A Unique History From My Work Diaries

Surveying Jobs

North Nottinghamshire Area from April 1967

Page - 35 -

Jan 1969

Blackwell A Winning Closed

Wed 1 … Surface … to Silverhill for workings … 2 men (CzS, RB) Tracings on 1/5000 and 1/2500 of Deep Hard and Low Main faults re 21s Waterloo ... Office … Completed Composite plan for Mr G Noble. Monthly book and memos.
Office Party

Thurs 2 … Office … Updated 1/5000 negatives for Dust Zones, Deputy’s Districts etc. Finished monthly information. Tracing new 1/5000 R & FF negative to date.

Fri 3 … Surface … to old Molyneux shafts, measured water level and depth … 3 men (CzS, RB and Maurice Lamb Boremaster) … Office … Calculations for same. 

Sat 4 … 8695 tons

Mon 6 … Office … R & FF 1/5000 negative. Ventilation negatives to date. Pithead Sketch etc. 1/500 plan of 12s with Ron Wood U/m. Area HQ 6 inch negatives for C Skeavington.

Tues 7 … Office … Continued and completed new 1/5000 R & FF negative. Pithead Sketch print coloured

Wed 8 … Office … Deputy’s Districts prints coloured. Fault information off old Top Hard plans

Thurs 9 … Office … 1/25000 negatives to date with contours etc. New 1/25000 Top Hard negative. Prints of plan cabinet 1/25000s and coloured. Print of 1/5000 Composite plan for Ron Wood U/m.

Fri 10 … Office … Discuss Gordon Ison, Sutton Surveyor and Doug Sloper ATT re old shafts. Colouring 1/5000 Composite for Ron Wood U/m.                                  

Sat 11 … 10128 tons

Mon 13 … Office … Continued with Composite plan. Pleasley adjacent workings.

Tues 14 … U/g … 7s DG theodolite angling and catenary measuring … 5 men (CzS, RB*, CHS, AF, AW) … Office … Checking 21s on 1/500 scale. Electrical information with Frank Wood Deputy Electrical Engineer and Vic Penford Shift Charge Electrician. (885 + 32 u/g)

Wed 15 … U/g … Re-survey round 8s, checked 21s LH and 21s face heading … 5 men (CzS, RB*, CHS, AF, AW, TM) … Office … Calculations. Fixing position of Clowne Borehole ‘G’ in Pit yard on 1/500 with Stan Brunskill, Geologist.

Thurs 16 … Office … Plotted 21s and faults etc. Borehole information. Plans to date for British Rail Surveyor Mr Henshaw. 21s faults etc. plotted on 1/500. Print for Area Ventilation dept., Arthur Coggan.

Fri 17 … U/g … 21s face heading and faults (CzS, RB, George Noble, Agent Manager, and Gordon Darrington Planner.
Fri 17 … U/g … again … Accident measures at 1in1 drift … (RB*) … Office … planning out 21s new development.                                   
Sat 18 … 11816 tons

Mon 20 … Office … Calculating and plotting. Updated Progress negatives for 10s, 17s, 21s. Coloured prints and progress to date. Electrical negatives.

Tues 21 … Office … Continued and finished same. New master negative for 1/2500 Electrical plans. 6 inch master negative to date. Requested Ozalofts from Area HQ.

Wed 22 …Office … Plotted 21s levels etc. Conveyor and haulage information with Frank Wood Dep Elec. Borehole information to Stan Brunskill. Information from Tom Brown Planned Maintenance. Location sketches for all Surface theodolite stations for Rescue Operation emergency boreholes.

Thurs 23 … Office … Line diagram for Conveyors, new tracing. Haulage and Conveyor plan negatives to date. Discuss C Skeavington various.

Fri 24 … Office … Overlay tracings to date. Levels plotted on plans.

Sat 25 … 11433 tons

Mon 27 … Office … Monthly book, memos etc. Sorting out new Ozalofts from Area HQ.

Tues 28 … Office … Information to Ken Bullock, Dust Suppression. Tracing in pencil and inking in on reverse … new Electrical negatives for complete new set out. Information from Frank Wood re same.

Wed 29 … Office … Electrical negatives completed. 8s and 21s drivages, drifts etc.

Thurs 30 … Office … Catalogue of Ordnance Survey sheets etc. Checked drift positions etc. for 21s. Sketch of same. Notice re Surface Absenteeism.

Fri 31 … Office … O.S. Sheets. 7s DG computer programme. Filing system in Safe.

