Westoe Colliery

Overview

Westoe Colliery in South Shields, sunk in 1909 as a man-riding shaft for the neighbouring St Hilda's Colliery, became a producing mine in its own right in 1940 and closed in 1993 as the last working pit on Tyneside.

History

Westoe Colliery's shaft was sunk in 1909 at Westoe, South Shields, originally as a man-riding shaft serving the older St Hilda's Colliery. It became a producing colliery of its own after St Hilda's closed in 1940, and underwent major reconstruction from 1957, when a modern coal preparation plant and two tower-mounted friction winders were installed; the Crown Shaft's tall enclosed winding tower dates from the early 1960s. Coal was moved by an electrically operated railway to staiths at Harton, a line originally installed by the German-owned Harton Coal Company. Westoe closed in May 1993, the last pit of its kind on Tyneside to close, ending 84 years of coal mining at the site; the colliery was cleared by 2001 and the site redeveloped as the Westoe Crown Village housing estate.

Workings

Originally a man-riding shaft for St Hilda's Colliery; became a full producing mine from 1940, reconstructed from 1957 with two tower-mounted friction winders and a modern coal preparation plant, coal moved via an electric railway to staiths at Harton.

What remains

The colliery has been fully cleared and the site redeveloped as the Westoe Crown Village housing estate.

Recorded claims

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

• The shaft was sunk in 1909 as a man-riding shaft for the neighbouring St Hilda's Colliery, and became a producing mine in its own right only after St Hilda's closed in 1940. ¹
• Major reconstruction from 1957 installed two tower-mounted friction winders and a modern coal preparation plant; the Crown Shaft's tall enclosed winding tower dates from the early 1960s. Coal was carried to staiths at Harton by an electric railway originally built by the German-owned Harton Coal Company. ¹
• Westoe closed in May 1993, the last pit of its kind on Tyneside to close, ending coal mining on Tyneside after 84 years at this site. ²

Photographs & further reading

Images

Sources

1. (primary) Westoe Colliery (SMR 5110) — Sitelines (Tyne and Wear Historic Environment Record)
2. (secondary) Westoe Colliery — Wikipedia

Record created: 2 September 2026 · Last researched: 2 September 2026