OLD DEVONPORT . UK
Plus parts of East Cornwall and West Devon
www.olddevonport.uk
 

CALLINGTON BRANCH  |  BRANCH LINE, BERE ALSTON STATION TO CALLINGTON STATION

GREENHILL ARSENIC AND  BRICK WORKS SIDING

The Cornwall Chemical Company owned both the Greenhill Fire Brick and Clay Company and the Greenhill Arsenic Works, which were separated by the road from Drakewalls to Chilsworthy.  A tramway linking the two Works crossed the road, the girders of which are said to have remained in place until 2006.  The Works were opened in 1876 using Batchelor kilns,which were later replaced with eight beehive kilns.  The clay pit was to the north-west of the site, unconnected to the railway but adjacent to the roadway.  On the western side of a pond was a long, thin building, at the southern end of which was a chimney.  Its purpose is not known.

The Siding in to the Works came off the mainline just before the Clitters Siding.  There was an Up loop at this point and the Greenhill Siding came off the main line on the Down side of the loop, accessed by trailing points so that only Down freight trains could back in to the Siding.

Several changes of ownership took place, which also changed the name of the Siding.  First it became the West of England Siding, when the West of England Fire Clay and Bitumen and Chemical Company Limited took over.  Mr William Jones was their manager.  In 1894 the Works were owned by Mr Moses Bawden but there seems to have been no change in the name on that occasion.  Finally, Messrs Hill, Westlake and Company Limited took over and between 1907 and 1919 erected Chilsworthy Works on the far side of the clay pit.  It is thought that this Works may not have become operational as it had three rectangular kilns and a Scrivener beehive kiln but as they were apparently not connected to a flue it is likely they were never used.  In  contradiction of that statement, a separate siding was apparently provided for the Chilsworthy Works, known as the Hill, Westlake Brick and Tile Works Siding.

The Greenhill Arsenic and Brick Works Siding was not mentioned in the Railway Clearing House "Hand Book of Railway Stations, etc." for 1929 but the Hill, Westlake Brick and Tile Works Siding was recorded.

Thus, the report that the Greenhill Arsenic and Brick Works Siding was taken out of use on April 4th 1948 is confusing and unconfirmed.