(information from John K Harrison, 1970)
Wheatley Hill Colliery was lucky to have two very fine winding engines – a Robey (horizontal) made in Lincolnshire and a Dunlop & Meredith (vertical) made at West Hartlepool that was second hand when it arrived at Wheatley Hill.
For many years the Dunlop and Meredith engine stood in the colliery yard and was finally re-erected at Wheatley Hill in 1900
The engine in its final form performed its duties efficiently. It did all the heavy winding at the colliery in spite of the installation of a second engine – a horizontal Robey – and in the memory of the winding man, Mr. Charlie Daly, was never out of work except when servicing and repairs were carried out.
Attempts were made to preserve this engine by Mr. Frank Atkinson of the Bowes Museum, for the projected open-air museum at Beamish Park, but the removal of such a large piece of equipment would have been a major project in its own right and proved to be beyond the means of the project.
Here is a youTube video of the winding engine working at Wheatley Hill colliery in 1968 just before the pit closed. The History Club has had this video restored by Lonely Tower Film and Media for future generations to enjoy.
