Minworth sewage works had an extensive 2' gauge railway, originally using horse and steam locomotive power. It served areas where part processed sewage was laid out in lagoons until the water evaporated, after which the "mud" was taken to large tips for further weathering. These pictures were taken by Kevin Payne during an NGRS visit in 1983. Here a Motor Rail locomotive is seen outside the depot in the middle of the lagoon area.

Staff laying track panels into a dried out lagoon ready to load the "mud".

The "Mud" is being loaded into a train of skips using an excavator.

Unloading skips at the tip. This was a near continuous process as a relay of trains shuttled to-and-fro.

Another section of the railway served an incinerator, which burnt non-biodegradable solids to a fine, gritty ash that was sold as an aggregate. At the incinerator a Motor Rail heads a short train of skips full of ash.

Overhaul of locomotives was carried out at the road vehicle workshop some distance from the line. Here two Motor Rails await attention.

A train on the way to the tip crosses the main road.

12 years later at the Water Orton Road crossing and the rails are still embedded in the road.

It had been approx 5 years since the railway closed down and most trackwork was still present, disappearting into the undergrowth, with many of the rusting skips and some locos still present.

Inside the loco shed, 3 Simplex locos were still stored. From Left to Right; 40SD516, 40SD515, and 40SD502.

This railway equipment had been retained on site because of a possble initiative to create a demonstration line at the works, but sadly this did not materialise.