Hi just a quick message for Icklok iv just put some photos on the wingfield manor page your pics are great and it reminded me of the ones i had and gave me a kick to put them up ,more will follow! cheers

Love the family one... we forget that once upon a time it was quite normal to live on top of an industrial site! :thumbsup:
They are great, and many thanks, look forwards to some more... don't suppose you have any of Shirland?? :flowers:

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No unfortunatly no pics of shirland,when i was younger i went to the mining records office but i cant for the life of me think where it was you can access all underground plans,maps etc i have the mine abandonment report for swanwick pit which i will put on now

Ian, I am quite fascinated to know any details of the pumping engine used on the Oakerthorpe Colliery shaft, later known as the Oakerthorpe Pumping Station section of Wingfield Manor Mine.

The shaft is slowly starting to run in and the stone blocks found are indicative that an engine of some sort was in use at some point… beyond that … not a clue!

As at 1900 the site looked like this and was described as Oakerthorpe Colliery (disused).
🔗Personal-Album-856-Image-46907[linkphoto]Personal-Album-856-Image-46907[/linkphoto][/link]

The shaft is starting to go so who knows what sort of cap was used but it’s certainly getting worse year on year.

🔗Wingfield-Manor-Colliery-Coal-Mine-User-Album-Image-005[linkphoto]Wingfield-Manor-Colliery-Coal-Mine-User-Album-Image-005[/linkphoto][/link]

The timbers off the shaft headgear appear to have been chucked across the shaft. Apart from one that is, which was salvaged and is now lying in the hedge bottom at the Nth end of Millstone Lane just before the corner to the main road on the RH side.

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Lot of these old shafts only had sleepers thrown across the top before levelling backfill across,these are very dangerous,and this should be reported to the Coal Authority at Mansfield,so it can be filled and capped properly.

I'll add it to the other 7 or 8 in the area!

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Surely not all in the state of the above photo?

What area is this,as i have a contact in the CA who can get on this case,before a tragedy happens.

im not sure where this is, is it on the footpath (old railway line) that runs from alfreton golf club to oakerthorpe just below anchor inn if it is it seems a long way from the 2 shafts at the main colliery site

Ty Gwyn- no not all in this state, but at least 3 are iffy, I will PM you, but these are already down to be dealt with.

Ian- Follow the old mineral railway along the valley bottom and you can see the abutments of the old bridge... It an horrific place to get to as you need to know the ground and a machete to even penetrate the 7ft high blackberry and hawthorn thickets surrounding it... when I went the only footprints were my own and my wifes.

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I know the area you talk about been there many times as a child, i have no work this week i may have a walk down there with camera,check out the documents on swanwick colliery,it talks about pumping but is a bit over my head .I have a feeling that the shaft you have pictured is from workings pre 1900, will put the rest of plans and pics on today,and will let u know how i got on with my walk!

Hello , i live at alfreton and i was wondering if you are the same person who did a talk at namho?
I have a interest in mining and didnt know what was on my doorstep until i found your photos .I have been to the open shaft next to the golf club and am interested in knowing where the other open shafts are as its not something you see any more. ps i havent been yet but have you looked in the woods east of thorntons factory as it says on the old maps air shafts.

Hi there yes it twas I who did the talk... we have much around here and the CA have now fenced the subsiding Oakerthorpe shaft. We are going to look at swanwick shortly (autumn) as we to believe there is more to see. Re the other shafts they too are now treated and gone so I'm afraid the best one to see is a semi beehive covered shaft at Butterley!

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Thanks for getting back but what are the names of the colliery s where the shafts where ? are there any remains of buildings?

The timbers off the shaft headgear appear to have been chucked across the shaft. Apart from one that is, which was salvaged and is now lying in the hedge bottom at the Nth end of Millstone Lane just before the corner to the main road on the RH side.

Interestingly I have just received some info re this site that explains a lot. I recently viewed a pic of what was left of the pumping engine house on this shaft pre demolition, and it did not tie in at all with whats there now and from info just received I think its possible to put this into context now. It appears that due to an incident with a dog in the 70s the shaft was originally filled and made safe by the NCB by bulldozing most of the engine house into the shaft. The timbers on Millstone Lane are not from the headgear here nor is it likely the big timber in the shaft is either based on info received despite my original info coming from a local and being validated by another local ::) . It appears that the farmer tried to create a wildlife pond there hence the shape of the surrounding channel around the mound on which the shaft sits, but the water ran away elsewhere. This has come via someone with first hand knowledge.

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