Solway Colliery

Overview

Workington's last deep coal mine, sunk at Moss Bay in 1937 by United Steel Companies to feed its coking plant, nationalised in 1947 and closed in 1973. The pit was beset by damp, faults and poor-quality coal.

History

Solway Colliery, at Moss Bay on the coast north of Workington, was Workington's last deep coal mine. Workington Colliery had stopped producing in 1875, and a costly attempt to restart coal production came with the sinking of the Solway Pit in 1937 by United Steel Companies. It was built to serve the company's steelworks: the 1936 coking plant beside the Derwent blast furnaces had 64 ovens, and a conveyor ran from pit to coke ovens. Coal was carried by rail to the Harrington coal preparation plant at Lowca to be washed and graded, then returned over the Lowca Light Railway to the works.

Seams worked included the Main Band, Six Quarters, Ten Quarters and Slaty Band. The pit was beset by damp, faults and poor-quality coal, and was not among the county's more profitable collieries. The National Coal Board took it over in 1947, and it employed 596 people in 1965. It closed in 1973, in May according to the Lowca railway history and in March according to the caption to a 1968 photograph, leaving the Lowca line with no traffic.

Geology

The pit worked the Main Band, Six Quarters, Ten Quarters and Slaty Band seams and was troubled by underground faults and by damp.

Workings

By 1955 only the Main Band seam was listed as worked. A March 1948 Coal Magazine article is titled 'Lord Hyndley Visits New Workings Under The Sea'. Coal was raised at the shaft and conveyed to the adjoining coke ovens.

Closure

The colliery closed in 1973, when Solway coal stopped going to Lowca and the Lowca Light Railway closed on 23 May 1973.

What remains

A 1976 photograph shows the headgear still standing, with the workshops and ancillary buildings in private use.

Redevelopment

Unknown.

Related mines

• Lowca Colliery — United Steel Companies owned both; Solway coal was washed and graded at the Harrington plant at Lowca and returned to the steelworks over the Lowca Light Railway.

What's uncertain

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

• A photograph caption says Solway Colliery closed in March 1973. (disputed) ⁵

Recorded claims

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

• Solway Colliery was sunk in 1937 by United Steel Companies. ^1,2,3
• The National Coal Board took the colliery over in 1947, and it closed in 1973. ^1,3
• Solway Colliery closed in May 1973. ⁴
• A photograph caption says Solway Colliery closed in March 1973. (disputed) ⁵
• Solway coal went by rail to the Harrington coal preparation plant at Lowca for washing and grading and returned to the steelworks over the Lowca Light Railway. ^4,6
• The colliery employed 250 people in 1945, 596 in 1965 and 579 in 1972. ¹
• The Main Band, Six Quarters, Ten Quarters and Slaty Band seams were worked. ¹
• The pit was troubled by damp, underground faults and poor-quality coal. ³

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (primary) Durham Mining Museum - Solway Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Iron and steel GAZ Workington since c.1850 — Cumbria County History Trust
3. (observational) Solway Colliery Headgear, Workington, 1976 (Flickr, russell_w_b) — Flickr
4. (secondary) Lowca Light Railway - History — Cumbrian Railways Association
5. (observational) Solway Colliery, Workington, 19 May 1968 (Flickr, 12a_kingmoor_klickr) — Flickr
6. (observational) Solway Colliery, Workington, 22 June 1972 (Flickr, 12a_kingmoor_klickr) — Flickr

Record created: 29 September 2026 · Last researched: 29 September 2026