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Derwenthaugh Staiths
Workers on Derwenthaugh Staiths
Opened in the early eighteenth century as the Garesfield staith, they were owned by the Garesfield Colliery and Railway Company and rebuilt in 1899 by new owners the Consett Iron Company who had taken over in 1889. Coal originally came along wagonways from local pits at Whickham, Pontop, Thornley and Spen and coke from two nearby cokeworks on the riverside. Further enlarged in 1912-1913 they also shipped coke from the new Winlaton Mill (or Derwenthaugh) Cokeworks from 1929. A major fire closed the staiths from June 1951 to January 1953 following which parts of the staiths were no longer in use and were dismantled. There were 4 tanks for the storage of liquid tar and creosote alongside. In the twentieth century coal came from the north west Durham pits and mostly went to power stations or gas works on the Thames. The staiths finally closed on 23 March 1960.
There were some old staiths on the other (east side) of the Derwent in the 18th century, possibly supplied with coal via the wagonway leading from Whickham down what is now Coalway Lane to Swalwell and the river.
Derwenthaugh Staiths in 1960