A Unique History From My Work Diaries

Surveying Jobs

North Nottinghamshire Area from April 1967

Page - 45 -

Jul 1973

July 1973
Peter Davies new Deputy Mechanical Engineer transferred from Mansfield

Mon 2 … Office … Plotting plans to Quarter end. Discuss Jim Barnett boreholes. Check plotted 116s borehole. Discuss CW Standage and DR Mounsey. Manager’s new Wall plan showing surface also. Drawing out 579s layout and sections.

Tues 3 … U/g … Inspection of all roads round No2 pit bottom re strata … 2 men (RB*, Jim Barnett.
Geologist) … Office … Discuss CW Standage … signed Support Rules plans. Also re 58s sections. 650s Scour to Drapers Paddy thirled. Discuss Russ Smith Senior Surveyor re various.

Wed 4 … Office … Inking in Working plans and stippling. Info on old Roll plan. Uptodate leaflet on Ollerton Colliery. Book, the Geology of the Country around Ollerton.

Thurs 5 … Office … Investigating old Roll plan and continued copying. Discuss CW Standage Geological book etc … Surface … Visit to Lound Hall to see an exhibition of Drilling Equipment. Discuss 116s with JA Daniels, Ken Greaves and Alan Goodwin. Discuss Percy Hett, Mining Records re old plans of Ollerton.

Fri 6 … Office … Plotted Cannel coal on 10s. Plotted 116s AW boreholes. Discuss DR Mounsey and CW Standage re same. Interviewed To Murdoch for Linesman.    

Sat 7 … 17823 tons
Ken F Greaves Assistant Undermanager on Nights.

Mon 9 … Office … Progress tracings. Progress on plans. Sections on transparencies. Making out sections plans for folder. Mr HM Spanton Area Director called in the office.

Tues 10 … Office … Continued with sections. Meeting 10am … Staff policy CW S. Finished section folder. CW S re sections and borehole. Levels from old 2 chain plan on 1 chain pit bottom plan for Jim Barnett.
Keith Walton linesman left

Wed 11 … Office … Extended 1 chain to an inch plan. Continued investigating old Roll plan. Assisting Jim Barnett with sections … Surface … to Straw Hall borehole site with JB.

Thurs 12 … Office … Continued with old Roll plans. Russ Smith came for updating Area HQ negatives. Discuss JA Daniels re loss of coal, analyses. I proved it was loss of output was by advance per strip at each face. Plotted 116s AW boreholes.

Fri 13 … Office … Finished off info onto plans from old 2 chains to an inch Roll plan. Checking figures for output. Phone Silverhill, Sutton and Blidworth re same.

Sat 14 … Office … Sorted out strips and advances and tonnages with Mike Furniss Assistant Cost Clerk. Progress to date.                                                                                
Sat 15 … 16409 tons
Derek Stephenson Assistant Undermanager on Afternoon shift.

Mon 16 … Office … Tracing and inking in Standard mine plan photographs. Meeting 12.30pm … Pre Accountability K Shaw, DR Mounsey. Brian Barlow and Graham Kemp from Bilsthorpe came for Tacheo.

Tues 17 … U/g … Statutory Dial survey and measurements 10s panel and lines … 4 men (RB*, SNW, HAR, RS) … Office … Calculated and plotted same. 110s thirled o.k. Can now implement New Code of Surveying Practice.

Wed 18 … Office … Manager’s Wall plan. Sifting through Accountability data bank forms … Surface … to No2 headstocks … 4 men (RB*, SNW, George Hartley and Derek Flear Blacksmith to check procedure for changing pulley wheels … Office … Sorting out Pit bottom sections with Jim Barnett, Geologist. Discuss Alan Goodwin Assistant U/m 1/500 plan of 41s development with proposed snicket. Sorting out middle dirt projections for panels.

