A Unique History From My Work Diaries

Surveying Jobs

North Nottinghamshire Area from April 1967

Page - 38 -

Jul 1970 - Teversal

Len Hallam, Assistant Undermanager started. Paul Thompson (PT) linesman left then back after 2 weeks

Wed 1 … Office … Made up various negatives. Electrical information with A McDiarmid. Gordon Darrington discuss planning and took a 6 inch plan of Hardwick Hall pillar. Amendments to chart for Apprentice Electrical and Mechanical. Manager’s Composite plan to date.
BACM Meeting

Thurs 2 … Office … 1/5000 R & FF information with Frank Smith, Fire Officer and plan to date. Computer results for 21s, checking same. Notice for Pithead Baths. Support Rules for 17s … 4 copies and 21s … 2 copies.

Fri 3 … Office … Stuck Advanced headings on Support plans. Accident Location plan to date for Jack Truswell, Safety Officer. H Henshaw’s Composite plan to date. Colouring R & FF plans. Electrical plans to date. Colouring R & FF plans. Electrical plans to date. Checking Computer results.

Sat 4 … 13390 tons

Mon 6 … Office … Plotted progress on plans. Coloured 10 sets of R & FF plans. Replacing plans. Data face forms for Computer.

Tues 7 … Office … Calculated Tacheometric survey of Dirt tip (using Tacheo Tables). Plotted same. Plotted 21s levels and contours … Surface … Locating theodolite stations on Norwood Lane … 2 men (CzS, RB)

Wed 8 … Office … Surface negative amendments. 2 notices for Manager re 17/7/1970 shifts. Plotting surface traverses. Discuss Len Hallam, Junior U/m re 9s panzer etc.

Thurs 9 … U/g … Checking 9s district lines and face length … 4 men (RB*, CHS, HH, PT) … Office … calculating same.

Fri 10 … U/g … Checking 17s face length and establishing line in 17s LH parallel to DG … 3 men (RB*, TM, CHS) … Office … Calculated surveys. Rescue Team negative to date and prints - (920 + 35 u/g)

Sat 11 … 13653 tons

Mon 13 … Office … Manager’s and Area HQ progress plans. Calculating surveys. Code of Surveying Practice.

Tues 14 … Office … R & FF plans for Area HQ coloured. Calculations. Discuss AE Betts and CS re Emergency Boring.

Wed 15 … Surface … Observations with AGA Geodimeter at Norwood Lane and Hardwick Hall and Park Farm … 5 men … (A Eddie Betts, Clary Skeavington, CzS, RB, TM)

Thurs 16 … Surface … Continued with same on Skegby Branch line … 5 men (AEB, CS, CzS, RB, PT)

Fri 17 … Surface … Continued with same on Branch line … 5 men (AEB, CS, CzS, RB, TM)

Sat 18 … 12886 tons

Pit Holidays Mon 20 July to Sat 1 Aug

Mon 20 … Surface … Observations to No1 headstocks with Geodimeter from Norwood Lane … 4 men (AEB, CS, RB, PT)

Tues 21 …Surface … Catenary measuring along Branch line setting out 50m bases… 6 men (RB*, TM, AH, HH, PT) Booking and observing.

Wed 22 … Surface … Observations from No1 headstocks horizontal and vertical angles. In afternoon down the sidings, reverse vertical angles etc. … 2 men (RB & AF)

Thurs 23 … U/g … Check theodolite angling and catenary measuring on Main Road and into 9s DG for check … 5 men CzS, RB, TM, AF, PT) … Check grade of rails in pit bottom.

Fri 24 … Office … Calculated 9s surveys for face lengths etc. check o.k. Plotted 17s on 1/2500. 1/5000 and 6 inch and inked in.                                

Aug 1970
Bob Siddall Assistant Undermanager transferred to Bilsthorpe. He would become an Area Director and then Director of Opencast  Paul Thompson (PT) left to Rope staff.

Annual Leave Mon 27 July – Sat 8 Aug Portsmouth & Hastings
In Charge CzS on Holiday Mon 10 – Sat 15

Sat 8 … 11450 tons

Mon 10 … Surface … Interview at Area HQ by Ted Hinde and Walter Thouless for Surveyor’s posts at Thoresby, Mansfield and Blidworth but they had already appointed the Assistants the week before … I was on holiday.
A very good interview with promise of a job ‘said Ted.’ … Office … Progress etc.

Tues 11 … Office … Sorting out results of surface work with C Skeavington. TVAs for Surface base.

