Welcome to Haig Colliery Mining Museum. New Volunteers always welcome. Contact 01946 599949 or 01946 591311

Haig Colliery Mining Museum

The pit yard after demolishing the rest of the buildings

After 2 years of salvage work, the pit finally closed and the shafts sealed in 1986. The site was then cleared with the lamproom, showers, coal wash, etc, being demolished and the area landscaped to form the Haig Enterprise Park. Only the winding engine house and headgear remained. The site then lay derelict suffering from vandals, pigeons, and the worst of the Kell's weather. The building, winding engines and headgear were listed (Grade II) in 1987, but were scheduled under section 1 of the Ancient Monuments Act in 1998

Haig Colliery Mining Museum is a totally independent volunteer organisation, set up after taking over ownership of Haig in late 1993, buying the property from British Coal for £1. The aim was to restore the building to its former glory along with the two unique, Bever Dorling steam winding engines, and open a visitor attraction to keep the memory of local mining alive, even though the industry has now long gone. This was planned to not only act as a tourist attraction but also provide an interesting and educational trip for local school children. The income generated would secure the long-term management of the engine house and 2 acres of land.

The members are undertaking the restoration of the winding engines, fitting out the cellar workshop, laying the standard gauge and 2' 6" rail network within the pit yard, and researching and fabricating the displays of Whitehaven's long mining history. A number of grants were approved in 1999 to commence the major elements of the building refurbishment as follows:-

CAPITAL GRANTS			REVENUE GRANTS
Heritage Lottery Fund	£158,200	Millennium Festival Awards		£5,000
European Regional Development Fund	£107,712	B.N.F.L.		£1,000
Science Museum's PRISM Fund	£2,275	West Cumbria Tourism Initiative		£1,500
Cumbria County Council	£4,700	Cumbrian Co-Op		£250
The Manifold Trust	£2,000

These grants completed phase one of the project which consisted of major roof repairs, toilet / water re-connection, disabled access, and electrical re-wire. This has allowed the first engine hall to open to the public. Three staff were employed:- Sherrie Lewthwaite as Manager, Colin McCourt as Heritage Officer, and Julie Bennett as Administrator. This was made possible by revenue funding from the Millennium Festival Awards For All programme and Cumbria County Council Community Regeneration Fund and the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.

Phase 1B was completed in April 2001, which included repairs to the remaining roof over No.5 engine hall. This work was delayed on finding 800 m² of asbestos roof panels during Phase One, the original grant money being diverted into removing this hazard. Further grants were approved in 2000 to continue employment for the three members of staff and complete a feasibility study. £230,000 was raised for this work as follows :-

CAPITAL GRANTS			REVENUE GRANTS
Heritage Lottery Fund	£59,600	Garfield Weston Foundation		£5,000
Cumbria Waste Management	£15,000	The Mercers' Company		£500
Coalfields Regeneration Trust	£155,642	Cumbria County Council		£3,500
		Single Regeneration Budget		£4,000
		The Lyndhurst Settlement		£2,000
		The Hadfield Trust		£4,000

Janet Sharpe - A local resident who donates her birthday money each year to the project - £100, which is always a great help.

The grant from the Hadfield Trust allowed essential work to complete the locomotive shed. We have now transported the steam loco, Askham Hall through to Haig for restoration work, thanks to sponsorship from Direct Rail Services. The shed also houses the road roller on loan from the Beacon Collection and other items receiving restoration work. Further information on the loco-shed is here. The yard network of rail is now being extended before expanding beyond our fence, back along the cliff tops.

After joining the South Whitehaven Partnership, a further £25,000 of SRB funding for continuing employment for 4 staff was granted. A further £21,900 was approved which completed an upgrade to the entrance road and provided signage to the pit. Cumbria County Council has approved a further £5,420 as 50 % funding towards the new Guide's position. Janet Baker has joined the project as Heritage Officer, taking over from John Brown, who has recently left to work at Honistor Slate Mines.

Thomas Norman, an ex-Haig miner, is employed as a Guide, while Yvonne Moynes works at Haig as Administrator. Patrick Stewart recently joined the project as Volunteer Co-ordinator, while we have also welcomed back David Savage as Museum guide.

A grant from the Coalfield's Regeneration Trust for £100,000 has now secured the staff positions until 2005. This is our window of opportunity to expand the museum, and it's services, to a point where we can become standalone and sustainable.

Some exciting projects are being planned and the museum has been included in the Coastal Fringe study commissioned by Copeland Borough Council. We have also been chosen as a coalfield site for regeneration by English Partnerships. This could unlock substantial funding to complete these grand ideas. More information on the plans can be found by clicking here

The constant growth and success would not be achievable without financial support, for which we are extremely grateful, as follows :-

Funder	Amount	Purpose
EDZ	£4048	Marketing
Awards for all	£4570	Transport Mining Machinery
CN Group	£200	John Skelly’s Pit Poems Book
Cumbria Miners Welfare Trust	£400	John Skelly’s Pit Poems Book
Sellafield Contractors Committee	£100	John Skelly’s Pit Poems Book
Buckingham Trust	£100	Maritime Festival Production with young children
Cumbria County Council	£5420	Museum Guide
Enterprise Cumbria	£250	Education Materials
Business Education Partnerships	£50	Education Materials
Springboard UK	£500	GNVQ Event Day
Coalfield Regeneration Trust	£100,000	Revenue (staffing, training, expenses)
South Whitehaven Partnership	£51,000	Revenue (staffing, training, expenses)
Copeland Training Fund	£15,000	Training
Awards For All	£4659	Marketing
Community Fund	£45,550	Revenue (staffing, training, expenses)
Cumbria Community Foundation	£1000	Tools
Keyfund	£4997	Marketing
Keyfund	£6000	Pilot Volunteer Co-ordinator project
Learning & Skills Council	£2500	Training
South Whitehaven Partnership	£21,000	Signage and Access
North West Museums Service	£7150	Cumbria Mining Museums Cluster Facilitation
North West Museums Service	£4100	3^rd Aid Learning Initiative
Hadfield Trust	£4000	Loco-shed materials
Cumbria Waste Management	£7989	Blacksmiths
South Whitehaven Partnership	£60,092	Blacksmiths
European Regional Development Fund	£58,448	Blacksmiths
Heritage Lottery Fund	£38,000	Phase Two Pre-planning Work
English Partnerships	£150,000	Asbestos Removal / Encapsulation
English Partnerships	£28,500	Railway Acquisition Project
English Partnerships	£22,500	Feasibility Study
West Lakes Renaissance	£22,500	Feasibility Study
West Lakes Renaissance	£3,191	Seaham Training Face Acquisition Project
English Partnerships	£3,191	Seaham Training Face Acquisition Project
West Cumbria CVS	£928	Organisational Health Check
Neighbourhood Forum	£1,000	Computer Equipment
Cumbria Community Foundation	£1,000	Computer Equipment
South Whitehaven Partnerships	£10,000	Revenue (Museum Guides Wages)