The Friends of Middleton Park are marking Leeds 400 by hosting a free guided walk in Middleton Park on Sunday (20 September 2026) exploring the parks link to coal mining, railways and the Industrial Revolution.
Middleton park is the home of the historic Middleton Colliery – supplying Leeds with the best quality coal from at least the early 1600’s. In the early 1750s the colliery embarked on a large expansion in output, as demand from Leeds Industries for coal mushroomed.
To get the coal to Leeds quickly and cheaply horse drawn waggonways (railways) were constructed. The Railway to Leeds was backed by the world’s first Railway Act of Parliament in 1758. The act fixed the price of the coal, and guaranteed a certain tonnage at that price each year. 25 years later another act doubled the quality to be supplied at a new price. These acts gave Middleton a virtual monopoly of supply.
For over 50 years this railway relied on horse power, but in 1812 was converted to steam to become the first successfull commercial use of steam locomotion in the world!
Join the friends, with local historian John Newbould, for a walk around the park highlighting the history of the colliery around some of the places where all this coal-getting took place. Hear about the enlightened employment practices that made the Middleton Colliery an example to other mining employers, and about conditions in the mines over the years.
The walk starts at 1:30pm, prompt, this Sunday at the Visitor Centre in the park, and will last approximately one and a half hours. Parts of the walk will be on grass paths and there maybe some mud, so please wear walking shoes or boots, check the weather forecast and dress appropriately.
Middleton Park Visitor Centre is accessed off Town Street, LS10 3SH.
This post was written by Jim Jackson
Main image: A horse ‘gin’ used to haul coal up from a shaft. There is a full size model of one near the Visitor Centre in Middleton Park.
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