New Shildon Colliery

Overview

A National Coal Board drift at Shildon, opened in 1949 and employing more than 500 at its height, closed in August 1965; a small licensed drift of the same name worked on into the 1980s.

History

New Shildon Colliery was a drift mine at Shildon, south-east of Bishop Auckland, opened by the National Coal Board in 1949. In 1950 its men were counted with the nearby Princes Street Drift; it worked the Low Main seam at first, and the Hutton and Low Main from 1955.

It grew quickly, to 247 employed in 1955, 536 in 1960, 530 in 1961 and 516 in 1964, producing coking, household and manufacturing coal and later gas, industrial and steam coal as well. The Coal Board closed it in August 1965 with 407 men; the abandonment plans of its Low Main workings are dated 1965 and of the Hutton 1966.

Mining at New Shildon carried on in a small way. A licensed mine, New Shildon Drift, worked the Brass Thill seam with between twelve and seventeen men from at least 1974 to 1981, the date on its abandonment plans; the Northern Mine Research Society lists New Shildon Drift as working until 1985, one of the last four collieries to close in the Bishop Auckland area.

The museum also records a New Shildon Colliery of the 1880s and 1890s, which employed 242 in 1894. An upover staple was driven from the Busty to the Harvey seam there in 1885, the Brockwell was abandoned as worked out in 1889, and in May 1892 the Busty was abandoned for an indefinite period after damage done to the mine during the strike of that year and the depression of trade.

Geology

The Coal Board drift worked the Low Main and Hutton seams; the licensed drift the Brass Thill. The earlier colliery worked the Brockwell, Busty and Harvey.

Workings

A drift mine; the earlier colliery of the name had an upover staple from the Busty to the Harvey seam (1885).

Closure

Closed by the National Coal Board in August 1965, with 407 men; Low Main plans dated 1965 and Hutton 1966. The licensed New Shildon Drift's plans are dated 1981, and it is listed as working until 1985.

What remains

Unknown.

Redevelopment

Unknown.

Related mines

• Princes Street Drift — Its workforce was counted with Princes Street Drift in 1950 (Durham Mining Museum).

What's uncertain

Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.

• New Shildon Drift worked from 1949 until 1985. (uncertain) ⁵

Recorded claims

Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.

• Opened in 1949 and closed in August 1965. ^1,2
• Employed 536 in 1960 and 407 at closure in 1965. ²
• Plans of the Low Main workings were abandoned in 1965. ³
• A licensed New Shildon Drift worked the Brass Thill seam; its plans are dated 1981. ^2,4
• New Shildon Drift worked from 1949 until 1985. (uncertain) ⁵
• In May 1892 the Busty seam was abandoned after damage done during the strike and the depression of trade. ²

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (secondary) NCB Collieries - England (Northern Mine Research Society) — Northern Mine Research Society
2. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: New Shildon Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
3. (primary) BGS / Mining Remediation Authority mine plan: NEW SHILDON, Low Main 'J' seam, abandoned 1965 — British Geological Survey
4. (primary) BGS / Mining Remediation Authority mine plan: NEW SHILDON DRIFT (LICENSED MINE), Brass Thill 'K' seam, abandoned 1981 — British Geological Survey
5. (secondary) Bishop Auckland Area — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 10 October 2026 · Last researched: 10 October 2026