The Many Uses of Cloburn Granitsand

The range of aggregates we offer at Cloburn is extensive, and covers everything from heavy duty construction products to our own very specialised type of bedding sand, which we call Granitsand.

We’re very proud of the fact that unlike some similar bedding sand type products, Granitsand is made here as a specific product and it’s not just the by-product of the Cloburn quarrying process. We manufacture our hardy Granitsand using a mechanical compression process, taking the hard rock from the quarries and crushing it down into tiny sand sized particles. It’s specially made for customers to buy as a landscaping material, and a fantastic, hardwearing material for builders, gardeners and landscapers everywhere that can be used in commercial grade concrete flooring, slabs and patios too.

Granitsand is a low maintenance solution to your landscaping needs, and like all of the Cloburn products, it doesn’t degrade over time. The attractive red hue also gives it a stand out appeal which will last for many years and not fade in time or due to bad weather.

Many landscape gardeners like to use bedding sand products such as Granitsand to help them create a nice even surface to base their DIY projects on. It can also be incorporated into garden paths and patios, where you only need an inch or so underneath the slabs to make a really good job. It’s not the type of sand that you put between the stones or slabs though, that’s joint sand.

We believe that our Granitsand stands out from the crowd simply because we don’t think of it as an afterthought. It’s not a waste product of mining that we’re selling to make a bit of extra profit, it’s a specially created and carefully produced product designed specifically for the purpose.

It’s also made from stern stuff; we make Granitsand from some of the strongest rocks in Europe, and using a specific manufacturing process that stops it deforming under compression – and we believe this is probably why it’s the preferred bedding sand all over the UK and Europe.

If you’re stuck for a Christmas gift for that special person, we can also gift wrap a specially designed red, green and white festive Granitsand just for you.

For more information about uses for Granitsand, give us a call.

Cloburn and the Borders Rail Link

We’re very excited here at Cloburn about the Borders Rail Link – partly because we think it’s going to be such an amazing addition to the area, but also because we’re proud to say that we’re playing a big part in the construction of the link – we’re the exclusive supplier of granite track ballast for the project.

It’s a huge project; the Borders Rail Link will be the longest new domestic railway to be constructed in Britain for over 100 years - that’s an awful lot of granite track ballast! The line is set to improve and strengthen existing travel connections which will hopefully improve opportunities in the future for employment, business, tourism and leisure. Better rail connections in the area are also going to be great news for helping to reduce the increasing problem of congestion on our main roads between the Borders and Edinburgh.

Optimistic reports have also suggested that building a reliable railway line could prevent up to six road accidents every year. The project is certainly coming along apace with the rails crossing into the Scottish Borders for the first time in 45 years on 5th November at Cakemuir Burn. This is a special milestone in the project as it marked the completion of the rail installation process through Midlothian. There are now tracks in place all along iconic Borders Railway structures like the Lothianbridge Viaduct near Newtongrange and the Hardengreen Bridge.

Now the rail is in place throughout Midlothian, it can be used to transport engineering vehicles, including the special trains that are needed to complete the track laying process, which install ballast and undertaking the process of ‘tamping’ - packing the ballast underneath the rail and sleepers. Councillor David Parker, leader of Scottish Borders Council said;

“Seeing the rails enter the Scottish Borders brings home the reality that trains will be running along the railway next September. The Scottish Borders is just months away from reaping the benefits of this investment that will encourage more visitors to our many attractions as well as boost the economic health of our towns and villages.

The History of Cloburn Quarry

Our quarries have been in use for well over a century, and their first recorded use played a big part in developing the Scottish transport infrastructure as we know it today.The first time that we know rock was ever extracted commercially from the site was back in 1896, when the deposits were used to provide track ballast for the new railway lines which were being built at the time.

 

Back in the Victorian era, the then Cairngryffe quarry was owned and operated by Lanark County Council. It was originally named after the hill which had formed the deposits.The council decided to close down the Cairngryffe quarry along with some other small quarries nearby in 1935, and installed a modern (for the 1930s) crushing, screening and asphalt coating plant at Cairngryffe in its place. For some time afterwards, every road in Lanarkshire was a vibrant bright red colour – very distinctive!

 

Cairngryffe carried on as a local authority quarry until it was taken over in 1986. The current operator replaced Tilcon at Cloburn quarry, which was located on the other side of Cairngryffe Hill, in 1982.

