1967 - Page 9

Springfield Drift

Springfield drift sunk? Nearby were abandoned deep mine pits named Bonds Main, Avenue, Grassmoor and North Wingfield Alma (North Derbyshire).

Bevercotes

In October the second coalface in the Parkgate at Bevercotes (Nottinghamshire) came on stream.

Record Output

On 25th November 1967 the weekly output record at Teversal (Nottinghamshire) had reached 13,407 tons from the 1st Waterloo and Dunsil seams.

Pinxton No2 Shaft Capped

The disused Pinxton No2 shaft (Derbyshire) was capped in October and the shaft filled from the Tupton or Low Main inset down to the Blackshale level.

More Safety Engineers Appointed

More Safety Engineers, holding First Class Certificates (Manager’s Certificate) were appointed at all mines barring the ones classified as small ones, those generally under ½ million tons production for the year. Safety Officers continued, but were now under the Safety Engineer’s jurisdiction.

7 Tons Capacity Mine Cars

At Blidworth (North Nottinghamshire) production from the High Hazles seam began to replace the dwindling Top Hard seam workings. As part of the major reconstruction scheme begun in 1958 the seam had been accessed via cross measures drifts from the Top Hard working. Extra-large 7 tons capacity mine cars were installed for coal turning at the shaft.

Retreat Mining

At Moorgreen one of the first retreat faces in the Midlands was tried. The method would prove to be very successful. The 1st Waterloo was closed along with the Low Main and working was concentrated in the Blackshale that was at first serviced from Selston, and men travelled down that shaft (South Nottinghamshire).

80% Of Coal Faces Now Mechanised

Following the introduction of the NPLA in 1966 (National Power Loader Agreement) there were now about 80% of the faces mechanised. There was a proviso that there would be a national shift rate by the end of 1971 for face workers, and also the aim was to narrow the earnings gap between face workers and others. However productivity began to fall under the new system as many prophesised it would. Following the pay rise in November 1967, which gave elsewhere below ground workers larger increases would lead to many not being attracted to work on the coal face, when it would be possible, with a bit of wangling, for some haulage workers to get extra shifts in at weekend and work overtime during the week, and take home more than a face worker.

Overmen

Overmen were assimilated into 2 national grades, replacing any district grading previously.

Trying To Save The Mine

At Clifton (South Nottinghamshire) the 820 man workforce increased the cutting distance on the two remaining coal faces to one mile a day, in November 1967 vastly improving the output of the mine and saving the mine from possible closure as there had been geological problems that had closed other faces. However the effort was all to be in vain and the mine would close in 1968.

‘The Pound In Your Pocket Is Just The Same’

Harold Wilson MP Prime Minister (Lab) announced on 19th November 1967 that the pound sterling (£) was to be devalued, to prevent Britain’s economic problems getting worse, but he he will be remembered for his famous quote.... ‘the pound (£) in your pocket will still be the same’!

Financial Assistance

The Coal Industry Act 1967 provided financial assistance towards the social costs of colliery closures. Under the Act the Government have the powers to defer or postpone a closure of a mine.

Numerous Instructions

Following the reorganisation numerous NCB Production Department Instructions were issued, many involving the working of pits etc.

Water Resources Act

Water Resources Act 1963 (Sec 78) was one where the procedure was laid down where it was intended to bore a hole or to sink a shaft or to abandon an old shaft. Notice was to be given to the River Authority of proposals to sink a well etc for abstracting water (to use in a coal prep plant for example), or to bore a hole for searching for or extracting underground minerals, in this case, coal. Various formal notices and plans were required, and consultation with the local Water Engineer necessary, should a hole be proposed near a waterworks. Further, the River Authority was to be notified of any borehole that was completed and sealed, also full information of a new shaft to be sunk, and when a shaft is abandoned. In addition notice to be given to the Institute of Geological Sciences of any proposed borehole more than 50 feet (15.25m) deep to abstract water (Water Act 1945) or for the purposes of searching for or getting minerals, more than 100 feet (30m) deep. Numerous boreholes were being drilled or were to be drilled in future from the surface and underground to prove coal seam depths and thicknesses etc in the 3 counties, so a terrific amount of work was thrust upon NCB staff. In the past boreholes had generally just been plugged at abandonment, now details were required of the cement, amount, depth, and so on and so on! Prior to nationalisation many things such as this had been ignored by the private companies, some of course would lead to loss of life. (e.g. Lofthouse 1973).

