Maltby: Will pit demolition be sooner or later?

Several big bunkers have already been demolished at the Tickhill Road pit which once employed hundreds of locals.

And the statuesque winding tower is set to come down in the next few days.

Rumours were circulating in the village that it would happen on Good Friday 18th April.

Two way temporary traffic lights have been erected on Tickhill Road near the colliery to stop traffic during blast periods.

Rotherham Council said they went up on 16th April and would be there until 29th May.

Hargreaves Ltd which owns the site said it could not confirm when the winding tower would be sunk, but suggested ‘late April’.

“Several bits of work are still ongoing on site. We are working around lots of different companies and subcontractors dismantling the infrastructure and utilities before the building can come down,” said a spokesman.

Residents, however, are eager to know when the remaining buildings will be demolished.

Last November the vast 10,000 tonne bunker and the Bradford breaker were torn down.

And people were up in arms when the huge coal prep plant was blown up on 21st March earlier than expected. Some said it was a deliberate ploy to stop local people from watching.

Maltby Colliery closed last year after Hargreaves said it was no longer viable on health and safety, geological and financial grounds.

At the time, the National Union of Mineworkers said about 250 people lost their jobs, while 150 were redeployed to jobs at Kellingley and Hatfield in Yorkshire and Thoresby in Notts.