Thurs 19 … Office … Info re advances etc. Geological folder. Discuss DR Mounsey and CW Standage.
Thurs 19 … U/g … All old roadways in No1 and No2 Pit bottom area examined for possible use for Parkgate scheme … with DR Mounsey Production Manager and CW Standage Manager.
Thurs 19 … Office … Exercise on dirt capacity with Jim Barnett, Geologist … Surface … to Area HQ … new Notice Scheme …. 6 men … (RB*, SNW, ANM. Sam Cole Safety Engineer, Eric Spencer Admin Officer, Don Brown photographer).

Fri 20 … Office … General correspondence. Sorting out strips and advances for graphs.

Sat 21 … 17233 tons

Sun 22 … Surface … Setting marks on No2 pulley wheels for changing from spokes to lightweight wheels … 3 men (RB*, SNW, ANM) Sunday morning.

Mon 23 … Office … General correspondence. (Note … all staff had to read all correspondence coming in and initial it and date … no excuse for not knowing any info or new instructions etc) % metre contours on 6 inch plan.

Tues 24 … U/g … Levelling check through 650s scour to check on Drapers Paddy road, 20s Overcast, 20s LG end and conveyor … 2 men (RB*, HAR) … Introduced to Jack Kniveton General Manager of Blidworth on visit to 20s … Office … Plotted same. Discuss Alan Goodwin re same and Peter Noone Deputy Elec. (130 u/g)

Wed 25 … Office … Accountability data sheets to date. Drawing out 41s development again. Surface … Levelling to Straw Hall borehole near old Ossington Aerodrome … 6½ miles … 2 men (RB*, HAR) … office … Drawing out 41s Overcast on ¼ inch to 1 foot scale. Discuss Alan Goodwin Assistant U/m and Eric Barton Development Overman. 62s thirled o.k.

Thurs 26 … Office … Discuss Ted Hodgson and Peter Longden re surface. Short pre Accountability meeting in JA Daniels D/m office. Surface … Meeting 11am at Area HQ … Director HM Spanton … Accountability (CW Standage & self) … Office … Drawing 41s Overcast.

Fri 27 … Office … Completed 41s Overcast plan and snicket. Discuss CW Standage and JA Daniels, AV Goodwin and D Stephenson.     

Sat 28 … 15503 tons
Party for Clary Skeavington retired (55) John Higginbotham promoted to Deputy Manager Creswell (with Mike Goldsby Manager)

Pit Holidays Mon 30 July to Sat 10 Aug Changing No2 Pulley Wheels to Lightweight.

Mon 30 … Office … Sorting through old books and referencing same. Rained incessantly.

Tues 31 … Office … Referencing old books.
Tues 31 …. Markham shaft disaster … 6.30am … Blacks device system failed on brake drum… 13 + 5 killed. (The same component had broken on No1 shaft Winding engine 13 years before but was thought to be a ‘one off’ at the time. All these components would be changed throughout the country if in use.)
Tues 31 … Surface … Extension of main base in pit yard. Checking the theodolite for level.

Aug 1973

Wed 1 … Office … Referencing old books. Minor Shaft incident at Westthorpe!

Thurs 2 … Surface … to Straw Hall borehole near Ossington … 4 men (RB*, SNW, ANM, DS) 12½ + 9 miles … Office … Manager’s Wall plan. Meeting 2.15pm Parkgate drifts project DR Mounsey, CW S, JAD, Leo Kirk Deputy Area Planner, Les Kerry Projects Planner and Gerry Kirkpatrick Group Ventilation Engineer. Info to George H Jackson re number of Standard mine plans now and new ones required in future.

Fri 3 … Office … Info for 59s preparation for Design meeting … Surface … Tacheo survey of No2 Dirt tip … 4 men (RB*, SNW, ANM and DS).

Mon 6 … U/g … 44s Statutory dial survey and measurements and closing through face line … 4 men (RB*, SNW, ANW, DS) … Office … Copying up. Discuss CW S and JAD re new revised possible positions for drifts.

Tues 7 … Office … Discuss CW S. Plans for Parkgate. Meeting 3pm … Parkgate drifts … DR Mounsey.

Wed 8 … U/g … Dial survey 10s LH AW, through 10s face and closed in 10s LG … 4 men (RB*, SNW, ANM, DS) … Office … Calculated same.

