Dear All,
I have recently joined AditNow.

I have been asked to carry out some research into the Budle Crag Whinstone Quarry (near Bamburgh in Northumberland) on behalf of the neighbouring caravan association. They would like to erect a noticeboard close to the crushing plant with some information and background to the plant and the other quarrying infrastructure. My background is in ancient Egyptian archaeology and whilst I have a keen interest in mining and quarrying there I have little knowledge of mining in the UK.

I have made some progress finding information about the mining rights and the locomotive etc, but I would be very grateful for any help that aditnow members could give me on similar / identical crushing plants to the one in Budle Bay (see RJV's photo below), how they operated, and if there are any publications that you can recommend. Any help would be gratefully received. Many thanks.


Photograph:

🔗Budle-Crag-Whinstone-Quarry-User-Album-Image-64666[linkphoto]Budle-Crag-Whinstone-Quarry-User-Album-Image-64666[/linkphoto][/link]

You might also try The National Stone Centre in Derbyshire for info.

http://www.nationalstonecentre.org.uk 

Les

I spent a few days poking around the area last summer but managed to find very little in the way of published information.

There's a small amount in the IRS handbook for the area and if my memory serves me correctly there may have been something in one of the Aln Valley Railway's newsletters though there's a fair chance it might have been about one of the other quarries in the area.

Plenty going on around there, would probably make for an interesting (if low selling) little book if anyone happened to have the knowledge, time and motivation to write it.

Attached gives a bit of info regarding the sad demise of a quarry worker from Budle Crag - (the sort of stuff people like to read about the Mining & Quarrying industry).

http://www.dmm.org.uk/colliery/b811.htm 

A good place to see a modern whin stone quarry in action - try Barrasford, Gunnerton etc - on the North Tyne - a few miles above Hexam, or the quarry at High Force - Teesdale. The technology will not have changed that much from the days of Budle Crag (the early 1900's) etc. My father worked with a stone crusher in a sand and gravel quarry from the 1950's - 1970's that was built circa 1900. When the quarry closed it was removed and sent to another quarry, very durable bit of kit is a crusher.

Beamish Museun put on a display at times using a mobile crusher with a steam engin, bit of track with a couple of 24" locos, and the boys play at being quarry workers, gives a good idea of how primative these things actually were.

Have you had a chat with the people at the Mining Institute at Newcastle - perhaps thay may have some liturature that could held your work.


(Gentle hint - it is best to place the name of the Mine / Quarry in the "Subject" - along with any nearby the town /county)

John L

Many thanks for all the comments, advice and tips, which I have been following up. I have added some more images of the crushing plant. If anyone has any further comment on how the chutes etc operated, I would be most grateful.