Monument record 15743/1 - Bunkers Hill Colliery Tramway

<1> North Staffordshire Mining Research Group, Various, Collieries, Footrails and Seams in The North Staffordshire Coalfield From 1700 to 1947, http://nsmg.apedale.co.uk/Mouldspits/bpits.htm (Web Site). SCH8993.

The last Bunkers Hill colliery was sunk by William Rigby and Company in 1853-4. Prior to the construction of the Audley branch of the North Staffordshire Railway in 1870, the coal was transported to a wharf on the Trent and Mersey Canal by a rope hauled tubway or tramway.

<2> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, EDT 110/2, 1839 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

Neither the tramway, the incline, or the canal wharf are depicted on this map.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ8254 (1873-1891) & SJ8155 (1873-1891) (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

Not depicted on this map.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1896-1898, Ordnance Survey First Revision County Series (Epoch 2) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ8254 (1899) & SJ8155 (1898-1899) (Maps and Plans). SCH3848.

This map depicts a tramway from Bunkers Hill Colliery (Staffordshire) to a wharf adjacent to Townfield Locks on the Trent and Mersey Canal. The Tramway crosses the Staffordshire - Cheshire border near Slum Wood, via a short embankment, before turning through a slight cutting to the north-west. An incline plane was located here, but it isn't clear how far towards the North Staffordshire Railway line this ran. The tramway continued through a small cutting before turning to pass under the railway and into the canal wharf. The tramway is approximately 1.5 kilometres from the colliery to the canal wharf.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1909-1912, Ordnance Survey Second Revision County Series (Epoch 3) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ8254 (1909) & SJ8155 (1909 (Maps and Plans). SCH4361.

Earthworks and, in places, the route of the tramway are still extant, but the track has been removed.

<6> Environment Agency, 2003-2020, Environment Agency LiDAR Surveys, Composite DSM 1m 2020 (Digital Archive). SCH7819.

The course of the tramway survives in places as a slight earthwork and in places a modern track occupies the route.