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Project
Furness Brick & Tile – Quarry Management
Duration
Ongoing
Sector
Quarrying & Earthworks
Client
Furness Brick & Tile (est. 1845)
Service
Quarry Management & Shale Extraction
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Project Statistics

Scope of work

Complete quarry management & maintenance
Safety supervision & risk management
Overburden removal prior to shale movement
Shale extraction & haulage (pay material)
Environmental compliance & water management
Haul road design & ongoing maintenance
Operational monitoring & continuous improvement

Heritage Since 1845

Historic brick manufacturer

Principal Contractor

End-to-end quarry management

Modern Plant Fleet

50t/15t excavators, ADTs, dozers

Safety & Environment

Daily briefings & controls

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Setting the Scene: South Cumbria Shale Quarry

Duerden Earthworks Ltd were appointed as principal contractors to manage quarry operations for Furness Brick & Tile — one of the UK’s oldest brickmakers. Our remit covered safe, efficient shale extraction and full site management to support consistent brick production.

Working within an active quarry environment, we integrated planning, safety, extraction and environmental controls into a single, well-sequenced programme that protects people, the land and output quality.

Our Plan

Front-load planning, safety and environmental controls: mobilise plant and welfare, brief teams with toolbox talks, complete plant inspections and set clear traffic routes with signage and banksmen.

Engineer haul roads and drainage up front: design gradients, turning radii and passing points; implement a dewatering strategy and dust suppression to keep the quarry safe, compliant and productive.

Delivery

Excavation & Loading: Strategic positioning of 50-tonne and 15-tonne excavators for maximum bucket fill and cycle efficiency.

Haulage & Tipping: Articulated dump truck coordination, defined circuits and controlled stockpile layering for consistent pay material.

Water Management: Dewatering pumps, cut-off drains and sump control to maintain dry, safe benches and haul routes.

Quality & Compliance: Routine inspections, bench stability checks and method-led working to quarry regs and client standards.

Roads & Housekeeping: Dozer/graders maintaining camber and traction; bowser dust suppression and road sweepers protecting public access.

“Safe, efficient extraction that respects the land and the craft — that’s our benchmark every day.”

James Duerden

Owner, Duerden Group Ltd

“Furness Brick & Tile’s heritage matters. Our role is to manage the quarry so production keeps flowing — clean handovers, tidy work, and controls that stand up to scrutiny.”

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Problems & Solutions

Variable ground & changing faces
Solution: Flexible bench design, staged overburden removal, dozer trimming and continuous face inspection to maintain stability and access.

Water ingress after rainfall
Solution: Sumps and staged dewatering, perimeter drains and proactive pumping schedule to keep working areas dry and safe.

Traffic safety in confined routes
Solution: One-way circuits, banksmen at conflict points, UHF radio protocols and clear segregation of plant, stockpiles and pedestrians.

Environmental controls (dust/mud)
Solution: Bowser dust suppression, on-site sweepers, wheel-wash procedures and monitored run-off to protect public highways and waterways.

Project Outcome

Through methodical planning, disciplined operations and continuous monitoring, Duerden Earthworks delivered safe, efficient shale extraction to support Furness Brick & Tile’s production programme.

The site remains compliant, tidy and operationally resilient — with engineered haul routes, controlled water management and predictable stock quality that underpins a heritage craft dating back over 175 years.