A Unique History From My Work Diaries

Surveying Jobs

North Nottinghamshire Area from April 1967

Page - 56 -

Jan 1979

1979 subsidised transport at 6.9p / mile = £211.80

Deputy PG Shaw, Assistant EW Fretwell, Assistant CA Fegan, Apprentice GWB Noble, Tracer Paula L . Lesh. Supervisory Linesman Dougie Stockham (DS). Linesmen … K Soar (KS), K Walton (KW), R Crawford (RC), B Kalnins (BK), R Farrow (RF), P Abram (PA)

CW S holiday Jan 1 – Sat 13. J Higgingbotham Acting Manager, AV Goodwin Acting Deputy Manager (i/c V Bunker and 2s Snicket), R Flint Asst U/m Days, G Weeks Nights.
CA Fegan holiday Mon 1 – Sat 6

Mon 1 … New Year’s Day Bank Holiday

Tues 2 … Office ... General, correspondence. JRG phone. R & FF amends to u/g valve plan neg. Discuss E Hodgson … Surface … Checking pipe ranges. … 2 men (RB*, EWF) … Office … Sent record of R & FF amends to AE Betts Deputy Area Surveyor. Meeting re same … JH, P Davies, KF Greaves, RB … Surface … to pipe location RB and P Davies.

Wed 3 … U/g … Abandonment survey of 46s North Side … 5 men (RB*, PGS, EWF, DS , GN) and also abandonment of Top Hard seam 19 Dec 1978 … Office … Copying up. T Jones Dowty discuss 2s. Bar chart JH and RF. John Shone phoned. JH re 10s exemption amends for 17 men. G Mason U/m re Colliery structure.

Thurs 4 … Office … Bar charts for JH and R Anderson re 10s redevelopment. Calculated and plotted 46s abandonment survey. Checking Rolls with Geologist. Plan sent to Thoresby re same. CJ Whyte and Michael Mottram came and interviewed Gary Noble re Technical College. J Shone Thyssens discuss. Chart for G Mason Management structure.

Fri 5 … Office … Tuition to GWB Noble re various. Progress. Info re pumps with Sam Pepper.

Sat 6 … Office … Took it in turns to calculate Incentive figures etc. - 12441 tonnes
AV Goodwin Conveyors and development on Days.

Mon 8 … Office … General, correspondence. Inking in plans.

Tues 9 … Inking in plans. General, correspondence. Discuss J Herbert development, Meeting 11am … Pre Strategic Plan Underground and surface … R Anderson (RB)

Wed 10 … U/g … Annual Visit … to Vertical bunker top and bottom. To 10s new face head. Butterley bunker and 2s face … CJ Whyte, JR Greasley, RB) … Office … Meeting 3pm … Vertical bunker … JH (RB) … Called in Area HQ various.
2s Snicket broke a hole through to 1s AW.

Thurs 11 … Office … Info re 2s. Info to J Herbert. Discuss J Gretton welder. Drawings of 2s cradle front and back skids for Chock shields. … copies. Tuition G Noble, re plotting a section of 10s face. Checking through surveys With CA Fegan from Gyro base in Pit Bottom … closes o.k.

Fri 12 … Office … General,. Correspondence. Tuition to GWB Nole dial and theodolite and setting up etc. AE Betts phoned re R & FF info. check … o.k. Discuss Rob James Thyssens. Discuss and info to T Jones Dowty. Check calculations for 10s face head. Discuss Rob James Thyssens. D Raisbeck and D Muller geology in 10s area. Discuss J Herbert.                                       

Sat 13 … Office … Progress and development. Incentive measures. Wall plans. 12 PG working times notices for G Mason. 17780 tonnes

Mon 15 … Office … Amends to R & FF plans. Discuss KF Greaves Safety Engineer. JRG Discuss. CW S and JH discuss.

Tues 16 … Office … Manager’s 1/5000 neg to date. TH and PG Spontaneous Combustion negs to date. Plotted 10s face head on 1/5000. Discuss Site Engineer for Surface Boiler house re cables, drains, pipes etc. under site. Phoned R Hudson, Blue Diamond Scotchlite Reflective liquid received. Meeting … Vertical bunker … JH, Leo Kirk, Tom Grainger, Eddie Kilblane, RB

Wed 17 … Office … Plotted 10s face levels on section. To Area HQ … Strategic Plan meeting 10am – 12.15pm … HM Spanton (CW S, RB) … Office … General.

Thurs 18 … U/g … to Vertical bunker top and down shaft ladder to bottom … F Lee, L Kirk, T Grainger, RB … discuss. Ofice … Amount of water pumped from pit return sent to GH Jackson. R Flint re proposed turn for installing chocks on 10s new face line. Made sketches of turn. (435 + 8 u/g)

Fri 19 … Office … General. P Davies re proposed tram. Discuss Dave Muller Geologist … Surface … Pegged out railway curve for Rapid loading bunker stockpile … RB, PGS, EWF and Ted Hodgson.