Feb 1969

Sat Feb 1 … 11667 tons

Mon 3 … Office … Work records. Work on Waterloo 43/4864 new plan.

Tues 4 …U/g … 17s LH theodolite angling … 5 men (CzS, RB*, CHS, AF, AW) … Office … Plotting 10s survey. Discuss development.

Wed 5 … U/g … 17s DG theodolite angling and up 8s DG into 17s LH … 6 men (CzS, RB*, CHS, AF, AW, TM) … Office … Stencilling. Plotted 7s DG theodolite stations. (890 + 32 u/g)

Thurs 6 … U/g … 7s panel Statutory dial survey and measurements … 4 men (CzS, RB*, CHS, TM) … Office … Calculated and plotted same. Amendments to 150s Ventilation plan. Discuss and planning out for 7s turning with Mr G Noble.

Fri 7 … Office … Plotting 10s and 7s on 1/5000 and 6 inch. Inked in on all scales. New plan for 7s … 43/5061.                                                                        
Sat 8 … 11888 tons

Mon 10 … Office … Computer calculation results file. Computer programmes for 8s and 17s.

Tues 11 … U/g … Theodolite angling and catenary measuring in 8s DG from snicket to 21s and down to 5s … 5 men (CzS, RB*, CHS, AF, AW)

Wed 12 … U/g … Theodolite angling and catenary measuring 10s RH from 4s DG … 6 men (CzS, RB*, TM, CHS, AF, AW)

Thurs 13 … Office … Holiday chart. Tracing on Banda paper for Shotfiring pattern in stable holes and face headings. Theodolite station crosses on plans. Amended a tracing for 10s Support Rules. 2 prints of same and also for 17s.

Fri 14 … Office … Calculated bearings. Stencilling folders. New tracing for 17s SG stable Support Rules for amendment.                                                            

Sat 15 … 11328 tons
Linesman David ‘Ollie’ Haighton (OH) left
Frank Wood transferred to Silverhill and George Bailey appointed Deputy Electrical Engineer

Mon 17 … Office … Updated 1/2500 R & FF negatives and 1/25000 key plans.

Tues 18 … U/g … Theodolite survey 8s LH, and grade line in 21s LH heading … 5 men (CzS, RB*, CHS, AF, AW)

Wed 19 … U/g … Theodolite survey down Scouring into 10s DG and across to 10s RH … 6 men (CzS, RB*, TM, CHS, AF, AW) - (895 + 32 u/g)

Thurs 20 … Office … Calculated bearings. Discuss various with Ron Wood U/m. Prints, 1 off 1/5000 General Purpose and 1 off Composite. Began stippling same.

Fri 21 … Office … Finished stippling Composite plan for manager G Noble.            

Sat 22 … 9578 tons

Mon 24 … Office … Checking tape distances against catenary measurements for all surveys to date. Calculating.

Tues 25 … Office … Calculated closing angles etc. for traverse round 4s and 5s.

Wed 26 … Office … Calculations. Stencilling book covers. Checking over Second copy Dunsil flat sheet.

Thurs 27 … Office … Continued with same and inking in amendments and additions, coal sections, dates etc.

Fri 28 … Office … Continued stencilling same.
10923 tons
George Noble Agent Manager at Teversal transferred to Rufford and John Burgess, Deputy Manager Silverhill appointed as Temporary Manager for 3 months

Mar 1969

Mon 3 … Office … Continued with Second copy plans. Progress to date. Memos re information for Cost Clerk and Ron Wood U/m. Discussion various with John Burgess, temporary Manager.   

Tues 4 … Office … Continued with Second copy plans. Stencilling. Checked 7s measurements

Wed 5 … Office … Plotted levels and contours on 7s. General Purpose 1/5000 negative to date and print for Brian Stones V/O. Computer programmes for 4s and 5s closed traverse.

Thurs 6 …Office … Continued with Second copy plans. Action programme sheet … Surface … Piezometer readings with Tony Maddock (TM) … Surface … Tip examination and measured pipe …3 men (CzS, RB, CHS)

Fri 7 … Surface … to Silverhill Office … Demonstration of new Kern Tacheometer … (C Skeavington, CzS, RB Teversal, Jim Hanson, Mike Gallagher Silverhill, Gordon Ison, Joe Manion, Sutton).

Sat 8 … 10574 tons

Mon 10 … Office … Finished 1/500 plan and made folder for same. New progress negative for 9s and prints. 1/1250 surface plan to John Madin, Planner.

Tues 11 … Office … Planning 9s development with Mr J Burgess and Ron Wood U/m. Tidying up the Stock Room.

