Report - Firbeck Main Colliery, Costhorpe 09/01/08

[AJW]

Had a look at what remains today,

The colliery was opened in the 20s but suffered from Geological problems, the pit shut in something like 1968 and the headgear was removed in 1974 or there abouts. I saw evidence that the winding house at least was still owned by british coal into the 80s, so perhaps it was used as some kind of storage facility for mines in the area.

It looks to have been developed into an idustrial estate utilising the existing colliery buildings and yard, however there is now only one building ocupied, my guess is the owner has realised its worth for a housing development, not very well preserved and largely spoilt but i thought i'd do some pictures anyway.

colliery office block, has suffered fire damage but when i got there they were erecting some solid permanent fencing around it, so possibly this could be saved? couldn't look inside because the blokes erecting the fence were keeping an eye on precedings, also it looked quite secure with wire mesh over windows and boards over other windows, the slates are all gone, must be of value to the owner in some shape or form.

more to follow

 

[AJW]

Re: Firbeck Main Colliery, Costhorpe REPORT 09/01/08

bath house exterior

steps leading into front of building

inside front part of building was badly fire damaged:

meved round the back couldnt see a way of getting into this bit but you probably can i just forgot about going back to try

we moved round the back and found these, I think they are where the lockers were and the gap in the middle was where the showers were:

this is the north locker room take your pick as to if it was clean or dirty:

this is looking through one of the doorways through the shower area (now gone) and over to the other locker hall

remains of shower area:

bricked op doorway to locker room on south side

view into rooms in middle of bath house and one of a handfull of those enamel pegs

in and around rooms in middle of bath house:

winding house exterior (back)

looking at the front of the winding house:

inside the notherly winder house, had to hold camera throgh a hole as there was no way in:

central hall, totally stripped:

british coal sign which suggests it was still owned by them in the mid 80's as prior to this it was called NCB.

there were a few other small buildings and a big shed that was still in use by a company selling building stuff:

this was still in use:

these were not one was a shell with a wall missing this one:

and this had "Derv store, no smoking" on a hand painted sign outside, couldnt see a way in:

An interesting visit, although more spoilt than would have been nice.