South Pelaw Colliery

Opened in 1890, South Pelaw Colliery produced coal until it was closed on 3 January 1964.

During it’s working life, the colliery had the following owners:

  • 1860s – Perkins & Co
  • 1880s – E.M. Perkins & Partners
  • 1890s – South Pelaw Coal Co. Ltd.
  • 1947 – National Coal Board (NCB)

Employing 353 men in 1896 to a peak of 883 in 1930, 377 remained upon closure in 1964.

The colliery was rail served with a steeply graded connection from South Pelaw Junction to the exchange sidings behind the South Pelaw Junction Signal Box with a level crossing taking the lines over Pelton Lane to the colliery itself.

Layout of South Pelaw Colliery in 1947. Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland
South Pelaw Colliery forms the backdrop as 9F locomotives 92068 and 92068 pass each other at South Pelaw Junction with loaded and empty iron ore trains respectively. Photo copyright Colin Bewes.

Further information on the colliery and it’s history can be found on the Durham Mining Museum and Chester-le-Street Heritage websites.