In 1955 ICI owned 142 locomotives, 3,330 mainline rail wagons of which 2,600 were used within its works nationally and 260 miles of sidings.

The daily tonnage of products dispatched by rail from the various factories represented 50 train loads.

The steam and diesel-powered locomotives were looked after and given names usually relating to the chemical industry and honouring well-known chemical engineers.

There were the large marshalling yards at Winnington called Oakleigh Sidings. It was only in the early 1950s that the network was increased with a new line from Winnington/Wallerscote Works under Northwich Road Weaverham to Gorstage. This was at the extremity of the ICI private lines in the Northwich area, sidings that were only built in the 1940s. This line terminated at Gorstage sidings and gave access to the West Coast Main Line and the Manchester – Chester line near Hartford.

In the1990s, the Alkali Division closed most of its sidings and sold off the locomotives. The last rail foreman was Tom Walton.

This included the leasing of a small number of diesel locomotives to be used by Brunner Mond shunters on the few shunting operations necessary to handle the three trains per day that brought limestone from the quarry at Buxton and the coal trains. Now the Iron Bridge is disused and awaits possible demolition, and the line through Weaverham has been lifted, and the bridge taking it into the works has been demolished.

By Paul Hurley