[Reddood]

Cutacre Opencast workings, Little hulton Manchester

Put in the deeper section, as they wern't aware we were from an "urbex site", so in the hope of not putting future visits at risk, it's in this section

Visited with Buddah, Blino, Carabiner and 2 others who I think are none members..

this was a permision visit organised by Buddah and Blino, big thanks for the invite!

Cutacre is an opencast working for the mining of coal and is opperated by UK Coal, The total amount of coal approved for extraction through washing and open cast mining is 1,750,000 tonnes from this site. Approval for extraction was granted in 2002, but due to the low price of coal the scheme was put on hold.

fast forward to 2008 and how things had changed, coal again was starting to command a high price due to falling confidence in other fuels. Throughout 2009 the old workings of Wharton Hall Colliery were exposed as the opencast progressed across the site.

The site is now reaching the the amount approved for extraction and future plans for the site are a bit up in the air. The current plans are for an industral area and a greenbelt area, but there are verious campaigns against the plans and final details are yet to be aproved.

I really wasn't feeling this trip this morning after yesterdays visit to wales, but i had been thretening to do an explore with Buddah and Blino for ages, but we never seamed to be available at the same time, so decided i would show my face to introduce my self.

we met up at a nearby carpark and got dressed for the occasion, obvious conditions had been placed on our entry, the useual hard hat, boots and high vis's, so donning our uniforms, we walked over to the securty lodge where we had been told to go, still not been sure if the permision was real, or an office worker taking the piss, we proceded to see what they would say.

we were told everything was OK, and someone would be over to meet us, and show us the way down shortly. a few mins later and a landrover turned up, we were told to get in, and he would drive us down.

we we're given some basic instructions which were "stay away from the edges" and "dont dick about", we got out of the landy, and he did one leaving us to our own devices.

at this point i spent about an hour and half just mooching, the thing that struck me the most was the depth of the workings, and the distinct lack of coal, it must be mined, prossesed and shipped out very quickly The place is huge and to see it in the daylight is very impressive.

after my hour and a half i had to go as I had placers to be, but the walk back to the car took me an age. Hopefully as the others spent more time here than me, they will have some better pictures.

obviously the over head pictures arnt mine, they were found on google.

[buddah]

Nice quality report reddood, to be honest there's not much i can add to that other than the current contract for the site was meant to be up at the end of the month. But an extension has been accepted for another 12 months as there is thought to be another 330,000 tons left. i also agree it does strike you the amount of soil and rock that has to be removed to get at what seems very small coal seams.

oh what a fantastic day out! ive got a few blisters and a couple of cuts, sign of a good graft. Yeah ive got to also say a big thanks to the guy who showed us round the site. Got drove down to the main workings in the 4x4 and the got driven round the site for some photos (although i didn't get any i was to busty going wow! look at this). Also was allowed to sit in the large diggers and dump trucks quality!

Really good to meet up with carabeener and finally reddood had a good laugh. I il say again for any one looking over this forum this was a pre arranged visit do not just turn up at this site.
This is the only photo i have to show for the day.

[Earth Worm Jim]

Little gutted I couldn't make it. Good work guys.

[Twitch]

Great pics!

Originally Posted by Earth Worm Jim

Little gutted I couldn't make it.

Me too, but I'm glad carabeener went instead. With strict instructions to look after the new camera!

[the copy cat]

Its a good mooch this been a couple o times always good to see pics of the place,did you see any more exposed old workings at all? There is a good chance that the overhead shots are nwex member coalboards.

[Reddood]

maybe.. i tried google maps, but it doesn't show the place on the maps, but it does show the entrance on the street view, so i just googled the name and the came up.

i didn't see any open old workings, but i didn't really know where i should be looking for them, so i could well of just missed them.

[carabeener]

Yes, thanks for taking me along to this, was a great day and the guy showing us around was very friendly and informative.

Quote of the day "You found owt yet Blino?"

"I've found I don't like fossil hunting" Lol

Here are a few of mine.

[buddah]

Originally Posted by carabeener

Yes, thanks for taking me along to this, was a great day and the guy showing us around was very friendly and informative.

Quote of the day "You found owt yet Blino?"

"I've found I don't like fossil hunting" Lol

that was baz (non nwex member) saying to blino that he didnt like fossil hunting haha.

no there was no more old workings. The guy who showed us round after said that they was on the old part of the site "site f" which has now all bin filled in, and is going to be created into a lake.

haha yeah twitch he told me he was under the strictest of orders to guard the camera with his life

[andym]

Nice, those massive diggers are made of win! I saw your post about going, but it was too short notice unfortunately so I didn't respond, wouldn't mind a mooch looks like a cool place.

[sneak]

Fuckin ace report. Proper good set of photos there from all. Brings a tear to my eye.

Well done everyone. Im guna go here weekend I reckon, anyone fancy a mooch give us a shout. will be me and the mrs.