Quote:
Originally Posted by Derilda
I was a timber laddie at Broomhill Colliery. The title says it all - every support, props, planks and caps, were all wood. Reading your update on Whittle Coquet I am delighted that I didn't have to throw steel planks around. I worked with ponies and they were a godsend but often the rails on the tramway in the tailgate ended some 25 yds short of the face. I could throw wood but I think steel would be a different matter. The times I cursed coming back to the mouth of the tailgate for another tram load, dripping with sweat, and see timber I had just thrown onto the face conveyor for the fillers going past me on the maingate conveyor on a journey back to bank!!! Like everyone else I spoke fluent Pitmatic! |
Very tough job on the supplies for a face. Especially when the rope men failed to advance that return wheel two weeks in a row! And those poor souls humping girders ('hoops' at Shilbottle) by hand up into the headings. Oh dear!