Trifter

An island built on coal and surrounded by fish just has to be self-sufficient. These were the wise words of Sir Winston Churchill. Coal fuelled the Industrial Revolution which created Britain’s wealth and empire. North the National Coal Mining Museum for England at Wakefield tells the full story of this exacting and dangerous industry.

Britain’s coal measures were laid down in the Carboniferous Period of the Paleozoic Era about 325 million years ago. Coal was formed from vegetable matter decomposing under pressure. British mining between seriously around 1750 to supply the machinery in the new factories.

Mining comes to life in the modern galleries of the coal Mining Museum by the use of the fascinating interactive displays and exhibits. Visitors are able to discover how the industry has developed and progress through the use of the very technology and science that it once generated.

Visitors to the museum, based in Caphouse Colliery are able to reflect on the human stories behind the country’s coal mining heritage and the courage that the mining communities needed to descend deep below the surface of the earth to work in such arduous and perilous conditions.

Most of all the National Coal Mining Museum for England will allow visitors to understand the drama of our industrial past and witness real mining history through the eyes of the people who actually made it happen.

Permanent exhibitions include Mining Lives and Coal Interface. There are some awesome pieces of pit engineering that are normally hidden deep underground, but are available for close up inspection here. The last working pit ponies enjoy their retirement at the site. There is an authentic colliery train to carry tourists around the museum.

The museum has a mining themed indoor play area for the under fives. Older youngsters can explore and have fun in the adventure playground and the museum provides leaflets for the extensive nature trail.

Visitors can relax and enjoy a drink, light snack or a traditional Yorkshire meal at the Museum. The gift shop enables people to take home their own piece of mining history with items ranging from a souvenir key ring to a replica miner’s lamp.

The highlight of a museum visit is the unique 1¼ hour underground tour. It begins in the Lamp Room where visitors are equipped with helmets and lamps. They enter the cage and descend 140 metres where an experienced miner will meet them and guide them through a real coal mine. It follows a time line through twisting passages to compare the hardships and risks that were faced by the early miners with the efficient safety of today’s mining.

Visitors are recommended to wear warm clothing and sensible shoes for this tour. The museum bans all smoking materials and battery-operated equipment underground for safety reasons. These can be left securely in the Lamp Room. All children must be accompanied by an adult and the under fives are not permitted underground. The museum can arrange underground tours for wheelchair users.

A new attraction is the now restore Hope Pit, which was connected with Caphouse Colliery at one time. There was an unusual system in which the miners entered the pit at Hope, while the coal was extracted through Caphouse before the pits were closed in the 1980s.

The museum stages many events, displays and exhibition throughout the year. There are the talks and lectures on various aspects of coal mining and its history.

Other events include the Easter activities, traction engine and historic commercial vehicle rallies, science weekends and the Victorian Day.

Santa sets up his grotto deep underground during the weekends running up to Christmas.

The National Coal Mining Museum for England lies on the A642 road about halfway between Wakefield and Huddersfield and has ample free coach and car parking.

It is open from 100:00 to 16:00 seven days a week with the exceptions of December 24-26 and January 1.

More details can be obtained from 01924 848806.