MORE than 2,000 people visited Breedon Group’s cement works at Hope, in Derbyshire, as the UK’s largest cement plant celebrated 90 years of operation.
June 1 open day attractions at the Peak District plant included 0-6-0T industrial Nunlow, returning to its former home, and LNWR ‘Coal Tank’ No. 1054, as well as the resident ex-BR Class 20s that shuttle cement tanks over the two-mile branch between the plant and Earles Sidings, on the Sheffield to Manchester Hope Valley route.
The works have been a major customer for the railway since it opened in 1929, and is now served by Freightliner, which has a crew depot at Earles Sidings.
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The plant produces more than 1.3m tonnes of cement per year, most of which is distributed by rail.
Read more News and Features in the July 2019 issue of The RM –on sale now!
