1991 - Page 11

Gedling Closed After 89 Years

- Continued -

There was an over-wind on 27/3/1914 when the cage containing 8 men bumped the sump boards at speed throwing the men in a heap. One man had a fractured thigh, another received an injury to his back and the other six men were bruised and dazed. Fortunately the cage was not damaged and the 8 men were wound out of the mine for treatment.

There was an over-wind on 2/7/1915 afternoon shift and 9 men were injured when the cage hit the pit bottom at speed. Three occupants in the cage had to be sent to hospital

• Bernard Heighton (36) sustained a broken leg
• Fred Bramley had knee injuries
• Edwin Bramley (14) (Fred Bramley son) suffered back injuries.
• The other men although shook up were able to be sent home.
  9 men were on the bottom deck and 4 on the top deck of the cage.
  The pit was laid off for the day whilst all was put in order, fortunately the cage was not being damaged very much.

On 17/4/1934 the cage bumped into the No 1 pit bottom very heavily but no one was seriously
injured as to require Hospital treatment but the following persons were injured.

• W Levington 44, Back injuries
• J Lawton 55, Back injuries
• T E Hannion 48, Nose injuries
• W Rowley 52, Bruised back/legs
• P Sneath 39, Twisted knee
• Frederick Dabill 27, Twisted knee
• V Lewis 27, Injured wrist
• W Roberts 34, Twisted knee
• F Shelton 53, Twisted knee
• V Wallis 36, Ankle injury

Shortly after 7 am on Tuesday morning an accident occurred at the Gedling pit of the Digby Colliery Co, but fortunately it was not attended by any serious consequences. It seems that about 19 men belonging to the day shift were going to work and were being lowered down No 2 Top Hard shaft, when one of the valves of the winding engine stuck, and the reversing engine was rendered useless. The cage then halfway down the shaft which is 449 yards in depth, began to descend more rapidly than usual to the pit bottom. Fortunately the man in charge of the winding engine realised what had happened long before the cage had reached the bottom, and by prompt manipulation of his lever was able to steady the descent considerably. Even then, however, the men received rather a nasty jar, though their injuries were by no means of the serious character that the earlier rumours assigned to them. The majority had sustained bruises, their knee joints in particular, by reason of the mens mode of sitting while descending the pit, feeling the effects of the shock. All with one or two exceptions were able to walk home. One of the exceptions was a collier called Savage who lives at Bulwell, he it appears had a cartilage removed from his knee last October in consequence of an accident two years ago, and he received a nasty knock through the mishap, so it was deemed advisable to remove him home in a cart. All the men affected were examined prior to leaving the colliery by Dr Fraser of Carlton, with the results stated. One man who was in the cage felt no effects from the concussion at all, while another back in the afternoon, none the worse for his misadventure. All the men who were being lowered were employed at the coalface, with the exemption of a deputy and three others who are engaged on the main road.

Work in the pit then ceased for the day, for it is customary when any mishap occurs to a winding engine to suspend operations for the rest of the day in order that a thorough inspection may be made of the engine.

Mr Bever of Messers Bower and Darling, Bradford was telephoned for and he made an exhaustive examination of the engine, which he found to be in perfect working order. The men on the Night shift were lowered as usual on Tuesday afternoon.

Nottingham Daily Express 03-July-1915

Another Pit Cage Accident

Nine men injured at the Gedling Colliery. Due to overwind.

