Oxfordshire Ironstone Railway facts for kids
The Oxfordshire Ironstone Railway (O.I.R.) was a special railway line in Oxfordshire, England. It was built to carry ironstone, a type of rock used to make iron. This railway connected an ironstone quarry near the village of Wroxton to the main Great Western Railway line. The connection point was about 6 kilometres (4 miles) east of Wroxton, just north of the town of Banbury.
The O.I.R. and the quarry both started operating in 1917. They closed down in 1967 because all the useful ironstone in the quarry had been dug out. The O.I.R. was never part of the national railway system, British Rail. Instead, it was owned and run by the company that owned the quarry.
Contents
Why the Railway Was Important
The quarry was very busy during the Second World War. This was because a lot of iron was needed for the war effort. The railway played a big part in moving the ironstone quickly. Today, a newer quarry nearby uses trucks instead of trains to move materials.
The O.I.R.'s Own Trains
The Oxfordshire Ironstone Railway had its own fleet of steam locomotives. These were special trains designed to pull heavy loads of rock. They included different types of steam engines, like those with side tanks (0-6-0T) and saddle tanks (0-6-0ST and 0-4-0ST). These tanks held the water needed for the steam.
Ironstone in the Area
The area around Banbury has large amounts of heavy clay and ironstone. This is why the quarry and railway were built there in the first place.
Images for kids
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A picture of the former Wroxton Quarry's Pin Hill farm grading works in Banbury, Oxfordshire in 2001.
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Picture of the former ironstone quarry works at Wroxton in 2001.
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Pictures of the surviving huts at the former quarry in 2001 and the track bed in Hardwick during 2001.
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A picture of the mine manager's office in 2001.
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A picture of the former ironstone quarry works at Wroxton in 2001.
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Oxfordshire Ironstone Railway's OIR P-hut at Drayton, Oxfordshire in 2005. At the far right is a pile of rubble where a signal post used to be.
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Horley's OIR derelict tool hut or a p-hut in 2002. It's overgrown and in the bushes now.
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Some shots of Wroxton's old ironstone mine in 2001.
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Horley's OIR tool hut or a p-hut in 2001. It's overgrown and in the bushes now.
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Horley's OIR tool hut or a p-hut in 2001. It's overgrown and in the bushes now.
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The former OIR bridge supports by the former Alcan works in Banbury in 2001.
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An OIR track to sleeper pin in Drayton. The words stamped on it say it was made by the Great Western Railway in 1928. It was found in 2002.
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Drayton's OIR tool shed in 2004.
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A broken old pipe in Hardwick. It is not part of any mains system I know of and looks very old and corroded, so it was probably part of the OIR's grading works.
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The former Wroxton Quarry in Oxfordshire. Top left is the trackbed between Drayton and Horley, right is the trackbed in Hardwick and the bottom is the old mine itself during the year 2001.
