Anderton Power Loader.

[John]

When did Anderson Boyes introduce their shearer?
Also when did BJD bring theirs on to the market?
I know John Anderson came up with the concept sometime in the early/mid 50's.

[John]

Ever since working with Bi Di machines, I have often wondered why the 16/125 shearers, or the BJD Magnamatics weren't bi di's??
Just think, "ploughing back" was so wasteful of production time!

[dazbt]

They were !!!!

Go on Goad me !!!!!! ;D ;D ;D

[dazbt]

Anderton ...........................
Go on goad me further !!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[John]

I wonder why the NCB in it's wisdom didn't use them then Daz in the early years, late 50's through the 60's???
I knew of two of our faces that would have performed a lot better with bi di's.

[dazbt]

admin said:

Ever since working with Bi Di machines, I have often wondered why the 16/125 shearers, or the BJD Magnamatics weren't bi di's??
Just think, "ploughing back" was so wasteful of production time!

I think, that both these machines were produced originally as hydraulic haulage units to be an improvement to the mechanical haulage systems used to propel the original coal cutters, BJD ACE and AB 15. They were adapted to accomodate the concept of an Anderton Shearer Power Loader sometime later. The original Anderton shearer was a UniDi machine concept that applied a 'Lagging Drum Shaft Principle', ie. the cutting drum drive shaft was set at a slight angle off the 90 degree right angle drive from the shearer gearhead output in order to provide what was thought originally, to be neccessary rake and clearance angles. It was realised in a short time that a 90 degree right angled output drive shaft would in practice accomodate Bi-Directional cutting and shortly after the BiDi gearhead was introduced for both BJD and AB shearer systems. Some collieries chose for various reasons to continue with Uni Di gearhead shearers for some years after the BiDi gearheads were available and Anderson Boyes at least still provided UniDi shearer gearheads until at least into the 1970s.

[John]

Now answer the other question, when did the first power loaders, (shearers) appear on the market?? Something tells me it was a Lancs pit that had the first one???

[dazbt]

The first Anderton Shearer was trialed in 1952 at Ravenhead Colliery, near to St Helens I think, the first shearer driver's nickname was Mad Bob and his grannie's cousin bred racing ferrets in Ince, he had porridge for his breakfast on the morning of the first shearer trial, but unfortunatly there was no strawberry jam for Bob to stir into it, he did make the comment that he wished he'd had bacon and eggs instead, but didn't because they hadn't any bacon either. Hope this helps, some is true and other bits I made up.

[John]

dazbt said:

The first Anderton Shearer was trialed in 1952 at Ravenhead Colliery, near to St Helens I think, the first shearer driver's nickname was Mad Bob and his grannie's cousin bred racing ferrets in Ince, he had porridge for his breakfast on the morning of the first shearer trial, but unfortunatly there was no strawberry jam for Bob to stir into it, he did make the comment that he wished he'd had bacon and eggs instead, but didn't because they hadn't any bacon either. Hope this helps, some is true and other bits I made up.

So what did his missus pack him fer 'is snap?? Bread and drippin as usual, or corned beef cobs?? ;D ;D

[dazbt]

"So what did his missus pack him fer 'is snap?? Bread and drippin as usual, or corned beef cobs?? ;D ;D"

Mad Bob always took drippin corsyejjers, except on Fridays when he had iffin.