Clipstone Colliery

[smiffy]

They look great and really should be preserveded ......... it'll be criminal if they are cut down but having said that..........it seems it's the way of it in this bloody country of ours nowadays and I think they'll almost certiainly fall..............a real shame though.....
..........and at 800 odd metres deep they must be mighty impressive shafts........were they filled and capped or just capped ?? ....It sure would take some kinda material to fill a shaft that deep ......and more than a few days too.........Around here they have filled and then capped them all just about (only 2 really deep ones left at one colliery now and I'm hoping the Coal AUthority will leave those alone for posterity)..........a little over the top I reckon but none of the shafts in my area were anything over about 630 ish feet deep and thats a long way short of 800 metres..........

 

[The Pirate]

You are exaggerating.

I`m not sure whether that was a sarcastic "you are exaggerating"
or you really think i was....

 

[thompski]

The Pirate speaks the truth - I counted about eight machines belonging to East Midlands Demolition company.

 

[thompski]

Either way your response to the Pirate was somewhat difficult to interpret.

East Midlands Demolition Company have an history when it comes to historic buildings in the region, and it would be a huge shame to see them go.

 

[thompski]

Straight to the point maybe, but in response to which statement he made? He hit the nail on the head with the on site vehicles - certainly appeared to me like they were there waiting to tear the place down as soon as the structure was no longer listed.

As for his other statement I fear I may breach the rules so will leave it at that.

 

[thompski]

Lol yes I see where you are coming from, its to the first statement. You or Pirate have not seen it when they were tearing the place down.

Fair dos, though it seemed to me that the demolition was done? Apart from the headstocks it was just soil - looked ready for development to me. Surely if it is the case there is no reason for the machinery to be there?

 

[thompski]

I would but alas I am not commuting all the way to Mansfield from Manchester just so I can post 'I stand corrected'

 

[thompski]

What a shame, the colliery is not even in Mansfield, but anyway, you do seem very blinkered.

Mansfield is the nearest large settlement, I am fully aware that Clipstone is a separate entity. I was merely adding humour to this otherwise delightful conversation

Myself and the Pirate visited following an extensive visit to another site. limited daylight hours left, we could have given the site a much more comprehensive review however decided to utilise what was left of the day to review other sites within the vicinity.

 

[The Pirate]

Ahhh i see.. i can imagine that if you saw the site with twice as many demo machines there then what i saw would have been nothing to you....I saw quite a few and to me that was swarming with demo people...

i was only asking if it were sercastic because thing written on a forum can be very hard to interpret...maybe you should have been more expansive in your remark and saved yourself loads of typing in the future

We spoke to a preson there who told us they were waiting to rip it down as soon as they got permission.

 

[smileysal]

Yes, there's loads of demolition equipment still there, next to the main gate, (or rather the former main gate) next to the Security Hut.

East Midlands Demolition Limited, has demolished more historical buildings in this area, in such a fast time. As soon as they get permission to demolish the headstocks, they'll unfortunately have them down at an astoundingly fast time.

Will keep looking for any info regarding them.

Sal

This is the speed they demolished the buildings at Clipstone Colliery - 44 weeks.

http://www.eastmidlandsdemolition.co.uk/recent_projects/

 

[Neosea]

44 weeks is the length of the contract which must be about expired. It does not state completed on time, so over-run will hopefully be costing them, just depends on the contract. At the moment they are digging a bloody great hole and moving spoil with all that equipment.

 

[smiffy]

