Hi there
My name is Paul Smith. I lived in Beighton South Yorkshire since birth in 1963. I am a member of a local history group.
I am having a great deal of difficulty trying to find information about the overhead cable bucket system, that took coal from Beighton Pit to the Coke Ovens, crossing over Rotherham/Chesterfield Road.
I feel sure I can remember seeing the Grabber buckets when I was young, but all the older locals say they were taken down long before 1963?
In passing I mentioned it to my brother who was born in 1959 and he also clearly remembers them.
If you have any info or contacts I would really appreciate the info, before I start believing I have been on this planet before.
Sorry I can not help with your research. But look forward to hearing from you.
Many thanx and a Happy 2004
Paul
From: SALT Graeme
Sent: 11 April 2005
Subject: Brookhouse Coke Plant
A message for Paul Smith, who posted re. Brookhouse coke ovens…
It never achieved the infamy of nearby Orgreave, but I remember Brookhouse coke plant from the 1970s, particularly the smell and the glow of the flare at night. We used to pass through Beighton on the way home from visiting my Grandma on the outskirts of Sheffield . I believe the owners were the National Coke and Chemical Co. or something similar – we used to joke that it should have been “National Choking Chemicals”!
Unfortunately I can’t help with any info on the aerial ropeway, but I’d be interested in any information you might have on the plant itself, e.g. when did it close (early 80s?), and where exactly was it? Was it on the left or right side of the road going towards Swallownest? Was there a pit in Beighton in the 60s, or do you mean Brookhouse pit which closed in 1985?
This area has changed so much as to be almost unrecognisable from 20 years ago…
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