Harworth Colliery: Towering Above The Rest

A short montage of Harworth Colliery featuring its towers, in which number one tower stood proud as Nottinghamshire's tallest building at 80m tall until its demolition on the 11th of April 2016.
Built between 1986 and 1989 it was the tallest mining tower in Europe and housed the largest and most powerful winding motor in UK mining history at a huge 4000kw.
The tower was built using the UK's first 'slipform' method which used a continuous supply of concrete and would be built non-stop rising at one inch every 24 hours. The same method was later used to build Wembley Stadium in London and Cottam power station chimneys.
On the 10th of April 2016, a controlled explosion failed to demolish her after hundreds of current and former Harworth & Bircotes residents and ex-miners braved the morning cold.
It was decided by lunch time that the demolition crew would bring in remote robots to hammer at her foundations, but even that proved too difficult and by the falling darkness, they stopped work until the next day.
On the 12th of April 2016, she fell at 08.17.
There was deep heartbreak and anger after lack of information mean't no one knew she would be coming down early in the morning, so most people missed her fall.
Her fall marks the end of 93 years of mining at Harworth.
The land has permission to build up to 1600 houses with shops, parks and a new school.
I WELCOME COMMENTS, BUT PLEASE NO OFFENSIVE ONES OR THEY WILL BE REMOVED AND YOU WILL BE REPORTED. Thank you.

[@shaunmartin6767]

What a fantastic film. Brought back happy memories of living in the village and working at the colliery.

[@TbearGaming82]

Brought back happy memories of living in the village I miss them

[@scottemptage2385]

i balled my eyes out over this. great job. what a great tribute to harworth pit

[@jackking5567]

Gone are the jobs. Gone are the future jobs for our children. Gone is the self sufficiency by using our own fuel reserves. Gone is the money coming into local communities. What isn't gone is our fond memories of a once mighty industry. Farewell coal, you did us well :)

[@leathandrubb]

I worked at Askern pit as an underground loco driver.I must say i thought i was the one of the few who are still sad about it all and fed up about hearing about green.Google maps are miles out of date as i can still see the headgear at Harworth.

[@greg5639]

You're not on your own duck, I'm still bitter about this devastating destruction of not just our collierys but all those other companies that supplied the coal industry.

[@petemoss8625]

when ever i drive around the harworth area i think of all those miles of workings down there, it must be so eerie.............

[@davidfirth2932]

Enjoyed the video. Thank you.

[@lisainstitches8118]

Great video x

[@martincowling6562]

This is what is lacking now a days in schools history topics, I've never heard or seen any kid at school talking about history of what it was like working down a deep coal mine as today's era wouldn't have a clue today of what any coal mine in the UK looked like.

[@JayPlaysOfficial]

Harworth will never be the same again without the towers! such a shame!

[@thecutesisters4457]

JayPlaysOfficial it's not 😭 all these fires and everything

[@Garwfechan-ry5lk]

I do believe that the Friction Winders at Abernant in South Wales were 4000 HP as well

[@jaggass]

The tower made Harworth pit top look flat and it was built very well.

[@dansmith2126]

The pit tower is sadly missed,demolished 11th of April 2016 :( I live in harworth and Bircotes

[@vexfnc]

I miss looking out the window and seeing it 😭

[@mwspireite5713]

I worked at Harworth colliery from 1992 and the new headstock over No 2 shaft was installed around 1996 not 1988.

[@dedgeroo4665]

Mark Walker?

[@yauwohn]

I hate to correct Frixster, BUT Harworths winding engines were NOT the largest winders EVER IN THE UK, Try Boulby Mine's No1 shaft winder at 7000HP, installed in 1975 and still running, Wheal Jane in the 1970's had a similar 7000HP winder, and although not a winder, Selby's Cable Belt drive at 7000HP. There was a Lancashire Colliery that ran a larger steam winder, I forget the HP now, but larger than Harworths 5364HP...

[@frankies7574]

Proof here from NCB's own brochure from the colliery.... farm4.static.flickr.com/3661/3326668978_da902f10f7.jpg

[@yauwohn]

Harworths winder was only 4000Kw which is 5364HP Boulbys No1 winder installed in 1975 was and still is 7000HP which makes Boulby the largest installed winder HP! The old Wheal Jane tin mine also had an identical winding engine motor as Boulby's at 7000HP as did the Selby Colliery complex Cable Belt. I worked at Boulby for a few years.

[@yauwohn]

I might add, Boulbys No1 winder is a Blair type ground mounted winder using twin ropes terminating on a balance wheel on the 20ton capacity skips. It hoists 3/4 mile from loading level to tipping level. The No2 men and materials winder is 3000HP. Both are DC motors being controlled by SCR's in multiple cabinets on the main winder floor. The No2 winder is a conventional single rope per cage.

[@OhJackJones]

Bye bye pit tower many childhood memory s there RIP

[@racheldunstan7644]

great video what is the music that has been used ?

[@jasinere35]

NCB took over all pits but UK coal finshed them off & the tower was built to last hence why it didn't wanna go down without a fight, harworths landmark long gone & along with it a major piece of coal history, its the same everywhere theres a pit its all being wiped out(thatchers dream to obliterate every pit came true) saddens us all to see this happen

[@DENPTrains]

Has anyone got footage of the second tower (smaller one) destruction, I am sorry but I need too see it becuase I never knew it was there until now though I have memory of seeing it

[@cutepandababy5504]

Yes

[@Gaming56-d7r]

Sox uncle but it's 11th she fell but great video

[@yauwohn]

Boulby Mine, the old Wheal Jane Tin mine had 7000hp winder motors in the 70's and 80's and Selby drift had similar DC motors of the same HP, so your claim the 4000Kw was the biggest winding motor is FALSE. The most powerful steam winder was in the Lancs coalfield at a colliery in Manchester, if my memory is right it was 5000HP.

[@yauwohn]

The coal industry was nationalized in 1947 and was managed for the people by the National Coal Board NOT British Coal. I served my apprenticeship as an electrician with the NCB and left in 1968 when it was STILL the NCB!!

[@ChrisEdwards75]

She will be missed will longer to be able say im home from the A1 when i come home to visit

[@lexigibson5351]

this is verry sad coz I live right next to it and it's ever so sad that it was booked down

[@Gaming56-d7r]

Lexi I know you ur from serlby park aren't you I'm kira spowart

[@greg5639]

Look at the shit we're in now. Yeah we were truly ready to go green. NOT ! TO THOSE WHO THINK THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA. ENJOY YOUR CHEEP ELECTRICITY 😂🤣😂🤣🤣

[@lexigibson5351]

oh hi kira

[@enthalpiaentropia7804]

Short life...17 years only. It was better to keep original headgear instead of.. Daniel from Paris-F

[@thecutesisters4457]

😭

[@creeperdeath6788]

Cry