A Unique History From My Work Diaries

Surveying Jobs

No4 Sub-Area, No4 Area, East Midlands Division, NCB from 1st January 1947

Page - 25 -

Jan 1964

Wed 1 …. New Year’s Day Holiday

Thurs 2 … U/g … Levelling 5s DG, 5s RH, 4s DG drift, 15s development, lines in 5s and 4s Snicket … 4 men (RB*, DH, JS, CHS) 

Fri 3 … Office … Calculated and copied up levels. Plotted levels and contours. Pleasley adjacent workings tracings.                                                                      

Sat 4 … 7121 tons

Mon 6 … U/g … 3s DG theodolite angling and catenary measuring … 4 men (RB*, DH, JS, CHS)
RICS course 6.00 – 9.00 pm

Tues 7 … Office … Finished calculating survey. Calculated Main Road survey also 5s DG check. Print of Conveyor line diagram for B Smalley 

Wed 8 … Office … Calculated 5s DG survey. Co-ordinates in dial books. Started on 1/2500 R & FF negatives.
RICS course 6.00 – 9.00 pm

Thurs 9 … Office … R & FF 1/2500 negatives.  Don Burton from British Rail came to update workings

Fri 10 … Office … Completed R & FF negatives.  Made up Progress tracings.  Calculated and plotted 120s 

Sat 11 … 8478 tons

Mon 13 … U/g … 2s DG to 5s RH theodolite angling and catenary measuring … 4 men (RB*, DH, JS, CHS) 
RICS course 6.00 – 9.00 pm

Tues 14 … Office … Calculated 5s RH survey.  Made 2 notices.  Typing levels

Wed 15 … U/g … Levelling to and location of borehole on Dunsil 120s DG … 2 men (BTB, RB plus Stan Brunskill, Geologist and Maurice Lamb, Boremaster) … Recording core of First Waterloo seam … 1’ 1” coal, 2½ “ dirt, 1½ “ coal, 6” dirt, 1½ “ coal, 3’ 3” dirt, 2’ 0½ “ coal … poor.   Applied for 2 Planning jobs in Durham.  Applied for Land Drainage Officer Yorks. - (690 + 30 u/g)
RICS course 6.00 – 9.00 pm

Thurs 16 … Office … Coloured Progress prints for 3s Waterloo and 30s Dunsil. Stencilling on new ‘Master’ Support negative for Waterloo seam.

Fri 17 … Office … Calculated thirling traverse to No2 shaft. Continued stencilling on Support Rules negative. Figures re yardage advance for 1963 stats for derek Hunt, Cost Clerk.

Sat 18 … 9405 tons

Mon 20 … Office … Silverhill Unit 1/5000 Composite plan made up to date. Stippling all plans to date. Discuss Harry Coppell Undermanager re Conveyor Line Diagram.
RICS course 6.00 – 9.00 pm

Tues 21 … Office … Making new Conveyor Line Diagram negative. Monthly book etc.

Wed 22 … Office … 6 inch scale General Purpose Composite negative. Check calculated 3s RH check survey. Check calculating South Main Road traverse.
RICS course 6.00 – 9.00 pm

Thurs 23 … Office … Check calculating surveys and re-copying same. With Ike Sutton PPM information re conveyors, cutters etc. Graphs of coal tonnages.

Fri 24 … Office … Checking calculations and copying same. Typed 30s levels. Sketch for Wilf Turner, Training Officer for Trainees.                                                    

Sat 25 … 8219 tons

Mon 27 … Office … Monthly book, reports, sections and sheets etc. Started new Support Rules ‘stinker’ negative for 4s Waterloo bi-directional shearer
RICS course 6.00 – 9.00 pm

Tues 28 … Office … Continued with shearer plan etc.  Altered 4s ventilation on Ventilation plan and R & FF plans.

