# Limestone Quarry - March 09



## tarboat (Mar 16, 2009)

A little while ago I took a wander around after a bit of research into likely quarries for exploring. The recce yielded this beauty of a limestone quarry and processing plant which has been out of use for some time but is virtually untouched. A real joy for anyone who likes masses of walkways to climb up with big crushers and conveyors aplenty.  A return was quickly planned and lots of fun was had checking it out. The views from up the conveyor towers are excellent. I took far too many photos. 

To the images:






Overview of the plant. The quarry hole is off to the left.





Primary jaw crusher.





Primary crusher input bin.





Primary crusher control cabin.










From the crusher towards the tarmac plant.





Tarmac plant










Skip for taking hot tarmac to the loading bins.















Conveyor to screen building and main storage bins.





Under the storage bins





Cone crusher





Control cabin





Lots of buttons to push. 




















Tarmac plant loading bins




​


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## james.s (Mar 16, 2009)

That's awesome, I want to go!! Where is it?

Thanks for sharing it


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## Sabtr (Mar 16, 2009)

You lucky bu**er!!

What an amazing place to look around. I don't know how you found that one but well done. 

Is it me or do some of those control panels look like te**-ta*k machines??

Thanks for sharing this.


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## BigLoada (Mar 16, 2009)

Bliddy hell mate that is incredible! All that stuff left there! Damn good pictures as well.


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## BonkeyDollocks (Mar 16, 2009)

I like going over to this quarry myself and usually get over there at least twice a year just to see if anything's changed. Thankfully as TB says, it's like a place that time forgot ! 

Some pics of the asphalt plant I took last summer :





















Also I saw this there too. I don't know what the purpose of it was but it looked like it was freshly used !


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## Foxylady (Mar 16, 2009)

That has got to be one of the most exciting quarries I've ever seen and has to be the mother of all machinery! 
There's nothing quite like walking up a path or around a bend and coming across a load of works remains, imo. And this one's a beaut!
Fabulous find and photos.


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## foz101 (Mar 16, 2009)

Wow, superb. 

The first pic only would've sufficed


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## james.s (Mar 16, 2009)

Where is it? 

I love the pics, the digger looks a bit dodgy though


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## ThenewMendoza (Mar 16, 2009)

james.s said:


> Where is it?



I pity the fool that asks Mr T for locations . This is a great looking place though.

M


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## spacepunk (Mar 16, 2009)

Groovy Baby.


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## wolfism (Mar 17, 2009)

Superb - the first shot sums it up very well.


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## TK421 (Mar 18, 2009)

OK then Tarboat, in terms of quarry 'one upmanship' that beats mine hands down, excellent site and really well captured!!


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## jonney (Mar 18, 2009)

If it hasn't been used for some time then I'm surprised that they have left a loading shovel behind. Those things are very expensive. When I was working in the quarries we had to replace the windscreen in one of ours and even just that cost £1500. They must be planning to reopen the quarry sometime shortly.


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## tarmac (Mar 18, 2009)

*Quarry*

Hell cracking pictures, I last worked there about 12 years ago....When Tarmac did an asset swap with George Wimpey back in about 1992, we gained the quarries owned by Alfred McAlpine too, this one was one of them.....And then Minorco was bought by Anglo American in 1999, we gained the other quarry on the other side of the hill, and Anglo American bought Tarmac in 2000, we now had three quarries and four asphalt plants within a few miles.... This one closed about 1996 and has not really been used since, and only in the last month we have closed the main crushing plant at the other quarry on the same hill........soon be non left !!


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## ThenewMendoza (Mar 19, 2009)

Recognise anyone, Tarmac?






M


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## tarboat (Mar 19, 2009)

Eee, you've been busy TnM!


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## huffhuff (Mar 19, 2009)

AMMMMMMAAAAAZING pics - great find  Love it


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## antrtr (Mar 19, 2009)

where is it


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## shatters (Mar 19, 2009)

antrtr said:


> where is it



Welcome to DP antrtr, this is your first post over here and you don't want to start off on the wrong foot.Not only do we enjoy visiting and photographing these sites, we also wish to protect them, Tarbot chose not to name this site and we respect that. When you have got some posts up on here you will become a regular member, this will give you pm access which will allow you to ask these questions in private. Sorry if this seems like a rant but we don't know you yet, once again welcome along.