Thurs 9 … Office … Plotted 10s and 44s. Geological folder to date. Discuss Frank Radford Planner. Sections with Jim Barnett.

Fri 10 … Office …   Cleaning all scale rules. Sorting out tackle. Plotted Lagoon No8 with Bernard Bailey, Civil Engineer, Tips, and discuss.  

Annual Leave Mon 13 – Sat 25           Scotland
Sat 11 … 15242 tons

Sat 25 … 15500 tons

Mon 27 … Late Summer Bank Holiday

Tues 28 … Office … General correspondence. Plan of 20s showing hard stemmingand sample points for suspected heating for Ray Gregory Production Manager on call) Contours reduced from 6 inch to a mile to 1/25000.
Wed 29 … Office … Finished contour plan. Plan showing all heatings to date at Ollerton. Info and plans of 20s with air analysis for HMI Guy DR Adamson.

Thurs 30 … Office … Going through old section books to 1953 and putting sections on plans.

Fri 31 … Office … Continued with old section books, levels etc and plotting same. Manager’s Wall plan. Progress on Working plans ... 10951 tons
Received a Planimeter and a copy of the Geology of Country around Ollerton that I had ordered.
Ian Waugh started as Technical Assistant. Alan Whetton (AW) started as linesman
Alan Goodwin Days, and Ken Greaves Nights. Derek Stephenson Afternoons had a car crash at Robin Hood crossroads and suffered a badly broken leg that would prevent him going down the pit again.

Sep 1973
Bill Stafford Dust Suppression Officer left to Dosco

Mon 3 … Office … Inking in sections on Working plans and Overlay copies. Discuss CW S re preparing graphs etc for tonnages O.M.S. for Deputy’s ‘Talk in’ for 16/9/1973.

Tues 4 … Office … Continued with graphs and sketches of development etc. Discuss CW S. Manpower survey of South side for JAD with view for saving men when 110s finished.

Wed 5 … Office … Discuss No1 shaft bulge and Pit bottom cracks on various underground roadways with AJ Williams Chief Engineer and Assistant and Wilf Pearon, CW S … earth movement over 2 years. Finished sketches. Investigations into movement. Discuss CW S and JAD Manpower and efficiency schemes and ideas.

Thurs 6 …Office … Support plans from Rufford. Continued inking in plans. Meeting … Keith Shaw DCME … Manpower Efficiency Schemes (RB). Discuss Russ Smith re use Area HQ Development plans for progress.

Fri 7 … Office … Geological folder, workings to date. Inking in sections on Working plans. New filing cabinet from Admin, section painted. Conveyor plan with Loops coloured for JAD. 20s heating plan to date and negative.                                                                          
Sat 8 … 16835 tons

Mon 10 … Office … Reorganising Cabinet files, labelling etc. Discuss Frank Radford Planner. Saw Cliff Meakin, Overman re 116s salvage. 20s sampling figures to date on Ozalofts. Discuss Russ Smith re 43s layout plan.

Tues 11 … Office … Plotting coal sections with Jim Barnett. Making Planning department progress negs to date for all panels and amendments etc.

Wed 12 … Office … 59s Development Design meeting. Discuss CW S re 20s AW 8” slip. Also re linelads to start at 8am. Continued with amendments to Development plans for progress.

Wed 12 … U/g … Measured up accident 116s LG stable hole … (RB*, Safety) (6) … 7pm - 11pm HMI K Couldwell plan.
Thurs 13 … Office … Plotted accident plan. Discuss NUM. Prints. Amendments to Staufer drawing with Area man ? and prints. Discuss CW S re accident.

Fri 14 … U/g … Measured up accident at 116s Conveyor tension end … 2 men (RB*, DS) (7) 6am … Office … Plotted plan. Discuss NUM and CW S re same. Cliff Meakin re 116s Salvage programme. HMI K Couldwell plan. 

Sat 15 … 15908 tons
Steve Ilett linesman, from Electrical staff for one week experience.

Mon 17 … Office … Geological folderto date. Manager’s Wall plan. Discuss Alan Goodwin re 58s increased section. Info from Jim Barnett re same. 20s Air sample plans to date.