 

Today the two quarries have merged together, making them one of the UK's largest mainland quarries with an enviable history of supplying high quality granite aggregates to a wide range of customers throughout the UK, Europe and the Far East.

 

The future looks bright too; a recent planning grant has secured the future of Cloburn Quarry until well into the 21st Century.

British Aggregates Association Appeals to Transport Secretary over ‘Unnecessary’ Driver CPC

In a last-ditch bid to get the secretary of state for transport, Patrick McLoughlin MP,  to reconsider his decision, The British Aggregates Association (BAA) wrote to him demanding that he he suspend the “ill-considered and unnecessary” Large Goods Vehicle Certificate of Competence or DCPC .

BAA chairman and ex-haulier Robert Durward, owner of Cloburn Quarry, wrote to the MP: “I wish to complain in the strongest possible terms about the ongoing damage that is being inflicted on the transport sector by ill-considered and unnecessary legislation.

“The negative effects on the wider economy are going to be significant unless your department takes immediate action.”

The response from the secretary of state was less than satisfactory, according to Robert, who issued a press release stating that the Department for Transport (DfT) were in denial, because they were insisting that the DCPC was ‘wonderful’. The BAA disagreed in the strongest terms, and said that they only hoped that nobody famous was ‘flattened’ by a DCPC-qualified HGV driver as a result.

Robert is concerned that members of the BAA are already finding it difficult to source drivers, and believes that introducing the EU Directive-led legislation will force HGV-qualified drivers to retire or change careers – making it even harder for quarries to transport their deliveries.

 “This has got to get worse after the Driver CPC comes into force,” he told Commercial Motor. “Many quarries now have a waiting list for deliveries, which is unprecedented.”

He continued: “We are not against training but it has to be targeted and the sort of thing drivers aspire to,” adding that the current process was a box-ticking exercise. “While many drivers may not be academic, they take pride in their job and they have been grossly insulted [by the Driver CPC]. They have been told to sit in a classroom and be taught by someone that’s often [not] qualified.”

It seems that, according to industry experts like Robert Durward, this whole exercise is likely to cause economic damage, even possibly even lead to loss of life, and it’s all down to superfluous and badly designed legislation.

Whilst everyone in the BAA fully supports appropriate training, the worry is that the new legislation will force experienced HGV drivers, some with over forty years behind the wheel to give up driving, leading to a lack of qualified drivers and backlogs in deliveries that impact everybody.

Time will tell whether Robert’s predictions are correct, but the DfT don’t appear to be budging and so for now, the legislation is in force.

Come to Cloburn for your next construction project!

The Triangle, Swindon, with Gabion Walls.

If you’re looking for great quality construction materials for your next project, look no further than Cloburn Quarry. We’re famous for our red aggregate, which is popular all over Europe and the rest of the world, but we can also supply you with a wide range of excellent quality construction materials for your projects.
Some of the great products we have on offer include:

75mm Crusher Run – this is our all in 75mm down crushed granite product. It’s the biggest one we have in stock, but if you need anything bigger, just ask and we can source it for you. To use it, it needs to be laid no less that 125mm deep so that it can be compacted into an excellent quality load bearing body. You can also top it with our Type 1 sub base or the 10mm down Type 2.

Type 1 Sub-Base – This industry standard sub-base has a wide variety of applications. It’s a minus 35mm crushed and graded material, fully compliant with government and road authority specifications.

Type 2 sub-base – This sub-base is perfect for commercial car parks, and if an extra shot of decoration is needed, you could always use some of our attractive red granite Firechip™ for a deep red colour.
Scalpings – If you don’t need to use a certified product, this could be the product for you. Scalpings are a cost effective hard rock solution - a minus 30mm graded product.

Gabion Stone – Looking for filler for Gabion wire baskets or other projects? A staple for retaining walls, Gabion can also be used in hard landscaping and features. This type of stone was even used in The Triangle project in Swindon, featured in Kevin's Grand Design Programme on Channel 4. These crushed red granite mini blocks are perfect for the job at 200mm x 100mm

Type B filter stone – This type of aggregate is normally used by farmers and contractors to enhance the performance of field drains. Land drainage can help to combat waterlogging in fields and gardens, but it’s not the same as a soakaway, even though they are both used to disperse surface and/or ground water Size wise, ours is a 20mm – 12mm aggregate.

