Coal Mining

Chinese colliery architecture at its best at Didao, part of the Jixi collieries. The circular building contains a concentrator for dealing with coal slurry which is then often used to make briquettes. It is roofed over because of the extreme cold experienced in north-east China in winter.

The 6 inch OS map surveyed in 1849/50 shows a series of coal pits on the moors north of Edgworth within Blackburn & Darwen. These are marked as comprising Broad-head Colliery and central to these workings are a series of beehive coke ovens to convert the small coal from the workings. By the late 19th century the pits were long abandoned and today can be identified by their collapsed shafts and associated spoil tips. The colliery remains and coke ovens are a scheduled ancient monument but this does not seem to mean that there is much chance of their preservation. What is left of the coke ovens are the fused shell and inner linings standing out of the moor as they slowly decay and disintegrate. A lonely place, which probably accounts for the survival of these few bits.

In Ningxia Autonomous Region, west central China, the Yangchangwan coal mine opened in 2004. The location amongst the desert dunes is remote and wild and is served by a 10km branch of the Daba-Guyaozi Coal Railway. This new line was steam operated until late 2006 and may still see occasional steam haulage.

SY 1092 shunts at the loading bunkers of the Weizigou mine on the Nanpiao coal railway.

The surface buildings for coal preparation and processing rather hide the winding towers at Kellingley when viewed from this angle.

I really wanted to see the ropeway loading and start point at Banovici but it was hidden at the back of the washery, well out of the public gaze. However, fortune favours the brave, and after a series of misadventures I finally found myself watching the tubs of dirt as they began their long journey to the tip with a steep climb of the ridge behind the loading station.

Headgear from near the baths at Caphouse Colliery.

One of a number of posters that I have recorded on my travels across this fascinating country. This example is from the Baiyin mine and smelter complex in Gansu Province, west central China. Whilst a visit to the Xiaotieshan Lead Zinc mine was not permitted for security reasons (I understand that silver and gold are also produced), I was able to record this sign at the start of the mountain road that leads to the mine. It gives some idea of the surface layout. The caption reads 'Baiyin Group Co. welcome you to the mine of Xiaotieshan'.

Driven around 1750 the Goyt's Moss Sough drains the Yard seam under moorland at the head of the Goyt Valley.

The Vreoci area of Serbia has extensive opencast coal workings as well as deep mines. This bucketwheel excavator is removing overburden at one of the opencast mines.

Hemmed in with pallets in the midst of the Rhosddu Industrial Estate is a winding enginehouse of the Wrexham and Acton Colliery. The pit was sunk during the 1860s to a depth of 350 yards. The colliery operated until 1924 when it was closed and the workforce transferred to Gresford Colliery which was in the same ownership. The upcast shaft was situated towards the far end of the first section of blue fence and the range of Lancashire boilers stood where the pallet stack are to the right of the building.

Although the entrance to the Dane Thorn Colliery has collapsed, it proved possible to gain enough access for a photograph into the adit which appears to be partly flooded. The view looking from the entrance of this remote colliery can be seen here . Farey lists this mine as working in 1811. In 1864 it was disused but by 1880 it had reopened and was being worked by worked by W. and H. Hand who also operated the nearby Robinsclough Mine. The later operations may well have used a different entrance and the colliery appears to have closed again by 1900.

The big pit at Fushun is always smoggy but on this occasion it is almost possible to see the bottom of the hole. This is an old coal working with a large number of electric locomotives, some Japanese built in the late 1930s and early 1940s, hauling out the coal. Steam locomotives handle the maintenance trains.

Late afternoon shunting as the coal train is prepared for departure from the Banovici washery.

Colliery buildings in matching colour scheme close to the city of Jixi in Heilongjiang.

Further adventures inside the washery at the Zenica coal mine. Lots of belt driven shakers and riveted tanks. It was noisy but it was well worth the effort to get in there.

1927 built headgear at Senje colliery in Serbia. The steam winding engine is clearly in action.

Bestwood Colliery was closed in 1971 and today the headstocks and sheaves survive with the winding engines and house in the midst of a country park. In the adjacent village the Bestwood Hotel has also succumbed and now stand empty and disused.