Hook Norton Ironstone Partnership
Encyclopedia
The Hook Norton Ironstone Partnership was the first company to quarry ironstone
at Hook Norton
on a large scale. Although only in operation for twelve years, its quarries subsequently became part of the Brymbo Steelworks quarries and relics of the Partnership's railways and tramways can still be seen today.
was to place the North Oxfordshire
ironstone producing district in direct communication with the South Wales coalfield
. After the line had been authorised, its route at Hook Norton was altered incurring extra costs of £25,000. This change may have been influnced by the presence of ironstone at Hook Norton.
Land on both sides of the railway at Hook Norton Station
was purchased by the Oxfordshire Ironstone Company on an unknown date but "probably early in 1883". This land was conveyed to a partnership of Richard Looker (the company secretary of the B&CDR), John Wilson and Henry Lovatt on the 19th April 1884. The Banbury Guardian
for 1 September 1884 (quoted in The Banbury and Cheltenham Direct Railway) reported:
The land was transferred again on 1 April 1889 to the Hook Norton Ironstone Partnership, Richard Looker being the first Partnership manager.
in the late 1880s Operations began in 1890 and the Partnership purchased a one foot eight inch gauge 0-4-0
locomotive Florence. A tramway was built on which Florence could be used, this ran from a tipping dock in Adderbury Station goods yard. The line ran south, initially on a gradient of 1 in 17, passing under the bridleway to Paper Mill Cottages and finally reaching the working face next to the Oxford Road. Company offices and locomotive shed were located at the top of the incline. Problems were experienced with locomotive operation (Tonks suggests the gradient was too steep for Florence) and the incline was changed to cable-haulage
powered by a stationary steam engine
. The flatter route to the quarries was horse-worked. Florence was transferred to the Partnership's quarries at Hook Norton.
A house, cottages and orchards previously possessed by the Hiatt family were obtained in 1888 and ironstone production "seems to have begun in 1889". A Manning Wardle
0-6-0
standard gauge
Saddle Tank locomotive named Hook Norton was delivered new in November 1889, this was housed in a locomotive shed alongside the Banbury
Road, just east of the station.
Initially, ironstone was obtained from the field south-east of the station, where it could be loaded directly into wagons hauled by Hook Norton. Ironstone from the field north of the road was carried by horse-drawn cart to the station. A much larger area of land was acquired in the 1890s, bounded by the Banbury Road and the Sibford Road, as far as the Gate Inn. Two areas of this land were quarried by the Partnership; Townsend Quarry and Hiatt's Pit.
. A tipping-dock here enabled ore to be tipped into standard-gauge wagons from a one foot eight inch tramway above. The tipping dock was known locally as the "tip-up" or "kick-up".
The tramway ran north, on a rising gradient of about 1 in 20 passing under the Banbury Road in a tunnel
. This section of the tramway was operated by cable-haulage
. A second cable-hauled section took the tramway down to a stream where there was a locomotive shed. Florence was housed here after being transferred from Adderbury Quarries in 1892. From the loco shed the tramway climbed in a curve to the quarry called Hiatt's Pit. More direct access to Hiatt's Pit was provided by a double-track incline of around 1 in 11 running north from the engine shed.
A branch off the first incline near the tunnel passed under the track called Engine Shed Lane to enter Townsend Quarry. Wagons from here were attached directly to the cable for the journey to the tipping-dock. The 1900 Ordnance Survey map shows this branch as a short spur, but in the 1980s Eric Tonks found "clear evidence of a tramway alongside the lane throughout its north-south length".
obtained the locomotive Hook Norton which was subsequently used on the Weymouth Harbour Tramway
for many years. The Partnership's sidings at Hook Norton Station were also transferred to the GWR and were converted into loops
. The land at Hook Norton was sold to the Brymbo Steel Company in 1909. Brymbo also bought the locomotive Florence but sold it on immediately to Dick, Kerr & Company
.
The Adderbury quarries were taken over by Cochrane & Co. (Woodside) Ltd. who continued to operate and expand them.
Ironstone
Ironstone is a sedimentary rock, either deposited directly as a ferruginous sediment or created by chemical repacement, that contains a substantial proportion of an iron compound from which iron either can be or once was smelted commercially. This term is customarily restricted to hard coarsely...
at Hook Norton
Hook Norton
Hook Norton is a village and civil parish in the Cotswold Hills in Oxfordshire, England. It is northeast of Chipping Norton.-Toponym and early history:...
on a large scale. Although only in operation for twelve years, its quarries subsequently became part of the Brymbo Steelworks quarries and relics of the Partnership's railways and tramways can still be seen today.
