In reference to Normanton springs,before it became landfill during its mining era just as you come up Normanton hill on the left us four old pit houses I lived at No 7 with my grandparents,here's the layout as I can remember at the bottom of Linley lane was the quarry,just to the right of my Nans house was the railway which ran under Normanton Hill,then there was the brickyard,then there was the chemical factory then Birley west colliery,I too remember the shafts opening up in the early seventies and remember all sorts of bring dumped in them as to what it was I don't know.
About 1977 ish it became the landfill and continued for many years if you look up Birley collieryit will show you historic layout of Normanton springs and pin point where the chemical factory was,when I was a young boy I was told the gases omitted from the landfill would take years to burn off and you could see the blue gases being burnt off at the bottom of Linley Lane hope this helps
