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Rocks by Rail, What's On

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Ian Smeeton, Oct 21, 2022.

  1. Ian Smeeton

    Ian Smeeton New Member

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    First Post on Nat Pres, and having been landed with the job of publicity and internet presence for Rocks by Rail, it falls to me.

    Rocks by Rail, previously the Rutland Railway Museum is dedicated to the Ironstone Quarrying and Transport operations throughout the East Midlands.

    The Museum was originally established more than forty years ago, but for the last 7 or 8 years, since rebranding has been known as Rocks By Rail.

    Personally, I have only been involved here for about 5 years, so I might have difficulty answering questions going back further than that, but I will do my best.

    Looking forward to hearing from you all.

    Regards

    Ian
     
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  2. Ian Smeeton

    Ian Smeeton New Member

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    Our season has just finished, so there will be little from me until next Easter.

    However, our final running day of the season was very successful, with two Barclays in steam and three diesels in operation working the quary branch, shed yard and demonstration freights.

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    1931 of 1928 after servicing, ready for the afternoon.

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    YE 1382 shunting the Quarry branch

    Museum volunteers thumbs up for Re-accreditation 2.JPG

    The working volunteers at the end of the last operating day. Thumbs up for a successful season, and also for the Museum having renewed Arts Council Accreditation.

    Regards

    Ian
     
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  3. ghost

    ghost Part of the furniture

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    I'm sure we would all be pleased to read about your Winter work programme/overhauls/improvements.
     
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  4. 5944

    5944 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Agreed - the updates on RMWeb are most welcome, so deserve to be seen by a wider audience.
     
  5. Ian Smeeton

    Ian Smeeton New Member

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    Long time no update.

    Local Ironstone Quarry closure anniversaries again feature in the museum’s events for 2023



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    Yorkshire Engine Company built Austerity design saddletank No 11 seen at Exton Park Ironstone Quarry, Rutland

    Fifty years ago the excavation of ironstone for the manufacture of iron and steel came to an end at Rutland’s last ironstone quarry at Exton Park. Quarrying for ironstone started in 1882 near Cottesmore and the last train load of ironstone left the County in May 1973. A new exhibition will cover the history of the Exton Park Ironstone Quarry, one of the largest in the East Midlands.



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    In the mid 1960’s the steam locomotives at Exton Park Ironstone Quarry were displaced by 440hp Janus class diesel locomotives transferred from Scunthorpe



    Both Sproxton and Colsterworth East Ironstone Quarries closed in Spring 1973 and on Thursday 26th July 1973 the last ironstone train ran from Stainby Glebe Sidings to High Dyke Junction on the High Dyke Mineral Branch Line. Events to mark the anniversaries of these closures will also feature in this year’s open day programme.



    The museum is also home to steam locomotive “SINGAPORE”, which was captured by the Japanese along with 80,000 allied servicemen at the Fall of Singapore in 1942, some 81 years ago. Allied Far Eastern prisoners of war (FEPOW) had to endure 3 ½ years of captivity and hard labour under a harsh and uncaring Japanese occupation regime. Of those who were taken to work on the infamous Burma- Siam Death Railway, built through the disease infested jungle, one in four of the prisoners were not destined to survive.



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    Lest we forget ……. A small memorial display to allied prisoners of war who worked on the infamous Burma-Siam Death Railway in 1942-3. Museum Display pictured at Imperial War Museum at Duxford to mark 50th anniversary in 1993



    To mark the 78th anniversary of the liberation of Far Eastern allied Prisoners of War (FEPOW) in late August the museum will include the SINGAPORE locomotive in a special memorial display to be held on August Bank Holiday Monday to the courage, comradeship and sacrifice of Far Eastern Prisoners of War 1941-1945.



    A further more poignant FEPOW commemorative event will be held on Tuesday 17th October to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the completion of the Burma- Siam “Death Railway” which claimed the lives of 12,000 allied Prisoners of War and 100,000 native workers.




    OPERATING DAYS IN 2023




    9th April Easter Sunday - Open Day, Easter Bunny Hunt & Take a trip on The Rutlander train



    10th April Easter Monday - Open Day - Take a trip on The Rutlander train and Ironstone Quarry Railway Day to mark the 50th anniversary of the last ironstone train to leave Sproxton Ironstone Quarry. Start of exhibition marking the 50th Anniversary of the closure of Rutland’s last ironstone quarry at Exton Park.



    Sunday 30th April - Open Day - Take a trip on The Rutlander train



    Monday 1st May Bank Holiday - Open Day - Take a trip on The Rutlander train and Ironstone Quarry Railway Day marking the anniversary of the closure of Exton Park Ironstone quarry in Rutland.



    Sunday 14th May - Open Day - Diesel Driver for a Fiver



    Sunday 28th May - Open Day - Take a trip on The Rutlander train



    Monday 29th May , Spring Bank Holiday Open Day – Take a trip on the Rutlander train and Cement Quarry Railway Day.



    Sunday June 11th – Open Day - Take a trip on The Rutlander train and Ruston Diesel Day



    Sunday June 18th - Open Day – Father’s Day –Diesel Driver for a Fiver





    Sunday 2nd July – Open Day – Take a trip on The Rutlander train and Ironstone Quarry Railway Day



    Sunday 16th July - Open Day- Diesel Driver for a Fiver



    Sunday 30st July – Open Day – Ironstone Quarry and Diesel Day - Exhibition to mark the anniversary of the last train of ironstone to use the High Dyke Mineral railway.



