Turning pillars

Cornfield Colliery was operated by The Exors of John Hargreaves but closed in February 1897 after a dispute over mining rights under Gawthorpe Hall although it was retained for pumping in connection with Habergham Colliery. The shaft collapsed, taking the pumping equipment with it, in March 1933. The pit was connected by a chain ginney to a landsale wharf in Padiham. This line continued to run after the closure of Cornfield Pit as it had by that time been connected by an extension to Habergham Colliery which finally closed in 1941 due to labour shortages.

Turning the direction of tubs on a chain hauled line was quite a complicated business involving the detaching of the tubs from the haulage chain before the change of direction and their reattachment afterwards. The operation was supposed to be automatic but there are many tales of problems which often necessitated a man being placed at the turn to supervise the operation. This image shows the remains of the turning block close to Grove Lane to the east of Padiham. The substantial construction reflects the heavy loads and hard use to which it was put.