Astley Green Colliery, the best preserved of the former Lancashire collieries, retains a magnificent power hall, the heartbeat of the colliery operations.
Information about the numerous colliery remains in Britain can be found by searching online at www.heritagegateway.org.uk for England, www.coflein.gov.uk for Wales, and canmore.org.uk for Scotland.
Several former collieries have been opened to the public and several museums have significant displays on the coal industry. Visitors are advised to check opening times.
Astley Green Colliery Museum, Higher Green Lane, Tyldesley, M29 7JB. Telephone: 01942 708969. Website: www.agcm.org.uk
Beamish Museum, Beamish, County Durham, DH9 0RG. Telephone: 0191 370 4000. Website: www.beamish.org.uk
Bestwood Country Park, Park Road, Bestwood, Nottinghamshire, NG6 8TQ. (The former Bestwood Colliery, No 2 Pit, winding house and headgear.)
Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenavon, NP4 9XP. Telephone: 0300 1112333. Website: www.museumwales.ac.uk/bigpit
Black Country Living Museum, Tipton Road, Dudley, DY1 4SQ. Telephone: 0121 557 9643. Website: www.bclm.co.uk
Cefn Coed Colliery Museum, Neath Road, Creunant, SA10 8SN. Telephone: 01639 750556. Website: www.npt.gov.uk (Open May–September.)
Chatterley Whitfield Colliery, Stoke on Trent. Website: www.chatterleywhitfieldfriends.org.uk (At the time of writing only open on Heritage Open Days, or by prior arrangement.)
Elsecar Heritage Centre, Wath Road, Elsecar, Barnsley, S74 8HJ. Telephone: 01226 740203. Website: www.elsecarheritage.com (Includes the only surviving atmospheric beam engine.)
Haig Colliery Mining Museum, Solway Road, Kells, Whitehaven, CA28 9BG. Telephone: 01946 599949.
National Coal Mining Museum for England, Caphouse Colliery, New Road, Overton, Wakefield, WF4 4RH. Telephone: 01924 848806. Website: www.ncm.org.uk
National Mining Museum Scotland, Lady Victoria Colliery, Newtongrange, EH22 4QN. Telephone: 0131 663 7519. Website: www.nationalminingmuseum.com
Prestongrange Industrial Heritage Museum, Morrisons Haven, Prestonpans, EH32 9RX. Telephone: 0131 653 2904. Website: www.prestongrange.org
Rhondda Heritage Park, Lewis Merthyr Colliery, Trehafod CF37 2NP. Telephone: 01443 682036. Website: www.rhonddaheritagepark.com
South Wales Miners Museum, Afan Forest Park, Cynonville, Port Talbot, SA13 3HG. Telephone: 01639 851833. Website: www.south-wales-miners-museum.co.uk
Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, Heritage Way, Coatbridge, ML5 1QD. Telephone: 01236 638460. Website: http://culturenl.co.uk/summerlee (Contains a reconstructed mine and miners’ cottages.)
Washington F Pit Museum, Albany Way, Washington, NE37 1BJ. Telephone: 0191 553 2323
Woodhorn Museum, Queen Elizabeth II Country Park, Ashington, Northumberland, NE63 9YF. Telephone: 01670 624455. Website: www.experiencewoodhorn.com
Astley Green Colliery, the best preserved of the former Lancashire collieries, retains a magnificent power hall, the heartbeat of the colliery operations.
Caphouse Colliery in South Yorkshire closed in 1985 but reopened as the National Coal Mining Museum for England.