Pipe bedding –  this is a fine, protective aggregate that can be put into ditches and trenches to safely surround pipework, cables and ducts to guard them from damage. Our pipe bedding is also a bright red colour, making it an excellent safety feature and giving anyone who’s operating an excavation vehicle warning that they are close to pipe tracks.

Speak to us about anything you need for your construction projects and we’ll be delighted to help.

Unusual Golf Courses of the World

Imagine a golf course and you probably think of a perfectly manicured space, golf buggies and perhaps a smattering of Cloburn Firechip? Golf is becoming so popular now; it’s not just crazy golf courses that can leave you a little disoriented! Here are a few golf course facts that might make your head spin…

Your average round of gold might take a few hours to complete, but if you decide to take on the Nullarbor Links Course in southern Australia it would take you more like four days. The whole course actually spans two time zones, measures 848 miles in length and has holes situated at 18 towns and service stations along the Nullarbor Plain. Not for the faint-hearted.

If you like your golf hot, the Merapi Golf Course is perfect. The course is situated on the rim of the active Mount Merapi in Indonesia and as you would expect, comes with some breath taking views. There aren’t many golf courses next to active volcanos – if there’s an eruption perhaps the designers could incorporate lava hazards?

Heat not for you? Head to Uummannaq in Greenland and you can try your luck at the World Ice Golf Championships instead. The course is laid out on icebergs and you’ll need a few extra layers as the temperatures are usually below zero. Ice golf courses are shorter – nobody wants frostbite - but the rules are the same. The ball is bright orange though…

This one isn’t for wimps. If you’re feeling extremely brave (or foolhardy) you could attempt the Camp Bonifas course - Camp Bonifas is the closest military base to North Korea on the border in Panmunjom.  Dubbed the world’s most dangerous golf course, it consists of a single hole, par three which stretches 192 yards. I wouldn’t fancy my chances asking for my ball back….and watch where you walk; the fairway is ringed by landmines.

Be careful if you’re playing a round at the Lost City Golf Course in Sun City, South Africa too. There’s a real water trap at the 13th hole where you don’t want to lose your ball; you’ll have to compete with 38 crocodiles if you try to retrieve it. Not surprisingly, there are hundreds of lost golf balls in the water…and probably a few cross crocodiles, too.

Technically, golf has already been played on the moon when Astronaut Alan Shepard visited in 1971, and plans for an official course are under way. An enterprising Japanese company called Shimizu Construction has come up with a blueprint for a course on the moon, but we think the plans might be…wait for it…pie in the sky!

For more conventional golf courses, Cloburn has Firechip™ - popular with golf course designers for its bright red hue, weather resistance and durability. Although we wouldn’t recommend it for volcanoes or orbiting satellites…

Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems

Something that you’ll need to carefully consider if you’re thinking of having a driveway put down is drainage, especially if you’re having a large area of front garden covered.

The flooding problems we’ve seen in recent years might be attributed to global warming and environmental changes, but we also have a part to play in causing the problems with urbanisation. Where there might once have been fields, woods and vegetation, we often have housing estates, and the lack of available ground for rain to soak into naturally has led to serious flash flooding after sudden rain. During storms and torrential rain events, high volumes of rain are directed into existing surface water drainage systems, which can lead to overloading and cause even more flooding.

Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) are designed to replicate natural drainage with systems that make as little impact on the environment as possible, draining away dirty and surface water run-off which helps to counteract the effects of conventional drainage.

SUDS need to be easy to manage, use as little energy as possible to run (except natural energy like sunlight) be as resilient as possible, and also manage to be attractive to look at as well as nice to the environment.
If that sounds like a tall order, don’t worry. At Cloburn, we offer a range of quality granite aggregates which have been tailor made for Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) These help to provide a natural approach to managing drainage in and around properties, and work by slowing and holding back water that runs off, giving natural processes the chance to break down pollutants.

Since 2008 home owners have needed  to obtain planning permission for any project that involves paving an area of more than five square metres - unless permeable blocks and an approved drainage system is used. This is where Cloburn SUDS aggregates come in – nobody wants to go through the rigmarole of a planning application if they don’t have to!

Our drainage design is straightforward and reflects a natural system with low environmental impact which effectively drains away dirty and surface water and allows it to soak back into the ground. By doing this, the SUDS counters any negative effects of conventional drainage solutions, some of which may even make flooding and environmental pollution worse.