Sat 20 … Office … Showing CA Fegan weekend system of operation. Progress, development, Wall plans and Incentive measures … 20032 tonnes

Mon 22 … Office … AVG re TH Materials Recovery programme. J Herbert phoned re development. Info to CW S re 10s development. Discuss JH, J Herbert and AVG re 12s development and P Davies re Following Intake Junction etc. Plans for TH Materials Recovery. Info to date on TH plans, theodolite stations etc. … Materials Recovery Programme … AVG (RB)

Tues 23 … Office … Correspondence and filing, frontispiece on folder. Meeting … Vertical bunker JH (RB) … Info to CW S and GM re 2s LG rip re 4 piece arches.

Wed 24 … U/g … Statutory dial survey of 1s panel … 6 men (RB*, DS, GKN, KS, KW, BK)… Office … Calculated and plotted same. JH re conveyors PG Nos 1 and 2. Vertical Bunker checking. Kevin Brogan re info for same.

Thurs 25 … U/g … Parkgate Nos 1 and 2 conveyors offset survey and cross levelling Butterley bunker and to rail grade line … 4 men (RB*, PGS, EWF, DS)

Fri 26 … Office … Charts showing measures for conveyors and V Bunker. CW S re same. Discuss Tom Grainger. Jack Storr Thoresby phoned re info for CW S. Discuss electricity problems with Harry Fitzackerley. Info to AVG various. Lengths of conveyors for Vertical Bunker drift 325m. Feed conveyor 35m. 10s face finished heading.

Sat 27 … Office … CW S re proposed paper on 2s Chock shields … 19397 tonnes

Mon 29 … Office … General. Info re tonnages for PG. Offsets etc. PG conveyors with AVG. Meeting to discuss why Vibro frames for Vertical Bunker do not fit … JH, (RB) 1s LG PG dipping 1in11.

Tues 30 … U/g … Grade line for drift conveyor from Vertical bunker base, also checked centre line. Centre line for Parkgate No1 across Access Junction … 4 men (RB*, PGS, EWF, CAF) … Office … Meeting … Vertical Bunker CW S. Mick Bostock Group Ventilation re Pit bottom ventilation.

Wed 31 … Office … General. Info P Longden re 1,000m pipe to Lagoon, 35 feet head. Discuss Frank Lee Pit bottom.
Wed 31 … U/g … Visit to Vertical bunker base, checked vibro grade etc. and conveyor line of structure put in (RB*) … Office … Discuss re PG surveys and closures.

Feb 1979

Thurs 1 … Office … General. Phone Mr Hodgson Mansfield District Council. CW S re arch legs to be cut for 4 pieces for 2s LG. Colin Wynne ICI re History of development of PG, Fred Marples phoned re conveyor line in Vertical Bunker Access o.k. been checked. Info to P Davies re 2s grades. Meeting … 3pm Accountability, Manpower Savings, Development and Capital investment … R Anderson (RB). JH re 10s first chock for tonight …

Fri 2 … Office … Ken Middleton Hollybank re proposed arch leg cutting for 2s LG rip. Leo Kirk phoned re V erticla Bunker progress. CJ Whyte and JR Greasley re same. T Grainger phoned same. Inking in Working plans, levels, dates, contours. Mr Hodgson Mansfield District Council phoned!

Sat 3 … 19793 tonnes
Sat 3 … Office … Phone PG Shaw. Phone AE Betts. Phone JCH Longden DCME re Vertical Bunker … Call out to accident at Boughton Brake borehole site, Whitewater Lane … Measures etc. (RB*) (25)

Sun 4 … U/g … Check on conveyors etc., RB with CW Standage… Commissioning of Vertical bunker at 1.30pm (9.30am – 4pm) … successful!
EW Fretwell holiday 1 week.

Mon 5 … Office … T Grainger phoned re V Bunker … spot on. Surface … RB to borehole site at Whitewater Lane with HMI J Jones … Finished accident plan. Des Thompson Harworth and Eddie Gillfillan ATT phoned. Plan to Rob James Thyssens … Surface … to Area HQ to take new plans of same. Discuss CJ Whyte and Stan Brunskill.

Tues 6 … Info to CW S re 10s development, Following Intake and proposed 12s. General. Final Meeting for Vertical Bunker … Leo Kirk Deputy Area Planner, Tom Grainger Projects Planner, RB and George Inman, Thyssens Rep.

Wed 7 … U/g … Pit bottom roadways , examining for leakage air aand looking for proposed stopping sites … 4 men (RB*, PGS, EWF and Tony Tryner Ventilation Officer) … Office … Clarrie Oakton re plan of Pit yard showing hazards etc. for proposed office heating pipes from proposed new Boiler house.

Thurs 8 … Office … General. Fred Marples discuss conveyors. JRG phoned re Metrication of Mine Plans from 12/12/1978. PI just received at Area HQ. P Davies re water samples in PG, to go to Lab. Discuss boring with Alf Evans.

