Peel Hall Colliery (1850-1931)

James Roscoe & Sons operated two collieries, Peel Hall and New Lester. Sinking was commenced by James Roscoe during the late 1840s and early 1850s at the New Watergate and Peel Hall pits, which were quite close together and were in the Little Hulton district. New Lester, which was in Tyldesley, commenced sinking in about 1865. All the output from these collieries had to be despatched by horse and cart due to lack of access to the canal and railways. It was not until the opening of the Little Hulton Mineral Branch by the London & North Western Railway in 1874, that a rail outlet was obtained. A further outlet was obtained when the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Pendleton-Hindley Mine was opened in 1888, connection being made at Peel Hall sidings.

The firm James Roscoe & Sons was formed in 1892 and at this time both collieries were being re-developed. At Little Hulton operations at the New Watergate-Peel Hall pits were concentrated at the New Watergate site as Peel Hall Colliery, and a new shaft was sunk to reach the Arley Mine. Similarly, the two shafts at New Lester were deepened to win the Arley seam. At both collieries, the coal known as the Denner Main was present, and at New Lester, the Dean Moor Mine was also present, this being the bottom coal of the (Haigh) Yard Mine.

Messrs John Wood & Sons (probably as Wood & Gee), of Barley Brook Foundry, Wigan, supplied two twin cylinder horizontal winding engines to James Roscoe & Sons in 1902 and 1903. Both of these engines had cylinders 30in x 54in, and as Wood & Gee numbered each side of their engines separately, they were 109.5 and 116.5 respectively. Unfortunately, the engine list gives no indication of the collieries, for which they were intended. A third engine with 26in x 60in cylinders, was supplied by John Wood & Sons in 1917, Nos. 2118/9, this engine going to Peel Hall Colliery.

Peel Hall Colliery was the first to be closed and was formally abandoned in December, 1931. Some surface plant was retained however, as the colliery workshops were located here and electrical power was supplied to New Lester. Power was generated by Belliss & Morcom high speed steam engine sets. There was a range of four Lancashire boilers, one of which was a Galloway. After cessation of coal winding, only two of the boilers were regularly steamed. The 1917 winding engine was disposed of about 1935 to Messrs Yule Cato. It was seen working in September 1987 by Mr John K.G. Boucher at Chinakuri No.3 pit, West Bengal. Details noted at this location were that the engine had a cast iron drum 14 feet diameter by 13 feet wide and was winding from a depth of 1289 feet. Worsley Mesnes brakes and reversing engine were fitted and a Whitmore overwind/overspeed controller with a King slow banker.

Mechanical ventilation when first installed at Peel Hall Colliery comprised a “Sirocco” fan installed at the bottom of the upcast shaft. The fan had a single inlet and was 45in. diameter. Capacity was 50,000cfm. at 3 inches water gauge. Drive was by chain belt from a 13.75in. x 16in. horizontal steam engine. A reserve fan was placed at the surface consisting of a 60in. diameter “Sirocco” fan with belt drive from a semi-portable steam engine and boiler.

With the subsequent run-down of New Lester Colliery, the Peel Hall plant was scrapped but the two winding engine houses and the chimney remained in a derelict state for many years, not being demolished until April 1960.