Cloburn aggregates for SUDS are available for all projects ranging from 1-3mm to 40mm single size.

Hampden Stadium ready for the Commonwealth Games

With the Commonwealth Games taking place this month, we’re relieved to hear that Hampden Stadium, which was once Scotland’s national football stadium, is now ready for the event which starts on 23 July.

Hampden Park venue will be the focal point for the event, which lasts for seven days. The Games will involve almost 50 track and field disciplines, which will be competed by more than 1,000 athletes.

We were interested in how the transformation from football to athletics stadium took place, especially as we supply our own sports surfacing product, the popular Cloburn Red Granite Cresta™. To transform the stadium, eight rows of seats were removed, and the surface was raised around two metres so that it had the correct dimensions for an athletics track.

Contractors then added an infield with freshly-cut grass, which has been placed on a temporary deck. The deck is a construction masterpiece which consists of a whopping 1,000 base panels which are supported by over 6000 steel stilts.

Glasgow 2014 Chief executive David Grevemberg was impressed with the work when he visited at the end of last month.  He told reporters;

"The spectacular transformation of Hampden Park from iconic football stadium to world-class athletics venue is an achievement of which Glasgow and Scotland can be justifiably proud.

"The completion of Hampden marks a very special moment in our journey to the starting line of what will be the biggest and best sporting festival Scotland has ever hosted."

It needed to be impressive of course; the crowd is expected to top 40,000 and organisers expect the Games to be watched by more than one billion people around the world.

The new track was tested by Team Scotland athlete Eilish McColgan who spoke about her excitement at hearing the ‘Hampden Roar’ from the Scottish athletics fans.

"Having the 'Hampden Roar' behind me as I push down the home straight will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I can't wait to give it my all and do my very best."

The running tracks will be relocated once the Games have closed, giving even more Scottish athletes a chance to train on a landmark track, and providing a legacy of the 2014 Games.

We know that everyone, whether competing in an International event or playing football for the school team, wants their sporting experience to be a good one – and Cloburn’s Red Granite Cresta™ is a popular solution for tennis courts, running tracks and football pitches.

Good news for Scottish exporters

Here at Cloburn, a major part of our business come from export, and we like to think that we’re a small part of the reason for the upturn in Scottish exports in recent years!  The Scottish Government has announced an ambitious target of increasing the value of Scottish exports by 50 per cent on 2011 levels to reach £33 billion by 2017, so export is a big subject for businesses at the moment.

We were interested to hear about the debate about how to encourage Scottish manufacturers to export more of their goods.  A review, which was published by the UK government, has recommended creating a signpost agency to all the advice and guidance needed, which would help companies who wanted to export their goods get easy and accurate access to the advice and support they need.

It’s always easier when the different agencies involved in a process like exports can work together, so on the face of it, this seems like a good idea.

One of the conclusions was that all agencies offering support to exporters really needed to sort themselves out and collaborate better, in order to give the companies who wanted to export their goods  a better service, and said that a ‘clear and comprehensible’ framework was needed, to give companies clear guidelines and better structure.

So, what’s the problem with the existing system? The fact that Scotland’s export market is doing so well would seem to show that we’re managing pretty well without any new government initiatives, but there is a lot of red tape involved and it can be daunting for new businesses trying to navigate all the regulations.

Brian Wilson, Chairman of Harris Tweed Hebrides (and UK business ambassador ) said that he thought the present system was too fragmented and that many companies were confused about who they needed to ask for advice on how to go about selling their products to an international market.  He suggested a brand new collaboration, called Scottish Exports, which would be the first port of call for anyone who wanted to export
.
This ‘front door’ to advice would be a  partnership between Scottish Development International, UK Trade and Investment and the private sector, and it would be set up to make sure that companies were signposted to the right agency for their particular needs, which would avoid time wasting enquiries and unnecessary confusion.

What do you think? Would yet another agency just confuse things even more, or is it a good idea to have one place to go, which can then refer you on to someone else – the right agency - if necessary?

World Cup Fever!

It’s FIFA World Cup time - starting next week, and even though we didn't qualify this time around, we'll still be glued to it.

There have been a lot of stories in the media about the construction work on the stadiums for the games, in fact some reports are still saying that it’s not going to be ready for the big opening game on 12th June, but we’re sure that they’ll pull it out of the bag and surprise us all. Even if just last month, construction company Odebrecht were on record as saying that the roof at the Itaquerao stadium will only be completed after the World Cup. Oops.

