Great Britain Manton Colliery Sidings

[farmer.ned]

an early finish today prompted a visit to the former colliery site at manton and the sidings at manton wood

after parking the car  in manton pit wood park trying to look like an afternoon stroller and not an urban explorer  a circuitous walk through manton pit wood was required to reach my goal and avoid the security cameras in the car park.

after much huffing and puffing uphill through the trees i gained the main path about half wayup the pit tip another path led me around the side and down to the old trackbed when i discovered a flatter way and the tree cover was enough to hide what i was up to.

climbing down the bank with a few choice oaths  i gained  the old trackbed of the former manton colliery. 

opened in 1898 manton was a 3 shaft colliery  fully operational in 1907 in 1947 it was part of south yorkshire area not nottinghamshire 

closing in febuary 1994 manton was the 29th pit to close and the 8th pit in bassetlaw . 

the majority of mantons coal went to the CEGB power station at cottham  but after the privatisation of  of the electricity industry  in 1990 and the dash for gas led to the pits demise.

today the site is now owned by diy giant B&Q  some bits of track still exsist as far as the other side of the retford road bridge 

the bridge itself is now fenced off as a dangerous structure and will possibly be removed at some point for scrap severing forever the former track into manton colliery i dont think that B&Q are really intrested in products being shipped in or out by train as the bridge over retford road would possibly have to be replaced ruling out trains ever running again at this location on cost grounds. 

the sidings at manton wood are still extant but see little use apart from  the monday to saturday 17.35 east midlands trains service from nottingham which stables then runs round here to allow the northern rail sheffield to lincoln and lincoln to sheffield services to pass and use the platforms at worksop.



58029 prepares to leave manton colliery with a coal train to cottham power station the cripple wagon on the left awaits attention



the same scene today looking towards manton colliery sees only bright orange B&Q trailers parked up awaiting loading for another journey



sleepers and ballast litter the former trackbed near manton colliery







two views of the former railway bridge that used  to connect manton colliery to the main line along with its bridge board 

i doubt the safety of trains would be affected seeing as a train hasnt crossed this bridge for 24 years





 a security fence and padlocked gate declare retford road bridge an unsafe structure



the rails end at a mound of ballast behind the camera



the single to double track points still in place





having done the batman routine (above) and ducked around the security fencing a small section being available here is the bridge decking with the track still in place not having seen a train for 24 years



the bridge from the other side batman time again !!!



the bridge from the main line end shows the track still connected



but covered by a mound of ballast



a rusty rail in the undergrowth



beyond the trees a rusty rail in the  grass continues towards the main line



 with another ballast pile just short of the main line



continuing  beyond the ballast the rail has either sank or collapsed at this point



dolly signal wp270 protects the main line from phantom coal trains



A  2 ..2car set passes manton wood signal box heading for sheffield possibly from cleethorpes via gainsborough the colliery access tracks in the foreground of the hut and the rear of the DMU.



now overgrown and unused looking towards retford



apart from the  monday to saturday east midland trains 17.35 from nottingham which stables here then runs round to allow 2 northern services to pass...looking towards worksop



and the occasional network rail train the signal box was where the boxes are now on the bankside the former manton colliery line turns right here the sheffield to lincoln main line is on the left



and finally the network rail access board

 

[hamtagger]

Interesting read that was, cheers for posting  

 

[Dubbed Navigator]

That is a interesting read, one of the first views you showed of the lorry park replacing the colliery is pretty staggering. How a scene can change so dramatically.

I've noticed on a few former lines that although the signal boxes are gone, at least someting remains. I assume thats due to the physical controls still being connected to the track?

Thanks for posting

 

[farmer.ned]

now worked from worksop psb