Tues 18 … Office … Info re dirt in sections etc. Discuss HMI K Couldwell and CW S re 116s Conveyor tension end accident. List of panel numbers for hanging. Reducing 1/25000 to 1/125,000 for Standard plans.

Wed 19 … Office … Stencilling sections. Discuss CW S, DR Mounsey and F Radford sections, developments. Discuss HMI K Couldwell re accident and amendments to plan. Saw George Hartley Deputy Mech re having some plumb bobs made.

Thurs 20 … Office … Staff Policy Meeting. 6 inch proposed development negative to date. 72 Roadway notices for Safety department.

Fri 21 … Office … Printing. Colouring. Made new copies of Area HQ planning dept plans for progress. Sorted out HQ plans. Amendment to 41s Overcast plan and prints. Drew out 59s LG and snicket + 18 yards inference for 270 yards face. 3 shotfiring patterns for HMI.

Sat 22 … 16449 tons
SM (Jim) Gill linesman left to Ransome & Marles

Mon 24 … Office … Geological folder to date. Faults and dates on 6 inch flat sheets.

Tues 25 … Office … Coloured Pumping plan, Proposed development, Deputy’s Districts. Tracing of Top Hard 1/125,000. Discuss Jim Barnett.

Wed 26 … U/g … 20s dial survey and measurements and 41s LG line … 4 men (RB*, ANM, RS, AR),… Office … Colouring plans. (135 u/g)

Thurs 27 … Office … Meeting … 59s / 62s Face design … JA Daniels. HMI Young re 59s shotfiring and Installation of Electricity. Also coal seam succession for him. New shotfiring pattern for 59s Scouring. Discuss development Mr JP Berry Deputy Director, Keith Shaw DCME, DR Mounsey DCME, CW Standage and Frank Radford Planner.

Fri 28 … Office … Amends to 59s Installation of Electricity and shotfiring pattern for HMI Young. Discuss CW S. Plans to date, progress.

Sat 29 … 14435 tons

Oct 1973            
Joe Rafferty Assistant Undermanager Thoresby (ex U/m Sutton as Assistant Undermanager to replace Derek Stephenson who had a bad car accident. Ernie Corcoran appointed Undermanager, promoted from Assistant U/M Creswell.

Mon 1 … Office … Working plans to date to Quarter end. Introduced to Ernie Corcoran new Undermanager. Amends to 59s Scour shotfiring pattern, Copies of Working plans.

Tues 2 … U/g … (63) Spudding and measuring along old 150s, 5s and 12s (North return) to 12s doors on 650s trunk conveyors … 4 men (RB*, SNW, DS, HAR plus Ted Lilley, Deputy, NACODS Sec) … Office … Continued with copies of Working plans and completed.

Wed 3 … Office … Drew colliery ‘take’ on key plan on Sectional mine plans and copies. Discuss Russ Smith Senior Surveyor and he took Second copies to Area HQ. Interviewed Alan Wragg re linesman.

Thurs 4 … Office … Continued updating other copies. Manager’s Wall plan with SNW. Geological folder to date also JP Berry (Deputy Director) to 20s … Surface … Preliminary survey and bench mark location for Barrel Hill borehole, Sutton on Trent, 23 miles. Discuss JAD 59s Junction, East Booster fan site, 58s borehole (saw Terry and Arthur drillers) Phone Eddie Gray Boremaster.

Fri 5 … Office … Plan and section of Harrison’s Hill in No2 Pit bottom, 1in3 down to 622s paddy. Discuss CW S boreholes. Read Lofthouse Report. Making up Second copy negatives.

Sat 6 … 14009 tons
Joe Rafferty Assistant U/m on Afternoons

Mon 8 … Office … Plan of Welfare proposed Bowls Pavilion. Plan and sections of Dunsil / Waterloo boreholes across 58s. Tracing of Harrison’s Hill plan for JAD re possible assisttant. Saw E Corcoran U/m with Alan Wragg, also about Martin Jones for linesmen.

