real time web analytics
Report - - Draycott Cross Colliery, Staffordshire, August 2018 | Mines and Quarries | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Draycott Cross Colliery, Staffordshire, August 2018

Hide this ad by donating or subscribing !

BullyMong

Probe
28DL Full Member
So here we go, something different this time

A little history

Construction began in 1898 on Draycott tunnel and it opened in January 1909. During its use the tunnel was prone to collapsing and attempts were made to strengthen the tunnel using steel hoops .
The section of line between the north portal of the tunnel and Cheadle was retained to serve the Colliery. The tunnel finally closed in 1922.
Around 1983 Puddleduck Colliery commenced work from adits just inside the southern portal of the old railway tunnel. A new narrow-gauge line was laid in the tunnel with mine carts hauled by cable.
Draycott Cross Colliery closed in 1991 and the land was sold and the adits sealed. source https://www.theurbanexplorer.co.uk/draycott-cross-colliery-staffordshire/

This one has been on my list a while.

After a previous failed attempt to find the portal we knew where not to look this time and the only way to find out was to get out there and give it a go!

So after getting through some seriously overgrow brambles and what not we came across the portal.

This thing had been sealed up good and proper with noting but concrete and reinforcing bar, all apart from a small gap about 25ft up.

Access was very difficult and those of a larger build would have to think twice.

So in we went into what had previously been the old railway tunnel.

Walking through the first thing we had seen was that all the old utilities and a lot of the old ducting still being down there running along the sides of the tunnel,
surprising that none of this was ever taken when work stopped here.

In parts there was still parts of the old track and pulley systems uses to pull carts along the place.

something we had seen from the very start was many small brick arches along the tunnel walls just big enough for a couple of people to stand inside of, i have no idea what thease were
ever used for as the don't look like they ever went any where, maybe to give miners a place to get out of the way of passing carts, i don't know, anybody know?

carrying on walking we came across several bricked up adits branching off in different directions, some of these looked rough and very unstable, one of them slopeing towards the serfice
with a good breeze blowing through, possible escape shaft?

moving further in we had started to see more mining equipment the prize being a couple of mine carts witch was god to see.

We got to point were the main tunnel was bloced by a rarther larger barrier, we got around this and the rest of the tunnel was filled to the top with sand,
at this point we decided to tern back and head out.

I am planning a definite revisit to explore some of the sketchy looking adits, who knows what is left down there?

Thanks for reading :thumb



DSC_0005.JPG



DSC_0021.JPG



DSC_0043.JPG



DSC_0045.JPG



DSC_0051.JPG



DSC_0060.JPG



DSC_0072.JPG



DSC_0073.JPG



DSC_0084.JPG



DSC_0086.JPG



DSC_0099.JPG



DSC_0097.JPG



DSC_0111.JPG



DSC_0122.JPG



DSC_0124.JPG



DSC_0129.JPG



DSC_0132.JPG



View attachment 774895
 
Last edited:

DaveFM

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
The small arches in the tunnel are a common feature of rail tunnels of all types, whether in mines or tunnels for surface trains, there were countless in the last mine I visited last week (Glencryan). Death by being struck by carts was a not uncommon type of accident in mines, hence the small alcoved shelters in the haulage tunnels.
 

BullyMong

Probe
28DL Full Member
The small arches in the tunnel are a common feature of rail tunnels of all types, whether in mines or tunnels for surface trains, there were countless in the last mine I visited last week (Glencryan). Death by being struck by carts was a not uncommon type of accident in mines, hence the small alcoved shelters in the haulage tunnels.
Thank you, my suspicions were correct:thumb
 

DaveFM

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Thank you, my suspicions were correct:thumb
I suppose it reflects the fact that tunnelling is expensive and a tunnel would only be made as big as it had to be for the carts etc, they wouldn't have wasted money making large tunnels with plenty of space to avoid being struck accidentally, which is where the little arched safe points come in .
 

Brewtal

28DL Regular User
Regular User
That sounds like a total ball ache and great fun at the same time. Nice one for getting in there and sharing your pics!
 

DaveFM

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Is it a pillar and stall type mine or one of the longwall coal mines?
 

Miner123

28DL Member
28DL Member
The small arches in the tunnel are a common feature of rail tunnels of all types, whether in mines or tunnels for surface trains, there were countless in the last mine I visited last week (Glencryan). Death by being struck by carts was a not uncommon type of accident in mines, hence the small alcoved shelters in the haulage tunnels.
Called manholes in coalmines place of refuge when haulage in operation most common use was toilet argh
 

gas man

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
The small arches in the tunnel are a common feature of rail tunnels of all types, whether in mines or tunnels for surface trains, there were countless in the last mine I visited last week (Glencryan). Death by being struck by carts was a not uncommon type of accident in mines, hence the small alcoved shelters in the haulage tunnels.
Often referred too as refuges
 

gas man

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Be careful if you venture into the adits. They are fabulous but the air is not too clever! 4 gas was not happy but I took a canary down and it didn't die!
The time i have been on this forum your avatars remained the same,im now mentally convinced you look like one of the likely lads Dweeb :thumb
 

moopudped

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
RE the alcoves, this mine started of as a railway tunnel hence the alcoves. They would have been redundant during the mining operations.
 

Who has read this thread (Total: 281) View details

Top