Park colliery was to the west of Ashton in Makerfield and was the last colliery to close in this area. Sunk in 1887 and was known locally as Stone’s after the owners who were, J & R Stone.
The colliery closed in 1960, this being the last in Ashton in Makerfield to close.
An early photo, circa 1900, show Pit brow lasses posing alongside full railway wagons that have the pits owners name on them.
There was 3 shafts in use, number 3 has an escape route and the coal seams worked where namely, Wigan, Five, Four and Nine Feet, Orrell Five Feet, Arley and later the Pemberton Five Feet.
The colliery was reconstructed in 1950s and had rail connections to the nearby L & YWR Lancashire Union Line to the East of Garswood station
As most pits in the area, it had its accidents, one when a large fall of roof killed three miners in a roadway in March 1934.
If you follow the related link, this is a most detailed account of Fred Fosters life as a miner at Park (Stone's) Colliery.
The colliery site is now an industrial estate within the Merseyside region after boundary changes and just west of Junction 24 of the M6 motorway.
The cache is not inside the estate but on the public side close to the A58.
There is some parking within a short walk but as always park sensibly as this is a major road to and from the motorway and A580 to the west.
Muggles galore at most times so stealth and guile is the word.
Others in the small series are:-
king-coal-1-long-lane-colliery
king-coal-2-garswood-hall-colliery-new-pit
king-coal-4-old-boston- colliery
king-coal-5-wood-and-lyme-pits-haydock
If you compleate all 5 in the small series, there is a photo for your profile. Contact me for the code to paste on your profile.
