Campaigns & Projects
Remembering Skelmersdale’s mining past |
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| A major project, currently at planning stage, is to erect a monument to the coal mining community of Skelmersdale and ultimately, establish a permanent base, open to the public and visitors alike. As our mission statement says, we are committed to preserving Skem’s historical landmarks. |
 Tawd Vale mining disaster - November 30th 1897 |
Protecting our heritage |
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| We have already successfully campaigned to secure the future of Barnes Road School as well as Whiteledge Farm in Tawd Bridge, Digmoor (pictured). |
 Whiteledge Farm - a historic Skelmersdale landmark |
Last updated on 18th October, 2010 @ 09:08.
Hello,
My wife and I moved to Skelmersdale in 2005, with all sorts of dire warnings ringing in our ears. But we have been pleasantly surprised to find that whilst there are many problems here, over all, Skem is not a bad place to be.
As someone who is fascinated by Industrial History, I find it amazing that Skem’s contribution to mining history has been completely expunged from public gaze.
Recently I walked the Tawd Valley for the first time. I was left with the notion that Skelmersdale is losing out on one of the best visitors attractions in West Lancs. It plays such an importan part in the mining history, yet therfe is not a single reference to it. The wildlife potential is huge. I saw what seemed like an otter scampering up the bank at one point.
As I walked around I could come up with numerous ideas as to how it the Valley could become as big an attraction as Wigan’s Three Sisters and Pennington Flash.
So good luck to your project to make Skem’s history more evident. Perhaps the first thing that needs to be done, is for Skem to have its own Town Council that would push for Skem.
Skelmersdale used to have its own council (s.u.d.c.)and although the tawd valley is lovely now in the 1950′s it was beautiful.
As there are no fish in the river tawd therefore no(Otters)
perhaps it was an Ormskirk Tory Councillor looking for new ways to exploit the good people of Skelmersdale that you saw.
Looking at the Disused Railways web site
http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/s/skelmersdale/
you can see a map of the old railway from Ormskirk to Skelmersdale that used to run down what is Railway Road.
There was also a small halt at White Moss now buried under the M58
http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/w/white_moss_crossing/index.shtml
Looking the east on the second map you can see the site of the old Holland colliery that used to link to the Wigan Kirkby railway at Holland Moss Signal Box.
What if anything now covers the site of the Holland Colliery. When they building the original road and then upgrading to it a motorway did they encounter any engineering difficulties becuaes of the mine workings. What happened to the spoil tips then were an inevitable by product of mining? What can you remember about the building of the motorway?