1982 - Page 3

- New Hucknall Continued -

My Grandfather Eli (Icky) White (later MBE 1949) worked as a collier in the Watterloo (Waterloo) seam at New Hucknall from 1907 until 1926, when he was sacked for extraneous union activities during the strike of that year. It would appear that Robert White returned to Sutton with his wife Emma and all the family barring two brothers out of the 7 children. Robert had lived with his father Eli (a miner) on Sherwood Street at Huthwaite in the past. My Grandfather Eli his namesake had come from Silverwood in South Yorkshire in search of the ‘good money’ to be made when opening a new seam, as payment was made for tonnage produced, and being near to the pit bottom, there was hardly any travelling time to the job, so more coal could be produced in the hours allotted. Many a time he would relate to me of his chopping out under the coal with a mandrel (a type of pick) whilst lying on his side. He suffered from badly contorted hands due to this operation. This was a dangerous part of the job of mining coal as invariably few supports were set or could be set due to the nature of the job and only a few nogs in the undercut coal prevented the coals from breaking down. Cutting out as far as possible meant that when the coal was levered down using a bar or chopped down using a pick there was more coal to load out and that was what one got paid for. However many miners were killed or badly maimed when the coal did collapse on them as they tried to chop out that little bit further. Indeed as related, this happened to his father, my Great Grandfather Robert White in the 1880s.

When New Hucknall closed, the last coal train via the Branch line to Blackwell left the pit and the line was closed, however the Great Central siding towards South Normanton old pit was still used for a time.

Calverton Chosen for First Survey Office Computer

Calverton (South Nottinghamshire) was initially chosen earlier to pioneer and produce all mine plans and notices by computer.  A large printer was necessary. 

Thoresby Chosen For First Computerised Plans

Later, Thoresby (North Nottinghamshire) produced plans similarly and in conjunction at Area HQ Edwinstowe in the Drawing Office, support rule drawings were developed. By the turn of the Century most plans would be produced by computer.

Computerisation of Stores and Planned Maintenance

Ollerton (North Nottinghamshire) was chosen to have the second installation in the country of a computer for the Stores department in March 1982, and the first computer in the country in April for the Planned Maintenance department.  This pioneering led eventually to every colliery in the country having computers.

BBC Radio Ulster Interviews

On 28th May 1982 BBC Radio Ulster interviewed several personnel including me as the Surveyor regarding the running of the mine.

Becorit Railroader Loco

A Becorit (GB) Ltd 100hp diesel hydraulic Railroader loco was installed at Clipstone (North Nottinghamshire) in March.  The 4’ 6” (1.37m) high engine was the same height as the existing rolling stock on the captive rail system. A neighbour for many years, Keith Elliott, was a loco driver on supplies and also drove at speeds around 10 mph on manriding duties.

Falling Tonnage at Newstead

The High Hazles seam that had a limited life was developed at Newstead (South Nottinghamshire) from 1980-1982, to try to stem the falling tonnage. 

HM Inspectorate

From 1st March 1982 AG Cunliffe was appointed Senior District Inspector of mines.

Harworth

At Harworth (North Nottinghamshire) Eimco 711 drill electro-hydraulic jumbos were used in the new drifts from Barnsley seam to the Deep Soft app 150m below.  4 men per shift on 3 shifts, passed through 40 different strata and averaged about 15m a week with a best of 23m.  The 1,200m long drifts started in mid 1977 and completed in 1982.  The mucking out on the 1in6½ maximum grade was by Eimco 627 bucket loaders onto conveyors.

Shireoaks

A 1,500 tonnes capacity steel bunker, instead of the now conventional reinforced concrete rapid loading bunker was built at Shireoaks (Nottinghamshire pit in South Yorkshire Area) at a cost of £1¾m, and included a stacking and reclaiming scheme. A surface adit had been driven from both ends called the Jubilee Drift. The shafts were sunk 1856.

Silverhill

Silverhill (North Nottinghamshire) output had increased to 788,748 tonnes for financial year 1981-1982 from Low Main, Piper and Blackshale seams, produced by 1,298 men.

Output for 1981-1982

North Derbyshire 11 pits 8,481,059 tonnes, 12,044 men, OMS 3.33 tonnes; North Nottinghamshire 14 pits 12,262,080 tonnes, 18,058 men, OMS 3.17 tonnes; South Nottinghamshire 11 pits 8,543,464 tonnes, 15,301 men, OMS 2.68 tonnes.

North Derbyshire Area: Director Ken Moses (8366), 20,000 men, £200m.          