Tues 9 … Office … Sorting out 58s boreholes with Jim Barnett. Discuss DR Mounsey Production Manager and CW Standage re proposed East Booster fan site at bottom of 622s paddy. Drawing of same.

Wed 10 … U/g … Measured up bottom of 622s paddy and 10s AW, 25s L H … 3 men (RB*, ANM and Martin Jones (MJ). Discuss E Corcoran U/m and Eric Barton Overman re 24s C and 59s AW and old 14s turn for new 110s … Office … Plotted heights on 24s C plan.

Thurs 11 … Office … Continued with Second copy negatives. Amends to 6 inch negatives for faults etc … Surface … Preliminary survey and BM location for Barrel Hill Surface Borehole near Sutton on Trent… 2 men (RB*, SNW) … 23 miles … Area HQ … Interview for Senior Surveyor … Gordon Ison, Brian Barlow, Peter Robinson and self.

Fri 12 … Office … Discuss E Corcoran. Finished calculations for 150s theodolite traverse and plotted same … Surface … Measured out ball of millband = 2,060 feet … Office … Job Appraisal CW S … 3*stars. I did job appraisal on Stuart N Whittle … Improving well, but difficulty at times using instruments in tight places due to his large build.  

Sat 13 … 13763 tons
Alan Whetton (AW) linesman left, replaced by Martin Jones (MJ)

Mon 15 … Surface … to Bilsthorpe for 1/5000 workings (RB*) discuss Brian Barlow and Graham Kemp… Office … I assessed A Neil Mason, improving quickly. Made negatives up to date. Prints coloured. Manager’s Wall plan to date, but needed a new one. Meeting … pre Accountability … K Shaw DCME, DR Mounsey Production Manager, CW S, RB. Coloured new 1/5000 Wall plan for Manager.

Tues 15 … Office … Discuss E Corcoran U/m. New plan on Manager’s wall with borehole chart. Geological folder to date. Referencing pamphlets.

Wed 17 … U/g … to 44s with Jim Barnett Geologist … (RB*, JB) Sketch of supports at AW end. Sections and samples where the machine was cutting slow about 1 foot per minute. Discuss same and proposed heading in Dunsil horizon off 20s AW for 45s … aborting 43s.
Fatal Accident David Abrams 44s trepanner driver, machine lifted when chock nogs were being sent down panzer to other gate.

Thurs 18 … Office … Discuss CW S re amendment plans for 44s AW end. Discuss JA Morley Area Surveyor … proposed Main Bright stopping off and sending plan. Deputy’s M.S. (Meeting Station) put on negative. Discuss Eric Fletcher Overman re 44s problems, same with Mechanical Engineers.

Fri 19 … Office … Discuss JAD re state of centre lines, faces etc. Discuss CW S re dirt on faces, 44s supports. Plotting 10s with protractor as a check. Progress to date.

Sat 20 … 14489 tons
Ken Greaves Assistant U/m on Days in charge of development. Ron Greatrex Safety Engineer on loan from Sherwood because Sam Cole had been off work a long time.

Mon 22 … Tues 23 … Annual Leave

Wed 24 … Office … Discuss work etc. 44s machine drawings from Derek Hunter, Mechanisation dept. Engineering drawings of No2 shaft pit top from Area HQ.

Discuss Fatal Accident to D Abram with HMI G Weston. Peter Davies with sketches of same. Made out Quarterly Measurement book from March 1971 to date Sep 1973.

Thurs 25 … U/g … Accident to Reg Smart, Deputy at 20s LG buttress chock … 2 men (RB*, ANM) (8) … Office … Plotted same. Discuss same with Ron Greatorex Safety Engineer, on loan.

Fri 26 … Office … Began amending Electrical plans. Discuss JAD, HMI G Weston water and Main Bright. Phone to JA Morley Area Surveyor re same, twice. Discuss CW S re MS1 form.

Sat 27 … 13388 tons
Alan V Goodwin Assistant U/m on Nights.

