FEW railfreight traffics endure in the modern era, but one notable exception is the transportation of crushed limestone from Tunstead quarry, outside Buxton, to Northwich, Cheshire, which has been in daily operation for nearly 90 years.
Tunstead quarry was developed by Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) during the late 1920s. Block trains of bogie hoppers began running in 1937, conveying the limestone to Lostock and Winnington works, where it was added to salt brine during the manufacture of soda ash.
In the present century, trains of bespoke JEA 101.6-tonne hoppers, Nos. BM 19701- 706/711-731 (built by WH Davis at Langwith Junction workshops, Mansfield in 2000/01), run to Lostock Gralam Works, the sister plant at Winnington having closed in 2014.
As is normal in the construction industry, many changes of ownership have taken place. At Tunstead, the quarry has passed from ICI to Buxton Lime Industries (BLI) and latterly to Tarmac Buxton Lime & Cement, part of the Irish CRH group. Likewise, at Northwich, the break-up of ICI saw Brunner Mond take over the soda ash works, then giving way to Tata Chemicals Europe.