# Ledston 'Luck' Colliery, Castleford -Oct 09



## mexico75 (Oct 18, 2009)

Ledston Luck pit was sunk in the 1870's and later formed part of the “superpit” of interlinked workings around Selby. Ledston luck miners where the last to return to work after the miners strike, a year to the day after the National Coal Board (NCB) announced plans to shed 20,000 more jobs in the next financial year. This was due to the Mine manager deciding to stamp his authority on his workers, when they arrived for work after the last day of the stike they found he had chained the gates shut saying he'd decide when they could return to work, not them. Their pit would be closed less than two years later. The two winding Houses were built in 1911 and where among the first to use electric winders, at a time most other mines were still using steam. The Winding Houses are on the English Heritage list of scheduled ancient monuments.
The West Winding House "Up Draft" in it's Hayday,





And shortly before demolition of the headgear,




Today,




Winder in use,




Same spot today,



















Original looking switch gear,









East Winding House "Down Draft"




The winder in use,




The control set today,




The warning lamp board that would of been in front of the winch 'driver' to let him know what was happening in the shaft









Compulsory peeling paint shot,




The Bath House Building, this also contained the Lamp room, Canteen, boiler house & pay office. Ironically the Bath house part of the building is now a plumbing factors, the Lamp room is an Electricians supplier and the Canteen is now a truckstop.




Although I could find no trace of it, there was an extensive narrow gauge railway to carry coal from Ledston Luck colliery to Peckfield Colliery where it was processed, this engine was sold when the pit closed, and was later used underground during the constuction of the Channel Tunnel. It is now owned by the The Golden Valley Light railway in Derbyshire.






Solo visit​


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## MD (Oct 18, 2009)

great report mex 
love the old and new shots


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## Reaperman (Oct 18, 2009)

Great post I'd not seen this place before. Crying shame they knocked that headstock down. It looks like there are lots of good surviving bits though.

Iit was never a part of the Sleby complex though which was an entirely new coalfield that only came on stream in the 80's and was made up from Gascoigne Wood, North selby, Whitemoor, Riccall and stillingfleet.


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## mexico75 (Oct 18, 2009)

Ah cheers for clearing that up bud, I got that from a local guy.


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## MaBs (Oct 19, 2009)

Driven past this place many a time! Excellent pictures and report!


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## mexico75 (Oct 19, 2009)

Cheers mate, you should stop next time


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## james.s (Oct 19, 2009)

This is nice, I wouldn't mind a visit here.


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## klempner69 (Oct 19, 2009)

Brilliant report Mexico,and good history to back it up


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