About this Event
Experience the day in the life of a coal miner with a guided tour of the historic Snibston Mine and ‘Into the Dark’ mine simulation.
Follow in the footsteps and experience the day in the life of a Leicestershire coal miner with a guided tour of the historic Snibston Colliery. The tour led by experienced former miners who will take you through the colliery from the miner collecting his lamps in the lamp room and his tally in the control room, which also monitors the whole pit, to the powder magazine to collect his ‘shot’ i.e. explosives (note no live explosives are used on the tour or kept on site) and onto the pit top and the ‘cage’ ready to go underground as well as the winding house and winder which raises and lowers the cage. The tour also takes in the medical centre, the one room miners did not want to experience! The tour takes in the surface buildings as it is not possible to go underground at Snibston Colliery.
Although it is not possible to go underground visitors are able to experience what the underground working were like in the 'Into the Dark' mine simulation. This is the only such experience in the East Midlands.
The colliery, sunk by George Stephenson in 1834/35 and the tour begins with Victorian re-enactors telling the story of the colliery’s beginnings. Today the colliery is a schedule monument and is the last surviving ‘modern pit’ of the 1960s/70s.
WHAT’S NEW FOR 2026
In 1986 Snibston Colliery, along with Whitwick Colliery and South Leicester Colliery closed ending over a hundred years of coalmining in Coalville. To commemorate the closure of Snibston there will be a series of additional events and activities during the colliery tours.
Saturday 25 April ‘Miners; Specials’, display of classic buses used to transport miners from home to mine. In collaboration with the Leicester Transport Heritage Trust who will display 3 – 4 preserved buses. There will also be free bus tours on the day.
Saturday 22 August ‘Miners’ Snap’ learn about traditional miners’ food and history with a display of recipes.
Sunday 6 September Snibston Historic Transport Festival in collaboration with the Leicester Transport Heritage Trust and following the very successful Snibston Bus Festival in 2025 this event will showcase preserved buses and other forms of transport heritage.
Friday 30 October Halloween Colliery Tours a chance to tour the colliery by lantern light and experience it’s spooky atmosphere in the dark. Stories of ghostly going on in the mines will be told by the guides.
Saturday 31 October Halloween Colliery Tours along with the colliery tour the guides will tell stories of ghostly goings on in the mines.
Sunday 13 December A Miners’ Christmas the colliery guides will tell their stories of Christmas at the pit and in the Colliery Café will be a hands-on display of toys from the 1950s – 1970s.
Tours are £8.00 adults and children under 15 free. The tours are about 1.5 hours long start and finish at the Colliery Café. The tour includes some steps onto the pit top and winding house and sensible shoes are recommended. The tour is suitable for children over the age of 6, but very young children are welcomed. All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
The colliery is located in the popular and admission free Snibston Colliery Park with a children’s adventure playground, pump track, mountain bike trail, nature trails, fishing, picnic areas, toilets, car parking and Grounds Colliery Café.
The colliery tours are organised by Snibston Heritage Trust in collaboration with Leicestershire County Council and North West Leicestershire District Council.
Please Note the post code for the Colliery is LE67 3LN not LE67 3JX.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Snibston Colliery Park, Ashby Road, Coalville, United Kingdom
GBP 8.00
