Living in Castleford, Yorkshire, you can't really go anywhere without seeing evidence of the once booming coal mining industry in the area.
This old girl, locally known simply as "The Iron Bridge" is just one example. Ive put July 15 on the header simply because that is when i took these photos when in reality i've been going down to it for years from 14 to get pissed. Classy.
A little back ground on the mine;
Wheldale Colliery was located on Wheldon road, Castleford. Sinking operations began in 1868, two shafts, both 13 ft dia. Were sunk to the Beeston seam at a depth of 564 yards. Production started in 1870. One of the main investors was a Dr Holt and for a number of years the colliery was known as the doctors pit.
In 1899 the Wheldale coal company and Fryston coal company amalgamated. In 1919 Wheldale coal company amalgamated with Allerton Bywater collery to form Airedale Collieries LTD.
Initial manpower was around 1000 men and boys and produced around 200000 tonnes of coal a year. On the 22nd Febraury 1923 9 men were killed in an underground explosion.
Wheldale had no coal washing plant. In the 1930's a mineral line was laid from Wheldale to Fryston so that coal that required washing went to Fryston colliery.
In 1947 the Wheldale colliery was nationalised. In 1949 major investment was undertaken. Skips were installed in the downcast shaft. There were 2 skips, each with a capacity of 6 tonnes giving a capacity of 350 tonnes per hour. The Downcast shaft had an electric winder which had two 475 H.P. motors. The upcast shaft was the men and materials shaft, this had 2 single deck cages. Each cage could hold two tubs. The winder had a 180 H.P. motor. The colliery was completely electrified.
The shafts at Wheldale had 6 insets, Warren House seam at 183m, Haigh Moor seam at 258m, Flockton Thick seam at 346m, Middleton Little seam at 400m, Silkstone seam at 436m and Beeston seam at 516m.
When the colliery was modernised in 1949 conveyor belts were installed, gate roads were 30 inch belts, trunk conveyors were 36 inch in width. The flockton seam had two bunkers, pit bottom bunker of 250 tonnes capacity and an inbye bunker of 200 tonnes. Dirt from repairs in the return gates were transported to the pit bottom in tubs. Material supplies and man riding was carried out using diesel locomotives.
Coal was mined using AFC mounted trepanners. There was no coal preparation plant at the colliery. Coal smaller than 1 inch was sent to Glasshoughton Coking plant or to powerstations. Coal above 1 inch was sent to Fryston colliery for treatment. Wheldale produced around 400000 tonnes of coal a year from a manpower of 650 men. The coal was transported by locomotive to Fryston or by barge to Ferrybridge powerstation. When Fryston colliery closed in 1985 a barrel washer was set up to clean coal at Wheldale.
In 1982 Wheldale broke its yearly production record with an output of 500000 tonnes for the year. Wheldale colliery closed in October 1987 after producing coal for 117 years. The colliery site was then cleared after salvage operations were complete. The shafts were never filled. A methane capture plant was built to convert the methane gas from the old workings into electricity. This power station generates 10MW of power and provides electricity for about 8000 homes.
Hickson & Welch Chemical Co. in the background
Thanks for looking
This old girl, locally known simply as "The Iron Bridge" is just one example. Ive put July 15 on the header simply because that is when i took these photos when in reality i've been going down to it for years from 14 to get pissed. Classy.
A little back ground on the mine;
Wheldale Colliery was located on Wheldon road, Castleford. Sinking operations began in 1868, two shafts, both 13 ft dia. Were sunk to the Beeston seam at a depth of 564 yards. Production started in 1870. One of the main investors was a Dr Holt and for a number of years the colliery was known as the doctors pit.
In 1899 the Wheldale coal company and Fryston coal company amalgamated. In 1919 Wheldale coal company amalgamated with Allerton Bywater collery to form Airedale Collieries LTD.
Initial manpower was around 1000 men and boys and produced around 200000 tonnes of coal a year. On the 22nd Febraury 1923 9 men were killed in an underground explosion.
Wheldale had no coal washing plant. In the 1930's a mineral line was laid from Wheldale to Fryston so that coal that required washing went to Fryston colliery.
In 1947 the Wheldale colliery was nationalised. In 1949 major investment was undertaken. Skips were installed in the downcast shaft. There were 2 skips, each with a capacity of 6 tonnes giving a capacity of 350 tonnes per hour. The Downcast shaft had an electric winder which had two 475 H.P. motors. The upcast shaft was the men and materials shaft, this had 2 single deck cages. Each cage could hold two tubs. The winder had a 180 H.P. motor. The colliery was completely electrified.
The shafts at Wheldale had 6 insets, Warren House seam at 183m, Haigh Moor seam at 258m, Flockton Thick seam at 346m, Middleton Little seam at 400m, Silkstone seam at 436m and Beeston seam at 516m.
When the colliery was modernised in 1949 conveyor belts were installed, gate roads were 30 inch belts, trunk conveyors were 36 inch in width. The flockton seam had two bunkers, pit bottom bunker of 250 tonnes capacity and an inbye bunker of 200 tonnes. Dirt from repairs in the return gates were transported to the pit bottom in tubs. Material supplies and man riding was carried out using diesel locomotives.
Coal was mined using AFC mounted trepanners. There was no coal preparation plant at the colliery. Coal smaller than 1 inch was sent to Glasshoughton Coking plant or to powerstations. Coal above 1 inch was sent to Fryston colliery for treatment. Wheldale produced around 400000 tonnes of coal a year from a manpower of 650 men. The coal was transported by locomotive to Fryston or by barge to Ferrybridge powerstation. When Fryston colliery closed in 1985 a barrel washer was set up to clean coal at Wheldale.
In 1982 Wheldale broke its yearly production record with an output of 500000 tonnes for the year. Wheldale colliery closed in October 1987 after producing coal for 117 years. The colliery site was then cleared after salvage operations were complete. The shafts were never filled. A methane capture plant was built to convert the methane gas from the old workings into electricity. This power station generates 10MW of power and provides electricity for about 8000 homes.
Hickson & Welch Chemical Co. in the background
Thanks for looking