Wed 12 … Surface … Reciprocal vertical angles to Rescue Borehole bases. Angle on No1 headstocks … 4 men (RB*, CHS, AF, HH) … Office … Silverhill and Sutton workings to date on Composite plan negative.

Thurs 13 … Office … Calculated the remainder of TVAs for surface Rescue Borehole traverses. Calculated 21s survey and plotted. Discuss Mr Anderson SUDC Public Health re Old Man’s Level etc.

Fri 14 … Information with Ron Wood U/m and Len Hallam. Checking and calculating levels and plotted 9s and 17s. Information sorted for old workings.                    

Sat 15 … 13011 tons

Mon 17 … Office … Discuss quite a lot with Ches, back from holiday and interview. Calculations.

Tues 18 … U/g … Theodolite angling and catenary measuring 21s DG and line check … 5 men (RB*, TM, AF, AH, HH) … Office … Calculations.

Wed 19 … U/g … Survey of conveyor roads re fire-proofing … 2 men (RB*, Brian Perry ex Manager Mansfield, and was Surveyor at Warsop at one time prior to that) … Office … All plans to date for 9s and 21s and inked in.

Thurs 20 … Office … Computer program sent for 9s and Dirt tip. Overlay tracings to date … Waterloo for Dunsil.

Fri 21 … Office … Calculations. G Noble Manager and H Henshaw Deputy Manager 1/5000 Composite plans to date.                                                           

Sat 22 … 12917 tons

Mon 24 … Office … Computer programs sent to Cannock for 21s DG and 17s TG. Co-ordinates in Dial book. Monthly information.

Tues 25 … U/g … Theodolite angling and catenary measuring 21s LH … 5 men (RB*, TM, CHS, AH, HH) … Office ... Calculations.

Wed 26 … Office … Family tree chart for Manager and Electrical Organisation, coloured same. Calculations for 21s LH … Surface … Catenary measuring Norwood Lane … 4 men (CzS, RB, TM, CHS)

Thurs 27 … Office … Calculated distances N6 to N2. Completed calculations for 21s LH and Computer program. Family tree for Mechanical Organisation and coloured.

Fri 28 … Office … Checking Surface Computer results ... negative again and 9s DG … Surface … Locating and marking Emergency borehole stations on railway … 2 men (CzS, RB)

Sat 29 … 12523 tons

Mon 31 … Bank Holiday

Sep 1970

Tues 1 … Office … Manager’s and Area HQ progress plans. Discuss and information with Mr Anderson SUDC re old workings etc. in the Upper Meden Valley. Poster for Ladies Section at Welfare re Jumble Sale. Plotted 9s levels and contour.

Wed 2 … Office … Location sketches for theodolite stations for Emergency Boring Scheme. Notice re Pilfering. Checking computer results for 21s and 17s. Computer program for Dirt tip sent. Copies of Surface stations.

Thurs 3 … Surface … Interview for Planning Department (Business Planning) with Frank H Lee, Walter Thouless and J Atkinson … Good interview out of 4, but Cotes Park had closed and John Reeves was redundant. … Office … With Mr G Noble re Access to Colliery. Re-Pickets etc. for Strikes. Plan made for same. 21s Computer results. Support Rules for support of roads for Stats 112.

Fri 4 … Office … Accident Plan for Stan Ward 17s LH Stable hole … draft from 20/8/1970. Photocopying. Section sheets for Area HQ.                                             

Sat 5 … 10842 tons

Mon 7 … Office … Computer results and sketches. Check calculated 9s face distance from new co-ordinates. Computer program for 9s LH.

Tues 8 … Office … With Tom Brown PPM re Conveyor and Haulage information. Line diagrams to date and prints. Copied up 9s LH theodolite survey and Computer program sent.    

Wed 9 … Office … Plotted Dirt tip survey from Computer results on 1/1250. Conveyor negative to date and print off same and Line Diagram Peter Hall, Area Conveors (Area Mech dept Conveyors) Information for 9s to Hec Evans Face chargeman.

Thurs 10 … Office … Plotted 21s on 1/2500, 1/5000 and 6 inch and inked in. Levels and contours to date.

Fri 11 … Office … Stippled all plans to date. Drawing of 14 x 10 ft Arch leg support for Advanced Headings. Prints for Ron Wood U/m.                                               

Sat 12 … 13456 tons
Dinner & Dance Queensway Suite for North Notts Mining Society

Mon 14 … Office … Checking Computer results for 9s LH. Made new plan work sheet and copied. Updated 1/2500 plans and tracings for Ventilation, Electrical, R & FF etc.
West Notts Technical College … Evening Class for Geology

Tues 15 … Office … Made up 6 inch plan and tracings, Deputy’s Districts, Pithead Sketch etc. … Surface … Piezometer readings on Dirt tip … Office … Up dated old Dirt tip negative.

