Haig Colliery Mining Museum facts for kids

The Haig Colliery Mining Museum was a cool place to visit in Kells, England. It was built on the spot of Cumbria's very last deep coal mine, high up on the cliffs near Whitehaven in Cumbria. Sadly, the museum closed its doors in January 2016 because it ran out of money.

Exploring the Museum's Past

The museum was a special project run by volunteers. They wanted to keep the history of local mining alive. It was set up inside the old building that held the mine's giant winding engine. This building became a protected historical site in 1998.

One of the huge steam engines that used to pull things up from the mine was even working again! The museum showed many old tools and items. These helped visitors understand what life was like for miners. They also learned about the history of the people in the area.

A Long History of Coal Mining

Coal mining in Whitehaven started a very long time ago. People were digging for coal there as early as the 1200s! Monks from St Bees Priory helped start the first coal mines at Arrowthwaite. This long history of mining ended suddenly in March 1986. That's when Haig Colliery, Cumbria's last deep coal mine, finally closed down.

Mining was very dangerous back then. The mines often had a lot of gas, which caused huge explosions. More than 1,700 people died in the Whitehaven mines. This included men, women, and even children. They were mining coal in tunnels that went up to four miles out under the sea. These tunnels were beneath the Solway Firth. Haig Colliery itself had many terrible gas explosions in the 1920s. Fourteen miners are still underground in those old tunnels today.

The Mine Building

The mine building was very large and easy to spot. It stood out in the Kells Industrial Estate. It had tall chimneys that reached high into the sky. There were also working lifts and conveyor belts. These were used to move the coal around the site.

How Coal Was Moved

The walking path behind the museum is called 'The Wagon Road'. This name comes from the 1800s. Back then, coal mining was a huge industry in North West England. Coal wagons would travel down this road. They went to reach the train tracks. From there, the coal was taken into the town centre. It was then loaded onto trains or sent to the Whitehaven Harbour. At that time, Whitehaven Harbour was one of Britain's most important ports.

Why the Museum Closed

The museum closed for repairs in 2014. It had a big makeover that cost 2.4 million pounds. It reopened to the public in February 2015. The museum welcomed more than 15,000 visitors, which was more than they expected! But even with many visitors, the museum had money problems. Because of this, it closed for good in January 2016. Some of the old buildings are now used by West Cumbria Mining. This company is drilling for coal off the coast of Cumbria.