Wed 29 … U/g … 5s panel dial survey and measuring both gates … 3 men (RB*, JS, CHS)

Wed 29 … Office … Calculated and plotted survey
RICS course 6.00 – 9.00 pm

Thurs 30 … Office … Plotted 5s on 1/5000, and 6 inch. Updated Overlays. 5s Progress negative.  Alterations to Ventilation reading points for 4s and 5s

Fri 31 … Office … Alterations to 4s Support plan prints. Making new Support Rules negative for 3s.

Feb 1964

Sat 1 … 8717 tons

Mon 3 … U/g … 30s RH theodolite angling and catenary measuring … 4 men (RB*, DH, JS, CHS)
RICS course 6.00 – 9.00 pm

Tues 4 … Office … Calculated and plotted surveys on 1/2500, 1/5000 and 6 inch.  Copying theodolite calculations into Area HQ folder

Wed 5 … Office … Finished copying theodolite calculations to date. Finished ‘stinker’ negative of 3s Waterloo Support plan
RICS course 6.00 – 9.00 pm

Thurs 6 … U/g … Pit bottom … Determining water levels in No1 and No2 shafts and old Staple Shaft … 2 men plus Safety Officer and blacksmith. Grade line on new Pit bottom Return (BTB, RB, Jack Truswell, Charlie Rodgers)

Fri 7 … Office … Alterations to 4s Support Rules negative. Discuss Billy Winterbottom, Blacksmith re shafts. Copied dial surveys to date - (Cards +1s 3d total)              

Sat 8 … 8771 tons

Mon 10 … Office … Check calculating 10s district theodolite survey
RICS course 6.00 – 9.00 pm

Tues 11 … U/g … Pit bottom measurements in old water lodge cistern, sump of pumps and No2 shaft. Nearly got caught when water rose quickly after pumps were shut off … 2 men and Blacksmith (BTB, RB, Charlie Rodgers) … We were roped together for safety but had to duck down near water level to enter the second chamber … Quite frightening … Office … Calculated 10s survey.  Copying theodolite calculations into folder. 

Wed 12 … Surface … Levelling to manholes in pit yard … 2 men (BTB, RB) … Office … Installation of electricity negative for 15s panel. Plotted contour on old 20s North side Dunsil. Coloured prints
RICS course 6.00 – 9.00 pm

Thurs 13 … Office … Notice for Sister Barbara Harrison re Eyes.  Copying theodolite notes and Dunsil monthly information. Check scaled piece of land using a planimeter.

Fri 14 … Office … 2 copies of 1/5000 Composite plan coloured for George Dwelly and Sister Barbara Harrison.

Sat 15 … 7405 tons

Mon 17 … Office … Monthly book made out. Sorted out Support Rules notices. Notice and prints for Jack Limmer, Manager’s Clerk. Alterations and prints coloured for 15s Installation of Electricity.
RICS course 6.00 – 9.00 pm

Tues 18 … U/g … 120s RH lip borehole and final levelling of 120s district … 3 men plus Stan Brunskill and assistant Barrie Tideswell) - (695 + 30 u/g)

Wed 19 … Office … Updated 1/5000 Composite negative. Print for Gordon Darrington and Alwyn Noble, Planners. Plotted levels and contours. Started a new tracing of 6s Introduction of Electricity. Plan of 3s for C Skeavington, Group Surveyor. Sections put on Waterloo tracing of North area
RICS course 6.00 – 9.00 pm

Thurs 20 … Interview for Mining Surveyor / Draughtsman at Dosco Hollybank Mining Engineering Co at Tuxford … Offered a job at £1100 pa…. but to go to Scottish Pits and no car … turned it down
Thurs 20 … Office … Altered 4s Support plans. Installation of Electricity negative for 6s. Print off 1/5000 Composite plan for G Darrington

Fri 21 … Office … Completed 6s Installation of Electricity plan and prints. Made tracings of 6s and 15s layout on 1/5000 to accompany same for HMI Stevens.                      

