# Wardley Colliery, Dec 2015



## The Doc (Dec 27, 2015)

I came across this site on an old OS map when tracing the route of the mothballed Leamside railway line.

Wardley is now largely a residential area of Gateshead but was once home to a cluster of collieries which employed thousands in the area. It was officially opened in 1855 but boring operations had commenced at the beginning of the century nearby. It wasn’t until 1871 that the working became productive when the Maudlin and Hutton seams were wrought. 

The original Wardley Colliery closed in 1911 and was replaced by Follingsby Colliery. Following almost half a century of dereliction and inactivity, Wardley Colliery resumed activity in 1959, merging with Follingsby Colliery. 

The historical records suggest that there was an extensive network of tunnels leading perhaps as far as Usworth in Washington. Certainly the workers at Wardley had to travel two miles underground to the coal face in the 1960s, but I’ve not been able to find any plans of the tunnels. 

Wardley operated under the auspices of the National Coal Board until August 1974 when it was closed permanently. 

Below is what remains today.


----------



## smiler (Dec 27, 2015)

Nice One Doc, it looks worth a nose, I liked it, Thanks


----------



## HughieD (Dec 27, 2015)

Liked that one Doc.


----------



## Rubex (Dec 27, 2015)

Nice one great photos


----------



## krela (Dec 27, 2015)

Nicely done. Welcome to the forum Doc.


----------



## Sam Haltin (Dec 28, 2015)

Nicely done and good photos.


----------



## The Doc (Dec 28, 2015)

Cheers gents and thanks for the warm welcome. 

Will get some more reports up later today.


----------



## flyboys90 (Dec 28, 2015)

I'm surprised that much remains,usually the N C B cleared up after a closure.Still a great report.


----------



## Dirus_Strictus (Dec 28, 2015)

flyboys90 said:


> I'm surprised that much remains,usually the N C B cleared up after a closure.Still a great report.



In the late 70's they certainly cleared up the tips and spoil heaps and removed the headgear and winding house. Baths, mess rooms and office buildings were left and offered to local councils etc and housing was turned over to councils/county councils. The reclaimed land around the tips was sold off for housing when ever possible - when my wife and I got married in 1979 we purchased a house on a small estate that was being built on the landscaped tips of Upton Colliery South Yorks. The pit buildings which were across the road had been purchased by various local firms and employed many of the ex-mining families.


----------