Hey leave the Demo Company out of it..........
I'm gonna stir it now.............
For may years I was on 'the other side of the fence' cos I earnt a good livin in the demolition and dismantling game...........I think I always had a bit of sympathy for whatever it was I was working on.......be it collieries or hospitals or factories or railways (and I did loads of all of them) or whatever..... but to be honest I never let it get to me enough to get in the way of making money.......
.....I don't really like to admit it but....
The demolition /dismantler inside me would love to drop those headstocks .....
..............Why????????? well...........two fold really.............
..........First off:
there's mighty good scrap in summat like that and apart from their value...
Secondly:
...........there's also the 'thrill' of making something as impressive as that 'fall'..........
.........Lets face it.................
How many of you haven't secretly yearned over the years to 'drop' something like a tower or a viaduct or a chimney.............or a headstock??????????????
In my time I did a lot of good stuff and yes.....I enjoyed my job.............If I had been working back in the 60s I also know I would have happily chopped up gawd knows how many steam engines too........and the same goes for now very precious Lancasters and Spitfires and tanks and jeeps after the last war...........It was all just so much good scrap when you stop being romantic about it.........
This doesn't mean I don't appreciate what it all was .........nor do I dismiss its importance in history .........but a living is a living....... and you either get on with it and pay yer mortgage and buy yer food or you get out of the way and let someone else do it..........
I would really like to see these headstocks stay and be looked after as an important piece of that areas history.............. but lets be realistic too............someones gotta pay for them to be maintained and kept in a safe condition and if no-one is willing to accept that simple fact then the cutters lamp is the only option. either that or put a good high secure fence around them at a safe distance and just leave em to nature .........

 

[Neosea]

No you are not stirring it, you raise some good points, and I have no real problem with demo companys. What I don't like is the short sightedness of the councillors and people who hire the demo boys in the first place. If these headstocks were common, it wouln't be a problem to knock them down, but they are the tallest and last good example left in this country. The argument of the councillors is, if people want to photograph them, go to Germany and do it. These heapsteads can be made into a mining museum, or a group can be formed to restore them like at Pleasley Colliery. A museum could help generate jobs and trade for Clipstone.

 

[smiffy]

No you are not stirring it, you raise some good points, and I have no real problem with demo companys. What I don't like is the short sightedness of the councillors and people who hire the demo boys in the first place. If these headstocks were common, it wouln't be a problem to knock them down, but they are the tallest and last good example left in this country. The argument of the councillors is, if people want to photograph them, go to Germany and do it. These heapsteads can be made into a mining museum, or a group can be formed to restore them like at Pleasley Colliery. A museum could help generate jobs and trade for Clipstone.

Totally agree about a museum mate.........
I also didn't know that these 2 were amongst the last left in the country......... though using a bit of sense would probably have told me so
In that case they really should be saved........yer absolutely right though....The Demo companies have no say in whether summat is to be allowed to survive or not......For every company that turns down a job because they don't wanna see something be destroyed there are always ten others that will jump at taking it on....................and once the contract has been offered and agreed then you gotta clear everything to make yer money and also to fulfill the terms of the contract.........
........I really do wish the folks up that way all the best in saving them.
and...........
Just out of interest........... is the huge headstock still up at one of the big collieries that used to be in Cumnock Scotland?......I think it was called the Killoch Colliery and known locally as 'the killer'????????
It was opposite the new Egger Board Mills just outsiode of town????????????
Mighty impressive it was......... the biggest without a doubt that I have ever seen or stood under...................

 

[Neosea]

Just out of interest........... is the huge headstock still up at one of the big collieries that used to be in Cumnock Scotland?......I think it was called the Killoch Colliery and known locally as 'the killer'????????
It was opposite the new Egger Board Mills just outsiode of town????????????
Mighty impressive it was......... the biggest without a doubt that I have ever seen or stood under...................

I only really know about Clipstone and Pleasley collierys because I am somewhat local to them. I am sure someone will know about 'The Killer'

 

[smiffy]

Hey up!..I got the name wrong .The Killoch was down the road a way it seems..........
..........the one I was thinking of was 'The Barony Colliery' .........so I've had a mooch and this is what I found...the council up there in Cumnock have done a crackin job by the looks of it........ have a look here's how they made an effort with a big old head stock up there in Scooootland..........
http://urbanglasgow.co.uk/Auchinleck_s_Barony_Colliery_about682.html

this looks a good site too............

 

[Neosea]

..the council up there in Cumnock have done a crackin job by the looks of it........ have a look here's how they made an effort with a big old head stock up there in Scooootland..........
http://urbanglasgow.co.uk/Auchinleck_s_Barony_Colliery_about682.html

this looks a good site too............

Wow, that is good site, what's more, it looks clean and well kept. Gold star to Cumnock council

 

[smiffy]

My apologies to anyone from that town and district up there in Scootland ....
.......It appears it wasn't the council that saved it ..it was a group of enthusiastic locals who made sure it survived .....heres some fantastic photos of how it looks today......
http://www.197aerial.co.uk/barony_a_frame.htm