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Post by chocknog on Jun 21, 2010 13:35:24 GMT -5
 I just typed in Coal Mining and up popped this site,i was born in Surrey with no links with pit work,but have lived in Nottinghamshire for 40yrs,and joined NCB,as green labour,and was fortunate to get face training after a year as a beltman,six months later i was driving a single ended shearer,in the loader gate end,later going to the supply gate shearer.After learning the Trepanner and driving it as a spare driver ,i was lucky to get the chance to become facechargeman,and also a supervising workman,i enjoyed my life down the pit,and at 63yrs old my pension allows me to work just 3 shifts. 
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Post by erichall on Sept 17, 2010 12:01:31 GMT -5
Moved to the Buxton, High Peak area just under 3 years ago. One of the Clerics in the Parish of Buxton was aware I'd worked underground and asked me if I could tell hom something about a lamp he'd been given. The lamp is obviously a Miner's Safety lamp, but is without a plate. The base screws down through the upper part instead of the machined fit of the Protector Lamp, and I was attempting to find some of the sites which contained pictures of lamps in order to ascertain the type of lamp, when I happened on this site. That's only days ago but the site fascinated me as an ex-miner. Incidently, I now live close to the site of the Health & Safety Establishment, Harpur Hill on the outskirts of Buxton, a site we used to know as the Safety in Mines Research Establishment, and where I had visited on numerous occasions during my working Life.
I have not yet trawled the whole site, but am finding it fascinating.
I spent my first working years in the old South Barnsley (No.5) Area until I entered 'higher management' when I moved into the North Derbyshire Area. I was working at High Moor Colliery as Safety Engineer when the Area was disbanded, all the collieries being swallowed up by the North Notts Area, with the exception of High Moor which was moved into the S.Yorks. Area. much to our disgust, I might add.
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Post by spartacus on Apr 12, 2011 22:10:26 GMT -5
I think it was a link from another site? From one in the South Yorks area.
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Post by bookhunter on Sept 8, 2011 20:55:06 GMT -5
I just typed in coal mining books and one of the results from Google was this forum. I can see why... I found the forum talking about books for sale.  |
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Post by John on Sept 9, 2011 6:32:29 GMT -5
I just typed in coal mining books and one of the results from Google was this forum. I can see why... I found the forum talking about books for sale. As it will with "Book Reviews" Lots of search parameters will locate us now, from trepanners to Anderson Boyes to BJD etc.... |
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Post by micky on Sept 29, 2011 12:58:44 GMT -5
Hello to everyone, i've been a railwayman all my working life since i left school in 1972 when i was 15 years old (apart for 3 years in the army in the mid/late 1970s) but in recent times over the last 18 months i've become interested in mining in britain especially through the 1984-85 strike.
Recently i bought x2 dvds one on the 1984-85 strike that was made by the striker's and there supporter's and features 6 or 7 individual videos and were distributed to the striker's and there families and supporter's and which are very interesting and the other dvd is called A PORTRAIT OF A MINER Vol ONE which is a double dvd-set and is mainly material that was made by the NCB in the 1950s, 60s & 70s and is very interesting indeed, both dvds are released through the BFI British Film Insititute. Micky
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Post by shropshirebloke on Sept 29, 2011 17:07:58 GMT -5
Welcome on here Micky!!
I've got the same DVDs - my mate bought them me for Xmas last year bless her - I've watched them dozens of times.
I left school not long before before you - a few years later I did our local version of National Service - a couple of years in the pit (then the buggers closed it...). Thirty-odd years on and I still keep in touch with more of the lads I worked with there than from anywhere I've worked since....
My Granddad and six of his brothers were railwaymen all their working lives - I've still got fond memories of Coleham (Western) sheds in Shrewsbury when I was a kid - they used to let me drive BIG diesels up the line to Salop station on sunday mornings.
Come on here with a genuine question and someone will do their best to answer it - ask away!!
