Mining Regions in England

The Lancashire coalfield was where the Anderton shearer-loader was invented by Dr James Anderton to combat the difficult conditions found in the St Helens' area. It was first used at Ravenhead colliery in 1952 and was eventually used all over Britain. By the 1980s the modern shearer-loader that was based on the original design became the most important coal cutter in the country, producing over 80 percent of its coal.