Sat 22 … 8818 tons
Applied for Planner job E&T6 at Area HQ re Frank H Lee Area Planner had asked me to write to ask for a job!

Mon 24 … Office … Monthly book, sections, reports etc. Altered 4s Support Rules plan and prints. 3s shearer prints. Altered 6s Installation of Electricity plans.
RICS course 6.00 – 9.00 pm

Tues 25 … Office … Copied 120s levels. Conveyor plan with numbers. Updated 1/5000 Composite and Haulage plan.

Wed 26 … Office … Borehole information on Standard mine plans and Overlay tracings. Plan of 6s and 15s faces for HMI Stevens. 1/5000 plan showing 15s layout for HMI. Prints and coloured.
RICS course 6.00 – 9.00 pm

Thurs 27 … U/g … 10s district levelling and taping … 3 men (RB*, DH, CHS)
Thurs 27 … Office … Copied, plotted levels and contours.

Fri 28 … Office … Typed levels to date. To Sutton office. Made up 4 new ‘stinkers’ and original 1/5000 negative.
(Cards +7s 4d total)                                              

Sat 29 … 9051 tons

Mar 1964                     
Joe Holland, Apprentice from Sutton to help for 1 week Mon 2 to Fri 6

Mon 2 … Office … Making new Haulage of Men and Materials negative. Print for George Dwelly, Supplies Officer for the Manager’s Scheme.
RICS course 6.00 – 9.00 pm

Tues 3 … Office … Continued with same. Progress negatives. Surface plan for Stan Guest, Planning. Information for boreholes on Standard mine plans for Waterloo. Borehole information to Stan Brunskill. Exchange workings for 30s for C Skeavington

Wed 4 … Office … Tracings of prints of Walton & Co of chutes for 3s and 4s. Altered Ventilation negatives. Updated 4s and 6s on 1/5000 and 6 inch. 4s and 6s Progress negatives.
RICS course 6.00 – 9.00 pm

Thurs 5 … Office … Cutter and Haulage plans new negative and updated. 2 prints. With C Skeavington and BT Bailey looking through old survey books to see if any surveys missing or mistakes.

Fri 6 … Office … Making new surface tracing of land surrounding Teversal. Alterations to new O.S. plans of pit yard etc.                                                          

Sat 7 … 8987 tons

Mon 9 … Office … Continuing with surface plan tracing. O.S. sheets 43/4861 and 43/4961
RICS course 6.00 – 9.00 pm

Tues 10 … U/g … Centre line and 1in8 grade line in new Return heading to No2 shaft … 4 men (RB*, DH, JS, CHS) … Office … Checked dial for various adjustments. With Alan McDiarmid and R Hyson re conveyor belts, then amendments to Conveyor plan

Wed 11 … Office … New Support Rules tracing for 13 inch bi-directional shearer for 5s Waterloo.

Thurs 12 … Office … Continued with 5s Support Rules negative and stencilling information

Fri 13 … Office … Manpower plan for supplies.  Support Rules plans etc.              

Sat 14 … 8598 tons
Alf Fletcher (AF) started as Apprentice

Mon 16 … Office … 3s Overlay tracing. Coloured Manpower plan.  Tracing O.S. sheet 43/4661 and 43/4761.
RICS course 6.00 – 9.00 pm

Tues 17 … Office … Continued with tracing of O.S. (Ordnance Survey) sheets.

Wed 18 … Office … Preparation of Accident plan for John Weston in 3s DG stable hole.
Wed 18 … to West Notts. Technical College, Derby Road, Mansfield … Lecture on PIM Gyroscope theodolite … British Aircraft Corporation
RICS course 6.00 – 9.00 pm

Thurs 19 … Office … Continued with Accident plan    

Fri 20 … Office … Completed Accident plan.  Continued with 1/2500 surface negative.       

