Thread: Snibston Discovery Park, Leics.

Based at the site of the Snibston Colliery, the Discovery park is a "showcase" to all industries of the county- including quarrying, engineering, textiles, aircraft, etc. By choosing this site it also secured the future of the colliery buildings & structures. Although the other exhibits are interesting, I was particularly taken by the colliery site & can thoroughly recommend taking one of the guided tours.

Few pics of the pit:

The Stephenson shaft (named after George Stephenson who was instrumental in the development of this pit in it's early days)

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The Tandem Shaft (2 shafts side by side) was originally called the Riding & Furnace shafts, with the latter commonly known as Smokey from the practice of using open fires in the pit bottom to induce ventilation

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Shaft signals

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Some of the mining machinery around the site:

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The Lamp Room

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The Control Room, complete with an audio recording done by those that worked at the pit (although somewhat "tame" compared to those days )

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Yes well worth a visit.
Being as I was "fact finding" & spent most time round the pit, didn't do the rest justice. Unfortunately, although the colliery buildings/ structures are relatively safe (listed in some cases) some work is required & so some places that used to be open to the public are now out of bounds

Originally Posted by oildrum

although the colliery buildings/ structures are relatively safe (listed in some cases) some work is required & so some places that used to be open to the public are now out of bounds

sounds like a challenge

Originally Posted by Emmaj

sounds like a challenge

Couldn't possibly comment
Just to say that the guide who took us round also let us see a few bits "behind the scenes" (but that was before the official tour & with no "public")