Swinden Quarry - Shunter

[alexl92]

Hi,
I'm looking for more details about the shunter loco named 'Cracoe' which is based at Swinden Quarry in North Yorkshire, near Skipton. I think it's technically classified as 6wDH6w or something like that - it's a centre cab loco, possibly built by RFS?

My brother-in-law is hoping to build a model railway based on the quarry and would like to recreate this loco but detailed information and photos seem to be really difficult to find, especially when I can only really google 'swinden quarry shunter' - not very specific!

If anyone knows anything about this loco or has some good photos of it, that would be amazing. Also if anyone know of any good track plans or similar that would help in the project, we'd be interested to see those as well. I don't know how much info is publicly available. Thanks!

 

[John Webb]

From 2011:
Pilot engine and hopper wagons at Swinden Quarry

© Copyright Steve Daniels and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Click on the photo to go to the original photo on the Geograph website. There are a few more pictures of the quarry and railway to be found there including a another one of the loco. The track layout is basically a run-round loop and a couple of sidings.

 

[GNERman]

There's quite a few photos online of the loco.

Try searching for "Rylstone Quarry", "Rylstone Sidings", "Rylstone Tilcon".

Was built by RFS at Doncaster in the 90's I believe. In fact there's a scale model of the loco in one of the rooms at Doncaster Works (approx 50-60cm in length).

I'll have a dig around, i've got a picture of that model at Donny as well as some closer shots of the shunter when at the quarry. Additionally, i've got a couple of books that have some more details in so will have a dig around there also.

I remember seeing pictures of the loco being delivered by road; apparently had to be delivered in three parts (due to weight, that loco weighs more than a 66 does IIRC).

As for track plans, the Eastern Region Quail Map has an updated diagram included in it.

 

[Ploughman]

It made one run at least from the quarry to the Rylstone platform in Skipton in the 90's.
This was to recover the undamaged hoppers following the derailment of the train as it passed under the road bridge in Skipton station.

 

[wensley]

Hopefully these may be of some use, captured earlier this year when the BLS visited with 'The Little North Western Grid' charter.

I've not got the photos from the trip off my 'proper' camera but there's some here from another chap that was on the train... https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=140584851@N08&view_all=1&text=quarry

Also attached is a rough sketch (not to scale) of the track plan - if you look closely in the pics you'll see the pointwork is arranged slightly differently at the headshunt end than how I've sketched it. To give an idea of scale - the whole site is roughly 685m in length from where the single line splits into the three at the Skipton end through to the buffer stops of the two headshunts. The two dead-end roads (for crippled wagons / wagons under maintenance) are approx. 140m each. The headshunts roughly 60m each.

 

[Ploughman]

During loading the Loco and train would usually set back about 1/2 a mile towards Skipton with the loco about 2 lengths clear of the disused road bridge at the points.
I was involved in the numerous relays in the 90's when nearly the whole line was relaid.

 

[Kris wright]

Many thanks to the photos and the information everyone. I’m the formentioned brother in law!
Any contacts at Tarmac would be welcome

cheers
Kris