Very close to the Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum which is well worth a visit to see the later North Drift, are the remains of the original 1848 drift in Skinningrove.
I have no idea what purpose the cupboard like structure currently inside served, it appears to be from after the tunnel was blocked.
The adjacent small tunnel looks likely to have been for drainage.
This was the first of the Cleveland ironstone mines and finally closed in 1958-1959.
Expanding further on the Skinningrove theme, has anyone any information as to what is left of the zig-zag branch? I have had a cursory look around the area recently but could not see much.
In answer to my question above: if you follow the footpath up the north side of the valley from the bridge near the museum a footbridge crosses the old railbed. The related brick abutment can be seen on the main road. Further up the valley the footpath crosses the site of the Carlin How mine, where some railway earthworks are still visible and the approximate layout of the mine site can be determined. It now becomes obvious why Carlin How was built as it was, with the older housing very close to the mine.
Where abouts is this drift in relation to the museum? Is it around the path to loftus I’ve been looking around for the past couple days. It had no luck as of yet