John Stanley sank the first shaft at this colliery in the early 1850s. It was 690 metres north of what became the main colliery site under Platt Bros. & Co. Ltd. Either John Stanley or his executors, who ran Moston from 1859 to 1875, sank a second shaft 420 metres south of the first. Both were eventually linked to the L&YR main line by the Moston Colliery siding. Platt Bros. & Co. Ltd had taken Moston over by 1880 and they probably sank the third shaft alongside the siding, at what became the main colliery, before 1890. The site of No.4 Pit was 30 metres north of No.3 Pit, and it was sunk to a depth of 550 metres between 1897 and 1899.
| The seams worked at Moston were:- | |
|---|---|
| Great | 1890, 1908-1920 |
| Colonel | 1890-1950 |
| Big | 1895-1905, 1925-1950 |
| Foxholes | 1895-1015, 1920-1945 |
| Mary | 1895-1905, 1925-1945 |
| Major | 1899-1940 |
| Platt | 1930 |
| Black | 1930-1935 |
Under the National Coal Board Moston became an early victim of rationalisation and it was closed in June 1950. From around 1955 to 1965 its shafts were used as a Pumping Station. The site was rapidly developed for housing and the shafts are on the green space behind Bradford Court flats. NMRS Records, Gazetteer of British Collieries.
Sources:
- NMRS Records, Gazetteer of British Collieries
