Rising Sun Colliery (1908-1969)

The Rising Sun Colliery was located near Wallsend, between Battle Hill and Benton in North Tyneside. The sinking of the colliery began on the 9th of July 1906 and production began in 1908. [1] The colliery was owned by Wallsend & Hebburn Coal Co. Ltd., who also ran Wallsend Colliery. In 1935 it was described as "probably the most complete coal preparation plant in the world", providing dry-cleaning, wet-washing, wet and dry screening and blending and mixing and other processes for producing high quality product. The shaft eventually reached a depth of 769 ft (234 m) to exploit the Bensham coal seam, making it one of the deepest in Europe at the time. The colliery was nationalised and became part of the National Coal Board in 1947. By 1965 there were 1,722 people employed at the Rising Sun Colliery (1,442 working below ground, and 280 working on the surface).[2]

The Rising Sun Colliery closed on the 26th of April 1969, making 1,180 men and 26 pit ponies redundant.[3] The colliery buildings were demolished and today the site forms part of the Rising Sun Country Park. There is little visible evidence of the colliery today, except Killingworth Waggonway, once used to transport coal for shipping, which is now a bridleway and footpath through the park.