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Post by micky on Sept 29, 2011 17:42:15 GMT -5
Welcome on here Micky!! I've got the same DVDs - my mate bought them me for Xmas last year bless her - I've watched them dozens of times Hello shropshirebloke thanks for the welcome With regards to the dvd A PORTRAIT OF A MINER i like it all but i particularly like NOBODY'S FACE & MINER'S the latter filmed at Bagworth colliery in 1978. Coal mining is a very interesting subject i wish i had got in to it years ago and miner's past and present are the salt of the earth |
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Post by dazbt on Sept 30, 2011 4:06:03 GMT -5
Hya Micky,
there's an absolute stack of Youtube vids relating to coalmining
here's a link to one that might be of interest, then follow some of the Youtube links shown on the right when it finishes;
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Post by micky on Sept 30, 2011 5:53:00 GMT -5
Hya Micky, there's an absolute stack of Youtube vids relating to coalmining here's a link to one that might be of interest, then follow some of the Youtube links shown on the right when it finishes; Thanks very much dazbt |
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Post by emleyman on Oct 3, 2011 9:36:24 GMT -5
Hi everyone
I was just idling away the time over lunch and typed 'Anderson Strathclyde' into Google, just to see if one of my old employers was still in existence. Delighted to see that one of my old mates Daz is a regular contributor on here, hope you are keeping well Daz.
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Post by dazbt on Oct 3, 2011 12:11:22 GMT -5
Heyup Emleyman, I'm taking a wild guess that it's Mr. B.R. if it is, then it's a double heyup old pal |
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Post by emleyman on Oct 4, 2011 6:47:39 GMT -5
Heyup Daz, it is indeed Mr B.R. ;D Great to hear from you! Just been reading your post about buttock shearers and I'll probably have nightmares about the AM420 for the rest of the week - I still break out into a cold sweat whenever I pass Newmarket! A fantastic piece of kit when it was working properly though. |
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Post by dazbt on Oct 4, 2011 7:48:27 GMT -5
Heyup Daz, it is indeed Mr B.R. ;D Great to hear from you! Just been reading your post about buttock shearers and I'll probably have nightmares about the AM420 for the rest of the week - I still break out into a cold sweat whenever I pass Newmarket! A fantastic piece of kit when it was working properly though. Heyup Brian, it was the Emley ‘bit’ that gave you away ………. along with the fact that you are the only bloke I know that has lunch for his snap. Never in the annals of mining history can there have been a piece of machinery that caused so much heartache, frustration, anger, disappointment and yet as you say, perform so fantastically well when it was given the chance. The very mention of the number “420” is still taboo in our house, even my grandkids wouldn’t dare utter it. Newmarket memories, 14” of coal, 24 hour shifts, 18” crawling height and trying to keep up with a machine cutting at 23 fpm that for no reason at all would suddenly decide to stop and instantly reverse direction of its own accord ……… how nobody was killed by that machine I will never know…. happy days!!! Brian PM me on here and we'll catch up. |
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Post by John on Oct 4, 2011 12:27:08 GMT -5
Heyup Daz, it is indeed Mr B.R. ;D Great to hear from you! Just been reading your post about buttock shearers and I'll probably have nightmares about the AM420 for the rest of the week - I still break out into a cold sweat whenever I pass Newmarket! A fantastic piece of kit when it was working properly though. Heyup Brian, it was the Emley ‘bit’ that gave you away ………. along with the fact that you are the only bloke I know that has lunch for his snap. Never in the annals of mining history can there have been a piece of machinery that caused so much heartache, frustration, anger, disappointment and yet as you say, perform so fantastically well when it was given the chance. The very mention of the number “420” is still taboo in our house, even my grandkids wouldn’t dare utter it. Newmarket memories, 14” of coal, 24 hour shifts, 18” crawling height and trying to keep up with a machine cutting at 23 fpm that for no reason at all would suddenly decide to stop and instantly reverse direction of its own accord ……… how nobody was killed by that machine I will never know…. happy days!!! Brian PM me on here and we'll catch up. Nice to see a couple of old mates link up Daz!! |
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Post by dazbt on Oct 4, 2011 15:16:22 GMT -5
Heyup Brian, it was the Emley ‘bit’ that gave you away ………. along with the fact that you are the only bloke I know that has lunch for his snap. Never in the annals of mining history can there have been a piece of machinery that caused so much heartache, frustration, anger, disappointment and yet as you say, perform so fantastically well when it was given the chance. The very mention of the number “420” is still taboo in our house, even my grandkids wouldn’t dare utter it. Newmarket memories, 14” of coal, 24 hour shifts, 18” crawling height and trying to keep up with a machine cutting at 23 fpm that for no reason at all would suddenly decide to stop and instantly reverse direction of its own accord ……… how nobody was killed by that machine I will never know…. happy days!!! Brian PM me on here and we'll catch up. Nice to see a couple of old mates link up Daz!! Yep, good innit? ............ a bridge over 30 years or so, a lot of coal flowed under that bridge. |
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boaz
Trainee
Posts: 37
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Post by boaz on Mar 2, 2012 6:43:21 GMT -5
I think the link to this site came from a posting in Aditnow. I still visit mines in various countries and the UK. One thing I find is that there is a common understanding/language among the "mining fraternity", no matter what language they speak.
