Pleasley Colliery

The parent organisation of the Friends is the Pleasley Pit Trust, a registered charity, which is undertaking the transformation of the site into a mining heritage centre.

The old pit tip was reworked to extract residual coal, after which it was landscaped to create a nature reserve consisting of footpaths and lakes.

The two adjacent railway lines were part of an extensive network serving the Nottinghamshire–Derbyshire coal field and the disused tracks have been converted into cycle trails linking the former collieries to the west and nearby Hardwick Hall.

It still retains its headstocks, engine-houses and steam winders, one of which was installed in 1904 by Lilleshall Co. Ltd. and the other in 1922 by Markham & Co. Ltd.. Pleasley Colliery is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument and is in the process of being developed into a mining heritage site.

The headstocks, engine-houses and chimney have undergone major conservation work and the two unique steam winders have been restored by members of the Friends of Pleasley Pit preservation group.

A large field on the brow of the hill overlooking the River Meden valley was chosen and work soon started on levelling the site and preparing the surface infrastructure and access roads.

During 1873 sinking commenced at the two 14.5 ft. diameter shafts and the engine-houses were constructed in time for the installation the following year of two pairs of steam winding engines built by the Worsley Mesnes Iron Co which were initially used for powering the pumps.

The subsequent impact of the pumping was considerable, with wells and springs over a wide area drying up and the water disappearing from the Mansfield quarries almost 3 miles away.

Later that year, in order to raise further capital, the Stanton Iron Co. decided to incorporate as a limited company and, early in 1878, 5,752 shares were issued.

The sinking coincided with the onset of a serious depression in the iron and coal trade and although this continued for a number of years, output from Pleasley began to steadily increase thanks to its freedom from serious geological problems.

By 1899, despite having encountered a 25 ft. fault and an extensive washout in the workings to the west, output was such that the winding capacity had been reached at the upcast shaft and it was decided to install a more powerful winder and boilers, whilst at the same time replacing the old wooden headstock which was now in poor condition.

The following year, owing to the very poor condition of the old timber frame, the headstock at the downcast shaft was also replaced, although this time it was pre-erected on the pit-top and then winched into position.

Older boilers were replaced, more powerful fans were installed, a new screening plant erected and turbine generators running off the exhaust steam from the winders were commissioned.

This plant was to play a key role in subsequent years when mechanized loading was introduced and the demand for small coal for power generation soared.

Tubs were replaced by 3-ton mine-cars, and on the surface, compact circuits were constructed with fully automatic pneumatic systems controlling their movement and emptying.

At this point short drifts were driven up into the Deep Hard and new faces were then opened out back in this seam and within a short distance they were working a combined thickness of coal of about 2–2.5 m. Two other faces had been opened out closer to the pit-bottom in the Piper, but no further development took place in that seam except for a parallel one running back towards the pit-bottom.

With the cessation of coal-winding at Pleasley, the colliery had breathed its last, but it received a sort of artificial respiration by being used for man-riding and materials until eventual closure in 1983.

It then continued in a state of limbo for several more years until 1995 when the preservation group Friends of Pleasley Pit was formed and restoration work began.

In 1996 Pleasley Colliery was scheduled as an Ancient Monument and the rapidly deteriorating roof on the engine-house complex was completely renewed and the 40 m tall brick chimney underwent major renovation.