Outwood Colliery (1830-1956)

The area east of the Irwell Valley Fault was extensively mined, although there was a large area which was unworked and unexplored until comparatively recent times, the coal measures being concealed under the New Red Sandstones. Only the very small Stott’s Colliery at Whitefield worked the concealed measures and even this operation ceased in 1902. Further north, where the coal measures were exposed, there was intensive working with many collieries in the Radcliffe and Little Lever districts. These are too far north to be considered as part of the Manchester coalfields with the exception of Outwood Colliery.

In general, working east of the Irwell Valley Fault ceased well before the rest of the Manchester coalfields although coal was won from the concealed part by the reconstructed Agecroft Colliery located on the west side of the fault, from 1961 until 1990. Apart from this special case, working ceased with the closure of Ladyshore Colliery, one of the Lever pits, in 1949.

Outwood Colliery in common with most of the ‘modern’ collieries was sunk in an already well worked area. Sinking appears to have commenced in the 1830s and at this time the colliery was known as Clough Fold. There were eventually five shafts, but only three were being worked by the end of the 19th century. Thomas Fletcher & Sons purchased the colliery around 1858. They continued to develop the colliery and operated it successfully for over 40 years. By 1908, however, the firm was insolvent and went into liquidation. The appointed liquidator put the colliery up for auction in 1909 as a going concern but the reserve price was not met. Within a very short time the colliery was sold privately to the Clifton & Kersley Coal Co. Ltd, who immediately set up a subsidiary company, Outwood Collieries Ltd, to take over and operate the colliery.

Sale notices quoted the colliery as having three shafts, No.2, downcast, 480 yards deep, No.4, downcast, 240 yards deep and No.5, upcast, 480 yards deep, this being the horizon of the Cannel Mine. In fact, the No.2 shaft was sunk to the Plodder Mine horizon.

The No.2 shaft was sunk to a depth of 526 1ft 6in yards from the surface and intersected the following seams:

Following the acquisition of the colliery by Outwood Collieries Limited, a series of improvements was carried out. The coal screening plant was renewed and a coal washer erected. Landsale facilities were also improved and the tub track to the James Street sales yard was replaced by a standard gauge branch line. Direct sales from the colliery accounted for a considerable portion of production. A completely new brickworks was also built, being brought into production in 1927.

The colliery became part of Manchester Collieries Ltd in 1929 and it was about this time that production ceased and the colliery was put on a care and maintenance basis. However, an underground fire developed which ate its way into the shaft pillar and in 1930 one of the shafts collapsed. The headgear fell into the shaft, the winding rope slicing through the engine house wall like a cheese cutter. This event put an end to any hopes of bringing the colliery back into production and it was formally abandoned in 1931. The coal washing plant was retained as it dealt with coal from other collieries. A new storage bunker for the washer was provided in 1932. Operations at Outwood finally ceased in 1956 when the coal washing functions were taken over by the plant at Mosley Common Colliery.