New Lester Colliery
Encyclopedia
New Lester Colliery was a coal mine operating on the Manchester Coalfield
from the second half of the 19th century to the first half of the 20th century in Tyldesley
, then in the historic county of Lancashire
, England. It was owned by James Roscoe and two shafts were sunk in about 1865 on the east side of Mort Lane on the road to Little Hulton
where Roscoe had sunk the Peel Hall and New Watergate pits.
At first the colliery was not linked to a railway and coal had to be moved using horses and carts until the London and North Western Railway
built the Little Hulton mineral branch line in 1874. The Little Hulton mine was connected to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
's Manchester to Southport Line in 1888 at Peel Hall sidings and a private line built to New Lester.
James Roscoe and Sons was formed in 1892 remaining in operation until 1938 when "Peel Collieries took over. New Lester Colliery's shafts were deepened to access the Arley mine (seam) in the early 1890s where 'Arley slack', poor quality coal for industrial use was mined. The colliery also won coal from the Yard mine which was known here as the Denner Main, the Four foot, Cannel, Plodder and Three Quarters mines. In 1939 the colliery employed 499 men underground and 169 surface workers and three years later 15 men underground and 13 on the surface. The colliery was completely closed by 1947. The area of these coal workings was opencasted after the Second World War.
in 1884. In 1900 another Hunslet saddletank, Mary, in 1907 King Edward VII and in 1914 King George V were bought from Hunslets. They resembled the Manchester Ship Canal
Company locomotives and could negotiate sharp curves.
Manchester Coalfield
The Manchester Coalfield is part of the South East Lancashire Coalfield. Its coal seams were laid down in the Carboniferous period and some easily accessible seams were worked on a small scale from the Middle Ages and extensively from the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in the early 19th...
from the second half of the 19th century to the first half of the 20th century in Tyldesley
Tyldesley
Tyldesley is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It occupies an area north of Chat Moss near the foothills of the West Pennine Moors, east-southeast of Wigan and west-northwest of the city of Manchester...
, then in the historic county of Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England. It was owned by James Roscoe and two shafts were sunk in about 1865 on the east side of Mort Lane on the road to Little Hulton
Little Hulton
Little Hulton is a village—effectively a suburb—within the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies south of Bolton, west-northwest of Salford, and west-northwest of Manchester...
where Roscoe had sunk the Peel Hall and New Watergate pits.
At first the colliery was not linked to a railway and coal had to be moved using horses and carts until the London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
built the Little Hulton mineral branch line in 1874. The Little Hulton mine was connected to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways...
's Manchester to Southport Line in 1888 at Peel Hall sidings and a private line built to New Lester.
James Roscoe and Sons was formed in 1892 remaining in operation until 1938 when "Peel Collieries took over. New Lester Colliery's shafts were deepened to access the Arley mine (seam) in the early 1890s where 'Arley slack', poor quality coal for industrial use was mined. The colliery also won coal from the Yard mine which was known here as the Denner Main, the Four foot, Cannel, Plodder and Three Quarters mines. In 1939 the colliery employed 499 men underground and 169 surface workers and three years later 15 men underground and 13 on the surface. The colliery was completely closed by 1947. The area of these coal workings was opencasted after the Second World War.
Locomotives
Roscoe's company bought Lord Kenyon, a six coupled saddle tank from the Hunslet Engine CompanyHunslet Engine Company
The Hunslet Engine Company is a British locomotive-building company founded in 1864 at Jack Lane, Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England by John Towlerton Leather, a civil engineering contractor, who appointed James Campbell as his Works Manager.In 1871, James Campbell bought the company for...
in 1884. In 1900 another Hunslet saddletank, Mary, in 1907 King Edward VII and in 1914 King George V were bought from Hunslets. They resembled the Manchester Ship Canal
Manchester Ship Canal
The Manchester Ship Canal is a river navigation 36 miles long in the North West of England. Starting at the Mersey Estuary near Liverpool, it generally follows the original routes of the rivers Mersey and Irwell through the historic counties of Cheshire and Lancashire. Several sets of locks lift...
Company locomotives and could negotiate sharp curves.