A Unique History From My Work Diaries

Surveying Jobs

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

Changed to North Nottinghamshire Area from 1st April 1967

Page - 31 -

Jan 1967

Mon 2 … Office … Monthly figures, reports, sections etc.  Made out 150s survey for Len Hallam DPT (Diploma candidate). Completed same. Plans etc up to date, year end.

Tues 3 … Surface … Measurements for 3 piece rigid arch, also measurements for new double ended trepanner … 2 men (BTB, RB)

Wed 4 … Office … Continued with plan, section etc. Calculating levels.

Thurs 5 … Office … Continued with plan with Len Hallam. Updated Pleasley adjacent workings exchange tracings.  1/5000 Composite negative and General Purpose negative.

Fri 6 … 1/2500 R & FF negatives.  Plan with Len Hallam (He would become Deputy Manager at Pleasley and then Area Salvage in North Derbyshire).                              

Sat 7 … 8464 tons

Mon 9 … Office …Ventilation prints to date.  1/2500 R & FF negatives.

Tues 10 … U/g … Theodolite angling and catenary measuring connecting through 5s Scouring from 5s DG to 5s RH and also re-established Scouring bearing …4 men (RB*, AF, CHS, OH) … Office … Calculating same.

Wed 11 … Office … 1/5000 R & FF negatives and information.

Thurs 12 … Office … Calculating 5s Scouring survey … Surface … measured coal stocks. Also to Silverhill to take plan for landscaping and tip life at 26,000 tons per month (self RB*)

Fri 13 … Surface … Vertical angle to top of tip for check level … (self RB*) … Office … 1/5000 R & FF prints coloured.

Sat 14 … 10558 tons

Mon 16 … Office … Folding R & FF plans and put in folders.  1/25000 key plan to date on sectional tracings.

Tues 17 … U/g … Theodolite survey in 5s RH … 4 men (RB*, AF, CHS, OH) … Office … Table arrangement plan for dinner for Mr G Noble. 

Wed 18 … Office … Finished off same. Calculated 5s RH theodolite survey.  Copied into book. Titles on Theodolite Calculations folders.  Electrical circuit diagram for 4s Double ended Trepanner for Alan McDiarmid.  Plan of Welfare started.

Thurs 19 … Office … Plotted 5s surveys. Check calculating 5s DG Theodolite Check survey.

Fri 20 … Office … Finished calculations.  Co-ordinates in Dial books. 5s Overlay tracing.  Started sorting out filing system.                                                           

Sat 21 … 9538 tons
Alan Wombwell (AW) started as a Linesman (Clever lad but had dyslexia and his measurements in his pit book were scattered all over the pages, I could make head nor tail of them.  I found out that he got the other linesmen to write it down properly in the office book whilst he extracted the numbers etc off his pages, they were correct but all over in no sort of order, however he worked in a Bookies’ office at weekends. He could work out the most complicated racehorse bets in his head before I’d written it down on paper)
Double deck manriding at No2 Shonkey shaft 6.30am

Mon 23 … Office … Monthly book, sections etc., reports. Plan of Welfare on 1/1250.  Calculating area by scaling.

Tues 24 … Office … Continued.  Plotting Accident in 7s DG stable hole for 20/1/1967.

Wed 25 … Office … Calculating levels and plotted 5s levels.  Calculated area of the Welfare.  Checked 5s RH theodolite check measurements. Check calculated 4s and 5s thirling survey.

Thurs 26 … Office … Calculating levels for 5s district.  Plan for Welfare.

Fri 27 … Office … Calculating levels. Contouring 5s and contouring on 1/5000 and 6 inch scales.  Plotted 5s on 6 inch. Inked in Pleasley workings on 6 inch. Levels on Top Hard South Level and Pit Bottom.   
(Cards + 15s 5d total)                                                 

Sat 28 … 12165 tons

Mon 30 … Office … Amended Ventilation prints and negatives and R & FF prints and negatives for 8s Waterloo unit ventilation arrangements.

Tues 31 … Office … Amending Ventilation plans and R & FF plans for 6s Air reversal.  Plotting a 1in2 drift from 5s DG to old Dunsil North Main Road. Area HQ R & FF prints amended and returned by C Skeavington.

Feb 1967

Wed 1 … Office … Finished off ventilation amendments on R & FF prints. 1/2500 R & FF negatives amended and to date.  Mask for Dunsil 15s salvage. Salvage negatives up to date.  7s Overlay and 7s plotted on 1/5000 and 6 inch. Colour edging plans to date.

