Alan Sewell visits Dyserth…

I recently shared a scheme based upon the end of the Dyserth branch which remained open in the 1970s to serve a limeworks. Regular contributor Alan Sewell kindly shared the attached visit report from his trip in the summer of 1968…

4wDM RH 296091 of 1949 coupled to two side tippers loaded with limestone. Photo Alan Sewell, 12th August 1968.

Limestone Products Ltd

Dyserth Lime Works, Dyserth, Flintshire

Gauge ​2’ 7”

Date of Visit: 12 August 1968

A line of about 350yd connecting the quarry crushing plant with the lime kilns which are fed at the upper level by the narrow gauge.
The line leaves the crushing plant on a gentle curve passing the quarry workshops which had a n.g track and then crossed The High Street on a long viaduct to the tipping dock at the lime kilns. The track across the viaduct at one time formed a loop but one track was now buried and unused.
 
At the kilns a lift enabled n.g trucks to be raised and lowered from a set of tracks under part of the kilns (possibly for rubbish disposal or reworking rock)
 
Below the kilns were standard gauge sidings worked by a converted farm tractor
 
The only loco seen was a yellow cab fitted 4wDM RH 296091 of 1949 coupled to two side tippers loaded with limestone. Several other wagons were dumped around the site plus the frames and bodies of old wooden side tippers on the viaduct.
By the workshops was the bonnet cover of PWG No4 a 4wD MR from Trevor quarry on the Lleyn peninsula. This might have been in the workshops or perhaps scrapped.

Site map, sketch by Alan Sewell 1968.

Illustration of viaduct, sketch by Alan Sewell 1968.

4wDM RH 296091 of 1949 coupled to two side tippers loaded with limestone. Photo Alan Sewell, 12th August 1968.

I am once again indebted to Alan for sharing his notes and visit report with me and allowing me to share this with you all here. These glimpses of lost industry and railways are a fascinating insight and in this instance, packed full of potential modellable inspiration. If you would like to see more of Alan’s reports then you can find them all here on the blog under the ‘Alan Sewell’ label. Until next time, more soon…