According to reports, the pitches are looking good anyway, even though so far they’ve only had to stand up to kick-about matches between construction workers. Time will tell; we’ll be watching as many games as we can. We would have loved to have been chosen as a supplier for the pitch material, although that might have been a bit of a long shot for such a massive International event.

Our Red Granite Cresta™ is really popular with organisations building sports facilities, as it’s great for running tracks, tennis courts (it’ll be Wimbledon soon, too) and of course, football pitches. Back in the old days, the Scottish solution for football pitches was a type of colliery waste called blaes, but technology has moved on and we’ve produced a professional product which unlike its predecessor, won’t turn into mud when it rains!

Cloburn Red Granite Cresta™ is produced from hardy, super-strong granite that’s designed to withstand the wear and tear of tough sporting events, and another bonus is that it needs hardly any maintenance at all, except some occasional rolling, so you don’t have to make sure that it’s still useable after another bout of terrible weather. It’s cost-effective, making it another good choice especially for local authorities and schools, and of course it has the striking natural red colouring that improves over time, which we think adds a real touch of class to any surface. We think it would have looked fabulous in Brazil, but never mind.

Enjoy the football!

What makes Cloburn so special?

Cloburn Quarry is special in itself; rock has been commercially extracted here since 1896 - originally to provide track ballast for new railway lines.

Cloburn Quarry Limited was established in 1982, and we’ve been working hard ever since to provide the products that people really want, rather than the products we think we can sell.

We came to the business with absolutely no preconceptions about how a quarry should be run, and researched the industry thoroughly to find out what was needed, what the best equipment for the task was, and how to sell our specially-created product ranges. As a result, we’re now proud owners of a truly individual quarrying company, producing unique products that people really want, and using specialist plant equipment, some of which isn’t found anywhere else in the UK.

Where we’ve really turned the business on its head is by designing and creating specific products to meet consumer and business needs, rather than just figuring out ways to market by-products of the granite products we already quarry. For example, our Granitsand isn’t simply left over sand from the quarrying process, like traditional bedding sand, but in fact it’s a completely new product that’s manufactured specifically for a need we’ve pinpointed in the construction market.

Most bedding sands are soft, pliable and of course very easy to source. It’s been a standard product sold for many years, but we didn’t want to simply carry on producing a product that had well known disadvantages; yes it was easy to use due to its pliability, but that pliability also meant a loss of durability. We knew there was a demand for a strong, hard bedding sand type product made specifically from hard rock which would provide long-lasting results.

We’re constantly researching new products, and the market, so that we keep on top of construction news and trends, and listen to our customers’ needs. It’s one of the reasons for our success and keeps everything fresh and interesting for us – and for the members of staff who’ve been with us since we started.

We’ve had team members at Cloburn since day one, and we think this incredibly low turnover is another reason for our success.  Our whole team lives and breathes the Cloburn ethos, and works hard to carry the business forward.

What is GranitSand?

Along with our wide range of other aggregates, we also sell bedding sand or Granitsand here at Cloburn, which has a huge variety of domestic and industrial uses. If you’re thinking of doing a little DIY over the spring, you might consider using some of this versatile material in your next project?

Granitsand is a hardy type of aggregate that’s made by crushing hard rock from our quarries into sand sized particles via mechanical compression. Some quarries sell bedding sand which is a by-product of the mining process; we don’t.  We manufacture Granitsand here at Cloburn and sell it as a durable, hardy dry landscaping material. It produces a wear-resistant matrix for commercial grade concrete flooring, slabs and patios.

Some patios and driveways can be prone to depression and unevenness, because the bedding sand they are laid on is soft and pliable. It makes laying the slabs easy, but in the long term it can lead to loss of durability. The unique features of Granitsand mean that it doesn’t degrade, it’s extremely low maintenance, and it also has the advantage of being very attractive with its distinctive red colour.

Bedding sand

Traditionally, bedding sand is often used in landscaping to create an even, level surface ready for DIY projects to be carried out. The existing soil is removed with a shovel, anything from a few inches to over a foot, depending on the size of the project. Bedding sand is then put on top of the remaining soil, or a gravel base.

Bedding sand is often used by people who are landscaping paving stones or patios in their gardens, where an inch or so will usually suffice for the job. Don’t confuse bedding sand with joint sand however; joint sand is completely different and should be placed in between the stones rather than underneath the patio.

