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Post by John on May 5, 2013 12:02:48 GMT -5
Princess Margaret dug the first spadeful of dirt in 1954, shaft sinking began 1956 and was completed by 1960.
The two shafts depths were 586m and 531m. Production began in 1964 and by 1968/69 reached 1 million tons. Cotgrave was closed in 1994.
Seams found during shaft sinking. High Main @ 883' 4" 4' 9" thick. Clowne not logged. Main Bright @ 1029' 3" 3' 8" thick High Hazles @ 1151' 3" Top Hard @ 1296' 5" 3' 6" thick. Dunsil @ 1356' 11" 2' 0" thick. 1st Waterloo @1382' 9" 2' 10" thick. 2nd Waterloo @ 1407' 0" 2' 0" thick. 1st Ell @ 1505' 9" 2' 0" thick 2nd Ell Not logged. Deep Soft @ 1765' 11" 3' 4" thick Deep Hard @ 1802' 9" 3' 7" thick. 1st Piper @ 1858' 10" 1' 6" thick. 2nd Piper @ 1882' 7" 1' 11" thick. Tupton (Low Main) @ 1938' 2" 3' 6" thick. 3/4 @ 1946' 8" 1' 7" thick. Yard @ 2014' 1" 2' 4" thick. Blackshale @ 2031' 2" 1' 0" I think this was a misprint/typo, information was from the coal authority and I think it should read 10' 0' Depth of shaft 2054' 8"
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Post by colly0410 on May 6, 2013 4:53:07 GMT -5
You are right about the black shale typo, it was floor to roof at Hucknall. I've seen blokes who were seeing the Dosco headings for the first time saying "ooh, wow & I've never seen coal that thick before" with some rude words thrown in of course, ..
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Post by John on May 6, 2013 6:54:45 GMT -5
You are right about the black shale typo, it was floor to roof at Hucknall. I've seen blokes who were seeing the Dosco headings for the first time saying "ooh, wow & I've never seen coal that thick before" with some rude words thrown in of course, .. Cotgrave worked the Blackshale with a BJD Ace ranging arm shearer so had to be pretty thick, I do have a copy of their booklet on the second Blackshale face.
I worked in thick seams in Oz, plus some thick seams of rock before I left for Oz, I just don't know how on earth I used to stand it working in thin seams all those years back...I do know my knees are suffering these days because of them.
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Post by cortonwood on Jan 12, 2014 9:17:41 GMT -5
i do a bit of shooting with an ex cotgrave chap,he reckons there was an area where two seams met and it was more than 12 feet thick. The shoot isn't that far from cotgrave as far as i know,near a village called sibthorpe,dont know if you know the area john?
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Post by John on Jan 12, 2014 9:32:13 GMT -5
i do a bit of shooting with an ex cotgrave chap,he reckons there was an area where two seams met and it was more than 12 feet thick. The shoot isn't that far from cotgrave as far as i know,near a village called sibthorpe,dont know if you know the area john? Been many years since I worked at Cotgrave, try 46 years... No not familiar with the area you mention...I wonder if he's on about the Blackshale seam? Or the Parkgate?? the two Piper seams merging to form the Parkgate??? Although I doubt that, as both are less than four feet each.. The only seams being worked during my short stay were Deep Hard, and drawing off the last of the Deep Soft faces. They did work the Parkgate, but from what I gather it was never a success, the abandonment plans don't show any workings other than drivages into it from the three main roads in the Deep Soft horizon. They also worked The Blackshale, which looks like ten feet of coal in photos.
Last time I was in Nottingham was to visit my parents over 20 years back now. Just wished I'd had the time and forethought to spend some time researching....
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Post by smshogun on Feb 7, 2014 21:00:40 GMT -5
Many Moorgreen men went to Cotgrave as Moorgreen was the first colliery to close following the planned closures and they hated it, Moorgreen was a small family pit and everyone helped everyone else out, Cotgrave had a pet saying "its not my f**king job" and let men struggle. Cotgrave had one poor face which was the opening of the Blackshale seam and many of their men couldn't handle it and as Moorgreen men were experts on the Blackshale seam as they had mined it for years they were lumped together and given the face, they dealt with the conditions and instead of continually standing they had the shearer flying through and turned more coal than the best faces. Many tricks were tried to sabotage them, first it was standing the belts at snaptime, this never happened at Moorgreen and I know at least three men being awkward were hammered by Moorgreen men as it was an open secret they were being sabotaged, they tried approaching the union, no response, trying to schedule maintenance at snap time, no joy, so they had to break up the Blackshale Moorgreen men as they made Cotgrave miners look poor specimens.