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Post by wardy on Mar 2, 2012 14:20:20 GMT -5
I found this site by typing in Coal Mining, and up it came. At the present time I am researching the differences of Coal Mine Shafts compared to the ones I deal with on an everyday basis......Lift Shafts in Buildings..
I am an Elevator Designer in New York City U.S.A. I am involved with overhead traction of a Lift Car and all it entails from the shaft geometry in the building to how many steel cables we need and speed of the Lift etc. and the HP of the motor on the Hoist Machine.
This website is brilliant for the technical needs of the questions I have been asking.
You will hear much more from me.
John Ward
Staten Island
The big Apple
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Post by John on Mar 2, 2012 14:38:24 GMT -5
I found this site by typing in Coal Mining, and up it came. At the present time I am researching the differences of Coal Mine Shafts compared to the ones I deal with on an everyday basis......Lift Shafts in Buildings.. I am an Elevator Designer in New York City U.S.A. I am involved with overhead traction of a Lift Car and all it entails from the shaft geometry in the building to how many steel cables we need and speed of the Lift etc. and the HP of the motor on the Hoist Machine. This website is brilliant for the technical needs of the questions I have been asking. You will hear much more from me. John Ward Staten Island The big Apple
The background picture on this site has two tower mounted Koepe winders, (multi rope friction winders) Gives you some idea of what we used in mining.
There's some very large electric motors winding coal and minerals around the world, Garry can tell you more about those, he was a winder electrician, I never worked on winders, my job stopped at the tipping level in the towers.
But the biggest motors I have seen were the two at Boulby Mine in North Yorks where I worked for a few years. 7000hp and 3500hp.
Although, I used to love the old steam winding engines with their polished brass fittings and copper pipes. Those drivers were proud of their engines, and woe betide anyone walking into the engine house with dirty boots on!! They were worse than my old Gran when it came to wiping boots on the coconut mat at the door!
Welcome aboard, there's tons of info on here! |
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Post by wardy on Mar 3, 2012 12:28:36 GMT -5
Hello Lecko
Great to hear from you.
Its a small world, for some reason I reckoned you to be in Merthyr
or Ammanford but certainly in S.Wales and all the time you are in
Kentucky.
Hope you are safe with those bloody twisters that hit your area and Ohio.
I used to live in Wales and was surrounded with pits and never gave them a second thought. Now because I'm into super high buildings I diverted my design thoughts to pit shafts.
Great to hear from you
John Ward
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Post by wardy on Mar 3, 2012 12:34:24 GMT -5
Lecko
Oops .........................you are in Missouri not Kentucky,
I am an idiot I'm drafting out a Job to Kentucky and replying to you and typed in the wrong state, and I am sober ......
Saturday is my Budweiser day and I have not oened the 1st can yet.
Fantastic to hear from you.
My next questions on the Welsh site will be about traction
engineering and its applications to mining.
Wardy
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Post by williamdraper on Feb 25, 2013 20:02:44 GMT -5
I just typed Miners Forum in the Internet. My mining experience has been working for heavy equipment suppliers (2). Spent 5 years supporting copper, coal, cobalt and diamond mines in Africa. Mostly surface mines, some support equipment at underground mines. Some diamond mines surface mines dig to about 500 meters then convert to underground mines. Security is high at diamond mines, you have to submit your passport number about a week before visiting, visitors are with an escort all the time, etc.
Experience in the states is almost exclusively with coal mines.
Come from a mining family, my grandfather worked 50 years underground, my father passed away (from natural causes) while working underground.
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I just typed in Coal Mining and up popped this site,i was born in Surrey with no links with pit work,but have lived in Nottinghamshire for 40yrs,and joined NCB,as green labour,and was fortunate to get face training after a year as a beltman,six months later i was driving a single ended shearer,in the loader gate end,later going to the supply gate shearer.After learning the Trepanner and driving it as a spare driver ,i was lucky to get the chance to become facechargeman,and also a supervising workman,i enjoyed my life down the pit,and at 63yrs old my pension allows me to work just 3 shifts. 