Why is Granitsand so different?

What makes Granitsand different is that nobody else makes it like we do! We manufacture it from some of the strongest rocks in Europe, and we make it using a specific process, so that it won’t deform under compression, whether it’s from people or even cars – that’s why it’s preferred bedding sand in UK and Europe.

For more information about uses for Granitsand, give our friendly team a call.

You could be walking on a Cloburn walkway!

Are you heading off to Europe for a romantic city break this spring? Perhaps you’ve booked a weekend in Amsterdam, and you’re anticipating lots of leisurely walking along the canals, over the bridges, stopping off in a café or two and taking in the scenery?

Well, it’s highly likely if you go sightseeing in some of Europe’s biggest and most popular cities that you could well be walking on a pavement that’s been created with Cloburn red aggregate.

Our products have been proving very popular with our European clients in recent years, and indeed Cloburn red aggregates have been used extensively in Holland and Germany, where they are favoured because they offer an attractive alternative, the distinctive textured red surface that looks fabulous on concrete paving blocks and also provides a long lasting and comfortable walking surface.

Cities like Amsterdam need to make sure that their walkways are durable as well as good looking – the amount of tourism necessitates attention to quality and detail. Planners have found out that exposed aggregate block paving has many advantages over standard  paving blocks which have been unnaturally pigmented to provide a good colour; Cloburn red aggregates are actually guaranteed to keep their strong red shade for life, and in fact over time, as the colour intensifies rather than fades, it will look better.

Practicalities such as an increased surface area for people to walk (and cycle) on also mean that the blocks stay clean for much longer, even without the famed cleanliness of some European cities. No chewing gum on their pavement, thank you very much!

Cloburn red aggregate also provides a safer, non-slip walkway that’s pleasant and comfortable to walk on, which makes them even more popular with tourism-friendly local authorities who are always keen to encourage more people into their towns and cities.

So, as you walk the streets of your favourite European city this summer, look down at the pavement and you might well find a little piece of Scotland on the ground beneath you!

For more information on Cloburn’s range of aggregates, please feel free to contact us.

Spruce up your garden for spring

The Easter bank holiday is traditionally the time of year when people start to think about upgrading their home and garden – and it’s the perfect time to consider the exterior of your property, whether you’re thinking about a nice landscaped garden or perhaps an attractive new driveway to impress the neighbours with!

Cloburn’s range of decorative red aggregates are the perfect choice for a completely new look – and the distinctive red hue will stay looking good for many years to come, too. If you just feel like adding a little bit of colour to existing pathways in your garden, just imagine how good it will look with bright red crushed granite chippings to really make those paths stand out. With a neatly trimmed lawn, a few well-placed garden ornaments and the spring flowers and shrubs starting to peek through, the garden will be an area you’ll be proud of and want to spend as much time in as you can over the spring and summer months. Just think of all the barbecues you can have to show off your newly spruced up garden!

For a new driveway, Cloburn’s attractive red aggregate will give you a fresh, modern look along with the strength you need in a functional driveway. Once it has been laid, it’s virtually maintenance free, and there are no worries about colours fading as the natural shade actually intensifies over time, unlike dyed aggregates which tend to fade and look tired after a while. So you can enjoy a pristine looking driveway for many years to come – well, as long as you take good care of it of course.

For domestic landscaping we recommend our 20mm driveway chippings, which you can even order online, or our 14mm chippings which have proved to be very popular with gardeners and landscapers for use in garden design – particularly for areas like rockeries where good drainage is essential.

You can make designs on a fabulous new look garden or the classy driveway you’ve always wanted with the help of some great quality (and very good value) Cloburn Quarry red aggregate. We’ll deliver straight to your door, too! Just give us a call at Cloburn Quarry and we’ll be happy to help and advise you on the best solution for you.

Have a wonderful Easter break!

Cloburn – for rail projects large and small

You probably won’t be at all surprised to hear that Cloburn track ballast is used extensively along some of the best known areas of Britain’s rail network, and it’s been a trusted part of the network since 1896? It’s also the most common track ballast throughout Scotland.

Red track ballast can be seen all over the South of England and even on the Channel Tunnel approaches.
Cloburn track ballast is a premium quality product that’s been proven to be suitable for even high speed railway lines. Through the years, changes of name and ownership, the rail networks have come to us – from Network Rail to Railtrack and good old British Rail before that.

