Northern United Colliery (Disused)

United Kingdom / England / Drybrook /
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The new 'flagship' colliery of the once mighty Crawshay Empire.Opened in 1933 with much publicity as to the long life forecast and the great amount of coal to be won.Unfortunately the colliery was rushed into production by the Crawshays with the result that it was never 'laid out' nor 'developed' as it could have been. The'rush' was probably as a result of the Crawshays other collieries in the Forest nearing the end of their working lives,Foxs Bridge had gone and soon too would Lightmoor which closed in 1940.The owners displayed an almost reckless reluctance to spend the nescessary money in development even to the extent of sacking one of the early manangers of the colliery because he complained that their 'meaness' was putting the miners lives at risk.Northern United always suffered greatly not only because of its 'man made' troubles but also because it was a difficult mine to work..the coal was overburdened with a very heavy thick band of clay/clod which could not be supported safely and so had to be removed, This meant that a lot of 'dead work' had to be done in the winning of the coal.Northern United closed on Xmas Eve 1965 and was the last deep mine in the Dean, with its closure so ended the age of the big collieries in the Forest of Dean forever..

The surface buildings remain although in a dilapidated condition.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   51°50'12"N   2°31'45"W

Comments

  • Currently being demolished.
This article was last modified 13 years ago