Wed 12 … Office … Plotted 7s RH drift on 1/250 and 21s TG levels. New Development folder for Ron Wood U/m. Stippling both First and Second copy plans.

Thurs 13 … Office … 1/500 plan of 7s. Stippling plans. Amendment to 4s and 5s Computer traverse sheet.

Fri 14 … Office … Finished stippling plans. Plotted 21s on 1/2500 and 1/500. Notice for Welfare.

Sat 15 … 9769 tons
Mike Gallagher left Silverhill to Inland Revenue Mineral Valuer

Mon 17 … Office … Calculated 7s, 9s and 4s surveys. Plotted all plans. 21s thirling on 1/2500, 1/5000 and 6 inch and inked in. Updated H Henshaw’s (Skippy) Deputy Manager and Ron Wood U/m 1/500 Development plans.

Tues 18 … Office … Section sheet for January 1969. Updated H Henshaw’s Composite plan. Plans to date and Scaling tracings, calculated worked out panels. Print of Haulage plan for R Wood.
A Brian Clarke (ABC), potential Apprentice, been off since his accident last March 1968, left the job Tues 18 after returning for 1 week in the Office

Wed 19 … Office … Calculated Scalings with Ouse / Trent Catchment area. Electrical negatives and workings to date.

Thurs 20 … Office … Discussion Stan Brunskill, Maurice Lamb (ex No4 Area) and Eddie Gray (ex No3 Area) Boremasters re Boring programme. 6 inch General Purpose negatives updated. 1/5000 R & FF negatives information. Notice stencilled re New Payout Instructions.

Fri 21 … Office … Plotted levels and contours on all scales. Updated 7s on 1/500 and 9s. Progress.

Sat 22 … 11749 tons

Mon 24 … Office … Amended Computer programme for 4s and 5s … Surface … Tip examination and measured pipe … 3 men (CzS, RB, CHS)

Tues 25 … Office … Plotted 10s levels and contours on all scales. Isopachytes of 9s future coal sections.

Wed 26 … Office … Inked in contours and stippling.

Thurs 27 … Office … Plotting old theodolite stations on Dunsil plans in preparation for photographing. Continued with Second copy Dunsil plans and Pleasley workings.

Fri 28 … Office … Progress plans. 8s Back rips 1/500 plan. Monthly book. 7s on 1/500 plan.
Output for 1968 – 1969 = 498572 tons
12006 tons

Mon 31 … U/g … Dial survey from 9s DG head down Main Road into 7s RH for thirling survey … 5 men (RB*, TM, CHS, AF, AW) … Office … Calculations. Notices (880 + 34 u/g)
Wilf Haycox, Head Weigh Clerk retired. Jeff Drury left Silverhill as Linesman (Sacked for falsifying weekend measurements)

Apr 1969

Tues 1 … Office … Monthly information, book etc. Calculations continued. Re-amendment to Computer programme for 4s and 5s.

Wed 2 … Surface … Old tip inspection (RB*) … Office … Electrical information to date with Alan McDiarmid, Electrical Engineer and amended tracings and Planning out new ones.        

Thurs 3 … Office … Inking in and colouring new Electrical tracings … Surface … Tip survey with Kern Tacheometer and metre staff … 3 men (CzS, RB, TM)

Fri 4 … Surface … Continued tip survey … 3 men (CzS, RB, TM) … Office … 7s plotted on 1/500 scale. Discuss Electrical plans … Surface … then levelled to Pit yard borehole G site of proposed Surface drift to Clowne seam ... 2 men (RB*, TM) … Office … Plotted co-ordinates of same.

Sat 5 … 11214 tons

Annual Leave Tues 8 – Sat 12

Sat 12 … 8334 tons

In Charge … CzS Holiday Mon 14 – Wed 30

Mon 14 … Office … Notice. Manager’s and Area HQ progress plans. Scaling’s to date and calculations. Discuss C Skeavington. Copied up surveys. Dust Zone negatives to date and prints.

Tues 15 … Office … Dunsil Dust Zone negatives and prints. Print for Area HQ. Calculated and plotted 17s survey on 1/2500. Pleasley exchange tracings. Computer programmes for 8s and 17s closed traverse.

Wed 16 … Office … Plotted 17s on 1/5000 and 6 inch. Plotted 9s on 1/500 grid. Plan of 9s SG for Deputies Office. Stencilling Electrical schedule for plans. Mr J Burgess re all Support Rules and discuss.