Fri 9 … Office … Constructing accident plan J Hayes 46s chock withdrawal ... Surface … to Wellow with Peter Crawford NUM to see J Hayes injured in accident at 46s chock withdrawal … not in! … Office … Leo Kirk phoned re Vertical Bunker etc. … everything working spot on!                  

Sat 10 … 15889 tonnes
PG Shaw holiday 1 week. PL Lesh off sick. G Mason U/m holiday for a week . AV Goodwin PG U/m. R Flint 10s and conveyors.

Mon 12 … Office … Imperial levels and contours to date on PG Overlay tracings. 1/2500 Contour plan … Meeting … 10s Re-development … JH (RB) M Young, H Fitzackerly, R Flint
Fault at 1s AW end.

Tues 13 … Office … General. Contours on 6 inch (1/10560), 1/10000 and 1/5000. Discuss Henry Swan (ex Ollerton workman) now a Deputy at Bevercotes. Henry had a very infectious comical laugh, more like a screech in his throat. He used to have me in stitches. He often called in at the backdoor for a chat on his way home. He always looked as though he had never washed his eyes and his hair was never combed. JRG phoned various. Mick Young re transfer of Peter Abram to Roadlayers from Linesman. Brian Wormald Training Officer re same.

Wed 14 … Office … General. Phoned 1s re fault at LH AW end.J Herbert phoned re various. Discuss T jones re 2s. Phone Percy Cooper re 2s Snicket turn, plan by EWF. Discuss AVG re John Daniels (Manager Clipstone) visit to 2s. John Stapleton Deputy Surveyor Mansfield rang re installation of laser. Discuss re Chief Examiners report on Surveyor’s exam for 1978. Jimmy Pickering query re accident to D Walker Aug 1978. Sorted out all accident plans … all in order now …

Thurs 15 … Snow … Office … General. Correspondence files sorting. Underground borehole site plans sorting.

Fri 16 … Office … General. Correspondence files. Finished underground borehole site plans. CJ Whyte phoned re metrication of plans. Discuss Ken Ollerenshaw Surface Elec Asst re Ley lines.  He was always referred to as Commander Energy, due to his steady plod. Most of the Electrical staff had nicknames ... Jack Lyons ... JL; Peter Noone ... the Pope; Ken Stokes ... the Sheriff (refereed a Cup final); John Clapperton ... Clap; Richard Sneade ... Tricky Dicky; Paul Brown ... Porky; Ken Allison ... the Ayatollah; Ron Chaplin ... Charlie; one called ... Red hat (wore red helmet); Colin Waller ... Crash; Harry Fitzackerley ... Spot on; and others ...

Sat 17 … 15945 tonnes
Ged Mason U/m holiday Mon 19 -Sat 24.

Mon 19 … Office … General. Correspondence files. Metrication Regulations 12/12/1978.

Tues 20 … Office … 1/5000, 1/10560 and 1/10000 TH negs to date and finalised. Discuss M Pearson (Husband & Co, Contractors). Discuss Tony Tryner and Mick Bostock re Pit bottom roadways plan.

Wed 21 … to Area HQ … Annual Meeting of Surveyors … CJ Whyte (RB)

Thurs … Office … Discuss points raised at the Surveyor’s Meeting. Copy of Ollerton Rexco Lease amended. JRG phoned re Dunsil. Tuition to Gary Noble re various calculations, scalings etc. JRG phone.

Fri 23 … Office … New Health & Safety Folder. Tonnage and strips sheet to date. Calculations.

Sat 24 … Office … RB with CW S … Finished his paper on 2s chock installation - 18660 tonnes

Mon 26 … Office … General. Jack Storr Thoresby rang re Chock Shields. Ted Hodgson re Surface general. Peter Longden CPP Manager re No8 lagoon check. Plan of 2s Support Rules to GM for visitors from Hucknall. Info to JH re 12s Aw Junction chocks.
10s re started cutting

Tues 27 … Surface … Levelling to lagoon No8 for calculation of volume. Also coal stock.
Surface … RB with Frank Lee Area Planner and Frank Radford Group Planner to new Workshop lean to and also to Winders. Office … JRG phoned. Calculated volume of Lagoon No8 info to E Hodgson. Discuss D Muller re strips and swilley on 1s. Info to Geoff Mayne Asst Ventilation Officer re positions of roads etc. on old 150s re leakage.

Wed 28 … Office … Phoned JRG re coal stocks. Phone L Scrivens re Junctions. Prepared a new Wall plan for Manager. Prints. JH re 2s AW end models. Tuition to G Noble. Mr Lewis Rep from Clarksons re instrument bubbles (RB). Office … Meeting … 12s and Following Intake development and detail … JH RB, PD, JL and AVG. G Austin and Bas Spencer Bilsthorpe re automatic haulages.

