Quarries Re-connected to the Railway Line

I have been championing the cause of the stone quarries in the Ribble valley connecting to the railway system.   I have been something of an intermediary between Network Rail, the quarry owners and local pressure groups.

It has been an uphill struggle.   The costs, which fall on the quarry owners, are horrendous.

But today has been a milestone.   A physical connection has been made onto the S&C's down main line to and from Arcow and Dry Rigg quarries.   Risking being told to go away I was allowed to photograph the points being connected:

 click to enlarge

The site of the actual connection - the points are just behind the digger to the left of centre.

This gives an idea of the route the new line will take between the points and the railhead inside the quarry.

And here, inside the quarry, are railway lines and sleepers which will form the three sidings.   The Dales roads will be far less congested and the Settle-Carlisle line will start to resume serving the quarries that it was, in no small measure, built for.   The connection to these quarries was ripped up in the 1960s - when motorways were going to be the future.   Remember?