Wed 16 … Office … 1/5000 R & FF , Dust Zone negatives to date. Tonnage records. All 1/5000 and 6 inch negatives to date. Dust Zone plans distributed … 2 to Brian Stones, Ventilation Officer and a copy to Manager G Noble.

Thurs 17 … Office … Colouring 3 plans of No Dirt tip for folders. Pithead sketch plan. Information Mr Anderson SUDC re old pits again.
Meeting re future of the Colliery   

Fri 18 … Office … Finished off Surface plans and put into folders.

Sat 19 … Record 14892 tons
Tonnage - 73.8 cwts OMS … 21s 7,506 tons at 199.2 cwts Face OMS
Michael Mottram starts as Assistant to Jack Limmer Manager’s Clerk (He would become head of Admin at North Notts / Nottinghamshire Area HQ)    

Mon 21 … Office … Calculated and plotted 9s survey on 1/2500, 1/5000 and 6 inch. Notice re Record tonnage.

Tues 22 …Surface … Subsidence levelling from Sutton Colliery to Skegby Church … 3 men (RB*, TM, HH) … Office … Amended Manager’s Deployment negative and information.

Wed 23 … Office … Coloured 3 copies of Manpower Deployment Plan and distributed. Calculated Subsidence levelling values.

Thurs 24 … Office … Notice for Training Officer Bill Freeman re best times amendment. Plotted 17s LH levels and contours. Information to G Noble re Cooper’s Shaft at Silverhill for Mr WF Gill HMI.     

Fri 25 … Office … Deputy’s Districts negative to date. Skegby Subsidence information to Charlie Shadbolt. Checking Computer program for Surface Rescue Borehole stations and sent off … Surface … Dirt tip visit with Cost Clerk Brian Watson … (RB*)

Sat 26 … Record 14910 tons

Mon 28 … Surface … Tacheo survey of whole of Dirt tip and pond … 4 men (CzS, RB, AF, AH) … Office … Calculations to Computer. Monthly information, face yardages etc. Stone Dust Barrier distances for Jack Truswell, Safety Officer.

Tues 29 … U/g … Theodolite angling and catenary measuring 17s DG … 4 men (RB*, TM, CHS, AH) … Office … Copied same. Computer sheets sent to Cannock. (925 + 33 u/g)

Wed 30 … Office … Notice re Motties. Monthly section sheet to Area HQ. R & FF negative amended. Isopachyte plan to date.

Oct 1970

Thurs 1 … Office … Squared off notice for Pithead Baths. Colouring R & FF plans.

Fri 2 … Office … Plotted Dirt tip survey. Notice re Pick Sharpening. Discuss Slusher supports and action.

Sat 3 … 14184 tons

Mon 5 … Office … Manager’s and Area HQ progress plans. Newsletter. Calculations and plotted 17s survey. Made out notebooks. Completed plotting Dirt tip survey and contoured.

Tues 6 … Office … Information to Frank H Lee, Area Planning Engineer re-old Dunsil near 200 hp. Discuss G Noble re Slusher installation at 12s. Electrical information to date with Alan McDiarmid. Amending No2 Dirt tip negative.

Wed 7 … Office … Calculated 21s survey and plotted. Inked in 21s and 17s on all plans. Accident sketch for S Ward 17s SG Stable hole (20 Aug 1970).

Thurs 8 … Office … Checking through Surface Borehole Rescue stations. Computer results. Electrical plan finished.

Fri 9 … Office … Coloured Action Programmes. Continued working on Dirt tip negative.

Sat 10 … 12798 tons

Sat 10 … Ban on overtime by NUM

Mon 12 … Office … Continued inking in Dirt tip negative.

Tues 13 … Office … Stippling and stencilling plans. Progress on plans. 12s TG Slusher installation Support Rules.

Wed 14 … Interviewed 11.50 am for First Assistant Surveyor at a large pit offered a job but advised to stay at Teversal … would get next job! (Arthur Morley Area Surveyor and Walter Thouless, Admin Officer) … Office … Information to HMI RA Bower re underground heating on South Main Road. (Conveyor belt rubbing on wooden leg).

Thurs 15 … U/g … Levelling and sections relevant to heating just above 95s on South Main Road … 3 men (CzS, RB*, CHS) … Office … Drawing plan and sections etc. Phoned Arthur Morley Area Surveyor re post offered …

Fri 16 … Office … Finished off section etc. Prints and colouring same in sets for HMI R Bower.

