View of the coal yard at Ayle Colliery #TheLastPit

The junction. Full tubs arrive from the face, straight ahead. Empties are taken from the siding on the left. When the loco arrives it shunts the full tubs back up the heading and the empties are uncoupled and pushed into the siding by hand. #TheLastPit

The old team. From left to right Jez Cooper, on his second stint, Clive Seal, back for another look at his old stamping ground, and Kevin Shepherd, manager and owner of Ayle Colliery, #TheLastPit

Loco in the drift mouth on a winter's morning. #TheLastPit

The drift mouth also operates as a makeshift workshop. Gear can be loaded straight on/off tubs to be fettled in the daylight and fresh air. In the centre of the picture are some flatsheets for installation at junctions.#TheLastPit

Apparently production has stopped at #Zonguldak 's coal mines. There are now several thousand miners digging for survivors of the #earthquakeinturkey. Right men for the job.

When the strata dips unexpectedly a wet working like this one quickly floods. The tin sheets divert the water away from the barrowway, the orange hose attaches to a pump. With the incline against you pushing the full tubs out is extra strenuous. #TheLastPit

Tows Bank Colliery, Northumberland (nr Alston). Deutsche Welle TV, 1992 youtu.be/KIIyzPe4M8I via YouTube When this film was made 30 years ago there were still 4 pits working within 10 miles of Alston. It is well worth a watch, especially if you understand German! #AlstonMoor

Alston Coalfield. Talk given to Alston Moor Historical Society on the Al... youtu.be/lSKM6X01oko via YouTube An informative talk with plans and photographs given by Rossendale Collieries that puts the #LastPit in the perspective of the little known coalfield to which it belongs.

The Last Pit. 6.30 am at Ayle Colliery, Northumberland Cumbria border. youtu.be/XnWTsihcf5M via YouTube This is the latest video on YouTube. It was filmed 2 years ago as part of a bigger project that was abandoned. Watch it and tell us what you think. #TheLastPit

Bait time at #TheLastPit. Photo by James Deavin. Usually there is plenty of banter, but everyone clams up when a camera comes out!

A tub approaching a crossroads at Ayle Colliery. #TheLastPit

Shovelling coal under the low. #TheLastPit

Our coal The Last Pit is increasingly in demand for #steamengines and machinery. This pile is destined for Black Country Living Museum, in Dudley. British Coal, British heritage!

The Last Pit. Sump and fire at Ayle Colliery. youtu.be/24dUzIwkDUU Latest in the trilogy that began with 'Shifting stone' and then 'Hewing coal'. #TheLastPit #BANG! #Coalmining

Looks like Christmas but it's actually the first day of Spring. We'll have to keep digging coal! #TheLastPit

Visitors from Apedale Heritage put in a shift at #TheLastPit this week. R to L, Stephen Sedgewick, a regular visitor, Alex Dainty and Aidan Lee Croft, who came with a lamp and left with a shovel!

It's essential to keep the air flowing to where it is required in a coal mine, even if that means breaking into an old working. Here's a video showing that moment. A link to the full YouTube video to follow!

The Last Pit. Creating a new airway at Ayle Colliery. youtu.be/_gIJiTnwzxw?si… via YouTube