Thurs 17 … Office … Continued stencilling … Surface … Completed Tip survey with Kern Tachymeter … 3 men (RB*, AF, AW) … Office … Calculating same.

Fri 18 … Office … Electrical plans. Plotting Dirt tip survey. Planning out Installation of Electricity for 9s. New tracing for Support of Roadheads. Sent off other Support Rules.
Fri 18 …U/g … Evening shift … Boring for water at 10s W/loo DG … (RB* with Maurice Lamb Boremaster, abandoned at 50 feet in …)

Sat 19 … 11013 tons
Bill freeman transferred from closed A Winning on Mon 21 as new Training Officer, and Wilf Turner overlapped for a week

Mon 21 … Office … Progress. 3 notices. Plotting Dirt tip surveys. Ron Wood U/m discuss re Support plans for 9s face heading. New Electrical plans, information with Alan McDiarmid, George Bailey Dep Elec and Colin Churm, Assistant Elec.

Tues 22 … U/g … Theodolite survey in 7s RH and 7s DG … 4 men (RB*, CHS, AF, AW) … Office … Job for Mr R Gregory re Masonic. 9s TG coal face set out, 9s DG section.

Wed 23 … Office … Continued with Electrical plans. New Support Rules and prints for 9s face heading … Surface … to Sutton to take prints to Ray Gregory, Group Manager re Masonic. Why me again?

Thurs 24 … Office … Computer programmes for 7s DG and 7s RH theodolite surveys. Installation of Electricity plan for 9s.

Fri 25 … Office … Checking computer results for 8s … sent them back … ? … Continued with 9s Installation of Electricity. 9s progress. 6 inch to a mile print for new Training Officer Bill Freeman.

Sat 26 … 13122 tons
Mick Yallop, Technical Assistant left. Wilf Turner Training Officer retired. George Dwelly Salvage Officer retired.

Mon 28 … Office … Coloured Installation of Electricity plans for 9s. Monthly information. Notices re-tonnage etc. record 67.1 cwts OMS.

Tues 29 … Office … Deputy’s Districts. Shotfiring plan for 9s. Notice. Monthly information … Surface … to Silverhill, going over tip plans with Jim Hanson (RB*) … Office … GD, roadways for 1965, 1966 and 1967.

Wed 30 … U/g … Theodolite survey 10s DG … 5 men (RB*, TM, CHS, AF, and Alan Hill, AH) … Office … Calculated 9s Thirling point.
Alan Hill (AH) started as Linesman, transferred from A Winning (Had a broken back in an accident on the coal face)

May 1969

Thurs 1 …Office … CzS back and update. Contouring Dirt tip plan … Surface … to Silverhill sorting out dirt tip contours with Jim Hanson (RB*)

Fri 2 … Office … Conveyor Line diagram to date with Ron Wood U/m. New layout for Haulage diagram. Continued with 1/1250 Dirt tip plan.                                      

Sat 3 … 11818 tons

Mon 5 … Office … Computer results and checking them. Faults in old Top Hard put on 7s Waterloo plan. Calculated co-ordinates for 7s and survey. Tonnage notice. Calculated and plotted 7s survey and levels.

Tues 6 … Office … Continued with Dirt tip survey, inking in. With C Skeavington, Group Surveyor working out Rating Assessments. Discuss various. Computer programs etc.

Wed 7 … Office … Dirt tip plan. Computer sheets 9s face heading … new method of support amended.

Thurs 8 … Office … Finished Dirt tip plan negative. AE Betts Assistant Area Surveyor came to discuss Computer processing. Again why me? Then it transpired that I was the only one in the group that, at the time, had been sending survey sheets to the Cannock Computer Centre for calculations, therefore I was experienced in the system. Inked in plans.

Fri 9 … Office … Calculations various. Calculated and plotted 10s on all scales. 7s contours to date. Finishing off Second copy plans. Plotted 7s on 1/500.                               

Sat 10 … 12809 tons

Mon 12 … Office … Information re boreholes etc. underground and old shafts etc. Began 1/500 plan of drifts from 8s to old North Dunsil Main Road.

Tues 13 … U/g … Theodolite survey 17s LHG and 17s DG … and 21s TG and North drift check … 5 men (CzS, RB*, CHS, AF, AH) … Office … Calculations.

Wed 14 … Office … Calculations re computer results. Calculated and plotted 17s survey. Looking through old Top Hard Roll plan with Mr. J Burgess, Manager and Ron Wood U/m re 21s faults.

Thurs 15 … Office … plotting out plan and section of 8s 1in3 and 1in4.5 drift to old North Dunsil Main Road. Plotting 21s etc. and 9s Engine house section.

