Bedford Colliery

[1] The colliery was owned by John Speakman, who started sinking two shafts on land at Wood End Farm in the northeast part of Bedford, south of the London and North Western Railway's Tyldesley Loopline in about 1874.

Bedford was a rural community until the arrival of the Bridgewater Canal; a large basin built at Butts in 1795 proved to be a catalyst for the development of industry in the township.

[5][6] John Speakman began sinking two shafts south of the railway line in 1874, and by 1876 coal was being produced.

Speakman's built a private mineral railway line about a half mile in length to Guest Street, where there was a landsale yard and from where coal was sent to Bedford Mill.

[8] The Bedford Colliery Disaster occurred on Friday 13 August 1886, when an explosion of firedamp killed 38 men and boys.

This engine was replaced by a 4-coupled saddletank The Sirdar from the Vulcan Foundry at Newton le Willows.