MineArchiveSilverwood Colliery Paddy Mail Disaster
| Date | 3 February 1966 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Silverwood Colliery |
| Region | South Yorkshire |
| Type | Haulage / Transport |
| Fatalities | 10 (The Minister of Power's same-day statement to Parliament gave a provisional toll of nine killed and one seriously injured; the final confirmed toll of ten fatalities emerged as the full extent of injuries became clear in the following days.) |
| Injuries | 29 injured |
| Context | During active mining |
| Status | Researched |
A runaway underground materials train collided with a man-riding train carrying miners to their shift at Silverwood Colliery, killing ten men and injuring 29 — one of the worst underground transport accidents in the South Yorkshire coalfield.
Cause
A materials train ran out of control underground and collided with the rear of the 'Paddy Mail' man-riding train carrying miners to their morning shift, around one and a half miles from the pit bottom in the Braithwell return roadway.
What happened
Shortly before 8am on 3 February 1966, an underground materials train lost control roughly one and a half miles from the pit bottom, in the Braithwell return roadway, and ran into the rear of the 'Paddy Mail' — the man-riding train carrying miners in to their morning shift. Ten men were killed and a further 29 injured in the collision. In an urgent statement to the House of Commons that same day, the Minister of Power reported a provisional toll of nine men killed and one seriously injured, pending further investigation by H.M. Divisional Inspector of Mines; the final toll of ten fatalities was established as the fuller picture of the injured emerged in the following days.
Investigation & inquiry
H.M. Divisional Inspector of Mines investigated on behalf of the Ministry of Power, reported to Parliament the same day the accident occurred. A subsequent coroner's inquest at Rotherham examined Silverwood's underground transport rules.
Changes to practice & legislation
The Mines Inspectorate's findings led to a change in national underground safety practice, recommending that materials trains should not be permitted to run immediately behind man-riding (passenger) trains.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- A materials train ran out of control underground and collided with the rear of the man-riding 'Paddy Mail' train, around one and a half miles from the pit bottom in the Braithwell return roadway.
- Ten men were killed and 29 injured; the Minister of Power's same-day statement to Parliament gave a provisional toll of nine killed and one seriously injured, before the final toll was confirmed. (disputed)
- The Mines Inspectorate's investigation led to a change in national practice, recommending materials trains should not run immediately behind man-riding trains.
Photographs & further reading
This page doesn't try to reproduce everything — these are the best original sources found for this disaster.
The Minister of Power's same-day statement to the House of Commons on the accident.
View sourceSources
- (primary) Silverwood Colliery (Accident) — Hansard, House of Commons
- (secondary) Silverwood Colliery — Wikipedia
Record created: 26 August 2026 · Last researched: 26 August 2026