Last coal train from Silverdale Colliery.mpg

'Mainline' branded 60 078 'Slioch' is seen performing the last rites for rail-bourne coal from North Staffordshire's last deep mine, Silverdale. The colliery closed at the end of 1998, though I've a feeling that I recorded this in the following year as stock-piles were removed. The video is quite considerably edited as the whole performance took some time. Unfortunately, after the '60' had succeeded in lifting the train out of the confines of the loop at the pit, and into the tunnel, it was basically down hill from there on so there's no spectacular sound. The first scenes are in and around the colliery, then the train's seen passing through the long closed Keele station. Later at the former Madeley Road station (where a train crew building was situated) we see the loco run round in preparation for the curving descent of the 'Madeley Chord' line to gain access to the West Coast Main line. The last shot show the train heading North on the down 'slow'. The eagle eyed might spot a class 37 heading south with a Birmingham or Stafford bound regional railways service from the N.Wales coast.

[@MrCubajoe]

The first pit i worked at and the last pit, worked a few pits but this one holds special memories for me, jesus h christ bringing a lump in my throat.....

[@johnfellows2867]

My uncle was a Stoke 5D driver and regularly worked this line to Market Drayton in the 1950's.

[@tombaker1222]

I've lived in Silverdale for a while now. Strange how much has changed in so short a time!

[@tomstickland]

I walked this line last week. Both tunnels were open and the track is there as far as the second tunnel. It's no longer connected to the main line.

[@radioman1170]

Is the lamp still on 'Red'? I believe the rail connection is severed just by the little extra siding?

[@AshleySmith-su5mv]

@@radioman1170 if you mean the chord by madeley then yeah it’s still on red 👍🏻

[@AB-up8dh]

So sad it's disappeared

[@michellemc965]

i remember the mines, my dad worked there cuz i lived in parksite most my childhood,

[@banksroadmodernimage7358]

Nice video😀

[@danielhaddon1453]

I'm from silverdale and we use to ride the coal trains all over ? Climb in when they stopped lol : ) The Pit is a horrible house estate now ! And the train tracks are a Cycle path ! Or more commonly know to the locals as DOGSHIT ALLY !

[@StaffsTransport]

Brilliant

[@andrewphillips9391]

went in here on a railtour at the end of 1998

[@officialmcdeath]

Thanks for catching this! Just wondering if you or anyone can shed light on the operating practice at the loading track: from everything I've seen, wagons were filled in 2 passes rather than one, what was the technical rationale for that, please? \m/

[@558vulcanxh]

Well done Renownvidz, really interesting,pity you had no acess down the chord to the WCML.
Silverdale would have been open longer if these Miners had stayed loyal to their Union and stayed solid with their Yorkshire Brothers.

[@chrisbuxton1958]

Loyal to their union? You mean doing what Scargill & the Yorkshiremen dictated, without a strike ballot? Funny how history gets re-written.

[@owenevans83]

558vulcanxh shows how little you know.