Railway aficionados will know that in years gone by, track ballast was rated on what was called a ‘Wet Attrition Value’ and Cloburn set the standard for all other suppliers.  New tests have been brought in since the WAV test, but we’re pleased to say that our top quality ballast still comes out on top, and its smooth surface texture also helps to protect other hard working parts of the track, including the underside of concrete sleepers.

Did you know that in addition to being used on the real thing, Cloburn also produces model maker track ballast that’s absolutely perfect for use in authentic looking model railways? We know how model rail enthusiasts like to make their creations look as authentic as they possibly can, which is why so many people come to us for model maker track ballast.

Essential for a realistic looking layout, the ballast is actually made from the same high specification granite as the real thing. Just like the real thing, it’ also incredibly hard wearing and comes in the distinctive bright red finish that Cloburn is famous for.

If you want to make your model railway just a touch more authentic than anyone else’s, there’s only one place to come to for the perfect track ballast, and that’s right here at Cloburn Quarry.

Two new Cats for Cloburn Quarry

It’s been a busy few weeks at Cloburn, and we’ve been investing in new equipment, with a brand new Cat 966K XE wheel loader joining our fleet. Cloburn is the first company in Scotland to invest in the model, but following an impressive competitor comparison test which showed that it was possible to save up to 35 per cent on fuel, we decided to go ahead and set the trend.

We also splashed out on a new Cat 972K wheel loader, using the Just Add Diesel solution from Finning. We replaced existing units with the two new cats and they will be working alongside our existing Cat 980H and a Cat 966H, assisting with the quarrying of raw materials to produce our famous high quality red granite chips and +68 PSV aggregates.

Cloburn Quarry manager Jim Erskine explained the decision:

“As a high-production site, we opted for a premium Cat 966K XE model, as we knew the payback for the additional investment would be achieved quickly. Finning provided us with a demonstrator machine and we carried out performance comparisons against other manufacturers and found fuel savings of 35 per cent being achieved.

“We chose the Cat 972K because it meets our requirements for a high-performing, durable and versatile machine. The Just Add Diesel option on the Cat 972K gives our business a great end-to-end solution with a fixed cost base. We have also been able to fix our costs on the Cat 966K XE with a total service package from Finning.

“Our application requires machinery that guarantees a high level of output at the lowest cost per tonne. It’s imperative for us to have machinery in operation that can deliver a high level of performance, so to know that we have a guaranteed uptime of 98% is crucial.

“Quarrying demands machinery that is durable and robust, and with the added benefit of the engineers constantly monitoring the wheel loader’s performance, I am sure we will see benefits to the business in time.”

Cloburn worked with Finning who were keen to get to grips with our operational and business requirements, and recommended the two wheeled loaders because they could both offer us a high turnover of production.
We decided on Finning’s Just Add Diesel option because not only does it guarantee a 98 per cent machine uptime it also combines high spec machinery with improved productivity. Just Add Diesel is  convenient too, as one monthly fee covers everything, even the things that would normally be classed as extras such as servicing and maintenance, call-out charges and parts.

We’re very much looking forward to welcoming our new mechanical team members.

Finding the perfect sports surfaces

If you’re looking for the perfect surface for your sports ground, whether it’s a running track, a football pitch or even a tennis court, look no further than Cloburn Red Granite Cresta™. Produced from granite, it’s a hardy, cost-effective, attractive and very low maintenance solution to your sporting surface needs, and might even improve your game!

There are so many reasons why Cloburn Red Granite Cresta™ works well on a tennis court. When laid, the surface is comfortable to use, with just the right amount of grip and friction to make it ideal for a fast-paced, high speed tennis match.

Tennis is one of the few games in the world that’s played on a variety of surfaces, each of them with their own characteristics which can affect foot grip, comfort, ball bounce and surface speed. Red Granite Cresta™ is perfect for tennis courts because the added binder gives courts a permeable surface, which helps to slow the ball down and bounce it higher, in a similar way to the clay courts at the French Open.

Another distinct advantage of using Cloburn Red Granite Cresta™ on a tennis court (see what we did there?) is that it’s exceedingly strong and durable, but doesn’t require much in the way of maintenance once it’s been laid. It lasts well, whatever environmental conditions might throw at it, and unlike burnt colliery waste, which was sometimes used to surface tennis courts in Scotland in the past, it certainly won’t turn into mud over the years. Maintenance of tennis courts surfaced with Red Granite Cresta is usually just a case of carrying out occasional rolling.