    Sunday 13th August – Open Day – Diesel Driver for a Fiver



    August Bank Holiday Sunday August 27th - Open Day - Take a trip on The Rutlander train and Ironstone Quarry Railway Day.



    August Bank Holiday Monday August 28th - Open Day –Take a trip on the Rutlander train and exhibition to mark 78th anniversary of liberation of Far Eastern Prisoners of War in 1945



    Sunday 10th September –Open Day – Diesel Driver for a Fiver



    Sunday September 17th - Open Day -Take a trip on The Rutlander train and Oxfordshire Ironstone Quarry Railway Day



    Sunday 1st October –Open Day – Diesel Driver for a Fiver



    Sunday October 15th - Seasons Finale Open Day – Take a trip on The Rutlander train and Ironstone Quarry Railway Day. End of exhibition marking the 50th Anniversary of the closure of Rutland’s last ironstone quarry at Exton Park



    Tuesday October 17th – FEPOW Remembrance Event – “We Will Remember Them” - to mark the 80th Anniversary of the completion of the Burma – Siam “Death” Railway in Thailand.



    Non - operational viewing Open Days Tuesdays and Thursdays 11th April until 12th October 10am-4pm and Sundays 10am – 4pm on 6th & 20th August

    Regards

    Ian
     
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  6. Ian Smeeton

    Ian Smeeton New Member

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    MORE IRONSTONE QUARRY RAILWAY MEMORIES



    Thanks to the generosity of a railway enthusiast who donated a quantity of photographic negatives taken in 1967 and their copyright to the volunteer run museum we are able to share five more further images of ironstone quarry railways from the past.



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    In 1967 the last remaining steam locomotives at Exton Park Ironstone Quarry in Rutland were withdrawn from use as their duties were taken over by Janus class 0-6-0 diesel electric locomotives. The three remaining Yorkshire Engine Company built Austerity design locomotives were dumped in a siding near the shed to await their fate with the scrapman.





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    Andrew Barclay loco No.11 shunting in the loop at Storefield Ironstone Quarry



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    Hawthorn Leslie HOLWELL No.30 at Irchester Ironstone Quarry



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    Avonside 0-6-0st STAMFORD heads a loaded ironstone train at Pilton Ironstone Quarry in Rutland





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    Andrew Barclay 0-6-0st BUCKMINSTER seen on a train on the Buckminster Ironstone Quarries system .



    Regards



    Ian
     
  7. Ian Smeeton

    Ian Smeeton New Member

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    Bank Holiday weekends are usually well attended, with steam hauled Brake Van Trips on the Sunday, and a full day of operations on the Monday with demonstration freights, Brake Van Rides, as well as the Dragline and Faceshovel demonstrations going on.

    This Sunday, though, due to a shortage of volunteers, we are only able to operate a Diesel Driver for a Fiver event in stead of the usual steam operation.

    So if you'd like to get your hands on 30 tons of Rolls Royce powered Sentinel, come along tomorrow.

    Monday, though, we have a full crew available l(without me!)

    So....

    CEMENT QUARRY RAILWAYS RECALLED

    Prior to the introduction of conveyors and dump trucks quarry railway systems at cement works were once common. The trains operated from the quarry face transporting the excavated raw materials to the Cement Works for processing into cement.

    In Rutland one such system once operated at the Ketton Cement Works. Originally small steam locomotives were used to move the trains of quarry wagons but by the early 1960’s the ageing steam locomotives were replaced by diesel locomotives.

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    Fowler built diesel loco Ketton No.1 under restoration at the Museum.

    At Ketton a new diesel loco (Ketton No.1) was delivered in 1960 which was subsequently set aside under quarry modernisation when the quarry railway was replaced by dump trucks. After a period in store the locomotive was donated to Rocks by Rail museum at Cottesmore as an historic exhibit.

    Hanson Heidelberg Cement have provided a modest grant to the museum to allow the museums volunteers to commence the restoration of Fowler quarry diesel locomotive No.1. Restoration work on the locomotive is continuing in the museum’s workshop where volunteers are busy removing years of accumulated cement dust in order to conserve, repair and paint the loco structure.

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    Locomotive MR D hauls one of its last trains of excavated chalk at Barrington Cement Works Quarry, February 2005.

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    Thomas Hill built loco Mr D currently undergoing repairs at the museum .

    The last standard gauge quarry railway in the UK finally succumbed to modernisation at Barrington Cement Works in Cambridgeshire in February 2005 bringing to a close nearly 200 years of industrial history associated with mineral railways. Having hauled its last quarry train the diesel locomotive named “Mr D” was donated to Rocks by Rail Museum near Cottesmore. Normally maintained in working order the locomotive is currently near the workshop undergoing an overhaul of the transmission and the fitting of new brakes but it is hoped that the loco will be back in action later in 2023.

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    Ruston and Hornsby diesel ELIZABETH at work at Barrington Cement Works Quarry in 2003.

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    Loco ELIZABETH on display at the museum, whilst plans are prepared for its restoration to working order.

    The Museum is holding a cement quarry railway themed Open Day on Spring Bank Holiday on Monday 29th 2023 between 10am and 4pm when four former cement quarry locos will be on public display and steam loco visitor train trips should also be available together with quarry railway demonstrations.

    Normal admission prices apply. For more information Tel 07974 171068 or website www.rocks-by-rail.org



    Regards



    Ian
     
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