Redhead South Platform and Burwood Extended - Adamstown Belmont Railway - Fernleigh Track

Redhead South platform

Near this location a platform known as Redhead South operated from 3 February 1925 to 14 May 1928. It existed to serve the transport needs of the miners from the nearby Redhead Colliery which was earlier known as Burwood Extended Colliery. The closure of Redhead Colliery brought about the end of Redhead South Platform. It once had a waiting room which was later relocated to Jewells.

Burwood Extended Colliery

Sinking operations commenced at this colliery in 1889. Originally it was the intended site of the Redhead Coal Mining Company’s colliery. During 1891 screens were erected and a railway siding laid in. The colliery was abandoned between 1897 and 1902. It reopened in 1903 and for a short period was known as Ocean Colliery. In 1905 the name reverted to Burwood Extended. Another name change occurred in 1921 with the colliery becoming known as Redhead Colliery.To locals this colliery was known as the Clink. On 21 January 1921 a naked flame tallow lamp ignited a pocket of methane gas. Five fatalities resulted from this incident. Colliery later reopened and the last fatal accident occurred on 30 July 1927. John Learmouth is buried in Whitebridge Cemetery. By 1928 the colliery is listed as “Not working.” Some of the colliery’s leases were later worked from Lambton. 0n 5 January 1938 two BHP workmen received fatal injuries on the old colliery site when a tar paint drum exploded whilst they were cutting up old boilers for scrap. By the end of the 1960s the last obvious “in situ” relic, the headframe had been removed and cut up for scrap. The colliery site was offered for sale in late 1980. During 1986 the site was prepared for light industrial development. Further expansion of light industry occurred from 1993. The 19th century Burwood Extended Colliery’s mine manager’s house can still be seen on a small rise overlooking Lilles Oval from the south.

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