Formation
A major objective in the building of the Banbury and Cheltenham Direct RailwayBanbury and Cheltenham Direct Railway
The Banbury and Cheltenham Direct Railway is a former railway in the Cotswold Hills in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, England.-Origins and development:...
was to place the North Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
ironstone producing district in direct communication with the South Wales coalfield
South Wales Coalfield
The South Wales Coalfield is a large region of south Wales that is rich with coal deposits, especially the South Wales Valleys.-The coalfield area:...
. After the line had been authorised, its route at Hook Norton was altered incurring extra costs of £25,000. This change may have been influnced by the presence of ironstone at Hook Norton.
Land on both sides of the railway at Hook Norton Station
Hook Norton railway station
Hook Norton railway station served the village of Hook Norton in northern Oxfordshire, England.-History:The station was built for the Banbury and Cheltenham Direct Railway, which was operated by the Great Western Railway before complete takeover in 1897...
was purchased by the Oxfordshire Ironstone Company on an unknown date but "probably early in 1883". This land was conveyed to a partnership of Richard Looker (the company secretary of the B&CDR), John Wilson and Henry Lovatt on the 19th April 1884. The Banbury Guardian
Banbury Guardian
The Banbury Guardian is a local tabloid newspaper published in Banbury, Oxfordshire. It serves north Oxfordshire, southwest Northamptonshire and southeast Warwickshire...
for 1 September 1884 (quoted in The Banbury and Cheltenham Direct Railway) reported:
At Bloxham and Hook Norton there is a very rich bed of iron ore, which has been purchased by the Oxfordshire Ironstone Company, and a very large income is expected to be derived from this source over the Banbury & Cheltenham Direct Railway.)
The land was transferred again on 1 April 1889 to the Hook Norton Ironstone Partnership, Richard Looker being the first Partnership manager.
Adderbury quarries
The partnership obtained leases to work ironstone on the south side of Adderbury StationAdderbury railway station
Adderbury railway station served the village of Adderbury in Oxfordshire, England.- History :The station was built by the Banbury and Cheltenham Direct Railway, which was taken over by the Great Western Railway before its opening...
in the late 1880s Operations began in 1890 and the Partnership purchased a one foot eight inch gauge 0-4-0
0-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-4-0 represents one of the simplest possible types, that with two axles and four coupled wheels, all of which are driven...
locomotive Florence. A tramway was built on which Florence could be used, this ran from a tipping dock in Adderbury Station goods yard. The line ran south, initially on a gradient of 1 in 17, passing under the bridleway to Paper Mill Cottages and finally reaching the working face next to the Oxford Road. Company offices and locomotive shed were located at the top of the incline. Problems were experienced with locomotive operation (Tonks suggests the gradient was too steep for Florence) and the incline was changed to cable-haulage
Cable railway
A cable railway is a steeply graded railway that uses a cable or rope to haul trains.-Introduction:...
powered by a stationary steam engine
Stationary steam engine
Stationary steam engines are fixed steam engines used for pumping or driving mills and factories, and for power generation. They are distinct from locomotive engines used on railways, traction engines for heavy steam haulage on roads, steam cars , agricultural engines used for ploughing or...
. The flatter route to the quarries was horse-worked. Florence was transferred to the Partnership's quarries at Hook Norton.
Hook Norton quarries
According to Margaret Dickins "the first cutting for ironstone was made in the field next to the station, between that and East End". That description corresponds to the present-day Austins Way. Eric Tonks states that Margaret Dickins is "probably incorrect, operations in the 'Station Field' north of the road being started shortly after the workings southeast of the station". Paul Ingham locates Station Field differently from Eric Tonks, referring to "Station Field (now called Austins Way). This was the site of the first commercial ironstone extraction in Hook Norton" Whatever the sequence of opening, the 1900 1:2500 Ordnance Survey map shows that both the Austins Way area and the field north of the road were quarried.A house, cottages and orchards previously possessed by the Hiatt family were obtained in 1888 and ironstone production "seems to have begun in 1889". A Manning Wardle
Manning Wardle
Manning Wardle was a steam locomotive manufacturer based in Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.- Precursor companies :The city of Leeds was one of the earliest centres of locomotive building; Matthew Murray built the first commercially successful steam locomotive, Salamanca, in Holbeck, Leeds,...