It’s not just tennis courts that can benefit from surfacing with Red Granite Cresta - it’s an excellent choice for use on running tracks and football pitches too. The surface feels light under foot and has a great texture that’s comfortable to run on, with great grip.  It also looks really good, and lasts longer than some other commercial surfaces.

Performance-wise, Cloburn Red Granite Cresta™ is great for athletes who want to practice and compete on a surface that’s well-suited to their particular sport, and for designers and planners, the surface is visually appealing, long lasting and doesn’t need much in the way of maintenance.

All very good reasons to look at using it for your next sports or leisure project.

Cloburn are one of Scotland’s TOP exporting companies!

There was good news for Scotland at the end of January, when the Global Connections Survey revealed that Scotland’s exports totalled £26 billion in 2012 a rise of £1.4bn, or 5.9 per cent, on 2011.

The survey, published by the Scottish Government, which doesn’t include oil and gas exports in the total, showed that  shows that £15.4bn of overseas sales in 2012 were attributable to manufacturing companies, and that manufacturing sector exports were up by £1.1bn, or 7.9 per cent.

We’d like to think that we have been doing our bit towards increasing Scottish exports here at Cloburn, because we’re proud to say that we’re actually one of the top companies in Scotland for export, due to the uniqueness of the products we supply and their reputation for quality around the globe. The reputation of our aggregate has even travelled as far as Japan, where our bright red granite was used to add a touch of style to Tokyo’s bus lanes.

We proudly export our fine Scottish granite wherever it’s needed, whether it’s shopping malls or cycle lanes, Holland, Japan or America, and we have many satisfied clients in the UK, Europe and the Far East. There really is nothing else quite like our red granite – how many other types of aggregate actually intensify in colour with time rather than fade?

Scottish Enterprise are encouraging Scottish businesses to export even more of their products – and so Business Quarterly (BQ) Scotland, in association with Scottish Enterprise, have announced the first ever Scottish Export Awards on 28 May at the Glasgow Science Centre to celebrate the best Scottish exporters.
The judges are looking for businesses who can show they’ve used innovative ways of reaching international customers, along with strong business growth through exports.

Scottish Enterprise said,

"With ongoing economic challenges, the importance of trading internationally has never been so in focus for Scotland's economic success.

"By recognising successful Scottish exporters and highlighting the significant benefits international trade can bring, this prestigious event and its accompanying programme will play a key role in helping to inspire many more companies to realise their global ambitions and act on opportunities in overseas markets."

At Cloburn we’re planning to carry on exporting throughout 2014 and beyond, so here’s to Scottish exports!

Tokyo Bus Lanes

Buses are a really big deal in Tokyo, with bus routes taking you almost anywhere that you need to go in the city. There are local and highway buses, all running on a series of well mapped out bus lanes that need to be resilient and clearly marked out to be able to cater for the amount of traffic they get on a daily basis.

That’s where Cloburn came in; we were asked to supply the red asphalt for this important public transport system, and we were delighted to be able to help. The planners in charge of the project came to Cloburn for their aggregate because of our reputation for being able to supply long-lasting and durable materials that were absolutely ideal for such a prestigious project.

Our famous red granite enjoys an excellent international reputation after being used for several high profile projects where coloured asphalt has been the material of choice. In addition to the Tokyo bus lanes, it has also been used very successfully on Holland’s famous cycle paths and for walkways in America.

One of the reasons that this aggregate is so popular, apart from the fact that it looks fantastic, is that it can offer a smooth, totally sealed surface which repels water and inclement weather, and also deters weeds. The asphalt lasts for a long time and is a favourite with planners who are looking for an attractive finish that won’t fade – unlike some artificially treated coloured asphalts, our red asphalt is naturally pigmented so the vibrant red shade intensifies rather than fading over time. Also, as some other cities have found to their cost, simply painting an existing concrete surface such as a bus lane in red may be cheaper at first, but most painted concrete surfaces tend to fade in a very short period, meaning that not only does the job have to be done again, but the roads will be held up and road users inconvenienced as the repainting is carried out.

As the Japanese bus lanes are proving already, finding the right material for the job really does pay dividends. The bus lanes look great, and they are set to carry on doing their job while still looking like they’ve only just been laid for many years to come.