Thurs 2 … U/g … Checking 1in2 drift from 5s DG, Also 8s dial survey and measurements and large fall on face … 3 men (RB*, CHS, OH) … Office … Copied into book.

Fri 3 … Office … Calculated and plotted 8s and 1in2 drift off 5s.                  

Sat 4 … 10765 tons

Mon 6 … Office … Plan of 8s and old Dunsil plotted on 1/500 scale.  Amendments to cross hatch tip negative. BACM AGM at Bentinck Welfare … probably the last?

Tues 7 … Office … Put approved Tipping ground on plan and inked in progress, 2 prints for Area HQ.  Dust Suppression plan and print.  Conveyor negative to date.

Wed 8 … Office … Finished off Conveyor plan. Amendments to Haulage negatives.

Thurs 9 … Office … Finished off Haulage negative.  With Ike Sutton PPM information. Made up Conveyor diagram.  6s Salvage negative prepared.

Fri 10 … Office … Work on 6s Salvage negative. Surface plan for demarcation and prints.

Sat 11 … 9385 tons

Mon 13 … Office … Replaced 5 year Layout plans in Manager’s folder. Amended 1/2500 Dirt tip master negative and 1/5000 General Purpose Underground master negative.

Tues 14 … Office … Accident plan for WG Selvidge in 4s DG Backripping near 10s scour, information from Jack Truswell, Safety Officer and Jim Searson … Surface … Measured up arches in Stock yard … 3 men (RB*, CHS, OH) … Office … Plotted same.

Wed 15 … Office … Continued with Accident plan. Colouring same.

Annual Leave Thurs 16 and Fri 17

Sat 18 … 11762 tons

Mon 20 … Office … Monthly book, sections, advances, sheets etc.

Tues 21 … Office … Amendments to 25 inch (1/2500) R & FF negatives. New master 6 inch scale negative.

Wed 22 … U/g … Statutory Dial survey of 4s LH (CMDE Trepanner) and measurements … 3 men (RB*, AF, OH).

Thurs 23 …Office … Calculated and plotted 4s survey on 1/2500, 1/5000 and 6 inch.

Fri 24 … Office … Completed 1/5000 General Purpose negative. Updating Second copy plans from No 4 Area HQ, Huthwaite.    
(Cards +18s 5d total)                          

Sat 25 … 10705 tons

Mon 27 … Office … Continued with Second copy plans.

Tues 28 … Office … Continued with Second copy plans and stippled same.

Mar 1967

Wed 1 … Office … Completed stippling plans. Began a new 6 inch scale Pithead Sketch negatives with new Area titles.

Thurs 2 … Office … Continued with 6 inch Pithead sketch negatives. 4 posters for TV Quiz Show at the Welfare for John Wann, Area Safety Engineer.

Fri 3 … Office … Deputy’s Districts new negative made. Print of General Purpose plan for A McDiarmid and coloured.

Sat 4 … 11548 tons

Mon 6 … Office … Title amendments on plans and negatives. General Purpose 1/5000 print and coloured for Arthur Coggan Area Ventilation staff and one for John Weston Cost Clerk. Amendments to Conveyor negative.

Tues 7 … U/g … Statutory Dial survey and measurements 5s RH, sections through face line, grade at 1in2 drift and 8s LH …3 men (RB*, AF, OH) - (825 + 32 u/g)

Wed 8 … U/g … Theodolite survey and catenary measuring in 7s RH … 4 men (RB*, AF, CHS, OH)

Thurs 9 … Office … Calculated 7s RH theodolite survey.  Mending chairs. Title changes to surface plans and Support Rules plans negatives. Plotted 7s theodolite stations.

Fri 10 … Surface … Levelling to valve below Fire-fighting water tank. Also measured up Gullick 5 leg chock and Bonser chock … 2 men (RB*, AF)                                     

Sat 11 … 10908 tons

Mon 13 … Office … Area HQ progress, Manager’s progress and advance per shear etc.

Tues 14 … U/g … 150s Dunsil Statutory dial survey and measurements, 1in4 face line, also South Level back rip and old North side rings …4 men (RB*, CHS, OH, Alan Wombwell AW) … Office … Calculating. 

Wed 15 … Office … Plotted 150s on 1/2500, 1/5000 and 6 inch.   

Thurs 16 … Office … Amended Stone Dust negative for old 2s. Plan. Titles altering

Fri 17 … Office … Title amendments on large 1/5000 surface plan and print for check. Information for Mr Osborne query re 6s final measurements. 150s and 5s Area HQ progress.  