When I visited Cotgrave things got better as many other pits were closing and they were diluted by Notts and Derby miners coming in.
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Post by John on Feb 8, 2014 14:29:06 GMT -5
Many Moorgreen men went to Cotgrave as Moorgreen was the first colliery to close following the planned closures and they hated it, Moorgreen was a small family pit and everyone helped everyone else out, Cotgrave had a pet saying "its not my f**king job" and let men struggle. Cotgrave had one poor face which was the opening of the Blackshale seam and many of their men couldn't handle it and as Moorgreen men were experts on the Blackshale seam as they had mined it for years they were lumped together and given the face, they dealt with the conditions and instead of continually standing they had the shearer flying through and turned more coal than the best faces. Many tricks were tried to sabotage them, first it was standing the belts at snaptime, this never happened at Moorgreen and I know at least three men being awkward were hammered by Moorgreen men as it was an open secret they were being sabotaged, they tried approaching the union, no response, trying to schedule maintenance at snap time, no joy, so they had to break up the Blackshale Moorgreen men as they made Cotgrave miners look poor specimens.
When I visited Cotgrave things got better as many other pits were closing and they were diluted by Notts and Derby miners coming in. Sounds as though I made the right choice in 1968 to get away from there...Although, I did re enter coal mining, but in Australia, bit like the old UK pits in friendliness, although the two I worked in, only had a small level of manpower. Angus Place had around 340 employees, counting the office staff, but was a large production colliery.
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Post by smshogun on Feb 8, 2014 15:02:45 GMT -5
When I had to go there I hated it, the only saving grace was when you were dealing with the prep plant fitters as they were a law unto themselves in their own shop, they had the attitude if you see someone give them a hand, the polar opposite of the rest of the pit.
Gilly was the man in charge of them, a very loud voice and a real hardnut, nobody argued with him.
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Post by eleceng on Apr 28, 2015 10:18:52 GMT -5
Been looking at these comments. I had a team of ex Moorgreen men on afters during pit holidays, heavy gang, working with us electric staff on a big power alteration. They were great! Really got involved, so much that the job which I had scheduled for 5 days was finished in 3. After, whenever there was a big job I asked for them. We had a great relationship.
Talking about Prep Plant fitters, I was a good pal with Gillie & his wife. We used to go out together, with my 1st wife. Had some great times. His name was Paul Gilbert.
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Post by John on Apr 28, 2015 12:19:09 GMT -5
Here's one, the Parkgate seam, in the abandonment plan's it shows only a few drivages, the drifts down from the Deep Soft horizon, and a couple of development drivages, but no faces. Was the Parkgate actually worked, or did they have a lot of roadway convergence that put management off working the seam???
Later today I'll scan what I have and post the Parkgate plans.
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Post by John on Apr 29, 2015 7:17:28 GMT -5
Here is the extent of the Parkgate workings from the abandonment plans.
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Post by eleceng on Apr 29, 2015 16:02:58 GMT -5
Yes we did work Parkgate. 1 face, K1's. Not very successfully, Had massive roof fall which stood the face for 18 weeks! Was about 100 yards long & as high as Deep Soft. It was level with old 5's (bet you remember that, John). In fact you could see the old pans that had been left! K2's was headed out & installed when the pit was threatened with closure!!! Needless to say it was never worked! Draw your own conclusions.
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Post by John on Apr 29, 2015 16:22:52 GMT -5
Yes we did work Parkgate. 1 face, K1's. Not very successfully, Had massive roof fall which stood the face for 18 weeks! Was about 100 yards long & as high as Deep Soft. It was level with old 5's (bet you remember that, John). In fact you could see the old pans that had been left! K2's was headed out & installed when the pit was threatened with closure!!! Needless to say it was never worked! Draw your own conclusions. I recall old 5's, or at least where it was, when I started the last of the DS was still being drawn off, and as I was still an apprentice I was sent down to recover some of the remaining parts off a conveyor drive, namely signal boxes, belt slip rollers and other bits, that was down where 1s, 2s 3s and 4s were. When I started all faces, five of them, were in deep hard, one was a continuation of the main conveyor road, another was at right angles to the main trunk conveyor, just as you got off the manrider and walked to the left, can't think where the others were, but all at the same end of the pit.
That must have been one hell of a fall, because deep soft is many feet above Parkgate.
