Barton Upon Humber
England
Gauge : 600mm
Status : Ceased by the start of 2001
Britains last claypit worked by narrow gauge railway.
This little railway is the very last of its type in Britain.
Along the banks of the Humber estuary there were once several
such railways, and this is the last survivor. At the tileworks there is a
cable hauled incline, to raise the skip into the pug mill for tipping.
The railway continues to operate about 2 or 3 days per week,
subject to weather conditions.
From the south side of the Humber bridge, which the railway actually travels under,
a good view of the line and the tileworks can be obtained. The total length of the line
is less than 0.5 km.
On the other side of the bridge, the track continues only for a short distance
until it terminates alongside the shallow clay pit. The single skip is loaded
by a JCB excavator.
The skip is usually well loaded with clay, and then pushed back to the tileries.
It only takes about 5 minutes for the journey back, and there can be up to 12 or
more trips per day.
With the loaded 'train' about to go under the Humber Bridge,
this photograph was taken in 1994. Gordon, the driver has been working on this
railway for over 20 years.
Ivor, the only locomotive, has been here since 1989, and was supplied by Alan Keef.
It is a Motor Rail No8678, but has been rebuilt with a new engine.
Previously Ruston locomotives were used here; A 20DL class, and a 13DL class,
both built in the 1940s.
This photograph is an good example for industrial railway modellers
to consider, when applying dirt and decay to their models. The single item of
rolling stock is a 1/2 cubic yard skip built by Robert Hudson LTD.