British Quarrying and Mining Narrow Gauge Railways - Sand and Gravel Extraction

Sand and Gravel Extraction

The sand and gravel extraction industries made extensive use of narrow gauge railways, and several of these lasted into the 1980s - this was one of the last industries to make significant use of narrow gauge industrial railways in the UK.

  • Leighton Buzzard Narrow Gauge railway quarry locomotive Red Rum

  • Pentewan Dock & Concrete Company locomotive shed

Name Opened Closed Gauge Location Notes
Ace Sand and Gravel Co. Ltd. Marsh House quarries by 1979 2 ft (610 mm) Aore, England Locomotive-worked line
Ballast Producers Ltd. Farnham Pits before 1934 1952 2 ft (610 mm) Farnham, England Diesel locomotive worked line serving the gravel pits around Farnham
Bretts Faversham Sand Quarry railway 1930s (?) 1969 (?) 2 ft (610 mm) Faversham, England Sand and gravel haulage
Bretts Sturry Gravel railway ? after 1968, by 1979 2 ft (610 mm) Sturry, England Served gravel pits on the River Stour
Biddenham Gravel Pit railway by 1920 1930s 2 ft (610 mm) Biddenham, England Short horse-worked line serving Biddenham gravel pit, near Bedford.
British Industrial Sand Ltd. Middleton Towers railway 1977 2 ft (610 mm) Kings Lynn, England Extensive locomotive-worked sand quarry system. Five remaining diesel locomotives acquired by the LBLR in 1980.
Buckland Sand & Silica Co. before 1934 after 1935 2 ft (610 mm) Reigate, England Short steam-hauled railway working sand from the pits to a private BR-worked siding
Croxden Gravel Ltd. Twelve Yards Road Pit ? after 1979 2 ft (610 mm) Irlam, England Locomotive-worked line
Earls Barton sand quarry railway after 1975 2 ft (610 mm) Earls Barton, England Small sand pit with internal locomotive worked line
East Sussex Transport and Trading Company early 1930s 1964 2 ft (610 mm) Cuckmere Haven, England Hauled gravel extracted from the Cuckmere Haven beach to Exceat.
G.F.X Hartigan Ltd. Woad Farm Pits 1933 1959 (dismantled 1962) 2 ft (610 mm) Newport Pagnell, England Line serving gravel pits on the River Great Ouse. Used four diesel-mechanical locomotives.
Hall & Co. before 1938 late 1960s 2 ft (610 mm) Eastbourne, England Shingle extraction railway on The Crumbles.
Hall & Ham River Co. North Station Pits before 1964 1970 2 ft (610 mm) Farnborough, England Gravel extraction railway using diesel locomotives, at least two of which went to the Brockham Museum after the line closed.
Ham River Grit Co. Ltd. Bletchingley Pits after 1963 2 ft (610 mm) Redhill, England Steam and diesel locomotive worked line
Ham River Grit Co. Ltd. Ham Pits before 1932 2 ft (610 mm) Kingston, England Steam locomotive worked line
Heavers Gravel 1920s 1962 2 ft (610 mm) Drayton, England Internal gravel pit line
Hoveringham Gravels Ltd. Holme Pierrepont Pit by 1979 2 ft (610 mm) Holme Pierrepont, England Internal gravel pit line
Hoveringham Gravels Ltd. Hoveringham Works by 1979 2 ft (610 mm) Hoveringham, England
Inns & Co. Ltd. Farnborough Pits before 1964 1967 2 ft (610 mm) Farnborough, England Diesel locomotive worked line
Inns & Co. Ltd. Savay Farm Gravel Pits 1949 abur 1964 2 ft (610 mm) Denham, England Diesel locomotive worked line, east of the River Colne
Leighton Buzzard Light Railway 1919 1969 2 ft (610 mm) Leighton Buzzard, England Industrial railway that carried sand from the quarries around Leighton Buzzard
Marlow Sand and Gravel Co. Ltd. Westhorpe Pits ? after 1979 2 ft (610 mm) Little Marlow, England Locomotive worked sand pit railway
Penfolds Ltd. ? 1963 2 ft (610 mm) Eartham, England Gravel extraction line
Pentewan Dock & Concrete Company 1939 1966 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) Pentewan, England Diesel locomotive worked line carrying sand from the shoreline dunes to the grading equipment. Used some of the trackbed of the earlier Pentewan Railway.
Piel & Walney Gravel Co. Ltd. ? 1962 3 ft (914 mm) Barrow-in-Furness, England Steam locomotive operated gravel line running to a pier at Walney.
Pilkington Glass Mill lane siding ? by 1979 2 ft 1⁄8 in (613 mm) Rainford, England Locomotive-worked line
Pilkington Glass St. Helens quarry railway ? after 1968 2 ft (610 mm) St. Helens, England Temporary locomotive-worked railways used for sand extraction for glass making
Twickenham Gravel Company Waltham Cross Gravel Pits Railway 1931 1964? 2 ft (610 mm) Waltham Cross, England Locomotive-worked railways connecting gravel pits and crushing plant
Thomas Patterson & Sons Weydon Hill sand pit around 1919 2 ft (610 mm) Farnham, Surrey, England One of the first sand railways installed using ex-WDLR surplus equipment.

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