With a working life of over a century Glendon Ironstone Quarries were the longest lived in the East Midlands.Whilst initial workings at Glendon East were carried out by the Glendon Iron Co, it fell to James Pain Ltd to both modernise and greatly expand the quarrying areas bordered to the MR mainline railway to the west from 1903. New Peckett 0-4-0 saddletank locomotives were purchased being named after James Pains sons, namely GORDON, DOUGLAS and JAMES.
Hunslet built steam locomotive DARLINGTON. Upon the acquisition of James Pain Ltd by the Stanton Ironworks Company (SIC) in 1928 this loco was transferred from Stanton Ironworks to Glendon for quarry work in 1929.
Calcining of excavated ironstone (mixing with coal and then burnt to drive off moisture and volatiles) was done on the quarry floor up until 1940 when separate calcining clamps were laid out close to the mainline railway.
Calcining at the quarry face; practised at Glendon Ironstone Quarries until 1941
The excavated ironstone was loaded into three 5 ton capacity skips on a wagon frame, hauled by loco SWORDFISH (transferred from Glendon North in 1961), to be taken to the clamps for unloading using a 55RB crane. After calcining the treated iron ore was reloaded into standard wagons for the journey to the distant steelworks over the tracks of the mainline railway. The calcining of ironstone ceased in 1947 with the raw stone being loaded directly into tippler (Corby and Lancashire Steel) and hopper wagons (destined for Wellingborough Ironworks) at the quarry face prior to marshalling and despatch over the mainline railway to Corby and other iron and steel making plants elsewhere as required.
Having been transferred to Glendon Quarries from Corby in 1962 Kitson built saddletank S&LM No 49 Caerphilly brings a loaded ironstone train under the Kettering to Corby Road in 1967.
G King
The period 1958 – 76 saw the rail sidings re-aligned and increased in length circa 1973 and no less than twelve locomotives worked at Glendon East over its lifetime. The areas proximity to other quarries and Corby meant that temporary transfers of locomotives were fairly commonplace in order to provide cover during overhauls etc. Whilst the initial early workings under James Pain Ltd involved the purchase of new locomotives other locomotives used were second hand being transferred from other quarries as and when needs dictated. Up to the late 1950’s three 0-6-0 saddletanks worked the quarry lines namely HOLWELL No.14, Hunslet built 50550 class No.80 and Kitson built saddletank No.50 CARMARTHEN.
In 1958 No.80 went for overhaul to be replaced for a temporary period by Corby’s no.42 RHONDDA. Loco No.80 returned and locos SWORDFISH and HOLWELL 14 were retired from service and replaced by Kitson no.49 CAERPHILLY from Corby in 1962.
From 1962 to 1968 rail traffic was in the hands of the capable steam locomotives but in May of that year ex Oxfordshire Ironstone Company (OIC) Sentinel diesel JEAN arrived to share the duties with No.80.The two Kitson saddletanks were consequently transferred to work elsewhere. JEAN proved a little small to cover all the quarry work and two ex BR class 14 diesel locos (D9520 & D9523) arrived from BR at Hull in December 1968 to take over the duties, thus allowing JEAN to be transferred to nearby Storefield ironstone quarry.
Sentinel diesel JEAN. Transferred to Glendon in 1968 from the Oxfordshire Ironstone Company. The following year it moved again to Storefield Quarries. JEAN is now preserved at Rocks by Rail – the Living Ironstone Museum where it was photographed operating on shunting duties during one of our regular Open Days
Steam loco No.80 was disposed of for scrap whilst a replacement for JEAN, namely ex OIC Sentinel MAUD, arrived in 1970.This allowed one of the powerful class 14 diesels to be transferred back to Corby quarries. In 1973 another of Corby’s class 14 (BSC No.33) was transferred to Glendon to assist the remaining Class 14 diesel after MAUD was transferred away to South Wales in autumn 1973. Loco BSC No. 33 returned to Corby in 1974 when its place was taken by Rolls Royce Steelman No.20 transferred from Corby Quarries. Further locomotive transfers were mooted, but did not materialise. Quarrying continued steadily but there were odd unusual incidents for the quarrymen including one where the passage of a quarry train helped to flush out and coral an escaped animal from a local abattoir which had entered part of the mineral workings!
The Rolls Royce Steelman loco BSC No.20 waits for its short train to be loaded with ironstone by the diesel dragline at the quarry face
By the late 1970’s demand for steel fell and the financial position of the British Steel Corporation brought about a widespread closure programme of steelworks and plants. Production of ironstone at Glendon was affected by industrial action over the decision to close Corby Steelworks and was only resumed a few days before closure of the quarry. Ironstone production at Glendon totalled 104,000 tons on the last three months of operation with Barford East Quarry closing on 8th December 1979 and Geddington Quarry closing at the end of the same month. So ended a rich history of the longest working ironstone quarrying area in the East Midlands. The quarry tracks were lifted, the two remaining locomotives departed, via Corby Works in May 1980, one for reuse in industry, the other (D9523) eventually into railway preservation.
Note : The wider story behind this quarry heritage is the subject of a new display at the museum which will be available for viewing until the end of October. For further details of opening times please see the museum’s website www. rocks-by-rail.org.uk
Whilst the museum is unfortunately currently closed on government advice due to the corona virus pandemic anybody who would like to support the work of the museum can send donations by post to Mr A Salmon, RbR Treasurer, 4 Main Street, Stanford on Soar, Loughborough LE12 5PY. Cheques should be made payable to “Rutland Railway Museum”