Sat 18 … 9720 tons

Mon 20 … Office … Area HQ progress and Manager’s progress plans, advances etc. monthly book. Old Dunsil gates on Manager’s Progress plans above Waterloo panels.

Tues 21 … Surface … Triangulation observations from station on Winding House roof.

Wed 22 … Office … Plans. Assisting Len Hallam with Loco Pit bottom plan … Surface …Meeting of Midlands Engineers at University of Nottingham on Gyro-theodolite (RB*) … R Simpson Computer.

Thurs 23 … Office … Assisting Len Hallam with plan (for 1st Class Certificate).

Fri 24 …Office … Continued. Check calculations. Tangent point offset distances for Triangulation.

Sat 25 … 10407 tons

Mon 27 … Easter Holiday
Annual Leave Tues 28, Wed 29, Thurs 30

Fri 31 … Office … Monthly reports, book, sections, sheets etc.
(Cards +21s 1d total)

Fri 31 … 7792 tons

April 1967

Sat 1 … NCB reorganisation … Sherwood Lodge Divisional HQ and Group Offices disbanded … it was 5 tier system and now to be 3 tier with Area, Groups and Collieries, with North Derbyshire, South Notts., North Notts. and new Area Director H Merrik Spanton instead of Area General Manager. Some pits were exchanged … Creswell from No1 Area to North Notts. Area and Warsop Main and Shirebrook from No3 Area and Pleasley in No4 Area to North Derbyshire Area.

Mon 3 … Office … Finished off Scaling tracings. Calculate ratings and coal tonnage for year ending 24 March 1967.

Tues 4 … Office … 6 inch Deputy’s Districts and Pithead Sketch, 1/5000 Dust Zones, 6 inch Stone Dust Scheme, Ventilation 1/2500 Ventilation negatives to date. Electrical negatives. 2 plans for Dust Suppression coloured.

Wed 5 … Office … 1/2500 R & FF negatives to date … Surface … New surface base line established … 3 men (BTB, RB, AF)

In Charge … BTB on Holiday Thurs 6 - Sat 15

Thurs 6 … Office … Prints. Plan for Machine guard switch ... North manrider cars … Surface … To Dirt tips with Mr G Noble, Manager and C Skeavington. Office … Folders for R & FF plans.  Area HQ 6 inch negatives made up. Information to D Sharpe, Method Study.

Fri 7 … Office … Colouring Pithead Sketches and Deputy’s Districts plans.  Don Hollingsworth, Mechanical re Manrider.  Length of tunnels for Area Statistics. Updated Cost Clerk’s 1/5000 Wall plan.

Sat 8 … 10629 tons
Ray Scothern spare Deputy Manager on loan to assist with 8s panel bad conditions from Mon 10, Harry Coppell on Holiday Mon Apr 3 – Sat Apr 8.  George Noble Manager on Holiday Mon 10 – Sat 22

Mon 10 … Office … Area HQ Edwinstowe Progress, Manager’s Progress and advances.  Silverhill Low Main on Progress plan up from 1/5000 to 1/2500.  Titles on two 6 inch negatives. Print for Scientific Laboratory of Top Hard, Dunsil, Waterloo re 8s face Mr Wood Area Scientist and Mr R Scothern, Acting Manager.

Tues 11 … Office … Plotted 8s face on 1/250. Statistics form re face advance in year and gearheads, horsepower’s etc. and lengths.

Wed 12 … U/g … Theodolite survey 4s LH and 4s LH lines to date … 4 men (RB*, AF, OH, AW) … Office … Bearings calculated etc.

Thurs 13 … Office … Copied survey. With Harry Coppell U/M and Ernest Thorpe, Group Mechanical Engineer re 80 feet curve on North manrider to cut out cars meeting.  Plotting same … to Silverhill.

Fri 14 … U/g … Face survey of 8s and fall Ray Scothern, Deputy Manager at Bentinck seconded for a few weeks to assist the Undermanager to get 8s producing coal … big falls and face heading abandoned twice. Also old North side progress … 4 men (RB*, AF, CHS, OH).                                                                                 
Sat 15 … 11864 tons

Mon 17 … Office … with Mr Ray Scothern and Harry Coppell re 8s face. Advance per shear in book.  Plan of HT layout of Surface and Underground for Alan McDiarmid, Electrical Engineer.