Licensed Mines Operating

• Church Gresley Fireclay (The Church Gresley Firebrick and Fireclay Co Ltd) 23 men working Coal and fireclay, 9 men on the s/f, Manager: J Simmonds
• Clay Pit (Albert) (Mansfield Bros), 9 coal and fireclay, 2 s/f
• Doe Lea (Doe Lea Colliery Co Ltd) 19 Top Hard, 3 s/f
• Harper Hill (Horace Taylor (Whatstandwell) Ltd), 8 Waterloo, 3 s/f, Manager: Dan Rogerson
• Lightwood (Handley Collieries Ltd), 20 Deep Hard, 8 s/f, Agent: HS Lee
• Moorside (Dent Main Colliery (1924) Ltd, 6 Parkgate, 2 s/f, Agent: A Pemberton, Manager: B Hutchinson
• Mossbrook (Mossbrook Colliery Ltd) Parkgate coal
• New Plumbley (W Redfern and Sons Ltd), Parkgate coal
• Shady Hall Silkstone, 21/1/67 (received at Mining Records Office 18/2/1986)
• Springfield Mine (Firthwood Collieries Ltd) Deep Soft coal
• Strathfield (H and C Hartshorne, Furnace Hill Colliery) Blackshale coal
• Stretton (Horace Taylor (Whatstandwell) Ltd), 10 Deep Hard, 2 s/f
• Wheeldon Mill (JS Gaunt Ltd) 19 Deep Hard, Piper, 3 s/f.

Opencast Workings

• Blue Lodge 3m East of Chesterfield, Sough, Furnace, Brinsley Thin, High Hazels, Thin coal above St John’s, First St John’s and Second St John’s seams, (R McGregor and Sons Ltd)
• Bond’s Yard Top Hard 4’ 6” (1.37m), (25/8/65 – 5/8/66) and Bond’s Yard II (14/11/66 – 31/7/ 67), 3½ m South East of Chesterfield, 1st Waterloo 4’ 7” (1.40m), 2nd Waterloo 2’ 0” (0.61m)
• Broad Lane Zone 2m North of Eastwood 2nd and 3rd Waterloo, Dunsil and Floor coal, Top Hard, Coombe, Brinsley Thin (Curall, Lewis and Martin Ltd)
• Cromford Canal N Extension 1m NW of Eastwood, Coombe, Top Hard, Dunsil, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Waterloo, Waterloo Marker (Currall, Lewis & Martin Ltd)
• Dell Farm Forty Yard, Alton, Jan 1962 – Sep 1967
• Godbers Lum Golden Valley 1st and 2nd Ell, Chavery, Top Soft and Roof Soft (Currall, Lewis & Martin Ltd) 7/1965-29/7/1967: Kirkby Park Farm (JW Moss and Co Ltd) Swinton Pottery 1 & 2 23/9/1967
• Martin’s Lane (GH Sadler) Yard seam
• Woodside 1½ miles South East of Staveley Clowne, Sough and Furnace (Currall, Lewis and Martin Ltd).

Inspector's Report 1967

53 NCB pits in the Division plus 9 Licensed mines and 11 Pumping Stations.

Output for 1967 was 37,028,130 tons at 51.3 cwts oms, 96.3% mechanised working.

Bevercotes production started with one face, 2nd face being prepared.

Welbeck new shaft inset and pit bottom roadways and winders electrified.

Surface drifts at Bentinck, Ormonde and Pye Hill completed.

ROLF faces in production at Selston and Newstead.

Kirkby and Langton merged. Glapwell and Bramley Vale drift mine merged.
Williamthorpe with Grassmoor and the Markham 1, 2 and 4 pits.

15 men were killed and 136 serious accidents. 4 were killed by falls of ground and 46 serious. 1 man killed cleaning up behind the machine on face side when a large piece of roof some 68 feet (21m) long fell and crushed him. There was one fatal at a small licensed mine with a fall of roof in a narrow heading. 3 men were killed on the surface and 12 serious accidents.

There were several instances of incidents in shafts.

A 23 feet (6.7m) long girder being slung under the cage fell down the 718 yards (656m) deep shaft when the rope sling broke and fortunately only minor damage done.
At another pit a guillotine door from a skip fell down a 900 yards (823m) shaft.
A tram of arches ran away at an inset and fell 500 yards (457m) causing damage to a cage and suspension gear.
A mine car fell out of a cage during coal winding causing some damage. All these incidents in the shafts would have stopped production whilst exams and repairs were done.

There were 4 incidents relating to unstable dirt tips and settling ponds.

Firedamp drainage was practiced at 16 mines. There were 2 sudden emissions of firedamp requiring men to be evacuated.

By now 1,439 fluid couplings on motors and 256 roof support systems and another 196 other installations were using fire resistant fluid instead of mineral oil.

More remote control systems underground.

Many roadways were fireproofed in the vicinity of conveyor transfer points.

There were now 370 horses at 30 NCB pits.

At the Central Rescue Stations at Ilkeston, Chesterfield and Mansfield Woodhouse there were 9 Officers, 33 permanent corps and 470 fully trained men at pits.

Self rescuers had been issued for all underground personnel at Clifton, Selston, Sherwood, Whitwell, Sutton, Ireland and Creswell collieries.