Colliery Visits, Cumbria & Northumberland, August 2014
A trip out in the country with the usual suspects Dave and Sed (Many thanks Dave for doing the research prior to this). We decided to see what was left of some of the north east collieries and their current state. We weren’t expecting much, as only a few outbuildings now remain, but there was still evidence to show what they were previously like and was all in all still a very interesting mooch about.
First up was Blenkinsopp and Wyrtree ,
The mine dates from the middle 1800’s and a relatively small pit employing 80 men before it closed in 2002. First pic from minersadvice.co.uk.
A trip out in the country with the usual suspects Dave and Sed (Many thanks Dave for doing the research prior to this). We decided to see what was left of some of the north east collieries and their current state. We weren’t expecting much, as only a few outbuildings now remain, but there was still evidence to show what they were previously like and was all in all still a very interesting mooch about.
First up was Blenkinsopp and Wyrtree ,
The mine dates from the middle 1800’s and a relatively small pit employing 80 men before it closed in 2002. First pic from minersadvice.co.uk.
and now..
Second, to see what was left of Barhaugh ,
Situated on Barhaugh common, the mine was owned by F.Shepherd until closing at 2004. the site was cleared and drift filled in. On our visit there was very little left to see, but have posted up photos to show its current state for anyone interested in it.
and not an "explore" photo as such, but this was the view that the workers would have seen on emerging from a long shift beneath...
Finally Ayle Colliery,, this site is still active and looks to be currently used as a processing depot.
Ayle mine was located on the edge of Ayle Common NE of Alston. The mine was opened by Stanley Shepherd in 1926, the first drift was over the burn (border between Northumberland and Cumbria) in Northumberland east of the 1990's site. The later Northbank site was developed in 1937 and the original drift became known as the East drift which ceased production in December 1982. The site also had a quarry which was latterly used as a storage area for equipment. The colliery closed around 2000.
cat.