The Gedling Colliery, owned by the Digby Colliery, Co, Ltd, was yesterday afternoon the scene of a somewhat serious accident, as a result of which nine men sustained more or less serious injuries. The accident, like that at the Bentinck colliery Kirkby had to do with the pit cage, and occurred when the men were descending for the afternoon shift between two and three o clock. It appears that a descending cage was over- wound and as a consequence ran rapidly to the bottom, where the sudden impact severely shook the occupants. Three of the injured were Fred Bramley of Chatsworth Avenue, Westdale Lane, Carlton, his son Edwin Bramley aged 14 and Bernard Heighton aged 36, Northgate Bulwell, who were conveyed to the Nottingham General Hospital, the remainder being able to be sent home. Heighton was found to be suffering from a broken leg, and young Bramley from injuries to his back. They were detained at the Hospital but Fred Bramley was also able to go home later on. The other men who were in the cage at the time sustained injuries to their knees mainly, and were also found to be suffering from the effects of the severe shaking. One of the miners who was in the cage, or “Chair” as the men term it, was Joseph Savage of Bulwell, and last night in the course of an interview with the “Express” representative, he said it was the impression amongst his “mates” that the indicator went wrong. He stated that there were thirteen men on the cage four on the top deck and nine on the lower one and nothing unusual was noticed until they were nearing the pit bottom, when the cage continued to run rapidly instead of slowing down. The sudden impact at the bottom gave them all a shock. Their lamps went out, and they did not know for a moment what had happened or where they were. “I scrambled out” he added and got away with nothing worse than a sore neck and back a man named Heighton had a broken leg whilst the younger Bramley was hurt in the back and called out for his father who was also injured. I was lucky to get off as I did, and for those more seriously injured, First aid men were summoned. After attention the injured were taken to the top and sent to Nottingham. The cage was not much damaged and the pit ceased work for the rest of the day.

There was a serious incident on 14/12/1935 when the main voltage supply cable exploded when it was hit by a large stone falling from the ripping lip and 2 men were badly burned.

There were several deaths from natural causes at the pit including

• Samuel Garrett (66) found dead near a surface gantry 18/11/1918
• Henry Parker (49) banksman collapsed and died 26/07/1916
• William Farrington (59) collapsed and died in the pithead baths 30/04/1948
• Ernest William Budding (37) took ill underground and died before reaching the surface
• Frederick Keightley found dead underground
• Frederick Mathews collapsed and died underground
• Robert Green (61) died of heart disease and pneumoconiosis on 07/05/1952.

Another overwind at No1 coal winding shaft in 1953 causing serious damage to the descending chair totally destroying it in fact, was attributed to the winder of 25 years service having difficulty with his eyesight. He was found another job until he retired.

An idea by Charlie Round to build a temporary cover over the lip to protect men whilst using a slusher bucket and built by a unnamed fitter received an award of £250 shared equally between them but unfortunately some 12 months later the fitter’s body was found at the bottom of No1 shaft dressed in civilian clothes. It is not known whether he committed suicide.

Asfordby Ladder System

Asfordby (North West Leicestershire) meanwhile was developing the Deep Main seam infrastructure using the ‘ladder system’, i.e. with 2 advancing headings with cross cuts at intervals, so that a ventilation circuit could be maintained with lesser distances involved for ventilation air ducting and fans. Unfortunately several heatings were recorded in the cross slits, hampering production. The coal produced was one of the lowest calorific value coals mined in the UK. Retreat mining was to be employed.

Combine

Although Nailstone (Leicestershire) had closed in October 1968 the facilities at the surface were used for Bagworth production. See closure of Bagworth / Ellistown.

A further idea was to connect nearby Ellistown workings and a connection was made in 1971 and again all the production from Bagworth and Ellistown was conveyed up the surface drift at Nailstone.

In 1973 No1 steam winder was replaced by an electric motor.

With reserves running out permission was sought from the HMI to work coal within 30 feet (9m) of the Triassic water-bearing strata instead of the 60 feet (18m) as previously. One panel worked right up to the Triassic rocks and the danger presumed was not there and this then gave a longer life to the colliery. The combined mine of Bagworth / Ellistown worked until Ellistown closed in 1989.

Seams worked: Five Feet Splent 5’ 0” (1.5m) coal, shale 9” (0.23m), 4’ 3” (1.29m) coal

Managers:

• Stuart A Skelding (6257) for Nailstone / Bagworth) 1966 -
• W John Bond (6307) 1976 - (transferred from Manager at Rawdon and Whitwick)
• Rob P Scott (11353) - 1991

Surveyors:

• George Moreby (2123) 1967, merged Bagworth, moved to Planning dept, HQ
• David A Woodward (5399)

Fatal Accidents: n/a