Edward Hunt's Forest of Dean Miscellany

The Eastern United Colliery closed on 30th January 1959. The following text is from a booklet entitled ‘Fine Forest of Dean Coal’ published in the 1930’s by the Forest of Dean Colliery Owners’ Association. A Facsimile of this booklet has been published by Black Dwarf Lightmoor.

The Eastern United Colliery is situated on the east of the Forest of Dean Coalfield, and is 1½ miles from Cinderford, fourteen miles from Gloucester, and thirty-one from Bristol.

The Bullo Branch of the Great Western Railway runs alongside the colliery, connecting it with the South Wales-Gloucester main line.

The Colliery is one of the group of Deep Gales or Steam Coal Collieries in the Coalfield, and contains the celebrated Coleford Highdelf Seam, which is renowned and well known as a GAS and excellent STEAM COAL.

Great difficulties were encountered at this Colliery in overcoming water and geological troubles, but these are now well in hand, and the Coleford Highdelf Seam averages 4 feet 6 inches thick, more or less free from Faults, with a strong Rock Roof.

The coal is of excellent quality, free from dirt partings – consequently, little difficulty is encountered from foreign matter being mixed with the coal in the operation of extraction.

This coal gives about 14,000 cubic feet of Gas to the ton, and yields an excellent coke.

A modern screen for separating has been recently erected, which produces several grades of coal, the sizes of which are suitable for the market.

The Colliery is installed with Electricity throughout.

The above text is from Fine Forest of Dean Coal (publisher: Black Dwarf Lightmoor)

Key words:  Bristol, Bullo Branch, Cinderford, coal, Coleford Highdelf Seam, colliery, Deep Gales, Eastern United Colliery, Forest of Dean Coalfield, GAS, Gloucester, Great Western Railway, South Wales-Gloucester main line, STEAM COAL, Steam Coal Collieries,