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.