Swinden Quarry facts for kids
Swinden Quarry is a large place where rocks are dug out of the ground. It is located about 1 kilometer north of the village of Cracoe. It's also about 3 kilometers southwest of Grassington in North Yorkshire, England. A company called Tarmac owns this quarry. A special railway line, once called the Skipton-Grassington line, still goes to the quarry. On the railway, this spot is known as Rylstone Quarry.
The railway yard at Swinden Quarry is near Cracoe village. It's at the end of the old railway line that used to go from Skipton to Grassington. The part of the line that went further north was closed in 1969.
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What is Swinden Quarry?
The quarry is built deep into the land. Even though you can see some parts from the main road (B6265), most of it is hidden. This is because it's dug down into a hill. Many of the big machines used for digging are placed inside the quarry. This way, they are hidden by the tall sides of the quarry itself.
What Does the Quarry Produce?
Swinden Quarry produces many useful materials. These include:
- Roadstone, which is used to build roads.
- Agricultural lime, which helps farmers improve their soil.
- Industrial carbonate, used in many different industries.
- Crushed rock aggregate, used in concrete and other building materials.
- Pre-cast concrete products, which are concrete items made in advance.
How Materials Leave the Quarry
A lot of the rock dug from the quarry is sent out by train. However, many lorries also carry materials away. Up to 42,000 lorry trips happen on the B6265 road each year. The quarry owners want to use trains even more in the future. This would help reduce the number of lorries on the road. They plan to do this as they continue to use the quarry beyond 2030.
A Special Place for Nature
The quarry area is also a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This means it's a special place for nature and science. Digging at the quarry has shown the Carboniferous Limestone rock layers. These layers help scientists understand how the stone formed over time.
Community Use
The area where trains load materials is also used for the annual Christmas festival in Grassington. People can park their cars there and take a ride to the festival.
Trains and the Quarry
Trains are very important for moving limestone from Swinden Quarry. Special freight trains carry the limestone to different places. These places include Dewsbury, Dairycoates (near Hull), and Marsh Lane/Hunslet (in Leeds). Trains also take limestone to Small Heath and Wellingborough.
