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-   -   Whitehaven Collieries - October 2010 (http://www.nwex.co.uk/showthread.php?t=8316)

detritus21 31-10-2010 11:57

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.

pacef8 31-10-2010 12:41

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

tarboat 31-10-2010 18:50

Great to see colliery remains. Thanks for posting.

n10694 31-10-2010 19:56

That's nice. Someone saved something as well !

superkev 01-11-2010 20:27

Quote:

Perhaps the finest example of a surving fan house housed a 36 foot diamter guibal. It was built in 1836.
some of its original features have recently been "made safe" oh and "prettier"

notice no flowers or ugly white scaffolding style railings here........
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._6830140_n.jpg

detritus21 01-11-2010 20:51

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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