0-6-0
0-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels...
standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
Saddle Tank locomotive named Hook Norton was delivered new in November 1889, this was housed in a locomotive shed alongside the Banbury
Banbury
Banbury is a market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire. It is northwest of London, southeast of Birmingham, south of Coventry and north northwest of the county town of Oxford...
Road, just east of the station.
Initially, ironstone was obtained from the field south-east of the station, where it could be loaded directly into wagons hauled by Hook Norton. Ironstone from the field north of the road was carried by horse-drawn cart to the station. A much larger area of land was acquired in the 1890s, bounded by the Banbury Road and the Sibford Road, as far as the Gate Inn. Two areas of this land were quarried by the Partnership; Townsend Quarry and Hiatt's Pit.
Tramway
To get the ironstone from the new quarries to the station, the Partnership's standard-gauge line was extended down the hillside where it passed under the north end of the B&CDR's viaductViaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
. A tipping-dock here enabled ore to be tipped into standard-gauge wagons from a one foot eight inch tramway above. The tipping dock was known locally as the "tip-up" or "kick-up".
The tramway ran north, on a rising gradient of about 1 in 20 passing under the Banbury Road in a tunnel
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
. This section of the tramway was operated by cable-haulage
Cable railway
A cable railway is a steeply graded railway that uses a cable or rope to haul trains.-Introduction:...
. A second cable-hauled section took the tramway down to a stream where there was a locomotive shed. Florence was housed here after being transferred from Adderbury Quarries in 1892. From the loco shed the tramway climbed in a curve to the quarry called Hiatt's Pit. More direct access to Hiatt's Pit was provided by a double-track incline of around 1 in 11 running north from the engine shed.
A branch off the first incline near the tunnel passed under the track called Engine Shed Lane to enter Townsend Quarry. Wagons from here were attached directly to the cable for the journey to the tipping-dock. The 1900 Ordnance Survey map shows this branch as a short spur, but in the 1980s Eric Tonks found "clear evidence of a tramway alongside the lane throughout its north-south length".
Locomotives
| Name | Builder | Type | Date | Works number | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hook Norton | Manning Wardle Manning Wardle Manning Wardle was a steam locomotive manufacturer based in Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.- Precursor companies :The city of Leeds was one of the earliest centres of locomotive building; Matthew Murray built the first commercially successful steam locomotive, Salamanca, in Holbeck, Leeds,... |
0-6-0ST | 1889 | 1127 | Standard gauge To Great Western Railway, July 1904, No. 1337 |
| Florence | Manning Wardle Manning Wardle Manning Wardle was a steam locomotive manufacturer based in Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.- Precursor companies :The city of Leeds was one of the earliest centres of locomotive building; Matthew Murray built the first commercially successful steam locomotive, Salamanca, in Holbeck, Leeds,... |
0-4-0ST | 1875 | 579 | One foot eight inch gauge Ex Florence Colliery, Staffordshire To Brymbo Steel Co., 1904 |
Closure
By 1901 the Partnership had run into financial difficulties and the quarries were closed in May 1901, the company being wound up in 1903. As principal creditor, the GWRGreat Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
obtained the locomotive Hook Norton which was subsequently used on the Weymouth Harbour Tramway
Weymouth Harbour Tramway
The Weymouth Harbour Tramway is a goods and passenger railway constructed almost entirely on the streets of Weymouth, England...
for many years. The Partnership's sidings at Hook Norton Station were also transferred to the GWR and were converted into loops
Passing loop
A passing loop is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at a station, where trains or trams in opposing directions can pass each other. Trains/trams in the same direction can also overtake, providing that the signalling arrangement allows it...
. The land at Hook Norton was sold to the Brymbo Steel Company in 1909. Brymbo also bought the locomotive Florence but sold it on immediately to Dick, Kerr & Company
Dick, Kerr & Co.
Dick, Kerr and Company was a locomotive and tramcar manufacturer based in Kilmarnock, Scotland and Preston, England.-Early history:Having previously been known as W.B.Dick and Company the company had built all kinds of tramway equipment and rolling stock. From 1883 the company joined with John Kerr...
.
The Adderbury quarries were taken over by Cochrane & Co. (Woodside) Ltd. who continued to operate and expand them.