Astley Green Colliery & No.1 Headstock - February 2010.

[crippletron 3000]

Visited here back in February with Stepping Lightly, forgot about it until now.


Was a memorable explore as we approached the area, and as the fog cleared the Headstock appeared amongst the clear sky and full moon.

On the way in I managed to pop my ribs as I wrestled with the friendly pallisade fencing.... FFS


Situated 8 miles West of Manchester, Astley Green Colliery has the only surviving headgear and engine house on what was the Lancashire coalfield.



The colliery exploited deep coal seams of the Manchester Coalfield underneath the peat bog Chat Moss, and was driven by the high demand for coal in the late 19th and early 20th century and the exhaustion of supplies of coal in the Irwell valley.

Shaft sinking began in 1908 by the Pilkington Colliery Company and the pit began production in 1912. In 1928 the colliery was amalgamated with other local collieries to form Manchester Colleries.

The mine was modernisated when the coal industry was nationalised in 1947. Astley Green Colliery was closed in 1970 and was subsequently opened to the public as a museum.



Today the only remainder is the original No.1 Headstock, Engine House & Winding House.

The headgear is made from wrought iron lattice girders with rivetted plates at the joints. It has two large and one small wheel mounted at the top. It is nearly 30 metres (98 ft) high and was built by Head Wrightson of Stockton-on-Tees and completed by 1912. (It is the only colliery headgear remaining in Lancashire).

In the winding house there is a twin tandem compound steam engine made by Yates and Thom of Blackburn who supplied 16 Lancashire boilers.

It's engine house has the largest steam winding engine used on the coafield. The 3,300 horse power twin tandem compound engine was built by Yates & Thom in Blackburn.


This trip provided comedy moments as usual, aside from popping my ribs, and struggling to get in, as we made our way to the base of the headstock we noticed the site was full of caravans & tents.

"Oh shit gypsies". Miraculously we made it onto the Headstock un-detected, S.L soon shot off too the top and vanished into the mist as I took my time due to my ribs hurting like fook. I couldn't carry my rucksack, so relied on S.L to take a few short exposure photos on his compact camera.

As we climbed back down, a couple of pikey's had spotted us, we carried on not sure what to expect, as it turned out they fucked off back into the caravans and we wandered off into the nite to explore some tunnels nearby.


On your Headstocks - Pics By Stepping Lightly











Thanks for looking

[Nicola]

Those night shot are gorgeous!

[crippletron 3000]

I didnt manage to get my DSLR up, due to breaking my ribs on the way in. It was a minor miracle I climbed it.

My mate had to struggle with real short exposures on his compact camera & no tripod, I will re-visit once I can walk/climb for some better pics.

[minxy*]

Amazing pics