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Post by eleceng on May 2, 2015 12:07:09 GMT -5
I left Bestwood 1964. Was strange starting Cotgrave Feb same year, moving from production pit to development. 53s was first face, started up the same week I started there. We didn't have 1s! First face on North side was 3s, followed by 2s. My first face as elec. Also 4s & 5s. Pulled out of North side, hit a white wall heading loco & C/V roads & tremendous floor lift. I'm sure you remember. The first faces in DH were 7s; 9s; 57s; working South on Left, 32s on Right. Face that went straight ahead from C/V & return was 50s. They were probably working when you were there John! South side was heavily developed, long before Parkgate. K1s in this seam should never have been developed the way it was. An old miner once told me it was headed out with the wrong cleavage. Was riding the shaft one day with the manager Arthur Townsend & asked him why were we pursuing with such problems. He told me not his decision, but Area's. He wouldn't have done it. Says it all!!! Cost a small fortune plugging that hole. Had to have special foam & pumping equipment. to fill it. Shortly after the face was closed!!! Plans were being made to move back into DS. Then they closed the pit, Millions of tons of coal left. Would have made a lot of profit as quality was superior.
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Post by John on May 2, 2015 13:10:05 GMT -5
I recall an incident one day shift. don't recall why I was there, but must have been given a job to do, I'd gone through some airdoors onto the main returns, there was a conveyor drivehead. The switchman was sat down and I noticed what looked like smoke coming down the road, totally different to shotfiring smoke. I asked the switchman what he thought, he said the same as me, looked like smoke and it was getting thicker. Hmmm, dilemma, never shout fire in a coal mine...LOL
We waited a bit, but it wasn't clearing at all, so I decided to call the surface telephone exchange, "Now listen, don't panic" "why" he said. "I'm at so and so drive in the returns and it looks like we have smoke..." "Smoke?? is there a fire, nuts I'd better notify the Manager"... "FFS don't panic, look, I know I'm going to do the wrong thing, but I'll make my way inbye and see if I can find anything, but don't panic, I'll set of and check and get back to you" I gave him my name and lamp number.
I hadn't gone far when the smoke seemed to clear, but carried on inbye for a few more yards, in the end I turned around and made my way back to the drivehead.
I called the surface exchange and crap, he was in a panic, he must have notified the Manager and every Deputy and his dog...LOL
" This is....... Didn't find anything and the smoke has cleared completely, you might want to contact the Deputy who covers this area and get him to walk the returns belts inbye of here." Just then a rather irate Deputy showed up gasping and panting, "where's the fire"
Never say fire underground..
I did get a call on the phone one night at Boulby from the mining shift supervisor to shut down the No1 fan as they had a fire off the east trunk conveyor belt, contractors were doing some burning and set a stopping on fire that was being fueled by the ventilation. We ran two 1350HP fans in a balanced ventilation scheme, venting into the No1 shaft.
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Post by John on May 2, 2015 13:15:45 GMT -5
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Post by smshogun on May 3, 2015 20:56:15 GMT -5
Correct it was Paul Gilbert and he lived in Ilkeston. Gordon Harris was the assistant and he set up a company after taking redundancy and died last year of a brain tumour.
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Post by eleceng on May 5, 2015 15:46:36 GMT -5
Paul lived at Cotgrave earlier before moving back to Ilkeston. Knew Gordon well, great guy. Had some laughs together. Sad to hear about his illness. Did you know Geoff Nelson, emigrated to Aussie.
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Post by eleceng on May 14, 2015 10:40:49 GMT -5
Faces on North/West side, 2s & 4s, North/East side, 3s & 5s, South/East, 53s (1st production face). 2s stopped production due to fault at M/G side. 4s suffered the same fault in T/G & the face was gradually shortened, as the plan shows. 2s was my face as elec before I became Asst. Eng.
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Post by smshogun on May 20, 2015 9:01:59 GMT -5
What were their names, can you remember them?
That was Moorgren philosophy, it didn't matter what your title was, if there was a job needed doing you all got stuck in together.
Shearer cables were best, they could change one in about 30 minutes as all the face men, electricians, fitters, and deputies/shotfirers got involved, the old cable was removed from the bretby while the electricians prepped the new spare cable hanging in the gate, the rippers and electricians ran it out up the gate and by the time they had done this the face men had the old one out of the Bretby, everyone came off the face pulling the old cable out and then returned with the new cable, while the electrician put it into the machine and connected the sock the face men put it into the Bretby and pinned it at intervals. The electrician connected it to the panel and the machine was fired up and coaling commenced, as the loop moved the electrician, fitter, and chock fitters spaced themselves down the face and dropped the wires into the Bretby then moved further down the face until all the wires were in the Bretby.