Sat 21 … Office … Plan for Welfare - 7808 tons

Mon 23 … Office … Monthly book. Copying surveys out of Setting out book
Interview for Planner at No4 Area HQ on E&T6. John Atkinson Deputy CME, George Groves Admin, Frank H Lee, Area Planner (who favoured me). Only 4 for interview … Self, Derek Degg, Derek Stone and John Reeve, Surveyor at Cotes Park, just closed and redundant so he was appointed.
No more evening RICS course at Mansfied West Gate Tech … the classes were stopped due to lack of numbers … only 4 then only me alone … great disappointment as I was doing well.

Tues 24 … U/g … Theodolite angling and catenary measuring 120s LH and 120s DG for abandonment … 5 men (RB*, DH, JS, CHS and AF) … Office … Teaching Alf Fletcher (AF) how to do calculations.  Plotted 60s borehole.

Wed 25 … Office … Calculated 120s abandonment surveys. Plotted theodolite stations on plan.

Thurs 26 … Office … Inking in stations. Showing AF how to do calculations.

Fri 27 … Office … 1/25000 negatives to date. 1/2500 R & FF negatives, made 2 new tracings.  Checked through information.  Changed 10s ventilation on Ventilation plan.           

Sat 28 … 8400 tons
(Cards +8s 11d total)

Mon 30 … Easter Monday Holiday

Tues 31 … Office … Monthly information, sections, reports etc.  Copied 120s Dunsil survey into Dial book. Filled in Gate bearing book for all panels to calculate a survey

Apr 1964

Annual Leave Wed 1 – Sat 4

Sat 4 … 6465 tons

Mon 6 … Office … Annual scaling tracings, acreages, sections and tonnage.

Tues 7 … Office … Continued calculating scalings for rating for Parishes.

Wed 8 … Office … Pleasley adjacent workings, tracing and inked in.  1/5000 R & FF negatives updated information.

Thurs 9 … U/g … 6s thirling survey theodolite angling and catenary measuring with theodolite legs … and vertical angles with theodolite … 5 men (BTB, RB, DH, JS, CHS) Fri 10 … Office … Information on R & FF plan negatives. Prints and coloured same.

Sat 11 … 7930 tons

Mon 13 … Office … Check calculated 6s face thirling survey. Updated Conveyor Diagram negative.

Tues 14 … U/g … 5s DG theodolite angling and catenary measuring and angle in 5s RH … 13 inch bi-di shearer … 5 men (RB*, AF, DH, JS, CHS) - (700 + 30 u/g)

Wed 15 … Office … Alterations to 5s Waterloo Support Rules, 6 prints. Stencilling on Standard mine plan.

Thurs 16 … Office … Information on 120s Dunsil Salvage negative. Print for George Dwelly, Supplies Officer

Fri 17 … Office … Information on 30s Dunsil Salvage negative in preparation for panel finishing in Sep. 

Sat 18 … 8957 tons

In Charge … BTB Holiday … Mon 20 – Sat 25 and Wed 29

Mon 20 … Office … Progress plans for Manager, Group Manager, Area HQ and Office copies. Calculated ‘Inches per strip’ for machine faces.  Ventilation negatives to date. Prints

Tues 21 … U/g … 4s LH and 4s DG theodolite angling … 5 men (RB*,  DH, JS, CHS, AF)

Wed 22 … U/g … 4s LH and 4s DG catenary measuring … 5 men (RB*, DH, JS, CHS, AF) and check measures.

Thurs 23 … Office … Calculated 5s and 4s theodolite surveys. 2 notices. Plotted surveys and 4s Slit gate … Surface … with Dougie Green re Coal bunker

Fri 24 … U/g … Grade line in new Return heading to No2 shaft … 3 men (RB*, DH, AF) … Surface same day … Set out Centre line and level datum for Foreign coal bunker … 3 men (RB*, DH, AF)
Fri 24 … Office … Print of 1/5000 for Silverhill.                                        

Sat 25 … 8673 tons

Mon 27 … Office … Monthly reports, sections etc.

