was much swapping and changing of engines between pits.
EXTON PARK MINES - The Exton Park Mines are of recent establishment, preparation work commencing as late as 1948. The line left the old Cottesmore line between the tippler and the junction of the line to Burley Pit and there were eight marshalling sidings and a loco depot built there. There were two main quarry lines, a northern one which ran through Cottesmore Woods and a long southern one running between Rattling Jack Spinney and Cocked Hat Spinney. Being of such recent construction, these lines were laid pretty much to main line standards. Ore output was between 15,000 and 30,000 tons per week. The erratic numbering system of the engines is explained by the fact that all machinery was numbered in the same series. Generally, two engines were engaged on shunting duties while four more, working in pairs top 'n' tail, worked the quarry branches.
COTTESMORE IRONSTONE MINES - Quarries first opened here in 1882, using horse-drawn wagons. The Midland Railway saw the potential of this enterprise and built a 2 mile long branch line from Ashwell on the MR Mainline to a point on the Oakham - Cottesmore Road, where a tippler was installed for transshipment purposes. The line was of 3 foot gauge and production fluctuated after the Great War until in 1932 the quarries were taken over by the Appleby-Frodingham Steel Co., who quickly drafted in steam engines obtained secondhand. These engines were numbered 30 to 33 but in 1938 they were renumbered in the 300 series to avoid confusion with the company's standard gauge engines. There were plans in the mid-50's to expand the system but a switch to road transport on private roads spelt the end of the railway. Trains ran for the last time in June 1957 and all of the steam locos were scrapped.
APPLEBY-FRODINGHAM IRONSTONE QUARRIES - Ironstone had been mined from the area bordered by the River Trent and Humber in the west and north and Scunthorpe in the east since 1859. Initially the ironstone was exported or sent to blast furnaces in Yorkshire but by 1866 the first blast furnaces had been built locally and many more followed in the next decade, with the first steelworks appearing in 1890, eventually becoming Scunthorpe Steelworks. Ironstone continued to be quarried in the area until the early 1970's when it was replaced by imported ironstone of higher quality.
These pictures are displayed for information and interest only and the accuracy of information in the captions cannot be guaranteed.
PLEASE NOTE : IMPORTANT MESSAGE : Please be aware that I do not sell copies of ANY of my pictures, DO NOT email copies to viewers or allow re-posting on other sites. Neither do I wish to enter into correspondence with any individual or group regarding my pictures or their captions. All comments reflect my personal opinions and I am not prepared to discuss these with anyone or to spend the rest of my life answering inane questions. I apologise for this disclaimer but I'm afraid it has been forced upon me. I have no wish to offend anyone and I hope you will continue to enjoy my pictures at your leisure.
Read MoreEXTON PARK MINES - The Exton Park Mines are of recent establishment, preparation work commencing as late as 1948. The line left the old Cottesmore line between the tippler and the junction of the line to Burley Pit and there were eight marshalling sidings and a loco depot built there. There were two main quarry lines, a northern one which ran through Cottesmore Woods and a long southern one running between Rattling Jack Spinney and Cocked Hat Spinney. Being of such recent construction, these lines were laid pretty much to main line standards. Ore output was between 15,000 and 30,000 tons per week. The erratic numbering system of the engines is explained by the fact that all machinery was numbered in the same series. Generally, two engines were engaged on shunting duties while four more, working in pairs top 'n' tail, worked the quarry branches.
COTTESMORE IRONSTONE MINES - Quarries first opened here in 1882, using horse-drawn wagons. The Midland Railway saw the potential of this enterprise and built a 2 mile long branch line from Ashwell on the MR Mainline to a point on the Oakham - Cottesmore Road, where a tippler was installed for transshipment purposes. The line was of 3 foot gauge and production fluctuated after the Great War until in 1932 the quarries were taken over by the Appleby-Frodingham Steel Co., who quickly drafted in steam engines obtained secondhand. These engines were numbered 30 to 33 but in 1938 they were renumbered in the 300 series to avoid confusion with the company's standard gauge engines. There were plans in the mid-50's to expand the system but a switch to road transport on private roads spelt the end of the railway. Trains ran for the last time in June 1957 and all of the steam locos were scrapped.
APPLEBY-FRODINGHAM IRONSTONE QUARRIES - Ironstone had been mined from the area bordered by the River Trent and Humber in the west and north and Scunthorpe in the east since 1859. Initially the ironstone was exported or sent to blast furnaces in Yorkshire but by 1866 the first blast furnaces had been built locally and many more followed in the next decade, with the first steelworks appearing in 1890, eventually becoming Scunthorpe Steelworks. Ironstone continued to be quarried in the area until the early 1970's when it was replaced by imported ironstone of higher quality.
These pictures are displayed for information and interest only and the accuracy of information in the captions cannot be guaranteed.
PLEASE NOTE : IMPORTANT MESSAGE : Please be aware that I do not sell copies of ANY of my pictures, DO NOT email copies to viewers or allow re-posting on other sites. Neither do I wish to enter into correspondence with any individual or group regarding my pictures or their captions. All comments reflect my personal opinions and I am not prepared to discuss these with anyone or to spend the rest of my life answering inane questions. I apologise for this disclaimer but I'm afraid it has been forced upon me. I have no wish to offend anyone and I hope you will continue to enjoy my pictures at your leisure.
