(ii)Locharbriggs Sandstone Quarrying of red sandstone flourishes today in workings operated by Baird and Stevenson Ltd on the outskirts of Locharbriggs (Figures 2 and 3, Appendix 2). This is a good illustration of small scale sandstone quanying which can satisfactorily coexist in proximity of habitation. Situated in the Dumfries basin the Locharbriggs Sandstone Formation has been worked for hundreds of years. It is estimated that the formation is at least 700m thick and geophysical evidence suggests it may attain a thickness of up to Ikm in total. The sandstone shows aeolian dune-bedding arranged
as wedge-shaped and planar tabular foresets, between 0.5 and 2.0m thick, dipping between 10" and 30' south-west. The rock is medium to fine-grained red quartz arenite, very well sorted, and consists of sub to well-rounded quartz grains, coated with iron oxide and weakly cemented by silica. Some feldspar is also present. Footprints of reptiles have been found preserved on bedding planes. Baird and Stevenson Ltd were the operators at Locharbriggs in 1937 when the photographs were taken. The illustrations demonstrate the efficient use of traditional quarrying techniques which have changed little over the years.
Locharbriggs Quarry, Dumfries (C3596), 1937 This photograph shows a general view of the working face. The sandstone was worked 'against the dip'. Situated at the top of the quarry a regiment of modem electric-powered cranes with steel lattice jibs capable of lifting up to 150 cu. feet of stone. Blocks 12' X 6'0n their natural bed could be lifted to the top of the quarry ready for cutting and dressing. Reproduced by permission of the Director, British Geological Survey. Q NERC. All rights reserved.
Locharbriggs Quarry, Dumfries (C3598), 1937 In the foreground a block of stone is ready to be raised to the surface. An LMS wagon can just be discerned in the background, a reminder that stone was transported by railway directly from the quarry. Reproduced by permission of the Director, British Geological Survey. Q NERC. All rights reserved.