Photo-a-Day  (Sunday, 4th March, 2018)

A dusting of snow and a very stiff breeze looking at that flag

I think Astley Green Colliery closed as a working pit in the very late 60s or very early 70s, one of the first coal pits to close in and around Wigan. Many closed for good in the 1980s without a trace.
Good photo Dave.

Love it! I have a very atmospheric photo of this pit-head taken in black-and-white and framed by a dear friend some years ago for my birthday. There used to be derelict buildings identical to the red-brick one on the site of the old Maypole pit in Abram, and walking past there with my dog on late Winter afternoons was very eerie.

I must say this is a very cheerful photo of a pit head. As Irene says we are used to seeing them in black/white.

These scenes were once all around us, now we have got to explain to our youngsters what they are.

Where is the museum located ?

It would be interesting to visit as mining played a big part in my family history.

Sad to see a pit headgear with no winding ropes.

Like Aubrey I worked at the Maypole until its closure in '59. I then was employed at Astley Green Colliery for 5 years working in No. 1 and No. 2 pits.
The winding house and headgear belong to No.1 pit. No.2 pit was situated behind No.1 headgear.

The winding house contains the restored winder built by Yates and Thom of Blackburn, one of the largest winding engines in the country.
No.2 pit mined the Worsley seam and the Undermanager was Bill Hulme.
No1 mined the Victoria seam and the Undermanager was Arthur Merga.No1 also mined the Rams and Crombouke seams and the Undermanager was George Call and.
The Colliery manager at this time was agent/manager Cuthbert Richards.

Helen of Troy if you go up the A580 (East Lancs Road)towards Manchester, Go round the Greyhound Island and continue towards Manchester.At the next set of traffic lights turn right museum on the left after about 600yrds. Open Tues Thurs Sat and Sun 1-30 till 5-30

Helen, just google Astley Colliery Mining Museum. It should give all details. address. postcode etc.

Good photo Dave, this was often called the mecano set headgear, it had a different look to it, but it still did the job.

Some fascinating info here - Banksy, get your info down on paper or get an electronic document and send it to the museum. Names and details like that are scarce. I live about eight miles from the Ashington museum in Northumberland and can assure you, the personal recollections are the binding which links us to the past.
Speaking of which, does anyone recall a hospital at Astley? I'm sure my uncle Bill was in there following a heart attack, around 1959/60.I can remember it was like a group of cottage hospitals with nurses, very formal, dressed in full headgear.

Thanks for the comments folks. Those clouds were coming at me thick and fast. By the time I got to Golborne on the A580 it was snowing so hard I had to pull over!

Helen,go on the East Lancs Rd A580 going towards Manchester.At sign for Astely come off East Lancs ,follow Rd to Astely take you to Pit Museum.Have a good day.

Garry, no thanks to Thatcher,Tebbit and the rest of her gang.

Hi All, I recently visited this site to survey some work. The site has been run by volunteers restoring and caring for things. Although small I could sense.the history and care fine in already. There is a volunteer.who used to work there when it was running. Inside the building is a 30ft wheel at 60tonnes. Iron mountings in solid pieces at 20tonnes. Amazing how they shifted stuff at that size and weight. they're in the midst of building a small cafe, restoring the small train engines, estimated ￡1m to renovate the tower head.
Its only small but the volunteers have vast knowledge with an old couple in they're 80s involved.
I was amazed to see this on Wigan World whilst browsing through
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