Sat 17 … 11607 tons

Mon 19 … Office … Area HQ progress plans. 1/5000 negative of Dunsil and Waterloo to date. Print and coloured and all stoppings shown ... re-G Noble for Ray Gregory, Group Manager re heating.

Tues 20 … Office … Calculated and plotted12s and 15s development surveys.

Wed 21 … U/g … Theodolite angling from Scouring down 10s DG, 12s RH and across 10s face, check measured with tape … 4 men (RB*, CHS, AF, AH) … Office … Calculated bearings and distances.

Thurs 22 … Office … Calculated 10s survey. Poster for Safety Quiz. Prints and coloured.

Fri 23 … Office … Calculated catenary measurements etc. and 10s survey again. 12s Support Rules signed by GKN.

Sat 24 … Monthly book. - 12389 tons

Mon 26 … Office … Monthly book and information. Plan. Cost Clerk’s 6 inch plan to date.

Tues 27 … U/g … Continued with theodolite survey round old 10s and catenary measuring finished … 5 men (RB*, TM, CHS, AF, HH) … Office … Calculations.

Wed 28 … Office … Calculated and plotted closing survey round 10s district. Table plan for Cricket Club Dinner at Welfare. Notice re-cages.

Annual Leave Thurs 29 and Fri 30

13820 tons

Nov 1970
Mon 2 … Office … Copying surveys into Theodolite book. Preliminary interview with George Noble, Manager re future Job appraisal interview by CzS next week … (CzS, RB) … Notice re Advanced headings. Plan.

Tues 3 … Office … Copying surveys. Notice re ‘Homefire Fuel’. Computer program for 10s closed survey.

Wed 4 … Office … Finished copying catenary measurements. Plan. Notice for Paraplegics. Plotted 21s survey. 1/5000 plans to date for C Skeavington. Plan of 21s with Hardwick Hall pillar.

Thurs 5 … Office … Put Hardwick Hall pillar on 1/2500. 1/5000 and 6 inch scales. Calculations.

Fri 6 … Office … Drawing of bracket support for girder in advanced headings for Billy Winterbottom, Blacksmith. Calculations continued.   

Sat 7 … 14376 tons

Mon 9 … U/g … Theodolite angling and catenary measuring 9s DG … 5 men (RB*, CHS, AF, AH, HH) … Office … Computer program for same.

Tues 10 … Office … Copied up theodolite survey. Calculated 21s Statutory survey and plotted on 1/2500, 1/5000 and 6 inch … Job Appraisal Interview *** by Cheslaw Stasiewicz.

Wed 11 … Office … Plotting co-ordinates on Second copy plans from Area HQ. Clary Skeavington and A Eddie Betts from Area HQ discuss results etc. for Surface Emergency Boring and Ollerton job. Query G Noble re Sec 70 roads.

Thurs 12 … Office … Colouring Waterloo Overlay 43/4664. Completed Wiring diagram for No2 Shaft signals for Alan McDiarmid. Amended Apprentice chart for Bill Freeman, Training Officer. Plan and prints.

Fri 13 … Office … Updating Second copy working plans … Surface … Measuring slip on No6 slurry pond bank … 2 men (CzS, RB)                                                       

Sat 14 … 14500 tons

Mon 16 … U/g … Dial survey and measurements 17s LH … 2 men (RB*, AH) … Office … Calculated and plotted. (930 + 33 u/g)

Tues 17 … Office … Inked in 9s on 1/2500, 1/5000 and 6 inch. Overlay tracings to date … Surface … to Silverhill discuss Computer with Trevor Speed and Joe Manion, then with George Harris and Bernard T Bailey re slip on No6 slurry pond bank … 3 men (RB*, GH and BTB)

Wed 18 …Office … Colouring Top Hard Overlay tracings and Dunsil Pit bottom … Surface … to Silverhill to see Stan Brunskill various… 2 men (RB*, SB)

Thurs 19 … Office … Notice for Safety Quiz at Welfare next week. … Surface … to Welbeck to fetch Support plan for slusher … (RB*) … Office … Discuss Linesmen re gate lines etc.

Fri 20 … Office … Coloured 6 prints of Quiz notice. Calculated 12s survey and plotted on all scales. Sorted out Pits register. 14678 tons

Mon 23 … Office … Monthly information etc. Section sheets for Oct and Nov for Area HQ. Plan of 8s and 15s back ripping for Ron Wood U/m. Dust Barriers, Water pipes, Cost information etc. Notice for NACODS Dance.

