Production ended on the last coal face - the 275-metre long 138s face in the Warren House seam - seven months after mine owner UK COAL announced the phased closure brought about by adverse geological conditions in the limited remaining reserves.
With a history dating back to 1860, Prince of Wales had once employed more than 2000 men. Of the 459 who worked there when the closure was announced on January 30, 212 remain. Many will continue with recovery operations and sealing off old workings and access roadways.
Nearly 90 men have moved to work at other UK COAL mines, 42 of them to the Kellingley mine. It had been hoped more workers could have been accommodated with the introduction of new shift working arrangements but these were rejected by the coal minerÂ’s union, NUM.
Former Prince of Wales miners returned to the colliery to mark the last coal cutting shift today. They included Arthur Withington, awarded the British Empire Medal for services to the coal industry, and who was succeeded as NUM Branch secretary at 'Ponty Prince' by his son Tony when he retired in 1992 after more than 40 years in the industry.
"While we are all sad to see Prince closed, everyone who has worked there should be proud of what they have achieved," Withington said. "Prince has a special place in mining history - no other mine will ever contribute to our nation's energy needs over a period spanning three centuries. It is an achievement than can never be bettered."
To mark that achievement, UK COAL are considering supporting a suitable mining memorial for the site, once its future use has been determined.
UK COAL acquired the mine in December 1994 as part of the privatisation of State-owned British Coal. Initial shaft sinking had commenced in the 1860s by John Rhodes Limited and the colliery came into production in 1872. It was taken over in 1928 by Glasshoughton and Castleford Collieries Limited and subsequently the National Coal Board in 1947.
Modernisation projects included a £47m reconstruction approved in 1975. Two initial inclined tunnels (drifts) each driven 2400m from the surface to the underground workings were inaugurated by HRH Prince of Wales in June 1980.
An in-depth review of operations was conducted last year. All options considered pointed to the mine being in a loss situation in the foreseeable future. This was due to mining conditions made difficult by a combination of thin and fractured seams, poor coal quality, previous mining in the area or high subsidence costs.
An independent survey, conducted by mining consultants on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry, reached similar conclusions, and efforts to find an alternative operator for the mine also drew a blank.
UK COAL chief executive Gordon McPhie said: "We never questioned or doubted to commitment or skills of our employees at Prince of Wales; our one big regret is that circumstances, despite our best endeavours, have prevented us from employing more of the Prince men at our other collieries where we have the opportunity to increase output and increase efficiency".
Prince of Wales has traditionally produced coal - 1.3 million tonnes annually in recent years - for the power station and domestic markets. Those markets will now be supplied by other mines in UK COAL's operational portfolio.
The colliery will however, continue to produce energy. Alkane Energy, a Nottingham based company specialising in utilising gas from closed mines, have secured the licence to tap methane gas seeping from the coal seams and surrounding strata. The gas will be extracted through pipes installed in the drift tunnels and will generate electricity to be fed into the national network.
