Selby Coalfield

Selby coalfield (also known as the Selby complex or Selby superpit) was a large-scale deep underground mine complex based around Selby, North Yorkshire, England, developed by the National Coal Board in the 1970s. With pitheads at Wistow Mine, Stillingfleet Mine, Riccall Mine, North Selby Mine, Whitemoor Mine and Gascoigne Wood Mine. All coal was brought to the surface and treated at Gascoigne Wood before being distributed by rail. To protect rail services the East Coast Main Line was diverted on the Selby Diversion. Production began in 1983, and peaked in 1993–94 at 12 million tonnes per year, about 45 percent of United Kingdom deep-mined production, and the complex produced over 121 million tonnes in total before closure. The mines were acquired by RJB Mining (later UK Coal) in 1997 after the privatisation of the coal industry. Withdrawal of financial subsidy, geological problems and low United Kingdom coal prices made the complex unprofitable by the early 21st century. Closure was announced in 2002 and mining ceased by 2004.