Tues 24 … Office … Repairing Levelling staffs. Inked in 17s survey on all scales. Updated Manager’s, Deputy Manager’s Composite plan. Discuss various Ron Wood U/m and Len Hallam Assistant U/m.

Wed 25 … Office … Repairing / maintenance 2 Levelling staffs … (RB*) … Overlay tracing for 17s to date. Made tracing of Top Hard, Dunsil and Waterloo in 150s area for a new panel layout.
Evening … Teversal Safety Quiz at Welfare

Thurs 26 … Surface … to Silverhill for 1/5000 Composite plan … (RB*) … Office … Extension to new Composite plan from Area HQ.

Fri 27 … Office … Made up 1/5000 Isopachyte plan. Completed Waterloo layout under 150s Dunsil. Notice re OAPs Payout for Sam Worthington NUM.                 

Sat 28 … Highest ever Record output at Teversal was 15,170 tons at 75.5 cwts OMS … £412,000 profit to date. I jokingly used to say that when I left Teversal the weekly tonnage would fall … ironically it did, and that record was never beaten ...
Silverhill record 17,300 at 66.5 cwts OMS Harworth Colliery now in Teversal Group!

Mon 30 … U/g … Levelling 9s DG … 2 men (RB*, AH) … Office … Calculated and plotted same and contours.

Dec 1970
Chris Allen Assistant Undermanager started.. Alan Riley Deputy Electrical Engineer. Started. Brian Watson Cost Clerk transferred to Sherwood. Steve Lindsay new Cost Clerk starts. Trevor Speed to Blidworth as Assistant

Record output 15,170 tons at 75.5 cwts Face OMS at 49s 2d per ton …

Tues 1 … U/g … Pit with Horace Henshaw, Deputy Manager and Ron Wood, Undermanager … faults in 21s LH, turned the gate 15 degrees to right … Office … Prints off Composite plan and coloured same. Notice re Buses.

Wed 2 … Office … Colouring Composite plans. Notice re Money. Notice for Stores. Discuss C Skeavington various.

Thurs 3 … Office … Colouring Composite plans. Prints off Dirt tip negative.

Fri 4 … Office … Notice re Decimal Currency for Welfare. Colouring Composite plans. Copy of Sec 70 (Fireproofing) Roadways plan for J Perry Area HQ. G Darrington discuss pros and cons re new panel.                                                                      
Sat 5 … 14450 tons
George Bailey Deputy Electrical Engineer transferred to Sutton

Mon 7 … Office … Finished Office copy of Composite plan. Colouring Dirt tip 1/1250 plan. Progress on plans. Calculated and plotted 21s on 1/2500 and faults.

Tues 8 … Office … Amendment to Slusher Support Rules for 12s now started for HMI RA Bower and prints. Inked in 21s on all scales and contours and stippled plans to date. Coloured a Dirt tip plan.

Wed 9 … Office … Overlay tracings. Updated 1/5000 tracings … Dust Zones, General Purpose, Manpower etc. Notice re Shotfiring.

Thurs 10 … U/g … Checked line in 12s RH with Watts 5’ dial and lines in both gates and amended Support Rules for Slusher down the pit … 2 men (RB*, CHS) … Office … Hardwick Hall Pillar on 1/2500 plan

Fri 11 … Office … Updating 1/2500 negatives.                                  

Sat 12 … 14957 tons

Mon 14 … Office … Progress plans. Electrical information with A McDiarmid and made up plans. Made a Salvage plan for 21s.

Tues 15 …U/g … Theodolite angling and catenary measuring in 9s LH … 4 men (RB*, CHS, AF, AH) … Office … Computer sheets sent. Copied survey into book.

Wed 16 … Office … Second copy Working plans updating. 6 inch plan for Bill Freeman T/O … Surface … to Silverhill for Engineering drawing for A McD (RB*) … Office … 2 ‘Reserved’ notices for G Noble.

Thurs 17 … Office … Continued with Second copy plans, inking in and stencilling.

Fri 18 … Office … Continued with Second copy plans, stencilling levels etc. Prints.

Sat 19 … 14934 tons

Mon 21 … Office … Finished Second copy plans and stippled same. Isopachyte plan to date.

Tues 22 … Office ... Updating negatives. C Skeavington discuss.

Wed 23 … Office … R & FF negatives … Surface … to Sutton for workings (RB*) - 8073 tons

Thurs 24 … Statutory Holiday
Fri 25 and Sat 26 … Christmas
Annual Leave Mon 28, Tues 29, Wed 30, Thurs 31 Dec 1970 and Fri 1 Jan 1971 … Colliery Rest Days
8487 tons