Whitehaven Collieries - October 2010
Whitehaven on the Coast of Cumbria was once extansively mined with a history spanning from the 1500's up to the final closure at Haig Colliery in 1985 due to an extensive fault and a certain iron lady. The only pits, in cumbria, to outlive those on the coast were those located high on moorland between cumbria and county durham.
Coal was mined from 7 main seams to a depth of approximately 1000 feet with a total workable coal of just over 30 feet Whitehaven have made a good job of showing the area had a history of coal mining unlike certain areas of the North West (Wigan). Haig Colliery openned in 1914 and was the last to open and last to close. It was sunk to a depth of 200 fathoms at a diameter of 21 feet. http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...ritus21/h5.jpg http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...ritus21/h2.jpg http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...ritus21/h3.jpg Winding engine. Still works apparently I didn't get to see though. King Pit http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...ritus21/k1.jpg http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...ritus21/k2.jpg Inclined Plane The Howgill inclined plane carried coal down to the harbour at Whitehaven dipping 115feet in 230 yards http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...ritus21/i1.jpg Wellington Pit This is the site of one of the worst colliery disaters claiming 136 Lives. Sunk in 1838 and closed in 1932. All the whitehaven collieries were know for fire damp which inevitably lead to the death of many miners in the district. http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...ritus21/w1.jpg Wellington Pit Ventilation shaft http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...ritus21/w3.jpg Memorial Duke Pit Fan House Perhaps the finest example of a surving fan house housed a 36 foot diamter guibal. It was built in 1836. http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...ritus21/d1.jpg http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...ritus21/d2.jpg Further along the coast was saltham pit which I didn't get chance to see. This is just a small selection of the photos I took well worth a visit if you happen to be in Whitehaven. |
Nice one, i came through there last month on my bike and met an old guy who explained some of the old workings and tram ways. There is in the cumbrian archives quite a few pictures and black and white films showing some of the sites.
If i can find the link i will post it up. pace http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=57954 found it |
Great to see colliery remains. Thanks for posting.
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That's nice. Someone saved something as well !
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notice no flowers or ugly white scaffolding style railings here........ http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._6830140_n.jpg |
You mean I wasn't supposed to climb over the white railings to get a better look. Can't believe they have put a flower bed over the original stone flags.
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