Tues 18 … U/g … Checking theodolite angles in 4s LH and survey for panel and measurements … laid up lines …3 men (RB*, AF, OH) … Office … Updated electrical information for plans with Vic Penford Shift charge Engineer - (830 + 32 u/g)

Wed 19 … Office … Finished inking in Electrical plans. 1/5000 Composite negative to date.  Print for Silverhill Surveyor

Thurs 20 … U/g … Face survey on 8s … dial and measurements … 4 men (RB*, AF, CHS, OH) … Office … with Mr Ray Scothern Acting Manager and Terry Wood, Assistant re same and suggestions. Copied up survey of 4s LH.  

Fri 21 … Office … Prints for D Simpson for an invention. Prints coloured for Jim Hanson, Silverhill Surveyor of Top Hard, Dunsil and Waterloo. General Purpose 1/5000 for Gordon Ison, Sutton Surveyor. Plotted 8s on 1/250 scale. Calculated and plotted 4s LH theodolite survey and Statutory survey inked in.                                          

Sat 22 … 11428 tons

Mon 24 … Office … Monthly book, reports, face lengths, sections etc.

Tues 25 …. U/g … Theodolite survey in 5s DG … 4 men (BTB, RB, CHS, OH) … Office … Calculated bearings. Plotted 4s and 7s on 1/5000 and 6 inch and inked in, also Pleasley Waterloo on 6 inch. 

Wed 26 … Office … Plotting and tracing method of setting 14 feet long bars in Stable holes.

Thurs 27 … U/g … Dial survey and measurements 8s panel and line adjustment … 3 men (RB*, CHS, OH) … Office … Calculated survey.

Fri 28 … Office … Plan. Plotted 8s. Calculated line adjustments for 5s gates.         

Sat 29 … 10317 tons
(Cards +27s 9d total)

May 1967

Mon 1 … Office … Tracing and stencilling 14 feet long bars Stable hole layout Support Rules. 6 inch tracing for Silverhill of Ouse / Trent Catchment Area Boundary.

Tues 2 … Surface … to Silverhill tracing of 205s Piper seam panel on 1/2500. Finished Stable hole plan and prints coloured plan (RB*)

Wed 3 … U/g … Theodolite angling 4s DG and set out 10s Scouring bearing, measured lines with 100 feet steel tape and in calculating bearings found an error … 4 men (RB*, CHS, OH, AW)

Thurs 4 … Office … Calculated bearings etc. Updated 1/25000 negatives and stencilled title. Prints. Completed plan.

Fri 5 … Office … Plotted 8s and 5s on 1/5000 and 6 inch scales. Calculated and plotted 4s survey.

Sat 6 … 10874 tons

Applied for South Notts. Area Planning posts … not selected for interview.

Mon 8 … Office … 1/2500 R & FF negatives to date. Plotting on Top Hard 1/25000 plan.

Tues 9 … Surface … dial survey of far end of dirt tip and new slurry tipping and NW sidings area and Teversal slurry ponds … 6 men (BTB, RB, AF, CHS, OH, AW)

Wed 10 … U/g … Catenary measuring 4s DG …4 men (RB*, AF, CHS, OH) … Office … Calculated distances and comparisons - (835 + 32 u/g)

Thurs 11 … Office … Continued with same. Calculated thirling bearing. Typed calculation records to date. Plotted 150s Dunsil levels and contours. Plotting Dirt tip survey.

Fri 12 … Office … Continued plotting Tip survey … Surface … 2 men (BTB, RB) measured up bursted slurry pond. Plotted same and print for Mr Harry C Ward, new Area Chief Surveyor.

Sat 13 ... 11708 tons

Mon 15 … Office … Copied up measuring notes. Plotted 5s and 10s Scouring on 1/500 scale.

Tues 16 … U/g … Checked 5s Scouring line with theodolite. Survey up 1in2 drift from 5s DG to base on old Dunsil Main Road … 5 men (BTB, RB, AF, CHS, OH) … Surface  in afternoon … Continued survey of Tip and slurry ponds … 3 men (BTB, RB, AF).

Wed 17 … Updated 6 inch negatives. Making a Deployment plan.       

Thurs 18 … Surface … to Silverhill for progress plan also measured up 50hp haulage engine (self RB*) … Office … Plotted same.

Fri 19 … Office … Plotted 7s on 1/5000 and 6 inch. Contours on all plans to date. Plotted 1in2 drift on 1/5000, 6 inch and 1/2500. Monthly book.                                  

Sat 20 … 11562 tons

Mon 22 … Office … Continued with monthly book, reports, sections, advances etc. Manager’s progress plans and advances. Old Dunsil gates put on Progress plans. Silverhill 18s Low Main progress. Colouring 14 feet long bars Stable hole Layout plans.

