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Harworth Colliery is a mothballed coal mine in the Bassetlaw area of north Nottinghamshire. It has recently been abandoned due to troubles at the seam.
History
Work began on sinking the shaft in 1913, when the Northern Union Mining Company was set up. This was with an investment in German equipment and men, but with the start of the First World War (1914-1918) the German workers were interned and the company's assets were impounded by the Government, and so construction was halted.
Later in 1917 the pit was bought by Messrs. Barber, Walker & Co. for �80,100, becoming full owners in 1921 after the war repayments scheme. The sinking of the shafts was started with preliminary works in 1919, but the first real sinking started in 1921. Water problems were encountered but this was overcome with the solidification of the ground with liquid cement grout. On 29 October 1923 the shaft sinkers eventually reached the Barnsley coal seam at 848 metres (2,782 ft) although there were problems with underground faults. The second shaft also reached the Barnsley seam on 15 November 1923.
In 1924 the colliery was connected with a 4.2 km railway line to connect with the LNER-owned East coast main line. The ECML became very congested and a connection the South Yorkshire Joint Railway was considered, also linking the new Firbeck Colliery (sinking started in 1923) near Carlton in Lindrick. A triangle junction would lead to another triangle junction near Styrrup with lines going to Harworth and another going through Oldcotes and Langold to reach Firbeck. The forecast for Harworth was 5000 tons per day; this would have meant more congestion, so the opportunity was taken by the new owners on the SYJR (LNER and the LMS) to build the line to connect both collieries. This was completed in 1928.
There were also several Coke ovens at Harworth, and like Maltby Main Colliery it was decided to modernise the pit in the 1950s. Rebuilding with the concrete headgears began in the late 1950s.
These structures were replaced with the current headgears in 1989 (No 1 Shaft) and 1996 (No2 Shaft). Shortly after the No1 Headgears were built the new surface main mine fan was also commissioned to efficiently ventilate the workings.
In more recent history, Harworth reached the one-million-tonnes-in-a-year figure in 1993.
The pit's closure was considered in November 2002 when owners UK Coal warned the 400 workers the pit was in trouble unless yearly losses of �8 million could be reversed. Three years later, to save the pit, the only possible solution for the 450 workers was to invest �50 million to access a new seam. If that was to happen the pit would have up to 25 more years worth of coal.
The pit is now known to be never opening again and the latest news is that the Towers are soon to be demolished.
THE VISIT.
Having lived local to the place all my life I just Had to get up the 85M high tower again ( having done so previously on a visit when they first opened )
The site is pretty well protected by a surrounding fence and infared cameras all over the site. I figured that last nights poor weather (the secca there dont like rain) and activity else where on the site where houses are being built was my chance, so a quick entry and head straight for the towers happened, there are no cameras that I saw and just a nesting pair of peregrine falcons for company. It was dark and dusty and im not the best photographer in those conditions so I apologise for some poor quality pics
History
Work began on sinking the shaft in 1913, when the Northern Union Mining Company was set up. This was with an investment in German equipment and men, but with the start of the First World War (1914-1918) the German workers were interned and the company's assets were impounded by the Government, and so construction was halted.
Later in 1917 the pit was bought by Messrs. Barber, Walker & Co. for �80,100, becoming full owners in 1921 after the war repayments scheme. The sinking of the shafts was started with preliminary works in 1919, but the first real sinking started in 1921. Water problems were encountered but this was overcome with the solidification of the ground with liquid cement grout. On 29 October 1923 the shaft sinkers eventually reached the Barnsley coal seam at 848 metres (2,782 ft) although there were problems with underground faults. The second shaft also reached the Barnsley seam on 15 November 1923.
In 1924 the colliery was connected with a 4.2 km railway line to connect with the LNER-owned East coast main line. The ECML became very congested and a connection the South Yorkshire Joint Railway was considered, also linking the new Firbeck Colliery (sinking started in 1923) near Carlton in Lindrick. A triangle junction would lead to another triangle junction near Styrrup with lines going to Harworth and another going through Oldcotes and Langold to reach Firbeck. The forecast for Harworth was 5000 tons per day; this would have meant more congestion, so the opportunity was taken by the new owners on the SYJR (LNER and the LMS) to build the line to connect both collieries. This was completed in 1928.
There were also several Coke ovens at Harworth, and like Maltby Main Colliery it was decided to modernise the pit in the 1950s. Rebuilding with the concrete headgears began in the late 1950s.
These structures were replaced with the current headgears in 1989 (No 1 Shaft) and 1996 (No2 Shaft). Shortly after the No1 Headgears were built the new surface main mine fan was also commissioned to efficiently ventilate the workings.
In more recent history, Harworth reached the one-million-tonnes-in-a-year figure in 1993.
The pit's closure was considered in November 2002 when owners UK Coal warned the 400 workers the pit was in trouble unless yearly losses of �8 million could be reversed. Three years later, to save the pit, the only possible solution for the 450 workers was to invest �50 million to access a new seam. If that was to happen the pit would have up to 25 more years worth of coal.
The pit is now known to be never opening again and the latest news is that the Towers are soon to be demolished.
THE VISIT.
Having lived local to the place all my life I just Had to get up the 85M high tower again ( having done so previously on a visit when they first opened )
The site is pretty well protected by a surrounding fence and infared cameras all over the site. I figured that last nights poor weather (the secca there dont like rain) and activity else where on the site where houses are being built was my chance, so a quick entry and head straight for the towers happened, there are no cameras that I saw and just a nesting pair of peregrine falcons for company. It was dark and dusty and im not the best photographer in those conditions so I apologise for some poor quality pics
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