British Quarrying and Mining Narrow Gauge Railways - Cement Works

Cement Works

Many of the cement works and their associated chalk pits had narrow gauge railways, particularly those in the South East of England. The Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers Ltd. (APCM, (Blue Circle Industries), now part of Lafarge) was the major producer of cement in the United Kingdom in the second half of the twentieth century and many of their plants used railways.

Name Opened Closed Gauge Location Notes
APCM Cliffe Works 1934 ? 1959 2 ft (610 mm) Cliffe-at-Hoo, England Extensive diesel-hauled chalk pit railway.
APCM Bevans Works ? after 1962 2 ft (610 mm) Northfleet, England Short line operating on a riverside wharf
APCM Harbury Works ? after 1961 3 ft (914 mm) Harbury, England Quarry line worked with a rare Fowler 2-4-0 diesel locomotive
APCM Holborough Works 1923 1969 3 ft (914 mm) Snodland, England Steam- and diesel- hauled railway at the Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers Ltd's cement plant at Holborough.
APCM Sittingbourne Brickworks before 1898 after 1963 2 ft (610 mm) Sittingbourne, England Internal brickworks railway
APCM Rodmell Works before 1910 1975 2 ft (610 mm) Beddingham, England Short line serving a cement works
APCM Sittingbourne Works ? 1971 4 ft 3 in (1,295 mm) Sittingbourne, England Cement works line with the last narrow gauge steam locomotive in that industry.
APCM Kent Works 1877 1927 3 ft 9 1⁄2 in (1,156 mm) Greenhithe, England Steam-hauled railway at the Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers Ltd's cement plant at Greenhithe.
APCM Sundon Works ? 1974 3 ft (914 mm) Luton, England Cement works line.
British Standard Cement Works 1912 1932 2 ft (610 mm) Rainham, England Notable as the only industrial line in Britain to use an ex-WDLR Baldwin locomotive.
Broom Bank 1933 1962 4 ft 3 in (1,295 mm) Lower Twydall, England Steam hauled cement works and clay pit line
Chinnor Cement & Lime 1962 2 ft (610 mm) Chinnor, England Locomotive and cable worked lines serving the chalk quarry and washmills.
Smeed Dean & Co. 1900 1949 3 ft 7 1⁄2 in (1,106 mm) Lower Twydall, England Chalk pit line
Francis & Co. 1871 1920 3 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,130 mm) Cliffe, England Steam-worked chalk quarry railway
Gillingham Portland Cement Co. 1870s? 1910 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Gillingham, England Early cement works line
I. C. Johnson & Co. before 1872 1928 3 ft 9 1⁄2 in (1,156 mm) Greenhithe, England Internal steam hauled railway, replaced by a standard gauge line.
J. B. White & Bros - Swanscombe Works 1825 1929 3 ft 5 1⁄2 in (1,055 mm) Swanscombe, England Steam locomotive worked from 1875 onwards. Internal works line with rare outside flanged rolling stock
Knight, Bevan & Sturge 1873 ? 1928 2 ft 8 1⁄2 in (825 mm) Northfleet, England Extensive chalk quarry system, eventually superseded by a standard gauge line
Queensborough Cement Works 1896 1930? unknown Queensborough, England Line worked by two Aveling and Porter steam locomotives
RPCM Barrington Cement Works by 1979 2 ft (610 mm) Barrington, England Short locomotive-worked line
RPCM Rochester Works ? 1952 2 ft (610 mm) Halling, England Extensive cement works railway
RPCM Southam Works ? 1956 2 ft (610 mm) Southam, England Steam locomotive worked railway
Tolhurst & Sons 1860s before 1948 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Gravesend, England Large internal chalk quarry system

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