• Arkwright: 630,000 tonnes 2nd Waterloo, Deep Soft, Tupton, Threequarter, 970 men
•  Bolsover: 730,000 tonnes, Tupton, Threequarter, 1,040 men, new coal prep plant completed at £4m
•  High Moor: 600,000 tonnes, Clowne, 2 Foot, 570 men, 4th drift being driven
•  Ireland: 710,000 tonnes, 1st Piper, Threequarter, 780 men
•  Markham: 1.65m tonnes, 2nd Waterloo, Deep Soft, Deep Hard, 1st Piper, Threequarter, Blackshale, 2,250 men
•  Pleasley: 540,000 tonnes, Deep Hard, Piper, 620 men
•  Renishaw Park: 440,000 tonnes, Deep Hard, 1st Piper, 580 me, Coal prep plant completed
•  Shirebrook: 1.665m tonnes, Clowne, Main Bright, Deep Soft, Deep Hard, Piper, 1,930 men, receiving coal from Pleasley
•  Warsop Main: 900,000 tonnes, Clowne, Main Bright, Deep Soft, 1,365 men
•  Westthorpe: 500,000 tonnes, Clowne, 710 men
•  Whitwell: 520,000 tonnes, Clowne, 2 Foot, 850 men.

North Nottinghamshire Area:

• Bevercotes 882,630 tonnes, face earnings £34.12 per shift
•  Bilsthorpe 970,022 tonnes earnings £38.00
•  Blidworth 527,320 tonnes, earnings £33.82
•  Clipstone 873,360 tonnes, earnings £36.28
•  Creswell 761,656, earnings £34.94
•  Harworth 772,854 tonnes, earnings £34.96
•  Mansfield 830,943 tonnes, earnings £34.08
•  Ollerton 1,047,500 tonnes, earnings £34.92
•  Rufford 692,865 tonnes, earnings £33.65
•  Sherwood 881,288 tonnes, earnings £38.16 (the top earnings in North Nottinghamshire)
•  Silverhill 788,748 tonnes, earnings £34.36
•  Sutton 437,500 tonnes, earnings £34.87
•  Thoresby 1,639,502 tonnes, earnings £36.32
•  Welbeck 1,155,892 tonnes, earnings £35.30 per shift.

South Yorkshire Area:

• Kiveton Park (Derbyshire) sunk 1866-1867 deepened to 695m, Clowne seam at 275m, 470,000 tonnes via Jubilee surface drift, 790 men
•  Manton (Nottinghamshire) sunk 1898-1904, new shaft 1952 to 957m deep, 950,000 tonnes Parkgate seam, 1,330 men
•  Shireoaks (Nottinghamshire) sunk 1856 to 470m, 480,000 tonnes, Clowne seam, surface drift to be completed by 1982, 690 men
•  Steetley (Derbyshire) sunk 1873-1876 to 544m, 300,000 tonnes from High Hazel at 457m deep, 500 men.
  

There are 14 more collieries included in the Area, but all in Yorkshire.

Anticline

The Kiveton anticline has flanking faults and sharp steep gradients.

Joe Gormley Retired

Joe Gormley a Lancastrian (later Lord Gormley) aged 65, retired as President of the NUM and was succeeded by Arthur Scargill a Yorkshireman.
           

Day of Action

On 23rd June 1982 there was a ‘Day of Action’ for hospital workers and many local miners withdrew their labour in sympathy. 

Self-Certification

Self-certification of illness was introduced from 14th June 1982.

Two Of The Three Proposed Vale Of Belvoir Pits Refused Permission

Permission was not granted for 3 mines in the Vale of Belvoir, (Leicestershire) but permission was granted for one mine, at Asfordby. A new application was made and submitted for approval.
Under the T & CP Act 1971, notices under Section 26 (2) and (3) and Section 27 and 27 (2A)
(as amended by the T & CP (Minerals) Act 1981, regarding proposed development of land in the Melton District was served on the Melton Borough Council by the NCB for planning permission to win and work by underground methods the Deep Main, Parkgate and Blackshale seams of coal under the various Parishes and erect buildings and engineering works for the purpose relating to the operations at the site and also the deposition of spoil. It was signed on behalf of the NCB by Jack Brown, Surveyor (2414), North East Leicestershire Prospect 11th June 1982. (Permission granted in May 1983).

Overhead Electric Trolley Loco Installed At Gedling

Also in June 1982 an overhead electric trolley locomotive and manriding cars was installed at Gedling (South Nottinghamshire) in the High Hazles seam.  This was one of the very few examples of this type of installation in the country and the only one in the region as it could not be used where the methane content exceeded 1¼% in the general body of the air passing through the roadway. I believe another one was installed at a Salt mine in Cheshire.

New Chairman of NCB

Sir Derek Ezra MBE Chairman of the NCB for 10 years retired on 2nd July and on 3rd July  1982, Norman Siddall (3655) (64) (later Sir Norman) was appointed Chairman of the NCB for a term of one year. He was a previous Area General Manager in Derbyshire in the 1950s. Ian MacGregor was to replace him after that period. John H Northard CBE (4954) Director of North Derbyshire Area (Nov 1973-Aug 1982, was appointed Operations Director of NCB -1986). Ken Moses (8366) succeeded as Director, North Derbyshire Area, (1982-1985).

Derelict Land Act

The Derelict Land Act 1982 now included coalfield dereliction.  Since 1974 over 522 acres (211 hectares) of tipping land had been restored in Nottinghamshire, including soiling, grassing and tree planting.