Cortonwood Colliery

Was it on here that someone put a picture of Cortonwood Colliery muck stack / Smithy Bridge Lane some weeks ago? Looked everywhere but can't find it.

 

I live at the top of Smithybridge lane. Both Elsecar and Cortonwood tips were basically removed. There is still signs of where they were as the tips were reduced by a third in height and grassed and tree plantations set
Of interest water comes up out of old workings and is rust in colour

 

Yes, I was walking around there recently, hence recalling seeing an old photo somewhere.

 

Cortonwood 1984

 

I watch all the walkers. They come along the canal and i live on the hillside. Quite popular with walking groups. You have to be careful though as bikers fly passed you. There will be a serious accident with them soon

 

I worked at Cortonwod as a design engineer on its reconstuction . It was electrified and new winding engines put in
The view is mainly of the coal preperation plant. It had to seperate more dirt than coal
When the pit was closed,they dug a big hole in tip and lined it then tipped all the old slurry with creosote in it into the hole and covered it over
At the top of the grassed tip is some big rocks. Inside them is vent pipes from the hole but you would never know

 

Can’t imagine anywhere has changed as much in such a short period of time. Dig up my grandad and put him at Cortonwood or Manvers and he wouldn’t have a clue where he was.

 

All done with EU money.

 

Roundabouts and shops? Hmmm

 

.

 

Not Cortonwood but which pit tip is this?

 

Better than the desolate wasteland that would have resulted without EU money.

 

Barrow Main?

 

No mate.

 

Goldthorpe?

 

Nope.

 

Rockingham?

 

Nope.

 

Grimey

 

The Dearne Valley area in the early 90’s was grim. Thousands were unemployed. The pits were closed. A once thriving marshalling yard at Wath was empty with all the railway tracks lifted. The place was deserted and almost looked post apocalyptic! It was identified by the EU as one of the most deprived areas in Europe so grants and funding were provided. The UK government were skint at the time and had no desire to invest - they were too busy doing everything they could to close anything that didn’t make money and privatise everything that did.

The funding provided the Dearne Towns link road, which, in turn, opened up pockets of development for employment so, yes, I guess the EU did give us the roundabouts (funnily enough work on another one between KFC and Shortwood Roundabout near Birdwell has just started). Lots of incentives were given to encourage businesses to relocate. The main issue really is that the quality of the employment the development provided isn’t that great. Too many low skilled roles, but that’s a common issue throughout the north. They also got rid of too much infrastructure that would add real value today. The old Barnsley to Mexborough railway line could provide a much needed rail link between Barnsley and Doncaster, as well as providing stations at Manvers/Wath. Unbelievable really that Wath once had 3 stations and now it has none.