Mar 1979

Thurs 1 … U/g … to 10s AW end, marked out 2/3 chock positions … now on 4 th cut since re-heading out. To Following Intake Junction, 2s snicket. Measures at South No2 conveyor drive TB80. Measured up all loose girders lying about and their sizes. To paddy access drift and old loco circuit … (RB*, DS)
Afternoon to Area HQ … Photographers Don Brown and Jack Chapman re slides for presentation by CW S. V Williams re same. Discuss JR Greasley and G Ison Survey department.

Fri 2 … Office …Tuition to G Noble re contouring, geology etc. JH re 10s Support Rules. Slides etc. Discuss J Herbert and Derek Stone Planners.

Sat 3 … Office … Progress, development. Incentive measures. Discuss G Mason. Meeting Zep and John Shone. Thyssens re work programme - 17162 tonnes

Mon 5 … Office … General. Correspondence. CW S re amends to 10s Support Rules. CW S also re Printing machine needs a fan o.k. Meeting … Linesmen. Info re 2s to a Potential Deputy from Thoresby.
Mon 5 … Surface … To No2 Winder saw Contractor re setting out motor.

Tues 6 … Office … General. Correspondence. Discuss J Lyons Elec Engineer re substation. CW S and JH re 2s B conveyor house. Meeting … Frank Dove Area Civil Engineer and Architects re proposed new offices (RB). Info to Cliff Johnson Method Study Engineer re 2s. Don Brown phoned. Tuition to G Noble. Discuss AV Goodwin re development. Surface … To Area HQ to fetch photos etc.

Wed 7 … Office … General, correspondence. Discuss. Tuition to G Noble Kern Tacheo and plotting with Bocking protractors … Meeting 3.45pm … Accountability, Manpower Saving and Development … R Anderson (RB and CAF)

Thurs 8 … JRG rang. Discuss CW S re 3s Ompton borehole re SM1 preparation. Plan for Meeting. … Development Meeting 12.30pm … AV Goodwin (RB). Discuss with a Potential Deputy. Sent a Plan of haulage route for 2s chocks to Manton following a request.

Fri 9 … Office … General, correspondence. Began tracing for TH 3s Main borehole re 1s PG. Phone Eddie Gray re Stan Brunskill. Discuss Roy Sterland from Teversal (ex-haulage and heavy gang) on visit. Info to E Hodgson re Newark Road Pump house drains.

Sat 10 … 18947 tonnes
PG Shaw and CA Fegan holiday 1 week

Mon 12 … Office … General correspondence. Discuss CW S re proposal for Second Vertical Bunker incorporating 3rd drift proposal.

Tues 13 … Office … General, correspondence. Discuss JH. T Grainger re 18/19 ft arches. D Rodden NUM re 2s Support Rules. S Brunskill re old 3s borehole … Surface … Levelled coal stocks for check re CW S query loss of 13,000 tons. Phone Brian Hopkinson Marketing and E Hodgson same.

Wed 14 … Office … General, correspondence. E Hodgson re weight of 1 cu ft of coal = 68 ½ pounds. Ollerton Village plans. Phone Tommy Partridge Deputy re 12s AW. JH re 12s chocks. Matt Munro Deputy re fossils. JRG discuss various.

Thurs 15 … Office … General. Plan … Surface …Tacheo survey of washed smalls coal stocks … (RB*, EWF)

Fri 16 … Office … General. Discuss Rob Siveland, SWH Lindsay, Cost Clerks re shortfall in tonnage on coal stocks. Discuss same CW S. Discuss same B Hopkinson son. Marketing.

Sat 17 … Office … Phone D Stockham re batteries and Incentive figures - 23472 tonnes

Sun 18 … JH phoned home, I replied, JH rang again re shortfall of coal stocks - 1700 tonnes off week.

Mon 19 … Office … JH re coal stock calculations. Meeting 9.30am … re Shortfall in stocks … R Anderson, JH, RB, Ted Hodgson, Jack Lambert Weigh clerk, Brian Hopkinson Marketing department.
Mon 19 … U/g … 11am … DI3S EDM measuring Intake drift to Connection Road (RB*, PGS, EWF, CAF, GWN) (440 + 8 u/g)

Tues 20 … U/g… to Bilsthorpe with Bas Spencer, KF Greaves, Peter Noone and Paul Hufton … To Pit bottom, Thirl No1, Third drift top engines and automated (+ Elec and Mech) discuss and measurements…. Office … Discuss Pit bottom ventilation with R Aldred Area Ventilation Engineer. Also with M Bostock, AR Tryner, G Mayne. Sketch of coal clearance for P Davies.

Wed 21 … Office … Info re conveyors to Peter Hall, Mechanisation dept., Info conveyors to P Davies. KF Greaves re auxiliary fans Code of Practice. John Shone Thyssens re V Bunker. Info re 2s for HMI GDR Adamson.
RICS evening Meeting Basford Hall … CJ Whyte paper on Town & Country Planning and Dirt tips

Thurs 22 … Office … Various calculations. Measured for new Boiler house. Phone JH re PG No2 conveyor house. JRG re ammonia re printing machine. Discuss KF Greaves. Discuss E Hodgson re Lagoon No8 check by BT Bailey.

