Limestone

Inside the fence.
allanferguson
Posts: 389
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 6:27 pm

Limestone

Postby allanferguson » Mon Oct 13, 2014 8:56 pm

For reasons too complex to go into here, it has become expedient that I model a wagon or two of limestone. Not quicklime, which would, I think always be in covered wagons, but limestone as taken from the quarry, en route to the kilns, or perhaps to an ironworks. But I don't know what it looks like -- white, dirty white, light earth colour, or what, and big lumps, wee lumps, or dross. Can anyone help me? Please!

Allan F

jayell

Re: Limestone

Postby jayell » Mon Oct 13, 2014 9:09 pm

input Limestone into google, you should get some images of lumps of rock like here

https://www.google.com/search?q=limesto ... d=0CFQQ7Ak

Not a single picture of any in a railway wagon but several pics of freshly blasted limestone, I suspect colour will depend on which quarry it comes from.

HTH

John

jayell

Re: Limestone

Postby jayell » Mon Oct 13, 2014 9:28 pm

an almost railway pic to be found by googling for "newly quarried british limestone"

https://www.google.com/search?q=limesto ... B407%3B261

John

jayell

Re: Limestone

Postby jayell » Mon Oct 13, 2014 9:38 pm

a last offering with some rail pics, not that you can really see what is in these wagons, though one pic has 'a mountain of crushed limestone waiting to be loaded' alongside the track. Of course this is all modern wagons which may not be what you are looking for.

http://www.nwrail.org.uk/nw1308b.htm

John

hughesp87
Posts: 137
Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2008 8:25 pm

Re: Limestone

Postby hughesp87 » Tue Oct 14, 2014 7:15 pm

Allan,

The attached photo may help, taken in one of the quarries at Wirksworth in Derbyshire, right in the middle of limestone territory. Limestone could be extracted in many forms, including large blocks for building purposes or smaller 'stones' like this for a variety of uses. Interestingly, large amounts of the smaller stuff were sent each year from Derbyshire to East Anglia, for use in the production of sugar from sugar beet, so it has many uses!

Hope this helps,

Geraint Hughes
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Geraint Hughes
Cromford & High Peak in P4
Danish Railways in P87

User avatar
LesGros
Posts: 546
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 10:05 pm

Re: Limestone

Postby LesGros » Tue Oct 14, 2014 9:54 pm

John,
The Dolomite limestone, ( Anhydrite and Calcite) as quarried in County Durham, is a medium to pale yellow; similar to the Rhossilli shown in John L's link. Much of it is used as ballast for roads and drives etc in the area. Anhydrite is also mined at Billingham and used in the chemical industry.
LesG

The man who never made a mistake
never made anything useful

Joe Newman
Posts: 64
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:25 pm

Re: Limestone

Postby Joe Newman » Wed Oct 15, 2014 1:01 pm

Les

May I make a slight correction to your reference to anhydrite and dolomite?

Both are quarried in County Durham but anhydrite is calcium sulfate while dolomite is a mixture of calcium and magnesium carbonates.

Limestone, like chalk, is calcium carbonate but is much harder than chalk. The colour of limestone varies from place to place while chalk is always white.

To avoid any other confusion,' blackboard chalk' - which was in use when we were at school - is calcium sulfate. Natural chalk would be too soft.

I hope this helps.

Joe

User avatar
LesGros
Posts: 546
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 10:05 pm

Re: Limestone

Postby LesGros » Wed Oct 15, 2014 1:31 pm

Joe,
Thanks, I had read elsewhere that quarry Dolomite contains Anhydrite and calcite, perhaps they occur in different but adjacent layers. There is/or was, Anhydrite mining at Billingham; one of the reasons for the chemical industry being there. I believe that the County Durham quarries were for the ballast rather than chemical use. In any case, the post was primarily about the yellow colour of the stone, which I have used as ballast for a patio when I lived on Tees-side.
LesG

The man who never made a mistake
never made anything useful

allanferguson
Posts: 389
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 6:27 pm

Re: Limestone

Postby allanferguson » Wed Oct 15, 2014 4:52 pm

Thank you to the various responders on here, and I'm wiser now!
For information the period and area I'm interested in is 1860 -- 1880 ish in Stirlingshire.
It has now occurred to me that a visit to a local garden centre, followed by some wielding of a large hammer, might be productive.
Thank you!

Allan F


Return to “Railway Buildings”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: ClaudeBot and 0 guests