Tues 23 … Office … Ventilation negatives and prints amended for fans and drift etc. from 5s. Work on Manpower plan. Mr Strauss, North Derbyshire Geologist re Waterloo sections etc. Plotting surface on 1/1250 … (Dirt tip survey)

Wed 24 … Office … Plotting surface survey of 1964 to fix hedges on 1/1250. Two tracings of Teversal tubs and prints … Surface … had to abandon survey on Tip … summoned back for meeting with Mr George Noble Manager and Harry Coppell Undermanager re Bunker Pikrose engine (RB*).

Thurs 25 … U/g … Measurements of Bunker Pikrose  engine and excavation and levels to same … 2 men (RB*, AF) … Office … Plotting same. 

Fri 26 … Office … 1/1250 Dirt tip negative amendments. Plan. Progress plans.      

Sat 27 … 11278 tons
(Cards +33s 6d total)

Mon 29 … Bank Holiday
Annual Leave Tue 30 May – Sat June 3           Ashbourne, Derbys

June 1967

Sat 3 … 8713 tons

Mon 5 … Surface … Survey of Pit Lane ponds and coal stocks … 4 men (RB*, AF, CHS, OH)

Tues 6 … Office … Plotted surface survey on 1/1250 and inked in on negative. Title on same.

Wed 7 … Office … Continued with 1/150 Surface Old Dirt tip negative … amendments etc.

Thurs 8 … Office … Continued with same, information etc. … Surface … measurements to stream at the side of the pit lane … (RB*)

Fri 9 … Office … Continued with plan. Colouring print of same for meeting.          

Sat 10 … 11645 tons

Mon 12 … Office … Continued colouring Dirt tip plan.

Tues 13 … Surface … Tacheometric survey of Dirt tip at new sidings … 4 men (BTB, RB, AF, OH) In the afternoon with J Banks and Len Hallam DPT (RB*, AW)

Wed 14 …U/g … Theodolite survey in 10s Scouring and adjusted bearing and 4s survey and measurements and lines laid up … 3 men (BTB, RB, AF)

Thurs 15 … Surface … Theodolite survey and catenary measuring up sidings by the screens … 5 men (BTB, RB, CHS, DO, AW)

Fri 16 … Office … Calculated tacheometrical survey. With Len Hallam DPT, tuition on surveying instruments.

Sat 17 … 10940 tons

Pit Holidays Mon 19 June to Sat July 1

Mon 19 … Surface … Triangulation observations from No1 Winding house roof … 5 men (C Skeavington, BTB, RB, AF, CHS)

Tues 20 … U/g … New pit bottom Loader belt line and jacked over pans … 3 men (RB*, CHS, OH) … Office … Sorting out section sheets re ex No3 Area style for North Nottinghamshire Area. Gordon Darrington discuss re 10s Waterloo development.

Wed 21 … Surface … Triangulation observations from No1 headstocks … 6 men (C Skeavington, BTB, RB, AF, CHS, OH and Len Hallam DPT)

Thurs 22 … U/g … Theodolite angling in 150s DG. Monthly measurements and lines and measures to fault … 5 men (BTB, RB, AF, CHS, OH) (840 + 32 u/g)

Fri 23 … Surface … Theodolite angling from surface base line and observations from No1 headstocks … 5 men (BTB, RB, AF, CHS, OH). Nil

Mon 26 … U/g … Catenary measuring in 150s DG and 150s LH and line for Loader belt gearhead … 5 men (BTB, RB, AF, CHS, OH) 

Tues 27 … U/g … Catenary measuring up 1in2 drift off Waterloo 5s DG to old Dunsil North Main Road. Also 8s LH and 8s DG survey and measurements … 5 men (BTB, RB, AF, CHS, OH) plus 2 potential Deputies. 

Wed 28 … Surface … Catenary measuring surface traverse … 5 men (BTB, RB, AF, CHS, OH) … Office … Made new ex No3 Area section sheets.

Thurs 29 … Office … Made out Monthly book and copying section sheets … Surface … Further observations from No1 Winding House roof … 3 men (BTB, RB, AF) … Office … Manpower deployment with Terry Wood, Assistant U/m.

Fri 30 … Surface … completed catenary measuring of surface bases … 5 men (BTB, RB, AF, CHS, OH) … Office … Stencilling on new 1/1250 Dirt tip negatives.  
(Cards +27s 4d total) Nil