Trams at Old Meadows Colliery - ie Go-karts

[Graham]

Was reading a copy of Jack Nadins excellent book "Collieries of North East Lancashire" and was amused/appalled/staggered at the idea of trams (superb pic of an official using one on his inspections). Apparently many roads at Old Meadows Colliery (near Burnley) were only the size of a tub, and the men laid on these glorified go-karts set on the tub rails and moved by pushed themself along of the sleepers!

Being 6'2" and from West Yorkshire, one is tempted to sneer at a just been proof of that the Lancastrians had to stoop so low! ....... but shall resist!

I am curious was this form of transport used elsewhere?

[Clive]

Trams were used thrughout east ancs though i have never heared of them used elesewhere. They are still used at Hill Top in Bacup.

I used them for 9years at Grimebridge Rssendale and despite their look they are excellant.

Most of the roads are inseam of ripped just high enough to get a tub through, at Brig in Uppermountain mine the main roads were 3'6"-4' and at 1000 ards in it was too far to walk.

You knelt on the tram and picked off the sleepers with one leg. On the tram you put your bait bag, pick blades and nogs (tallys for the tubs). At the shunt you could pick up a pair of rails or sme roof supports, lay them accross the tram and carry on your way into the far end.

As most of the Rossendale pits wer drift mines and went uphill on the way in the ride out at done time when you were knacked was a nice freewheel out.

In a roadway of small dimentions the speed appeared to be fantastic all was champion till you hit a sneck (bad joint) and you went flying...usualy into a pool of water.

watching amatures was sometimes amusing especialy if it was an inspector who had just given you a rollocking.

We once had a film crew down and one of them got windy when he got into the pit bottom so we oiled him up a tram, turned him around and off he went out. According to father who was on the pit top when he arrived at the drift mouth he was dripp white and unable to move..... we neglected to tell him how to brake!!

Clve Seal ;D