Tues 28 … Holiday

Wed 29 … Office … Information for Ike Sutton, PPm re conveyors.  Information to Method Study. Overlay tracings. Amendments to 1s Dust Zones. Updated 5s panel on 1/5000 and 6 inch.

Thurs 30 … Office … Pumping figures for plan. Amendments to R & FF negatives. Ventilation negatives. Made out Order forms.

May 1964

Fri 1 … Office … Updated 30s Dunsil on 1/5000 and 6 inch scales.  Checking through Top Hard Levelling books and able to plot swilley on 17s. -  (Cards +9s 1d total)            

Sat 2 … 9108 tons

Mon 4 … U/g … Centre line and grade line in Top Hard new Return drift, 6s RH face head checked, 6s DG face head set out, turned 5s RH uphill, checked 15s face head … 4 men (RB*, DH, CHS, AF)

Tues 5 … Office … 2 notices.  Plotting Top Hard levels from old books for swilleys.

Wed 6 … U/g … Re-establishing line and grade in Main Return drift to No2 shaft with theodolite … 5 men (BTB, RB, DH, CHS, AF) … Office … Plotting faces and levels on old Top Hard plans. - (705 + 30 u/g)

Thurs 7 … Office … Continued with same.

Fri 8 … Office … Completed plotting levels out of old Top Hard note books.  Plotted 6s drifts on Dunsil plan.                                                                   

Sat 9 … 9718 tons

Mon 11 … Office … Progress negatives. Plotting levels in Pleasley Dunsil workings and also Sutton Low Main re swilley.

Tues 12 … Office … Check calculated offset line for thirling back from No2 Shonkey Shaft to 1in8 drift, from co-plane station.  Continued plotting swilleys.

Wed 13 … Office … Information for Gullick Rep for 4s Waterloo. Continued with surface plan of Teversal.

Thurs 14 … Office … Surface plan amendments.  Plotted top of tip on 1/2500 … Surface … survey of dirt tip … 3 men (Clary Skeavington, BTB, RB)

Fri 15 … Office … Coloured 4 prints of Land ownership and rented around Teversal tip. Print of up to date Tip plan. Information stencilled on 120s Dunsil Salvage negative. 5s Progress plan print coloured.

Sat 16 … 9171 tons

Mon 18 … Whitsuntide Holiday
Tues 19 … Holiday

Wed 20 … U/g … 10s district dial survey and measuring … 3 men (RB*, DH, JS)

Wed 20 … Office … Calculated 10s survey.

Thurs 21 … Office … Plotted 10s on 1/2500, 1/5000 and 6 inch. Also 4s and 6s Return drifts.  120s Dunsil Salvage negative.

Fri 22 … Office … 120s Salvage negative stencilling completed.                  

Sat 23 … 4706 tons

Mon 25 … Office … Monthly information, sections etc.  Gordon Darrington re planning Clowne Drift scheme.

Tues 26 … Office … 3 notices for Barry Haycox, Junior Clerk.  Salvage folder to date for George Dwelly. Alterations to, Ventilation and R & FF negatives. Dust Zones … Joe Vardy was the dust sampler who collected various amounts of dust in the gates for checking at the Laboratory to find the percentage of coal in relation to stone dust. Joe was a right character.  He called in to check the reference numbers for the plan.  He had been off work for several months with a bad back but he would carry the conversation on where he left off all that time ago just as though he had called in the day before.  He had a lot of time off work.

Wed 27 … U/g … 5s DG, 5s DG extension, 5s RH levelling and taping. New Return 1in8 grade line. Measured up accident on Bunker cars at entrance to Engine house … 3 men (RB*, JS, CHS)

Thurs 28 … Office … Calculated levels, plotted levels and contours, calculated gradients.  Searching through old Teversal pit levelling books. Found drift sketch to Waterloo, been missed. Copying levels.

