# Clipstone Colliery - December 2012



## shatners (Dec 2, 2012)

Hi all...

My second post and my favourite explore to date... Clipstone Colliery.

I really wanted to see it before it gets demolished now that permission has been granted so after a recce last week I found myself wondering through a wildlife park at 5am in complete darkness by myself. Its a twenty minute walk but worth it as it brings you out behind the site and out of view. After another thirty minutes circling the fence I gave up looking for a simple way in and went the noisy overt route and ripped the arse out of my jeans!

Then it was just a matter of hanging around inside for two hours until dawn finally broke. I can tell you on your own in that place, in the pitch black every noise is amplified a thousand times and it was not long before my imagination was turning every bird flapping its wings into poltergeist ghosts of miners coming to get
me.... never been so pleased to see the sun haha!

Sorry if the pictures are a bit noisy... the light was really bad inside so I was shooting on ISO 3200! Then just as the sun started to rise I was disturbed by two very dodgy looking noisy blokes with tool boxes so I made a sharp exit... still got a few decent shots and had the place to myself for four hours and really enjoyed myself exploring... big machinery is very much my thing and I can't wait to go back again very soon.

History:

Clipstone Colliery is a coal mine situated near the village of the same name on the edge of an area of Nottinghamshire known as “The Dukeries” because of the number of stately homes in the area. The colliery was owned by the Bolsover Colliery Company and passed to the National Coal Board in 1947.

The colliery was sunk to exploit the Barnsley seam or “Tophard”, as it known locally. In the 1950s the shafts were deepened to over 1000 yards (920 m) to exploit other seams.

The colliery was closed by British Coal, as the National Coal Board had become, in 1993 and reopened by RJB Mining (now UK Coal) in April 1994, the licence to dig for coal being limited to the Yard seam which is located at a depth of 957 yards (870 m). The colliery was finally closed in April 2003.

The headstocks of the colliery are regarded as the tallest in Europe and the third tallest in the world. They are Grade 2 Listed structures and can be seen all over the district. They are expensive to keep in good repair and there have been a number of appeals, as yet to no avail, to demolish them. But however the clipstone headstocks are nearly demolished now and no one knows what will happen in the future.

*The Explore:*

It was pitch black when I arrived so once inside the compound I had to wait around for two hours until dawn broke 





Finaly daylight arrived banishing the ghosts of dead miners I my imagination had kindly cunjoured up!











My first look was around No.1 winder































Then a mooch around number two:






























Followed by a genral wander around all the buildings and into the power room behind






































A finaly a little hardcore NCB man on man action... mmmmmm






At this point I was disturbed by two blokes who looked like they were ont he hunt for metal... hardly covert having lobbed ametal tool tin over the fence.... so I scarpered out the building and made my escape... just as the decent light had arrived... ARGHH! 


Just time for one last look at the headstock and a fleeting shot as I ran accross the field 











Thanks for looking... I'd appreciate any feedback.

Shatners/Mat


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## krela (Dec 2, 2012)

Stunning photos, thank you.


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## UEP-Wales (Dec 2, 2012)

Outstanding report and your photos are out of this world! 

Cheers for sharing them


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## ZerO81 (Dec 2, 2012)

Nothing wrong with those photos mate, to say you were alone, rushed and the best part of turfed-off site by 2 metal-wombles, you have come out with a cracking set of shots.


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## flyboys90 (Dec 2, 2012)

It was worth the wait for these photos,ace report.


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## shatners (Dec 2, 2012)

Thanks very much chaps, appreciate the feedback. 

Really love the site... sad to think it will just be just another pile of rubble and gone forever in the not too distant future :-(


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## Wallsey (Dec 2, 2012)

Thanks. A special kind of man went down the pits. My father in law just died from "Miners Lung" after 37 years down the pits of South Yorkshire.Never complained once.


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## skankypants (Dec 2, 2012)

Nice one Pal,,,,been there twice myself,last time was at the beginning of November...there is a resident owl in the other building...great shots!


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## kevsy21 (Dec 2, 2012)

Good work you have done well with your pics.


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## Bones out (Dec 2, 2012)

My best sort of temperature colours, first light

Done really well there fella.


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## Scaramanger (Dec 3, 2012)

Quality pics... But nasty looking fence


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## UrbanX (Dec 3, 2012)

I know I'll never get over to see this so am truly grateful for your pics.
Proper industrial porn, and some lovely shots, so cheers for sharing!


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## silver surfer (Dec 3, 2012)

great exsplore ,well worth the wait ,and cracking pictures


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## hobbit874 (Dec 3, 2012)

Used to deliver to this place along with loads of others around notts/yorkshire etc, looks a bit worse for ware now though


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## TeeJF (Dec 4, 2012)

Some superb photos but can we have some more "views" next time please instead of all close ups.


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## shatners (Dec 7, 2012)

Thanks very much for all the feedback, really appreciate it... sunrise is definately a nice time to be out, just takes a lot of motivation on these cold winter mornings lol.

TeeJF... fair comment sir, I took the wide angle on my latest wander


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## ImmortalShadow (Dec 9, 2012)

Some great photos there, I love the colours!


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## Judderman62 (Dec 9, 2012)

very nice.

I take it the electric fence hasn't gone up yet then


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## MD (Dec 10, 2012)

awesome stuff access still round the back? through the fence


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## Stussy (Dec 10, 2012)

Great report and fantastic shots!


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## urban phantom (Dec 10, 2012)

great report thanks for sharing


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## Andy Wipes (Dec 24, 2012)

Wow; brilliant pictures!


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## danXX20 (Dec 24, 2012)

I enjoyed your photos and the POV they were taken from. first class effort and report. thanks for sharing


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## Connor_bristow (Dec 26, 2012)

Great pics, love the one through the window and the last two


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## MrDan (Dec 26, 2012)

The last 2 are great, really impressed by your reports so far Shatners, I hope there's more to come from you!


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## shatners (Dec 27, 2012)

Thank you everyone.. read in the news that plans for demolition are being ramped up so may not be here much longer... crying shame!


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## prettyvacant71 (Jan 2, 2013)

Beautiful shots!!! I know how harsh the early morning light is in the huge winder rooms, my shots were full of hazy glare, no sign on yours, you have a great eye for detail you can see that from your angles and use of zoom....very impressive


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## Ramsgatonian (Jan 2, 2013)

Very nicely done, I could spend days in here, photographing all the bits and bobs...


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## Sshhhh... (Jan 17, 2013)

Such a shame its all going to be demolished Cracking pics


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## HughieD (Jan 21, 2013)

Great pictures. You've got a good eye - comp is spot on.


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## DreadHead (Jan 21, 2013)

Nice pictures dude. Shame to hear it's on it's way down


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## DreadHead (Jan 22, 2013)

Nice pics mate, really love the fire exit at sunrise shot


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