Coal, Colliery and Mining Forum.

holty
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Thorne Colliery
« Thread Started on Apr 8, 2009, 1:47pm »

Hi, new to this forum. Just to say what a crime UK Coal did in demolishing the Headgear and Winding Houses at Thorne a couple of years ago. Richard Budge from Powerfuel wanted Thorne to transport Men and Materials down there and Coal out at Hatfield which is linked underground. Thorne had state of the art Winding Engines from GEC installed in the Eighties and makes Hatfields look like something from centuries ago. Thorne was earmarked to be the next Super Pit after Selby and has millions of tons of coal below. Hatfield will mine this but sour grapes from UK Coal has made it harder. By the way I was the guy who did the the last Wind at Thorne before the shaft filling started. >:(

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John
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Re: Thorne Colliery
« Reply #1 on Apr 8, 2009, 3:14pm »

Welcome old son, have you any photos of the winders??

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dazbt
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Re: Thorne Colliery
« Reply #2 on Apr 11, 2009, 3:55pm »

Hya holty, it did seem strange that the expense of 'filling' the shafts was undertaken especially if the future of Hatfield working those reserves was believed to be a viable prospect at the time.
A bit off topic, but do you know if Thorne ever produced coal from an established mechanised face? I seem to recollect that a concerted effort was made in the mid 1970s at least, but can't remember the results.

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holty
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Re: Thorne Colliery
« Reply #3 on Apr 13, 2009, 3:58pm »

Hi guys, bit late in replying but have just come back from the caravan on the east coast.. Im sorry I have no photos of Thorne Colliery but if you go on to Miners Advice there are links to Pits all over Britain with special sections on Winding Engines. I started at Hatfield Colliery in 1980 has an outside recruited craftsman Fitter, in my early 20s. I ended up in Headings looking after Dosco Dintheaders. After the strike it wasnt the same so I got lucky and transferred to Thorne where I live has a Winder Driver where they were developing a new pit bottom and spent millions on new headgear and engine houses. Got redundant in 1988 when they said they were shutting it but got reemployed with amco contractors on care and maintenance till 2004 when they flattened it. Had the chance to go back to Hatfield the other year
but had just downsized to retire to the coast and said no. Apparently there are plans to update Hatfields Headgear for Kopie Winding and bigger skips for the new power station to be built.

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John
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Re: Thorne Colliery
« Reply #4 on Apr 13, 2009, 7:08pm »

Apr 13, 2009, 3:58pm, holty wrote:

Hi guys, bit late in replying but have just come back from the caravan on the east coast.. Im sorry I have no photos of Thorne Colliery but if you go on to Miners Advice there are links to Pits all over Britain with special sections on Winding Engines. I started at Hatfield Colliery in 1980 has an outside recruited craftsman Fitter, in my early 20s. I ended up in Headings looking after Dosco Dintheaders. After the strike it wasnt the same so I got lucky and transferred to Thorne where I live has a Winder Driver where they were developing a new pit bottom and spent millions on new headgear and engine houses. Got redundant in 1988 when they said they were shutting it but got reemployed with amco contractors on care and maintenance till 2004 when they flattened it. Had the chance to go back to Hatfield the other year
but had just downsized to retire to the coast and said no. Apparently there are plans to update Hatfields Headgear for Kopie Winding and bigger skips for the new power station to be built.

Yep we have Adge's site linked and he reciprocated. Dave Douglass sent me one of his books a few years back, we debated the big strike via emails, great feller is Dave.

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holty
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Re: Thorne Colliery
« Reply #5 on Jan 6, 2011, 3:28pm »

Been a while since I last posted on here after a few health issues and moving properties a couple of times. Had a chance to go back to Hatfield when It reopened but had a few issues with the wife early retiring from the NHS. It seems the new power station is up fpr a new buyer to build it but the mining side seems to be doing ok for now. Never to sure when Budge is involved though.

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John
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Re: Thorne Colliery
« Reply #6 on Jan 6, 2011, 3:42pm »

Jan 6, 2011, 3:28pm, holty wrote:

Been a while since I last posted on here after a few health issues and moving properties a couple of times. Had a chance to go back to Hatfield when It reopened but had a few issues with the wife early retiring from the NHS. It seems the new power station is up fpr a new buyer to build it but the mining side seems to be doing ok for now. Never to sure when Budge is involved though.

Hope you're well and back in form. I had a long illness a few years back too, not very nice to be ill. :-/

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