Fri 29 … U/g … Setting out wires in No2 Shonkey shaft for drift thirling point… 5 men (BTB, RB, JS, CHS, AF) then with Undermanager Harry Coppell and Terry Wood, Assistant, water in 3s DG and ventilation leakage … (self RB*  plus 2) - (Cards +13s 4d total)            

Sat 30 … 8310 tons

June 1964

Mon 1 … Office … Copying levels.  10s Overlay tracing for Waterloo. Plotted old survey of 1919 of 1in6 and 1in3 drifts to Dunsil and Waterloo off old Top Hard South Dips Main Road.

Tues 2 … U/g … Bearings and measurements to shaft sides and conductor ropes in No2 shaft. Dial survey and measuring and lines in 6s DG face head and 6s RH face head … 3 men (RB*, JS, CHS) … Office … Calculated and plotted survey. 

Wed 3 … U/g … 4s DG and 4s LH levelling and taping and thirling point on Main Road for 5s Extension … 3 men (RB*, JS, CHS) - (710 + 30 u/g)

Thurs 4 … Office … Calculated and copied levels. Plotted and contoured and sections stencilled. Updated Dust Zone and 2 prints. Plotted old Dunsil levels.  Further printing.

Fri 5 … U/g … Examining excavation in No2 shaft with Mechanical Engineer Doug Green and Les Parker Joiner / Shaftsman … (RB* plus 2) … Office … Plotted 5s RH turning point.

Sat 6 … 8674 tons

In Charge  BTB … Holiday from Mon 8 to Sat 20

Mon 8 … Office … Progress etc., etc.

Tues 9 … U/g … 6s DG and RH drifts levelling and taping … 4 men (RB*, JS, CHS, AF) … Office … Calculated levels

Wed 10 … U/g … 3s trepanner dial survey and taping, 5s shearer dial survey and taping. Centre line in 5s RH turning parallel … 4 men (RB*, AF, JS, CHS)

Thurs 11 … Office … Calculated surveys. Print off notice. Notice for Canteen.  This is when Bimbo Haines, a Dinter, caught me out.  He came into the office and asked if I could make a notice for him to hang in the canteen.  He had permission from the Manageress. ‘Pair of Riding Boots for Sale … 30 shillings’.  In my best brush and ink script I made a nice notice.  He asked if I could keep them safe for him and take any messages regarding sale. The following Friday Bimbo came to the office to enquire whether anyone had asked about the boots … no.  Better just check up on them he said.  So I undid the parcel to find a pair of crozzled up pit boots … ‘They’re not Riding boots’ I expostulated.  ‘You try walking in them’ he said as he went off down the corridor chortling.  I had been done and no mistake!  (Sadly he would die underground of natural causes some time in the future). Plotted some levels

Fri 12 … Office … Copied levels. Plotted weekly progress.                          

Sat 13 … 9358 tons

Mon 15 … Surface … to Silverhill for up to date workings … (self RB*) Plotted on Progress plan.

Tues 16 … U/g … 10s levelling and taping all 3 gates … Check levelled new Return drift … 3 men (RB*, CHS, AF) … Office … Checked grade on plan and section. 

Wed 17 … Office … Plotted 3s on 1/5000 and 6 inch. Updated contours on all scales. Plotted 10s levels. Plotted plan and section of new Return Drift.

Thurs 18 … Surface … Measured up Accident to Harry Evans at dirt wagon hoist, brake handle snapped and struck him a glancing blow to the side of his temple.

Fri 19 … Office … Plotting accident plan. - (Cards +13s 9d total)

Sat 20 … 9167 tons

Annual Leave 2 weeks Mon 22 June – Sat 4 July   Weymouth

Fatal accident to Cyril Bacon on 3s Face Panzer (He either slipped or was knocked or moved quickly by coal falling and struck his head on the panzer. Found to have a Paper thin skull)

Tues 23 … 6s face thirled 2 inches in alignment o.k.

Fri 28 … 8498 tons