Fri 23 … U/g … Vertical bunker measurements to ventilation holes in man tube (RB, KF Greaves and AR Tryner) … then Parkgate No2 conveyor house TP measures (RB*) … Office … Info to Charlie Raybon Method Study re conveyors. Info to P Davies. ? shortfall ? -2000 tonnes stock.

Sat 24 … 23366 tonnes

Mon 26 … Office … General. Info to Lou Scrivens. JH re PG conveyors, also Following Intake engine house. P Davies also. Amended R & FF plans, 6 copies plus negative. AR Tryner re ventilation in Vertical Bunker. Slides for CW S paper.

Tues 27 … U/g … Conveyor line through Parkgate No2 to No1 … 3 men (RB*, KS, RF) Saw JH and P Davies. ... Then Measured 2 lines on PG Intake with DI3S EDM … 5 men (RB*, EWF, CAF, DS, BK)

Wed 28 … Office … General, Correspondence. Prints for Safety dept. Supports. Print of surface for Fred Wagstaffe Surface Elelec. Print of surface for Method Study. Discuss F Marples re conveyors. JH and RF re 2s B switch house and Following Intake engine house. Phone Brian Hopkinson re coal stock. Phone JRG various. Discuss D Muller geology. I was called out by telephone for an accident but I was not at home. …

Fri 29 … Surface … Tacheo survey of coal stocks. … 3 men (RB*, EWF, CAF) … Office … Calculated and plotted same. Phoned JRG cubic metres. Discuss JH various. Slides etc. and projector.

Sat 30 … Office … Going through slides with CW S and discuss general … 2000 stock … 23826 tonnes
Output for 1978 - 1979 = 853,121 tonnes Profit £4,595,000 1114 men on books

Apr 1979
J Higginbotham holiday, AV Goodwin Acting Deputy Manager Mon 2 – Tues 10

Mon 2 … Surface … Tacheo survey of new rail track to Rapid loading bunker site. Also for new Boiler house … 4 men (RB*, PGS, CAF, GKN)
To Area HQ … Layout Plan Review Meeting and signing of plans … JP Berry (CW S, RB)

Tues 3 … Office … Calculations. Slides for CW S and checking on overhead projector. JH Wall plan to date. Surface plan to date with latest O.S. plan.

Wed 4 … U/g … 1s AW measure marks, 1s face sections. 12s LG and 12s AW Junctions (RB*, DS)
Office … Copied up sections. Meeting 3.45 pm … Accountability, Capital and Manpower Savings … R Anderson (RB)

Thurs 5 … U/g … Visit … Checked 10s and 2s and Following Intake heading (RB*) … Office … Info to JRG re Linesmen’s worktime at faces etc. and wages. Discuss J Lyonns and P Noone re proposed substation and possible new Vertical Bunker inbye. 6,000 tonnes output for day.

Fri 6 … Office … General, correspondence. Sketch for cover for Deputy’s Districts also a sketch for a typical Deputy’s District for G Mason U/m. Plan. Check on 2s advance re TH 3s Main Road.

Sat 7 … Office … Progress and development. Incentive measurements. Record output 27, 027 tonnes 5.07 tonnes or 99.4 cwts OMS … Record OMS 5.07t - Record 27027 tonnes

Mon 9 … U/g … Old TH 3s Main, 26s, East paddy observation re subsidence and crush etc. re 2s PG undermining … 180m below (RB*, PGS and Jock Mc Kinnon Roadway Deputy) … Office … Line diagram Management and Deputies etc. for G Mason. (445 + 8 u/g)

Tues 10 … Office … Discuss F Gieves Hollybank re No2 Pit Bottom re-arching and platform out on creeper side. Discuss JH same. Info to CW S re 2s centre lines. Discuss Fred Marples re conveyors. JRG phoned various and holiday. Phoned V Williams Area HQ re slides. Amends to Deputy’s Districts covers for GM. Notice re Record tonnage.
Annual Leave RB Wed 11 – Fri 13 … Mon 16 … Easter

Monday, Statutory Tues 17 ... Statutory Holiday

Annual Leave RB Wed 18 – Sat 21

Record 26357 tonnes

Sat 21 … 14111 tonnes

Sun 22 … J Higginbotham phoned me at home re hole appeared at Egmanton … not our workings!
CW S holiday Mon 23 – Sat 5 May. J Higgingbotham Acting Manager. AV Goodwin holiday. G Weeks 46s. PG Shaw holiday

Tues 24 – Sat 24. EW Fretwell holiday Mon 30 – Sat 12 May.

