1 9 1 2 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 2 ▁a ▁tw in ▁tan dem ▁comp ound ▁ 3 3 0 0 ▁horse power ▁w inding ▁engine ▁built ▁by ▁Y ates ▁and ▁Thom ▁of ▁Black burn , ▁the ▁largest ▁ever ▁used ▁on ▁the ▁Lanc ash ire ▁Co al field , ▁was ▁installed ▁at ▁No ▁ 1 ▁pit . ▁The ▁company ▁built ▁a ▁smaller ▁cross ▁comp ound ▁w inding ▁engine ▁for ▁No ▁ 2 ▁pit , ▁installed ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 3 ▁the ▁col li ery ▁employed ▁ 1 5 2 4 ▁men ▁under ground ▁and ▁ 4 3 6 ▁surface ▁workers ; ▁which ▁increased ▁to ▁ 1 6 3 1 ▁under ground ▁and ▁ 4 9 2 ▁surface ▁workers ▁by ▁ 1 9 3 3 . ▁ ▁At ▁National isation ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁the ▁col li ery ▁employed ▁ 1 3 7 5 ▁below ▁and ▁ 5 6 1 ▁above ▁ground . ▁The ▁surface ▁workers ▁included ▁women , ▁known ▁as ▁pit ▁brow ▁l ass es , ▁who ▁sorted ▁coal ▁on ▁the ▁screens . ▁Women ▁were ▁employed ▁at ▁Ast ley ▁Green ▁until ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 5 0 s . ▁ ▁Transport ▁By ▁about ▁ 1 8 5 1 , ▁George ▁Green ▁had ▁built ▁a ▁horse - dra wn ▁tram way ▁linking ▁Y ew ▁Tree ▁Col li ery ▁to ▁the ▁Bridge water ▁Canal ▁east ▁of ▁Ast ley ▁Green . ▁The ▁tram way ▁was ▁out ▁of ▁use ▁by ▁ 1 9