Post by Wheldale on Nov 17, 2012 9:06:18 GMT -5
In 1948 Wheldale had the longest single conveyor belt in the world at a length of 1 mile long. Sutcliffe mine engineers based at Universal Works, Horbury, installed an underground conveyor system using the popular Goliath driving gear. It was invented by Mr John Sheppard, technical director of Richard Sutcliffe Ltd. This machine made history in 1948, becoming the first driving gear to use rubber and canvas ply belting reaching in excess of 1 mile.
In 1972 Wheldale was the last colliery in Yorkshire to use pit ponies.
In 1981/82 wheldale was the last colliery in the UK to use a steam locomotive on its sidings.
In 1988 after closure, each shaft had a concrete landing in them between the Flockton and Middleton little seam insets. The landings needed to be removed for the closure of the colliery. The concrete landings was “breathing” i.e. with low atmospheric pressure explosive quantities of meathane gas was escaping from the old lower workings. To remove these landings, a system called Jetknife 2000 was used. This was an abrasive cutting system, high pressure water with abrasive particles in the water. This was used to cut through the concrete landing. All this was carried out using a robot controlled machine while supervised by the engineers in the colliery offices via CCTV.
In 1988 a cage was sold to the owners of the Eden War camp museum in North Yorkshire and is on display in the Bevans Boys section of the museum.
In 1972 Wheldale was the last colliery in Yorkshire to use pit ponies.
In 1981/82 wheldale was the last colliery in the UK to use a steam locomotive on its sidings.
In 1988 after closure, each shaft had a concrete landing in them between the Flockton and Middleton little seam insets. The landings needed to be removed for the closure of the colliery. The concrete landings was “breathing” i.e. with low atmospheric pressure explosive quantities of meathane gas was escaping from the old lower workings. To remove these landings, a system called Jetknife 2000 was used. This was an abrasive cutting system, high pressure water with abrasive particles in the water. This was used to cut through the concrete landing. All this was carried out using a robot controlled machine while supervised by the engineers in the colliery offices via CCTV.
In 1988 a cage was sold to the owners of the Eden War camp museum in North Yorkshire and is on display in the Bevans Boys section of the museum.