Mon 23 … Office … General, correspondence. Discuss work PG Shaw. Group of Chinese ‘top brass’ Mining Engineers visit with interpreter … The Senior official asked … ‘Where are all the women miners?’ … Plans provided of Ollerton workings.

Tues 24 … Office … Working plans to date, plotting, inking in, stippling. Discuss JH. Second copy Working plans for Area HQ. George H Jackson phoned and JR Greasley phoned re new tram at Mansfield … to Area HQ to see CJ Whyte Area Surveyor re Lecture to the Chinese group.

Wed 25 … Office … General. Plotted levels and contours to date. CW S re paper, slides etc. also re Jim Rhodes Area Industrial Relations query re Ollerton Incentive measuring system. Tom Grainger discuss various.

Thurs 26 … U/g … to 2s AW and 2s LG conveyor house. 1s Following Intake. 12s AW square marks and 12s LG Junction (RB, DS) … Office … General. Ted Hodgson re to do grading on No2 Dirt tip in the Summer holidays. Phoned JRG same. Mr Lewis Rep from Clarksons discuss instruments. Fred Gieves Rep Hollybank re No 2 Pit bottom plan for new arching.

Fri 27 … Office … General. Plans and info for Charlie? Gate end Deputy at 1s AW. Stippling plans, sections to date, levels and contours. Harry Fitzackerly Asst Elec Engr and 10s Mansign cable handler position regarding panzer creep (RB) … measured 60 pans equals 90m, actual 90.35m.

Sat 28 … Office … CW S re paper on 2s Chock shields installation, checking slides.
5.3 tonnes OMS Record 27,745 tonnes

Mon 30 … Office … Amends to R & FF neg for TH. General Discuss PG Shaw Holiday chart. D Rodden NUM re accident to Ray Goward 2s LG (RB). Top Hard plans inking in swilleys and general tidying up SK / 7068 and SK / 6671.
Ray Flint Nights. GWB Noble Survey camp 2 weeks then block release at Tech College till Fri 6 July

May 1979

Tues 1 … U/g … 2s and 10s and Butterley bunker and Vertical bunker … (Visit by John Wilson and Steve Westmoreland, Area Subsidence department, RB*) Discuss various. 50m Stilon tape stolen from Pithead Baths whilst the Line lads were showering !!! Discuss KF Greaves Safety Engineer. Continued with Top Hard plans.

Wed 2 … Office … 1/5000., 1/10560 and 1/10000 flat sheets to date. Cliff Beal (ex-Apprentice and Assistant Surveyor at Pleasley). Geological dept. phoned re level of borehole at Grimston Hill, confirmed. Plotting surveys.

Thurs 3 … Office … Inking in 1/10560 and 1/10000 and 1s surveys and contours, swilley, drifts etc. Graham Hall phoned Bevercotes re info. General. Plan. CW S re 1s face assessment tomorrow.

Fri 4 … General, correspondence. Made new 1/10000 Top Hard negative. JRG phoned re dial … Surface … took a dial to Thoresby (RB*)

Sat 5 … Office … Progress and development. Incentive measurements. Wall plans. 22296 tonnes

Mon 7 … May Day Bank Holiday

Tues 8 … Office … General, correspondence. Finished TH 1/10000 neg. Reference tabs for files. P Noone discuss various. Discuss Roy Bland Strata Control re 2s.

Wed 9 … Office … Made 1 /1000 neg for PG. P Noone again info. Peter Davies re 2s A Conveyor also water in No1 shaft sump and 60 feet up 1in3 sump drift … I calculated app 40,000 gals and underground tank holds 25,000 gals (RB*)

Fri 11 … Office … Completed contours on 1/10000. CW S re felling the pit chimney, ideas. Eddie Gray Boremaster re proposed borehole at Galley Hole Dyke, near to old 3s Main borehole. Visit by Rob ? South African Gold mining Surveyor, discuss various. CJ Whyte came re transfer Chris A Fegan to Bevercotes on 1/6/1979 to replace John Walls transferring to Welbeck.

Sat 12 … 19575 tonnes

Mon 14 … Office … CW S re felling chimney … Surface … to Joiners for Perspex for printing machine. Office … Jim Rhodes re levelling at Welfare Sports ground. Jimmy Hood NUM Sec plan for accident to T Holmes 46s on 4/4 /1979. Continued with 1/10000 TH contours. Peter Robinson Rufford phoned … Surface … to Welfare to appraise the job and talked to the Groundsman.
Phoned Chief Security Officer … 50m Stilon tape stolen out of Pit head Baths whilst linesmen were showering. AV Goodwin off sick for a week. G Weeks Development. R Flint North side TH.

Tues 15 … Office … Plan. Inked in contour values on 1/10000 TH neg … Surface … Tacheo survey of Welfare Sports ground … 3 men (RB*, PGS, DS)

Wed 16 … Office … Plotting Welfare Sports Ground levels etc.
Wed 16 … U/g … 2pm … Setting first 2 extra tall arches at creeper side of No2 pit bottom ... RB with Ged Mason Undermanager … 6.30pm

Thurs 17 … Office … Finished Welfare plan on 1/500 and copy to Welfare. Jim Sterland (ex-Linesman at Teversal) of Dosco, brought German Mining Engineers … talk on the development in the pit (RB*) … Surface … to Mansfield Woodhouse Mines Rescue Station to take updated plans (RB*).

