DB Schenker Rail UK has run its first train into Barrington Quarry in Cambridgeshire on behalf of building materials supplier, CEMEX UK.The service will transport inert materials from the London construction market to Barrington, where it will be used to restore and fill the quarry, which previously supplied chalk to the, now closed, Barrington cement works.
DB Schenker Rail UK will run one train per day from Willesden, North London to the site expanding the service to two trains during August in a two-year contract with CEMEX UK. Each train will be formed of 22 wagons and carry approximately 1,500 tonnes of material, the equivalent of around 75 lorry loads. Using rail freight to collect the inert material rather than moving them to landfill sites by road will reduce road traffic in London and decrease CO2 emissions.
The Barrington Light Railway that links the quarry to the national network has recently been renovated by CEMEX to serve the site. This work included strengthening a bridge on the line to allow the passage of mainline locomotives for the first time.
The Barrington line has served the London construction industry for over 90 years. It was previously used to bring in fuel and raw materials into the cement plant and transport cement in bulk and bags from the plant to the capital for concrete production throughout the South East. The line will now provide an alternative to road for the removal of inert materials from the booming London construction market.
David Fletcher, Head of Construction Sales for DB Schenker Rail UK, said: “We are honoured to run the first service to the quarry on the Barrington Light Railway. Our partnership with Cemex provides an efficient and eco-friendly way to transport and recycle construction materials from the capital. We will be expanding our service to two trains in August and there is the potential for this to increase to three per day as the construction market in London continues to grow.”
Mark Grimshaw-Smith Head of Rail Freight at CEMEX UK, said: “It is fantastic to have been able to reinstate the Barrington Light Railway and see it in use again on this project. The quarry can now be restored with minimal impact on the environment and to the local community.”
