Tribute To The Proud Coal Miners Of Parkside Colliery.

Subscribe to my youtube channel for 280+ coal mine tributes and counting. Parkside Colliery was a modern coal mine in Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside, that operated from 1964 until its controversial sad closure in 1993. As the last deep coal mine in the historic Lancashire Coalfield, its closure was a significant and emotional event that marked the end of centuries of industrial heritage for the region. Operational history
A "showpiece" pit: Parkside was conceived in the 1950s by the National Coal Board (NCB) as one of the last new deep coal mines in the UK. Shaft sinking began in 1957, with the first coal brought to the surface in 1964. It was considered a state-of-the-art facility for its time.
Peak production: At its peak in the 1970s, the colliery employed over 1,600 miners and produced more than 760,000 tonnes of coal annually. Some sources state the workforce reached over 2,000 people and produced 690,000 tonnes a year.
Advanced systems: The mine used modern longwall mining methods and was equipped with a "merry-go-round" loading bunker, installed in 1976 and upgraded in 1985, for rapid rail transportation of coal. A pipeline was built in 1980 to carry surplus methane gas to a nearby chemical works.
Controversial closure
Final years: By its final years, the workforce had shrunk to 750–800 people. It ceased production in October 1992 but was kept on care and maintenance pending review by British Coal.
Protests and legal battles: In protest of the closure, a group of four women, including Anne Scargill, staged a four-day underground sit-in in April 1993. Numerous protests occurred, including women chaining themselves to the entrance of the pit, which was met with riot police. Over 80 Members of Parliament signed a motion to protest the closure, noting the colliery had been profitable in recent years and had just received new machinery.
Finality: The High Court ruled in May 1993 that the colliery could be legally closed. The closure marked the end of 700 years of coal mining history in Lancashire. The iconic 200-foot-high concrete winding towers were demolished shortly after the protests ended.