Stillingfleet Mine
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In1976 plans were approved for the largest deep mine coal project ever undertaken in the world. The Selby Complex. The site covered in excess of 110 square miles and involved the sinking of 10 shafts and driving 124 miles of underground roadways at a cost of £1-3 billion.
The Selby complex incorporated Wistow, Stillingfleet, Riccall, North Selby and Gascoigne Wood Collieries.
Stillingfleet started sinking shafts in 1978 but it wasnt until January 1988 that the mine began production. Along with Whitemoor and Riccall the complex was designed to produce 12 million tonnes of coal per year.
By 2001 it had produced 110 million tonnes but a year earlier production was down to 4.4 million tonnes per year.
UK Coal had taken over the nationalised complex then but didnt see a future with the sites and gradually started to close them. Stillingfleet was closed in 2004 and has remained under care and maintenence ever since.
A lot of the site has already been demolished but the more modern buildings remain with hopes of turning the site into a modern industrial park. Something which they have already done with the Ricall colliery.
Since the colliery is under care and maintence its remained in good condition. The power house still supplies electric to the complex and virtually all the buildings are intact.
Some vandalism has occured on the site but nothing major. The site is just untidy really with paperwork strewn all over the place.
The interesting thing though is whats actually left there. We initially though there wouldnt be much to see but it just goes to show that expectations can sometimes be wrong.
The place is heaving with all sorts of artifacts still in situ from when the colliery closed in 2004.
Inside we found all sorts of things. Miners pay slips. Detailed maps of the coal seams. Viles of coal dust for use in the onsite lab and the collierys safety logs.
Although the place is relativley new in comparison with the likes of Clipstone colliery it still has a few nice features. It also has the original narrow gauge railway tracks still in place.
The most interesting find I think we came across was the miners tallies. Which were issued to the miners when they descended down the mine for recognition if there was a cave in or disaster so they could be identified.
Date : 2009 : Location : Selby : Explorers : Havoc : Jaff Fox
