Horses were introduced gradually until virtually all collieries had a complement of what came to be known as ‘pit ponies’. (Coal miners with pit ponies at Waldridge drift mine in County Durham ...

When planning was underway for the Wonthaggi Desalination Plant in 2008, the government found a problem in the dirt.

Ponies were a faithful companion to the men who worked in the coal mines of Northumberland and Durham. Now, former Ashington miner Mike Kirkup tells their story in his book –Pit Ponies. Featured ...

EXCLUSIVE There used to be 70,000 working and living deep in Britain's coal mines.. now only Sparky is left. ... Sparky is Britain's last surviving deep-mine pit pony.

The 1911 Coal Mines Act gave protection to pit ponies, ensuring regular medical inspections, better diets and cleaner stables. But most were still kept in underground stables, rarely seeing daylight.

The coal face at Ellington which was a mile out under the North Sea. They continued to use pit ponies until 1994. One of the ponies, Carl, lived out his remaining years at the National Coal Mining ...

The last remaining pit pony at the National Coal Mining Museum for England has died, aged 19. The pony, Robbie, had been at the museum for 10 years, after arriving on loan from the RSPCA.

George Heard's call-up papers to train for working in coal mines. I joined the Port Bristol Authority as a junior clerk during 1943. I dreamed of joining the Royal Air Force at 18, so I joined the ...

Pit ponies became known and loved in Wonthaggi for their role helping in the coal mines. But use of the specially bred tiny horses was often controversial causing industrial strikes and cruelty ...

Ponies were a faithful companion to the men who worked in the coal mines of Northumberland and Durham. Now, former Ashington miner Mike Kirkup tells their story in his book –Pit Ponies. Featured ...