[Edus1]

Springfield No2 is the last working fireclay mine in the Shibden valley after Springfield No1 closed in 1992.
The mines were opened in 1970 by Parkinson Spencer Refractories Ltd who has a factory in Halifax - http://www.parkinson-spencer.co.uk/ they still own and operate the mine.
The mine is set to close in 2012 when the current planning permission expires.
The mine was very rare in using skid plates for turning the tubs in and out of the mine.
The Original Springfield mine made use of a long tipping gallery with twin chutes into awaiting wagons.
In 1991 the No1 mine was closed and all plate way was lifted and transferred to the No2 mine where it is still in use today.
The Tipping gallery is also now gone and the fire clay is now tipped straight into 3 waiting skips and then transferred to the works in Halifax.

Visited with Morrisey, Carabener, R1, Copy Cat + Manx

I didnt get any surface pics but hopefully one of the others did

Only got a few pics as the level was so damn low and awkward lol

Timbered Level


New Working Heading


Old Timbered Level

[Morrisey]

Superb photos Edd. If there was a mine where seven dwarfs worked then this was it, not good conditions to work in. I find it hard to believe that this place is still operating or making a profit.

[droylsden_kid]

Looks interesting, wish I could visit somewhere underground like this. What are the mine trams like?

[Edus1]

They are very small flat wheel tubs designed to run on the skid plates.

The whole place is no more than 3ft high and it a back killer but very interesting and likely to be rather extensive

[boboil]

Nicely captured Ed, that is one grotty place to work, they must be mad

[Romanian1]

I got some adit pics, i'll bang em up shortly.

It was absolutely tiny down there, we were all bent double apart from Manx who could walk upright with headroom.

[Gibbo]

Love the first and last pics, beautifully lit as always!

[tristanjay]

You do hear of these small family owned mines that still get mined, not very often but nice to see them still going and still using wooden props, top find gents

[Edus1]

Cheers guys

Yeah i dont know how manx managed it he was strolling up the adit with no problems

[Morrisey]

Originally Posted by Romanian1

I got some adit pics, i'll bang em up shortly.

It was absolutely tiny down there, we were all bent double apart from Manx who could walk upright with headroom.

Isn't that "bullying?"