GB Railfreight has successfully operated the first freight train into Horton Quarry in Ribblesdale, North Yorkshire, marking the first rail movement into the site since 1965. The Quarry is owned by Heidelberg Materials UK and has produced limestone and high-quality gritstone since 1899. It’s been used for road building and, latterly, airport runway surfacing.
Reinstated rail infrastructure is now serving a newly constructed rail terminal at Horton Quarry, Yorkshire. The quarry terminal is served from the famous Settle and Carlisle line in the north of England, about 30 miles (50km) north west of Leeds. The railway infrastructure within the quarry is now undergoing a two-week testing phase. Once operational, the service will support Heidelberg Materials’ distribution of building materials to construction projects across the North West of England.
1,650 tonnes of limestone per train
Following the successful completion of the trial phase, regular rail freight services from Horton Quarry are expected to resume for the first time in six decades. GBRf – a company not even half that age – will move around 1,650 tonnes of limestone with each train from the quarry. The first train was filmed by Heidelberg on arrival (below).
“Re-utilising sites like Horton Quarry are essential to growing rail freight,” said John Smith, GBRf Chief Executive. “Getting trains running from the Quarry again is a testament to the hard work of many. I am delighted that GB Railfreight are running this service for Heidelberg Materials.” The two partners have been working together for some time, not least on the massive HS2 high-speed rail project, with over 1000 movements already clocked up.
Network of rail-connected quarries and depots
The rural location can expect to see a significant reduction in road traffic as a result of the new connection. The partners claim that around 129 heavy truck movements will be replaced by each train. A joint statement from GBRf and Heidelberg Materials says that the development represents a significant step in enhancing sustainable freight transport in the region, reducing road haulage and supporting the UK’s net-zero ambitions.
GBRf 60087 departs Horton Quarry with the first train from the site in sixty years. Image: © GBRf image
“The re-opening of this connection is a key part of our strategy to improve our network of rail-connected quarries and depots,” said Becky Murphy, Heidelberg’s Aggregates Regional Director. “It will allow us to supply high-quality aggregate to major construction projects by rail, reducing vehicle movements on the wider road network and cutting associated CO₂ emissions. It has been great to work with GB Railfreight to deliver this new service.”
The rail link was reinstated by a partnership of Duo Group, VolkerRail and AECOM, working with the infrastructure agency Network Rail. The project represents part of Heidelberg’s overall drive towards rail-connected quarries and depots. The quarry at Horton has been active since 1889, but lost its rail connection in 1965. The quarry is within the designated Yorkshire Dales National Park.