tarboat's photos with the keyword: sough

The ochre coloured water pouring into the River Goyt indicates the tail of the sough draining coal workings on the eastern side of Whaley Bridge. The mines have been abandoned for over 100 years but the water continues to run from them.

Eighteenth century drainage sough serving colliery workings in north west England.

Driven around 1750 the Goyt's Moss Sough drains the Yard seam under moorland at the head of the Goyt Valley.

The Bank End sough is about 2,100 yards in length from the terminal shaft near Furness Vale to the portal where the mine water is discharged into the River Goyt. It drained workings in the Yard seam between Newtown and Furness Vale. The arched section seen here is constructed of gritstone and appears to be in good condition. It was probably constructed before 1811 and the last mines that it served closed about 1921.

Colliery soughs are well worth seeking out and this example probably dates from the early nineteenth century. Originally used as a drainage and tramming level with a tramroad to take the coal down to a yard by the nearby road. It served to drain, amongst others, Thornsett Hey Colliery and the splendidly named Cave Abdullam Pit, and the abandonment plans suggest that mining ceased here in 1886. The trademark ochreous silt that usually marks old coal workings is present in large quantities here along this stone arched section which comprises the first 167 yards of the 649 yard tunnel. Plenty of water still issues from the sough.