Fri 18 … Office … Plan. General, correspondence. Letter re Apprentice training to CJ Whyte. Terry Jones, Dowty re proposed Chock Shield Buttress at 2s AW end (RB*)

Sat 19 … 23569 tonnes
Paper written for Ged Mason U/m for Chalfont Staff College … A Colliery history and development (RB*)

Mon 21 … U/g … Theodolite angling in 2s AW and 2s LG. No2 Pit bottom re-arching 19 set ... checked o.k. 4 men (RB*, CAF, DS, PA)
Office … Comments required by Area Surveyor CJ Whyte memo re Training of Apprentices … 5 years to have 2,000 hours underground … 18 months at at each pit, sometimes less than a year at Ollerton, but they went to the next pit knowing a lot whereas most of them came from their previous pit knowing very little or had not experienced instrument work either surface or underground … but they did so before leaving Ollerton. The only way to learn was to go down the pit most days for half a shift and the other half after lunch, in the office learning routine and calculations and plotting etc. or out on the surface angling and measuring Dirt tips etc. or levelling. It was general that every Apprentice who came from another pit had sometimes spent weeks in the office doing menial tasks, printing, colouring plans, not even doing calculations and had not been underground or out on the surface. Sometimes it was hard work teaching them, but very rewarding.

Tues 22 … Office … Going through slides. Jack Storr Thoresby phoned re 102s TH gas emission. Phone J Herbert re layout of this panel, needs putting on the Layout plan with remarks of same. Info to T Tryner re proposed down bore at 10s … Surface to new Boiler site measurements, etc. (RB*) … Office … Phone G Ison re shaft weights, refer to Rufford. D Rodden NUM phoned, various.

Wed 23 … Office … General. Writing Top Hard Abandonment Report. CW S re new legislation 9/4/1979 Precautions Against Inrushes. Copy of same. Phone JRG Firedamp drainage up to date from book and various. Boreholes … to put 37m warning circle lines on PG plans. Discuss AV Goodwin U/m. JRG brought 30 copies, blanks for metric TH. Discuss slurry beds on No1 and No3 Dirt tips.

Thurs 24 … Office … General. 1s approach to borehole to date. Tonnages and strips for PG.

Fri 25 … Office … General, correspondence. Discuss 10s down bore with KF Greaves and AR Tryner. Progress.1s check line with DS. Plan. Meeting … 2.30pm … 1s pan change … AVG, MY, HF, RB). Discuss CW S and JH.

Sat 26 … 22250 tonnes

Pit Holidays 3rd Week … Mon 28 May – Sat 2 June

Ged Mason U/m at Chalfont Staff College 2 weeks. AV Goodwin Development. G Weeks TH salvage

Mon 28 … Bank Holiday … Annual Leave Tues 29 – 31 May

PG Shaw holiday Mon 28 May – Sat 9 June. EW Fretwell holiday. Gary WB Noble Tech College

Thurs 31 … Phoned home from Security Officer twice … CA Fegan had left the back door to the office open!

June 1979
Chris A Fegan (CAF) transferred to Bevercotes

Fri 1 … Office … General, correspondence. CW S re 2s Chock shield info and slides for paper to Institute of Mining Engineers (RB*). AV Goodwin U/m re 1s new pan line etc. … Nil
David Rodden NUM, re help and info on large scaffold used when building 600 ton Sutcliffe bunker in 1969/1970 (RB*)

Sat 2 - Bought a 1978 Chrysler Alpine, Brown

Mon 4 … Office … General, correspondence, Completed slides … Surface ... to Area HQ to Print Room for various title sheets for CW S paper … (RB*, EWF) … Office … Discuss KF Greaves and AR Tryner re TH 3s Main collapsed due to 2s PG undermining.

Tues 5 … Office … General, correspondence. Preparation of info for Chinese visitors. New Notice of Approach form.

Wed 6 … Office …Layout of instruments, plans and other equipment. Talk to Chinese group of mining engineers, Manager, Mining Engineer, Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 11.15am to 1.30pm… lunch in canteen (RB*) … CW S re 2s AW line – to offset back to left to original centre line bearing. Discuss Jack Lyons re Wellow Pond re leak and water disappearing … I phoned Area HQ. Run through paper with CW S. Alan Hendy and Roland Sayers re Ollerton method of Weekly Incentive measurements system.
Evening … Inst of Mining Engineers at Mansfield Woodhouse Rescue Station CW S paper on 2s Chock shields with lemniscate linkage installation … I assisted with slides. Also paper by John H White (ex-Apprentice and Assistant Surveyor at Swanwick) Manager at Warsop

Thurs 7 … Office … New Notice of Approach form completed and plan. Informed CW S. George H Jackson re same. Query by phone from Alan Sinclair ex Electrical Engineer Ollerton till Nov 1971 … was there any subsidence on Forest Road?
Evening … The Chinese group took J Higginbotham, AV Goodwin, KF Greaves, P Davies, Benny Wells and self for excellent Chinese meal at the Pagoda Restaurant, Maid Marion Way, Nottingham. One ate chicken’s feet and another a duck’s head!

