Very interesting, the AB15's we had at Hauxley and Shilbottle took some beating. At Hauxley ,because of the water problems we had, us electricians had to open the cutters up weekly instead of monthly to ensure there wasn't water in them. At one stage BJD cutters were tried but didn't last long as the water got into them very easily.

That's the problem with flame proof chambers. there has to be a path to the outside to vent the expanding gases if there is an ignition inside. Unfortunately that same path can let the water in!

Very similar issue at Whittle with the German Eickhoff shearers, we had a chamber (the infamous 'E Chamber') on the machine right against the coal when the machine was cutting. This was prone to picking up natural water and water from the machine sprays, and in the chamber itself there were solenoid operated hydraulic control valves also prone to the odd leak. Every weekend the mining side had to prepare the machine to allow an electrician in to check this chamber. Most of the time we got an 18 inch gap between the machine and the coal to work in. Job for skinny electricians.

Hi.
I discovered this wonderful thread and site while researching an ancestor, William Stoddart of Eglingham who worked in a local colliery. I am hoping someone can help me with some more info about the Tarry and Eglingham Quarries.
According to Durham Mining Museum, William was a Manager at Eglingham from about 1883 until 1896. On some documents during this time, he often gives his residence as Tarry.
The DMM site also shows that Eglingham Colliery closed in November 1897 because ‘Black Hill, Main Coal seams abandoned – not profitable to work owing to quantity of water’. But in the 1901 census William still describes himself as a Colliery Manager and living in Ferny Lea Cottages, Eglingham.
I have read in this thread references to some other collieries in the area eg Bannamoor, Shipley.
Which is long winded way of asking - would these other collieries have been owned by the same company that owned Tarry/Eglingham. In which case William probably transferred to one near Ferney Lea Cottages
Thanks for any help
Sparky

Eglingham and Tarry are one and the same. Bannamoor and Shipley seemed to come under a joint banner.

Tarry (and Tarry Lane) were named because of the high levels of tar in the coal. At the 1881 census William Stoddart is a miner but also the contact for the Eglingham Coal and Lime Company.

In 1903 there was a case brought by the Shipley Coal Company, witnesses included; George Stoddart, engineman; John Stoddart, miner; William John Stoddart, fireman.

Thanks Janwhin for the extra information. I had missed your earlier post about the court case

The abandonment in 1905 also explains why in the 1911 census, some had different jobs back in Eglingham.

Cheers