Sunshine Pit of Death (Back Blip)

Yesterday (I'm typing this on Sunday as we were home pretty late and just wanted to chill out!) we went to Castleford to see the Warriors play them. Castleford are pretty dismal this season, and on the day I'd say the teams were evenly matched, which speaks volumes! 

I understand that no team can be at the top of their game 100% of the time, and I'd rather hit a low point now than at the end of the season when there are trophies at stake.

Anyway, the lead changed hands a few times but Wigan eventually went on to win 20-26. We have a few major players out injured including our star, Bevan French, who will be out for another couple of months and last year's top try scorer in the Superleague, Liam Marshall who will be back sooner hopefully. There are others out too - young forward Sam Walters for one.

We had parked on the roadside not far from the ground, and as we walked there we noticed this monument for Wheldale Colliery which was on this site for 117 years from 1868 until its closure in October 1987.The other half of the wheel faces this, bearing the name "Sunshine Pit."  It was also known as this, as the men were often given time off on sunny days. 

This site serves as a historical landmark and a memorial to the 16 men and boys (as young as 15) who died in various incidents over the course of its history. It was also the last pit in UK to use pit ponies, up to 1972. 

The shafts have been cleared and sealed but not filled - so it could be re-opened, God forbid! We need cleaner, renewable energy - not a return to this!

There's an extra of the ground as the sun went down. Castleford had just scored to retake the lead and I was thinking that the sun could be going down for Wigan too...