Cronton Colliery

Public Relation Department NCB April 1981. Cronton colliery is situated near Prescot in the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley in Merseyside.

The coal winding shaft was sunk in 1914 and completed in 1916 to a depth of 520 yards and intersected the Plodder, Wigan Four Feet, Lower Florida, Pigeon House and Rushy Park Seams. In 1966 a new technique of mine was introduced at the colliery and this resulted in the colliery doubling its production.

Under this system, retreat mining is widely used on the continent. roadways are driven in advance of the boundaries of the coal seam and the coal is extracted towards the shaft. It is thought that Cronton was the first colliery in the country to go on to full retreat mining.

The colliery employs 560 men mainly from a seven-mile radius of Widnes. The principal markets for the coal which is produced from the London Delf seam is the CEGB and the general industry of the area. production is centred on the face by this method.

1918
An explosion of firedamp Persons reported killed. (Mines Inspectors Report)

1927
Collier killed by a slab of the roof falling from between two unseen slips. The fireman had been round 15 mins before. (Mines Inspectors Report)

1928
A collier was injured in the head while sheltering from a shot at right angles 4 yds away. The projectile rebounded from a prop. Died 24th April. (Mines Inspectors Report)

23-07-1947
A disastrous conveyor fire but no casualties.
In the lower Florida seam, an inspection found nothing wrong and at 5.05am the compressor was restarted for some surface work. During an inspection of the upcast shaft a bad smell was noticed and at 9.30. On investigation, a fire was found at one of the gateways. The fire was caused by the malfunction of the pulley which heated and set fire to the coal dust. The whole district was sealed off. The valve control at the gateway had been left open and so were the main compressor valves. (Mines Inspectors Report)

1963
Development work on non-inflammable hydraulic fluid for the heavy-duty machinery. (Mines Inspectors Report)

1968
A new loading machine introduced for 11 weeks and had advanced at an average of 68 yds per week. The coal was 14ft wide and 8′ thick. (Mines Inspectors Report)

1971.
Development work reported

1927. Cronton.
A man was killed and others injured by a slab of blind roof which fell from between two invisible slips. The fireman was in the place at the time and had been there only 15 minutes before. (Mines Inspectors Report)

Information supplied by Ian Winstanley and the Coal Mining History Resource Centre.