Outwood Colliery

near Radcliffe, Manchester

Also known as Clough Side Colliery.

The 1850 6-inch O.S. map here identifies the site as Clough Side Colliery. The tramway heads south past a brick and tile works, before turning left to cross the newish railway cutting using the turnpike road bridge, before turning to head south west to go through Ringley Wood near Ringley Colliery, to terminate at a short branch of the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal, north west of Giant's Seat Locks.

The colliery, now identified as Outwood Colliery is shown in the top LH corner of this 1893 25-inch O.S. map, about 1/4 mile south of a sharp bend in the River Irwell.

The colliery was connected to the railway line originally built by the Manchester, Bury and Rossendale Railway. It is marked on the 1893 O.S. maps as the L&YR Clifton Accrington and Colne Line. The main railway line continued north to cross the River Irwell by Outwood Viaduct. The trackbed is now used as the Outwood Trail. A short distance to the north, on the western side of the railway, was the short-lived works of the Outwood Iron Co. The tramway now crossed the railway cutting by its own bridge, and then headed south and them south west to go through Ringley Wood, passing the site of the now disused Ringley Colliery, to terminate at a building on a layby on the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal, north west of Giant's Seat Locks.

1874 'SERIOUS COLLIERY EXPLOSION NEAR RADCLIFFE. Yesterday morning two colliers, John Brown, Seymour-street, Radcliffe, and Henry Ellis, of Mount Zion-read, Radcliffe, were severely burnt by an explosion of gas at Messrs. Fletchers and Sons Outwood Colliery. While driving a wagon they came upon a closed bay, which was charged with gas, and the explosion occurred through Ellis entering it with a naked light. Both men were working With candles.'

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