Waterloo Colliery,Temple Newsam

beast · Post by **beast** » Sun 04 Nov, 2012 2:33 pm

Nice nostalgic photo in Fri YEP of the old ' paddy train ' last journey from the pit to Neville Hill sidings at East End Park. ( I would upload it if I knew how to ! )My question is,where exactly was Waterloo colliery and are there any visible remains of it I could go and have a look at ?I remember the train used to cross Cross Green Lane,run behind the Bridgefield pub garden to the coal staithes on Easy RoadI know Black Road ( now M 1 link rd ) and Cattons foundry if I head off in that direction

somme1916 · Post by **somme1916** » Sun 04 Nov, 2012 3:57 pm

beast wrote: Nice nostalgic photo in Fri YEP of the old ' paddy train ' last journey from the pit to Neville Hill sidings at East End Park. ( I would upload it if I knew how to ! )My question is,where exactly was Waterloo colliery and are there any visible remains of it I could go and have a look at ?I remember the train used to cross Cross Green Lane,run behind the Bridgefield pub garden to the coal staithes on Easy RoadI know Black Road ( now M 1 link rd ) and Cattons foundry if I head off in that direction On my "Geological Map of the Yorkshire Coalfield" 1950,there are 3 pits named after Waterloo in Leeds.Waterloo Main Temple which would be in the grounds of Temple Newsam house near the A1 link,secondly,Waterloo Main Park(shown as at Thorpe Stapleton and finally,which I think is the one you are looking for,Waterloo Main Dam Pit which would have been just slightly north west of the old Skelton Grange power station.(around waterside rd/the moorings perhaps ?????)I believe there are some other links on this site that may be of further assistance.(always look for old rail lines,sidings etc maps,visuals,local history)

p · Post by p » Sun 04 Nov, 2012 7:08 pm

There was an open cast mine somewhere just off the road/bridleway/path thingy what goes from Temple Newsam field down hill under the motorway to what was Pontefract Lane but is now a private access road to the tip. This mine may have been big enough to have stretched further along the old Pontefract Lane onto what is now the A63 over on the Leeds side of the M1. I believe this was refered to as Skelton Grange Coillery but this could also have been one of the Waterloo ones.

beast · Post by **beast** » Mon 05 Nov, 2012 6:05 pm

thanks for all the info. guysDoes anyone remember an army firing range down Pontefract Lane ( Black Rd ) near the sewage works,or have I imagined it ? !

p · Post by p » Mon 05 Nov, 2012 9:52 pm

Yes I remember it well, not sure if it was to do with the Army or a private club but it was located somewhere off the end of Knowsthorpe Road.

wayniac · Post by **wayniac** » Tue 06 Nov, 2012 1:10 am

beast wrote: thanks for all the info. guysDoes anyone remember an army firing range down Pontefract Lane ( Black Rd ) near the sewage works,or have I imagined it ? ! Yes, there was a firing range. You took the fork in the road where Austin's farm was. On the RH side was the army camp (it used to be my great uncle's farm pre WW2). There was a tall stand of poplars after the army camp and straight ahead took you into the sewage holding ponds. A sharp right took you up a track behind the army camp and the firing range was located behind the camp. In the early 60's there was a pond with a tank stuck in it. We used to fish for frogs in that pond. The tank was pulled out in the early 60's. We used to find lots of .303" cases around that area.

wayniac · Post by **wayniac** » Tue 06 Nov, 2012 1:12 am

I remember the Waterloo pit in the grounds of Temple Newsam. It closed down in the late 60's. We went down there a couple of times during the de-commissioning. Scary place...

somme1916 · Post by **somme1916** » Tue 06 Nov, 2012 9:05 am

wayniac wrote: I remember the Waterloo pit in the grounds of Temple Newsam. It closed down in the late 60's. We went down there a couple of times during the de-commissioning. Scary place... Great adventure for a kid though I suppose wayniac ???We used to do similar stuff....kids just don't get chance nowadys with H&S meaning just about anything worth exploring is closed off/bricked up.My favourites were Howley tunnel(Leeds/Dewsbury line),underground air raid shelters in Tingley(several),Tingley gasworks and surrounding branch lines served by nearby collieries.Happy days !

somme1916 · Post by **somme1916** » Wed 07 Nov, 2012 12:46 am

Strangely enough and related to this theme,albeit tentatively,I left the house today and noticed something unusual.At the end of the street the pavements appeared warped(like corrugation) where they had been very flat for many months.I know because they were gouged out extensively and re-applied with some form of bitumastic top layer several months ago.This process left them looking reasonably impressive and very flat.Not today however.Moreso,outside the local j&i school,a full length of fencing had been uprooted with the parts that went into the ground being substantially (6/7") above their original point of entry....the earth around was also visibly disturbed without any apparent damage to the railings themselves other than they were laying concertina flat ! They were otherwise unscathed.Land slippage/subsidence ???We live in an area surrounded by years of previous mine workings.....(Robin Hood Castle/Jane pit/Lofthouse/East Ardsley colliery)....will do a recce tomorrow and re-assess.Was too dark at tea time to make a judgement but it's a bit suspicious.Book.....have a walk over the bridge and see for yourself !

beast · Post by **beast** » Wed 07 Nov, 2012 9:39 pm

hey wayniac, I certainly remember Austins farm , we used to do our fishing on the opposite side of the road at ' Red Walls' as we called it. And coincidentally I see you live at Geelong, I am coming to Melbourne,Sydney and Queensland in Nov/Dec