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Post by John on May 20, 2015 9:11:33 GMT -5
With larger machines in use, cables got very large, so what was done in Oz, was to have two shearer cables, one from the GEB to a mid face coupler, located and bolted to the pan side in a safe spot, and the other cable fed the shearer to the mid face coupler. Although it was far easier to change out, it was still a few hours work due to weight. We also didn't have the manpower on a longwall face as we did with the NCB.
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Post by eleceng on May 25, 2015 10:05:15 GMT -5
What were their names, can you remember them?
That was Moorgren philosophy, it didn't matter what your title was, if there was a job needed doing you all got stuck in together.
Shearer cables were best, they could change one in about 30 minutes as all the face men, electricians, fitters, and deputies/shotfirers got involved, the old cable was removed from the bretby while the electricians prepped the new spare cable hanging in the gate, the rippers and electricians ran it out up the gate and by the time they had done this the face men had the old one out of the Bretby, everyone came off the face pulling the old cable out and then returned with the new cable, while the electrician put it into the machine and connected the sock the face men put it into the Bretby and pinned it at intervals. The electrician connected it to the panel and the machine was fired up and coaling commenced, as the loop moved the electrician, fitter, and chock fitters spaced themselves down the face and dropped the wires into the Bretby then moved further down the face until all the wires were in the Bretby.
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Post by eleceng on May 25, 2015 10:28:05 GMT -5
Sorry can't remember any names, too long ago now! Great team as I have said. During that week when it looked as we were going to be finished early I asked deputy manager, John Gosworth, if he would give the mrn anything, like going home early & paying them full shift. He said If he did that the whole pit would want the same. On the day we finished early I said to the men, "now go home through the baths very quietly I will sort out your pay!". After I had showered the senior overman asked me to ring dep/manager at home. Rang him, asked what he wanted. "Just wanted to say thanks for giving him 2 extra days work in the areas affected by the power shutdown". I asked again what he would do for the men! "I've already told you I can't". I said "looks though you'll have to. I've sent them home!!" They got paid!!!
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Post by John on May 25, 2015 11:38:39 GMT -5
I don't know whether it's age related...LOL BUT, I'm sure the showers had two levels, I could have sworn I was on the first floor with my lockers, and yet all the photos of the block are shown as one level.
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Post by eleceng on May 25, 2015 15:35:39 GMT -5
John, there was two levels in the shower block.
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Post by eleceng on May 25, 2015 15:40:21 GMT -5
I forgot to add. I Have a vague recollection of the smoke incident. Can't remember what was resolved though!
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Post by John on May 25, 2015 17:46:11 GMT -5
John, there was two levels in the shower block. Phew! I thought my memory was deceiving me Mick, all the photo's I've got only show a single story changing rooms/showers.
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Post by John on May 25, 2015 17:49:35 GMT -5
I forgot to add. I Have a vague recollection of the smoke incident. Can't remember what was resolved though! Yeah, I caused a panic, but it was smoke and not shotfiring fumes, even the switchman agreed with me. I've only ever seen smoke once underground, and that was at Clifton, a frictional heating from a conveyor belt. Ironically, we had the Inspector underground at the time, everything was hush hush...LOL
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Post by eleceng on May 26, 2015 3:42:06 GMT -5
John, there was two levels in the shower block. Phew! I thought my memory was deceiving me Mick, all the photo's I've got only show a single story changing rooms/showers.Your memory must be deceiving you John. There was always 2 floors. It was built that way. Are you getting confused with the canteen on the left or the office block over to the right?
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Post by bulwellbrian on May 27, 2015 4:31:45 GMT -5
I forgot to add. I Have a vague recollection of the smoke incident. Can't remember what was resolved though! Yeah, I caused a panic, but it was smoke and not shotfiring fumes, even the switchman agreed with me. I've only ever seen smoke once underground, and that was at Clifton, a frictional heating from a conveyor belt. Ironically, we had the Inspector underground at the time, everything was hush hush...LOLWhen I worked at the Cinderhill Lab I was called out to man the Divisional Mobile Lab at Clifton where there was an incident with a fire. We did gas analysis on samples brought in by the mines rescue. There was a lot of Carbon Monoxide, you wouldn't like to be in it. but it gradually went down. I understood that the problem was a conveyor drive. Possibly the one you refer to above. It would be the early 1960's.
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