Fri 16 … Office … Amendments to 9s Engine house plan. Progress on 1/500. Checking 21s and 17s surveys. Plotted 7s on 1/500.                                                      

Sat 17 … 12149 tons

Mon 19 … U/g … Checking and re-establishing lines in 9s LH face heading … (RB*, CHS, AF, AW, AH) and extended lines in 9s DG … 2 men (RB*, CHS) … Office … Calculations. Notice re tonnage output 12,149 (885 + 32 u/g)

Tues 20 … Office … Plotting 9s on 1/2500, 1/5000, 6 inch and 1/500. Inked in plans.

Wed 21 … U/g … Closed theodolite survey round 8s into 21s DG … 7 men (CzS, RB*, TM, CHS, AF, AW, AH)

Thurs 22 … Office … Check calculated 21s … Surface … Survey of stream to Hardwick re pollution and discharge points … 3 men (CzS, RB, Keith Bingley) … (Keith would become a Vicar later in life, d 2019) … Office … Plotted faults on 21s plan. Plotted trenches on surface survey.

Fri 23 … Surface … Inspection of old tip (RB*) … Office … Drawing Accident plan to S Curtis in 7s SG Stable hole. Progress … Surface … Measuring up machinery etc. … chocks, pans etc. (RB*) 

Sat 24 … 12005 tons

Mon 26 … Bank Holiday, Tues 27 and Wed 28 Colliery Rest Days.

Annual Leave Thurs 29 May - Sat 7 June

Trevor Speed back from Copper mine in Zambia set on at Silverhill
3656 tons

June 1969
Hedley Hill (HH) started as linesman, Mon 9, transferred from A Winning, Alan Wombwell (AW) left.                                                                   
Sat 7 … 10297 tons

Mon 9 … Office … Plotted Pit bottom Empty runround and from Loader on section. Information re water level in old shafts to Stan Brunskill and Maurice Lamb.

Tues 10 … Office … Computer programs for 8s and 21s closed traverse. Plotted 7s on 1/500. Prints of Pit bottom circuit with 1/500 Reference plan. Checking angles for 8s.

Wed 11 … Office … Made 1/2500 plans to date for British Rail Surveyor coming. Rang Cannock Computer Centre re amendment to 8s survey. Sorted out Computer sheets. Put 1/1250 Dirt tip plan in folder.

Thurs 12 … Office … Slurry pipes on Dirt tip plans … sent to Area HQ and also to Silverhill … Surface … Inspection of tip and new water pipes … 2 men (CzS, RB) … Office … Plotted on plan.

Fri 13 … Office … Calculations and plotted 7s and 21s. Progress measurements etc. Checking same.
10575 tons

Sat 14 … Office … Checking 21s measurements with Mr J Burgess and H Henshaw.

Mon 16 … Office … Calculated contours for 17s. Inking in 7s and 21s.

Tues 17 … Office …Stippled 7s. dated others. Continued with Waterloo 43/5061, title etc.

Wed 18 … Office … Checking over Waterloo plans. Finished off 43/5061 and dates, shaft section etc. on others. ¼ scale plan for 7s RH running gate.

Thurs 19 … Office … Finished Top Hard plans … levels etc. Numbers of old shafts on plans. Now ready for photographing. Computer results.

Fri 20 … Office … 1/500 progress and Manager’s progress. Checking computer results with previous for 21s. Levels on 17s panel.                                             

Sat 21 … 9678 tons

Mon 23 … Office … Progress. Monthly book. Rewriting computer programs for 7s RH and 7s DG, 8s and 17s, 8s and 21s, 4s and 5s. Began an Isopachyte plan for Waterloo.

Tues 24 … Office … Isopachytes finished for Ron Wood U/m. Tonnage notice. Completed Pleasley Pit bottom on 43/4864.

Wed 25 … Office … Conveyor belt figures for Stores. Cleaned all Waterloo plans ready for photographing … Surface … Locating and painting surface stations … 4 men (RB*, CHS, AH, HH)

Thurs 26 … U/g … Lines in 21s SG and 21s DG … 2 men (RB*, AF) then checked 17s DG (Delivery Gate) … 4 men (RB*, CHS, AH, HH) … Office … Plotted 9s face.

Fri 27 … Office … Record of face plans in folder etc. Calculated and plotted 17s on 1/2500, 1/5000 and 6 inch.

Sat 28 … 10720 tons

Mon 30 … Office … Monthly book and information, face lengths, sections etc.