Institution of Mining Engineers - South Midland Tour - 22nd October 1989

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Railtour map drawn by our member Dave Mellor.<br>[&copy; Dave Mellor 1989]	Railtour map drawn by our member Dave Mellor.<br>[&copy; Dave Mellor 1989]	Railtour map drawn by our member Dave Mellor.<br>[&copy; Dave Mellor 1989]	Railtour map drawn by our member Dave Mellor.<br>[&copy; Dave Mellor 1989]	1956 - Silverdale Colliery is bottom left (Madeley Jn off left); Stoke off right. Apedale Jn is below 'Cross Heath' the Apedale Branch runs NW to where the Apedale Light Railway is - Apedale Colliery site is off map beyond. Holditch Colliery is upper right centre (branch from Knutton Gate Jn).	May 1982, Silverdale rapid loading bunker, the colliery was off to the right. It closed in 1993, but was reopened the following year under private ownership and lasted until 1998. Looking west to Madeley Jn/Market Drayton. A pair of Class 25s (the usual motive power) brings wagons from Crewe Sorting Sidings South for Holditch Colliery; most of its output went to Shotton Steel Works. This section of the line from Stoke-on-Trent was once double track; Silverdale station here CP 2 Mar 1964.<br>[&copy; Ian Mortimer 1982]	Lea Hall Colliery - the tour reversal point; the adjacent Rugeley 'A' Power Station was in steam.<br>[&copy; Ian Mortimer 1989]
The tour organiser, Chris Boyle, inspects the points at Apedale Jn as they had not been used for three months. This was the run round loop for trains reversing here to and from Holditch Colliery.<br>[&copy; Ian Mortimer 1989]	The tour entering Holditch Colliery in poor weather conditions, (from the rear of the train).<br>[&copy; Ian Mortimer 1989]