NEIMME: papers

Woodhorn Colliery

Woodhorn colliery was are large coal mine near Ashington in Northumberland and is now a mining museum. The North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers holds information about the Colliery, as it does about most of the mines in Northumberland and Durham. The archives are open to the public. See the library page for details. The museum is free and well worth a visit: the Woodhorn Museum website has the details.
In 1902, the Institute held an excursion meeting at Woodhorn Colliery. This is an extract from the report, which gives considerable technical detail about the Colliery:

Woodhorn colliery, one of the Ashington group of collieries, lies about 11 miles east of Ashington, and beteen 4 and 5 miles north of the port of Blyth. There are, at present, two shafts, both sunk to the Plessy coal-seam, at a depth of 864 feet. Downcast Shaft-. The downcast-shaft is 13 fee in diameter, and is used exclusively for drawing coals from the Yard seam at a depth of 573 feet...

Read the entire article on line here
At the same time, C. Liddel presented a paper on an Apparatus for closing the Top of the Upcast-shaft at Woodhorn Colliery. The following is an extract:

At the upcast-shaft, at Woodhorn Colliery, the fan-drift is placed below the surface-level, and out of the way of coal-drawing, etc. The fan-drift is walled and arched, and the top of the arch is covered with stones and earth up to surface-level. The fan and its engine are placed some distance from the shaft and clear of the heapstead.

Read the entire article on line here

The institute holds other techincal data on Woodhorn:

NCB Borehole reports from Woodhorn Colliery and the surrounding area.
NCB Reports on coal samples taken from the Plessey seam at Woodhorn Colliery.
N4(4) Woodhorn Colliery No. 3 Area, Northern (N & C) Division. Summary of the examinations of the coal seams and associated strata. (includes plan of Woodhorn mine and sections of strata). N4(4) Woodhorn Colliery. Appendix to the above. LP4A2 Report on Woodhorn Colliery: Diamond Seam.
N4(7) Report on the first environmental survey at Woodhorn Colliery/ J R Ashford and B Skorobhatayj. Contains plans of all seams. 1955
We hold negatives from the NCB photography dept. of Woodhorn Colliery. (Ref. NE/7/82 to NE/5/83, 1982-3). Photographs of Woodhorn Colliery from 1980 are also in the collection.
1-inch solid, and solid and drift geological maps of Woodhorn and Ashington. We also hold 6-inch topographical maps of the area dating back to the first OS edition, and annotated with shafts and boreholes. The Institute's own Borings and Sinkings are available, giving details of the strata at those places. There is also a 6-inch solid geological map of the area.
551.735(428.1 / .2) KIR Kirsopp, John, FGS Map and plotted vertical sections of strata of the Northumberland and Durham coalfield. Section No. 71, Woodhorn, Sinking. [Map]
The Watson Collection contains plans for the Parishes of Woodhorn [Woodburn], Bothal and Bedlington
Our own papers detail the Woodhorn Royalty, 11 July 1866 21 Jan 1868 22 March 1869
In addition, we hold data on Woodhorn and the Ashington Coal Company collected by members of the Institute. For example
The Scrapbook of Mr. R. J. Weeks, Director of the Bedlington Coal Co., Chariman of the Northumberland Coal Owners Assoc. Contains press cuttings and other printed matter dated c.1900-1935. Approx. 400 items

Search for references to Woodhorn Colliery in the library here.
Search for references to Woodhorn Colliery in the Colliery Guardian and Mining Journal on-line index.
Search the Institute on-line catalogue for Woodhorn Colliery here

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