Phil


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## tarmac (Mar 19, 2009)

*McAlpine Quarry...*



ThenewMendoza said:


> Recognise anyone, Tarmac?
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Heck, that was taken outside the laboratory, we used to have to tram up to run that if our coated plant broke down at our quarry when we were working nights, along with all the lorries to deliver the black stuff...Yes, I do reconise a few people....Small World indeed !

Further to my last post, the loading shovel was there because we used to run the coated plant for many years after the quarry was closed, we used to make coldlay material from there for the Council Depots and for the bags & tubs for garden merchants. I am amazed the whole place is still intact and like a time warp, as its well over 10 years since the quarry worked, if not longer........


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## Black Shuck (Mar 19, 2009)

Jeez all I can say is WOW!


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## Badoosh (Mar 19, 2009)

Fantastic place. You have really captured the site well, with contrasting colours of the machinery against the quarry face. Good to see the group photo has stood the test of time too.


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## BonkeyDollocks (Mar 19, 2009)

With respect Tarmac, the plant down in the snake pit looks like it's not turned the dryer since the place shut down roundabout the millenium. Whereas the mobile shovel looked like it had been worked that very morning I was there. 

Also, the quarry you speak of with the crusher being shut down, is it the ex Tilcon one 'round the back' ? Also can you give us any dates as to when the Redland quarry right next door closed ? I remember there being a tar plant in that one in the mid 90s, but it was in the process of being pulled down when I saw it and sadly I never took any pics of it.


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## tarmac (Mar 19, 2009)

BonkeyDollocks said:


> With respect Tarmac, the plant down in the snake pit looks like it's not turned the dryer since the place shut down roundabout the millenium. Whereas the mobile shovel looked like it had been worked that very morning I was there.
> 
> Also, the quarry you speak of with the crusher being shut down, is it the ex Tilcon one 'round the back' ? Also can you give us any dates as to when the Redland quarry right next door closed ? I remember there being a tar plant in that one in the mid 90s, but it was in the process of being pulled down when I saw it and sadly I never took any pics of it.



I wish I had taken more pictures too....ex Tilcon one, we still use that to make coloured asphalt, but its not quarried any more. I forgot about the Redland one, I think that closed about 1990. This one was Alfred McAlpine (as the yellow green colours show), but it was badged Wimpey after their take over, then Tarmac. You can see why these closed down, all the major players of the time all quarrying the same hill and the same work !

We closed the main crushing plant at the Tarmac one a few months back, it was built in the 1950's, so all that kit will be coming down soon too, thats visible just off the road,we just use mobile crushers in their now. Again, only 10 years ago, we had plans into reinstate the railway line, so we could feed London with Limestone......Their saviour is the big Asphalt Plant we put up about five years ago, thats when we stopped using the one at Wredon, I've not been up there for years so cant say what the loading shovel was doing.


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## BonkeyDollocks (Mar 19, 2009)

Thanks for that T mate, all interesting stuff. 

TBH mate, I'm a bit of a Tarmac related freak as me ole man worked for Derbyshire Stone in the mid 60s and then Tarmac until around 1978. I used to ride shotgun in the old ergomatic cabbed Leyland Comet he had when they were building motorways around Manchester. I know DS also owned the quarry you speak of near to where this disused quarry is and I like passing there on summer days to take some photos of the tippers parked up. 
Can I ask if you have any old Tarmac related pics. either quarries or lorries ? Would love to see some if you have.


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## tarmac (Mar 19, 2009)

*Tarmac....*

I have loads ! Started work for them in 1987, and still work for them now, Quarries and loads of lorries !! And dissused quarries too...........Can you PM me ? I cant do PM's yet cos I am a newbie....


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## tarmac (Mar 19, 2009)

*Derbyshire Stone*

We used to go to our old Matlock HQ alot in the 90's, John Hadfield House, Matlock (Of course in another Old Quarry !) and of course Derbyshire Stone's HQ before that........Happy Day's ! My Mum used to work for Hoveringham too, bought by Tarmac in 1981...so I have quarries in my blood !


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## BonkeyDollocks (Mar 19, 2009)

tarmac said:


> I have loads ! Started work for them in 1987, and still work for them now, Quarries and loads of lorries !! And dissused quarries too...........Can you PM me ? I cant do PM's yet cos I am a newbie....



Well mate I'd love to see what you have and I bet you'd love to see what I have. I have old photos of lorries from Topley Pike, Waterswallows, Dene Quarry plus plenty others. Do you have any of the khaki coloured ones as they're my favourites. The older the better ! 

Now, we've made contact, I'll take my email addy down.


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