Fri 8 … Office … CW S re 1s Approach notice. JRG phone re section through proposed lagoon in Railway triangle at bottom of sidings (tip 3?). Ken Mirfin Bevercotes phoned and discuss various.

Sat 9 … 21771 tonnes
Chinese Open Forum (RB*)

Mon 11 … Surface … Tacheo survey of triangular piece of land between railways for Possible proposed slurry lagoon … 2 men (RB*, PGS) … Office … Calculated and plotted same. Copy to JR Greasley, Senior Surveyor. Meeting … Accountability, Mapower Savings and Development R Anderson, Production Manager.

Tues 12 … Surface … to Kirton Brickworks, discuss re subsidence (RB*)
Colin Gibson, Deputy, re Gala Day route for Jazz band and layout plan.

Wed 13 … U/g … Visit to 1s Following Intake Scour, section, 12s AW heading, 12s scour, No2 Pit bottom arching and new manriding top deck platform. In line Bunker Cat walk … (RB*) … Office … Info to CW S borehole approach at 1s. 2s Support Rules for Rep. Phone Steve Barnes Thoresby re dial legs. Stan Brunskill phoned re proposed borehole at Gallow Hole Dyke to start next week. E Hodgson brought Dirt tonnage books for me to compare with calculation on Dirt tip. (450 + 8 u/g)

Thurs 14 … Office … Tonnage figures etc. for Dirt tips. Discuss E Hodgson, Surface Superintendent. Development sheets. JRG phoned various.

Fri 15 … Office … General, correspondence. CW S re approach notices. Advance figures for all PG work documented.

Sat 16 … 24504 tonnes
CW Standage holiday, J Higginbotham Acting Manager, PL Lesh holiday 1 week

Mon 18 … U/g … Checking 12s AW heading and Scour with dial and pins lined in … 3 men (RB*, EWF, PA) … Office … Plan.

Tues … Office … General, correspondence. AV Goodwin U/m re 12s Scour grade ? … following floor of gobbing ! JRG re Railway form 6, for claim for Rexco line (RB)
HMI J Jones re 2s Support Rules … chocks beyond Bishop pack not necessary (RB) … related to JH and GM. JH re In Line Bunker !

Wed 20 … U/g … Visit for Sections at 1s Following Intake and 12s Scour. Pump house. Met R Anderson Production Manager and JH at In Line Bunker pit (RB) … Discuss possible improvements … Office … Perusing Mansfield’s Fire Certificate Plans. Discuss Harry Fitzackerley 2s C Conveyor substation, same with JH and GM. Plan.

Thurs 21 … Office … Discuss AV Goodwin U/m. Discuss water with E Hodgson, chloride from lagoon into River Maun. CA Fegan Bevercotes phoned re query. Phoned Peter Hall, Mechanisation dept. re 2s conveyors. Plan.

Fri 22 … Office … General, correspondence … Surface … setting out blocks for new NACODS Caravan Office adjacent to NUM box (RB*, EWF)

Sat 23 … Office … Progress, development. Incentive measurements … Surface … NACODS Caravan Office erected … no problems (RB) - 25607 tonnes

Mon 25 … Office … General, correspondence. Manpower figures. J Lyons re Power distribution for 12s development fans for CW S. JRG rang re Vicar’s phone number.

Tues 26 … U/g … Sections in Following Intake and 12s scour. Grade line changed to level. (RB with Dave Muller, Geologist) … Office … Saw AV Goodwin and JH re same. General. Phone M Smith Architect from Doncaster HQ, gave him a plan of surface 1/500 for proposed offices.

Wed 27 … U/g … Statutory survey of 2s panel, line checks etc. ... 5 men (RB*, PGS, DS, KS, BK) … Office … Geoff Austin Bilsthorpe rang re various. Copied up survey, calculated and plotted same.

Thurs 28 … Office … General, correspondence. Discuss D Muller various. JH 1s check line to be put on from end which is flying. DM re 1s sections. R Flint re 10s AW Table supports.

Fri 29 … Office … Peter Crawford U/m Clerk and NUM re new linelads. Discuss problems in shafts with Derek Flear, Blacksmith (RB). Discuss Jim Rhodes re Welfare Sports Ground. Deputy’s Districts neg to date. Wall plans. D Stone discuss. JRG phoned.

Sat 30 … Office … Progress and development. Incentive measurements - 25206 tonnes