Wistow Colliery, Selby Coal Field, August 2012.

Wistow Colliery

Wistow was for me the first of many, the begining of my interest in what remains of the UK's infamous coal field. Nowadays I look back on Wistow as a bit of a derp, it's not like it was ever a massively interesting place, no headstocks, substation, winders, or anything that you'd associate with a classic or typical British Pit really. I do however owe this place a big thanks for getting me involved in collierys before it was too late, it's still history too, and as our collierys have now all but disspeared with the recnt closures of Kellingley, Thoresby and Hatfield I guess reports like this one now have an added or even greater historical value than they did previously?

Wistow, although been a small pit, and totally abandoned (not even a sniff of security back in 2012) did seem to be a very univiting place to me... It's strange on some explores I feel totally at home, even where there's security present on site some buildings feel almost freindly, this place for me seemed totally the opposite to that though, I didn't feel as though I was welcome here at all... The feeling of been watched and that I wasn't alone was constant, and it did put me on edge a little, it didn't stop me visiting all parts of this small site though, and I did come home with a nice collection of images, just not one I've ever considered re-visiting though!

History quoted from my report on the 28dl forum back in 2012...

'A little history then, as this isn't a famous site by any means. Wistow colliery was a part of a chain of local pits all connected and mining along the shafts of the Selby Coal field, these pits were not your old type from the Victorian era such as Hatfield, Glasshoughton and Kellingley, these pits were opened by Maggie Thatcher in the late 80's. All mining had ceased by 2004 on the Selby coalfield which to me is a wicked waste of both jobs and resources. Mining had peaked in 1994 creating an average of 12 million metric tonnes worth of coal. It's sad to see yet another of our Yorkshire pits in such a state, living in a region of run down coal towns it's always sad to see another go.'

Pictures

As always I'll add relevant information alongside the images, although I doubt I'll have an awful lot to say about this place!

Above, the sign on the front gate.

DANGER! Anyone would think we where about to cross into a minefield, oh, wait...

First look at the pit from across the carpark, was a beautiful day, red hot!

The leaning tower of Wistow (Lens distortion at 18mm) although the boiler room had been demolished the chimney remained.

The above picture was taken in the petroleum store, it's a high ISO photo but it seems to be showing up about 10 times more grainy on here than it does on picasa, flickr?