Oxfordshire Ironstone Railway facts for kids
The Oxfordshire Ironstone Railway (the O.I.R.) was a standard gauge railway that served an ironstone quarry near the village of Wroxton in Oxfordshire. It linked to the Great Western Railway about 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) to the east, just north of the town of Banbury. Both the quarry and line opened in 1917 and closed in 1967, when the Ironstone ran out. It never became part of British Rail and was run by the quarry's owners.
The quarry was heavily worked in the Second World War, due to extra war needs. A newer quarry close by is now served by trucks only.
The OIR operated its own fleet of steam locomotives: 0-6-0T, 0-6-0ST and 0-4-0ST's.
Heavy clay and Ironstone deposits seround Banbury.
Related pages
Historic imagery of the site
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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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A 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.
Images for kids
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The former Wroxton Quarry in Oxfordshire. Top left is the trackbed between Drayton and Horley, right is the trackbead in Hardwick and the bottom is the old mine itself during the year 2001.