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Post by colly0410 on Jun 13, 2012 6:24:55 GMT -5
Apart from coal mining did any other sort of mining e.g. metal/potash/gypsum use the long-wall method?
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Post by dazbt on Jun 13, 2012 6:30:12 GMT -5
Certainly Trona and Potash were Longwalled using shearers, in fact the original shearer (non power loader type) was designed for use in French Potash mines.
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Post by John on Jun 13, 2012 7:03:37 GMT -5
There's a Trona mine in the USA longwalling the mineral, trona is used to make baking soda.
I read a paper by a student used for his degree on the possibility of mining trona via the LW method.
Pity they couldn't use LW at Boulby, but the water bearing strata above the potash beds prohibits it. I don't think the National Park people would like it either... ;D
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Post by colly0410 on Jun 13, 2012 11:30:52 GMT -5
Thanks for the replies Daz & John. I've only been down coal mines (Moorgreen training centre & Hucknall bottom pit, oh & part way down Bestwoods Lancaster drift) I'd love to go down a non coal mine to see how different it is.
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Post by John on Jun 13, 2012 11:52:45 GMT -5
When I did my underground training, we were taken to Bestwood for an underground visit, we looked down the Lancaster drift, quite an impressive sight way back in the 60's to us trainees. Also saw their Cable Belt underground, and we were taken to a working face, but wasn't allowed on it, that was to come within a few months at our own pits.
Really not a lot of difference between one type of mining and another, although most other minerals tend to be mined by the Bord and Pillar method.
Big modern collieries still use Bord and Pillar for developments, as each gate road of a longwall uses chain pillars as a barrier between retreat faces.
If you really fancy seeing other minerals, give British Gypsum a call at their East Leake plant, they may let you go down the Marblaegis mine that feeds that plant.
I also think CPL gives twice a year visits at their Boulby Mine in North Yorks, you had to book in advance though, but worth giving them a call.
I'd like a tenner for every ride I've taken down Boulby's shafts, sometimes several rides a shift being called to bank to repair a breakdown on the skipping gear on No1 shaft.
Things have changed at that mine since I left in 79, it's all continuous miners now, with developments all in the salt seam, plus they are miles out from pit bottom now.
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Post by colly0410 on Jun 13, 2012 13:09:19 GMT -5
The first time I saw the Lancaster drift I was still a school kid, I had just moved to Bestwood Village from the Meadows. My new found friends amused themselves by trespassing on the pit top, of course I joined in. I got caught & my Dad was informed, a good hiding soon followed. Fast forward a year or two. When I was doing my training at Moorgreen TC we went to visit the loco driving school at Bestwood, the instructor took us to see the drift & we walked part of the way down, unfortunately we had to walk back up, that made us puff. It was a very impressive sight. I'll have to give the marblaegis mine a ring to see if I can have a look round.
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Post by John on Jun 13, 2012 13:36:03 GMT -5
I did all my basic training at Hucknall No1 pit, they also had the loco training there too, plus underground training down No1 pit. There was an U/G classroom and a conventional longwall face with props, bars and a rubber conveyor belt, all driven and installed by trainees doing underground training.
Sometime towards the end of my apprenticeship No1 was closed down and Bentinck Colliery had the area training centre, I took my final practical test at Bentinck in 1968 while I was working at Cotgrave Colliery.
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Post by colly0410 on Jun 13, 2012 15:54:42 GMT -5
John there is a memorial plaque on Watnall road where Hucknall top pit used to be, it's all industrial units now though. I live a few hundred yards away where the RAF camp was. My Wife's Grandfather was an instructor at the training centre, he retired some time in the 1960's, his name was George Potter. I never met him as he passed away before I met my wife. My Mother-in-law says he would have loved this forum if he was still with us.
I started at Moorgreen TC in august 1968, it hadn't been going for long & it was still chaotic. Some of the instructors transferred from Hucknall TC, the one's I remember are; Mr King, Mr Smedly & Mr Lewelin (think that's how you spell it) there were others but I cant remember there names.
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Post by John on Jun 13, 2012 16:27:32 GMT -5
The only person I recall from Hucknall training centre is the Manager, Mr Creswell.
A feller who took us for pony haulage, packing etc I recall said call him Sam when nobody is around, can't remember his last name, and the only reason I recall his first name was he got bit on the elbow by the biggest horse Ive ever seen underground, I'd swear up and down it was one of Shippos horses. It was big and mean and hated being set up with harness and gear. We used to follow it when he was leading it down the roads and toss lumps of coal at it's rear end... ;D
I swear the damned thing put me off horses for life.
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Post by colly0410 on Jun 13, 2012 16:49:45 GMT -5
Mr Cresswell was manager at Moorgreen TC, he must have transferred from top pit.
I'd forgotten about shippos horses (or bobbos as we called them) they used to scare me to death, Mam said "they wont hurt you," I wasn't going to give them the opportunity, I wouldn't go near them.
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Post by John on Jun 13, 2012 17:31:57 GMT -5
Big gentle horses, not like the mongrel selected for us underground trainees.. ;D
Creswell was at Hucknall during my appreniticeship from 1964 onwards.
From recollection, the buildings at top pit had recently been modified for use as instruction classrooms, my guess is the top pit hadn't been a training centre for much more than a couple of years.
I know Bestwood was the previous training centre, but I wonder why my group were sent up to Bentinck in 1968 to take our practical trade test when Moorgreen had been nominated as the area training centre after Hucknall was closed.
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Post by colly0410 on Jun 14, 2012 4:22:05 GMT -5
I had to go to Mr Cresswell for a reprimand, I'd upset a canteen lady by asking for two lumps of gravy ;D & she got the monk on, I had to apologise to her & my Dad was informed.  I wondered why they kept moving the training centres, the NCB worked in very mysterious ways. Mam told me that shippos bobbos were soft as hoss-muck, I didn't believe her though. |
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Post by John on Jun 14, 2012 6:22:14 GMT -5
Probably reorganization and centralization.
Main offices and Central Workshops for the No6 area used to be Bestwood. Then when Bestwood closed, Central workshops and Stores were moved to Moorgreen, later the Training Centre was moved to Moorgreen too.
I don't think anyone knew how the NCB really worked... ;D
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Post by John on Jun 14, 2012 6:25:39 GMT -5
I found a PDF file with photos on French potash mining showing a longwall. Oddest looking powered supports I've ever seen, and the shearer is nothing like any shearer I've ever seen!!
No pan sides, the miner in the picture shows it's extremely dangerous with no pan sides too!
I'll see if I can relocate the paper and post the URL.
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Post by John on Jun 14, 2012 6:34:14 GMT -5
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Post by colly0410 on Jun 14, 2012 6:44:42 GMT -5
Thanks for the link John, I'll have a read through it tonight if there's nothing on telly..
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Post by cortonwood on Aug 27, 2012 16:41:06 GMT -5
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Post by John on Aug 27, 2012 17:32:00 GMT -5
There's a Canadian Potash mine that longwalls Potash, not much chance in the UK, due to the Sherwood Sandstone measures which contain heavy brine at very high pressures.
If you go to Youtube and use the search criteria Potash Mining, you will find hundreds of videos at various potash mines around the world.
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