Dear Fionn,
Having viewed your website, with my father, I would like to inform you that the other, cleaner gentleman, in the photo is my Dad,  Eric Savage. He was a young brigadesman aged 23 at the time of the Auchengeich disaster and was attending his first major incident.

He went on to rise through the ranks, of the Mines Rescue Service, ending his career in 1991 as Superintendent at Selby Mines Rescue Station, North Yorkshire. Many Thanks, Regards Patricia Pearson (nee Savage). Dad just wants a note of recognition put on the site.  The success of the Selby Mines Rescue  was due to the professionalism and dedication of the full time Brigadesmen who served there, throughout the station's working life.

And he would like to acknowledge the steadfast commitment of North Yorkshire Director A.W.Tuke, before his retirement in 1991. His total support for the new station reflected right across the mining community of Yorkshire. His belief that only the best  would do for the safety of the miners in his area.

Dad keeps thinking back and wants all, who contributed to the success of Selby, remembered.

Just as the Selby Project has given the British mining engineer the unique opportunity to plan an entire coalfield as a single entity, a golden opportunity to plan an entirely new rescue station was presented to the rescue service.

Due to be 'in service' by the middle of 1984 the Selby Mines Rescue Station - architecturally designed to blend in with the rural nature of the site - will incorporate all the tried and tested techniques and training offered in other stations but the chance to incorporate features that lack of space has restricted in existing stations, has been grasped.

For example, the new station - which is the first to be built in the UKsince 1954-will have two mock coalfaces-one thick and one thin seam, a mini shaft, and arched roadway. An environmental chamber, which simulates the varying temperature conditions likely to be encountered by rescue teams in operation at depths ol 300 to 1000 metres completes the unique facilities to be offered. Full-time complement at the station will be a superintendent and his assistant, plus two officers. All four will liveonsiteasstipulatec by the Mines and Quarries Act. Two supporting staff will also live on site and additional ancillary staff will be attached to the station. And by the end of the decade, when Selby's mines will be producing their 10 million tonnes a year, the service will have around 130 part-time brigadesmen to call upon.

Eric Savage, Superintendent Mr. Savage moved to Osgodby in June 1982 from Cowdenbeath Rescue Station where he was Superintendent for four years. He started his mining career as a fifteen year old at Bedlay Colliery, Glasgow, and later joined the rescue service in 1959. A period as full-time brigadesman at Coatbridge Rescue Station followed and then Mr. Savage moved to Cowdenbeath as junior officer where after holding various posts throughout the UK he became Superintendent at Cowdenbeath.

Sharlston Colliery No1 Rescue Brigade (Part Time)

Photograph Taken Outside Selby Mines Rescue Station 1986

Back Row - Eric Savage, Superintendent, standing First Left
Front Row, Left to Right - A. Haigh, Lyn Elias (Third Officer) Chris O'Sullivan (Capt)

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Working on a
Rescue Station

Life Off The Station