Keller : Concrete offer helps out steam railway

An unusual donation from Keller is helping to keep an historic railway on track

Eighty 1.6 tonne concrete blocks that were part of a retaining wall that Keller is replacing in Chapel Hill, Cromford, Derbyshire have been donated to the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway in nearby Wirksworth.

The donation came about after a member of Keller's staff who lives in the area suggested to general manager Matt Large that the railway would be able to recycle the blocks.

'It was a win-win for everybody,' said Matt.

Michael Evans, the railway's managing director, said: We're really grateful to Keller for this kind gesture. The blocks will be very useful to us and over time we can use them for a variety of things to save us money.'

Mr Evans said that the blocks could be used to build a coal store for the railway to allow them to buy coal for their steam engines in bigger quantities or it could be used to reinforce the station's signal box or to combat erosion caused by the River Ecclesbourne.

The railway runs heritage steam, diesel and diesel railcar services between Duffield and Wirksworth, in the Peak District.

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