Mon 29 … U/g … Drapers Paddy measurements and assessment with Ken Greaves Asst U/m, Ted Lilley Deputy and NACODS Sec … for HMI Ken Couldwell … Also to old 31s across 20s RH. … 3 men (RB*, KFG, EL). A mock up figure made from plywood was ‘sat’ in the font car of Drapers Paddy and measurements were taken at each point where it was low or tight as the cars passed … Office … Plotted same and plan and discuss CW S. (140 u/g)

Tues 30 … Office … Copies of Drapers Paddy plan, after HMI K Couldwell visit. … Principal HMI Dilwyn Richards stopped the manriding. Neil Mason took measures for plan amendment later at 5pm. Continued with Electrical plans. Discuss. Jack Chapman Photographer brought Main Bright copies.

Wed 31 … U/g … Measured up site of fire at A2 conveyor at old overcast … 2 men (RB*, SNW) … HMI G Weston … Office … Plan of same. Discuss HMI G Weston (Senior district). Copies. Des Thompson brought Levelling staff from Harworth, left by Van driver.

Jack Spencer Full Weigh clerk retired. Mike Furniss Assistant Cost Clerk promoted to Cost Clerk at Sutton. Barry Shephard appointed Dust Suppression Officer from Clipstone.

Nov 1973

Thurs 1 … U/g … Levelling to 55s borehole site and along 25s LG to where 59s AW will cross … 2 men (RB*, HAR) … Office … Emergency borehole procedure … (AE Betts) and discuss, also re coverage of surface boreholes from all sources.
General Meeting NN Mining Engineering Society in the early evening

Fri 2 … Office … Accident book to date. Sam Cole Safety Engineer been off work a long time. Discuss faults with Jim Barnett. Continued with Electrical plans.

Sat 3 … 12228 tons

Mon 5 … Office … Plotted section across new 45s area including Dunsil seam with Jim Barnett. Also smoothing technique for dirt sections on 20s. Examined 10s to date for swilley and 28s end. I suggested boring, discuss CW S, JAD and KFG. Finished Electrical plans.

Tues 6 … Office … Amendments to Main Bright copies in preparation for abandonment, plus report.

Wed 7 … U/g … Examined 110s LG end. 116s abandonment levelling through face and final measurements (but one cut to finish) … 2 men (RB*, DS) … Office … Copied up, calculated and plotted.
Hadawi Abdul Razak Al Rekabi (Hadi, HAR) qualified as a Surveyor, passed MQB exam

Thurs 8 … Office … Catalogued all boreholes known. Discuss JA Barnett. Info to Stuart Farnsworth Cost Clerk re future sections. Geological folder to date. Sorted out old calculations.

Fri 9 … Office … JA Barnett re 20s sections. Plotted 400s / 200s theodolite stations. 12 x 6 inch site plans of A2 Conveyor fire for HMI G Weston.    

Meeting of all management staff re Overtime ban by NUM members. Phone J Russ Smith re template and sheet Volatile matter.
BACM Special meeting of members re Overtime ban by NUM starting.

Sat 10 … 13378 tons

Mon 12 … Office … Plotted 622s paddy bottom end on ¼ and 1/8 scales. General correspondence.
Tues 13 … U/g … Examination of old roadways … 400s Main and Tea cup handle Loading Point etc and offsets … 4 men (RB*, SNW, DS, HAR and Jimmy Golightly Roadways Deputy) … Office … Plotted same. Ian Waugh re 622s paddy. JAD and CW S re boreholes at 10s LG end mre 28s. Notice for Trent Polytechnic.

Wed 14 … Office … Sorting out boreholes etc from Geological Memoires book. AE Betts brought 25 in sheet for Sutton on Trent area. Discuss and asked to investigate borehole position differences.

Thurs 15 … Office … Plotted Barrel Hill surface borehole. Info re D Abram fatality at 44s and read witnesses statements. Extra prints and coloured. Discuss CW S re weekend. Notice re Pay Out. Discuss JAD. NN Mining Engineering Socity … Walter Thouless re Finances.

Fri 16 … Progress on plans. Discuss various. Borehole plan for 58s AW ‘C’. 11204 tons
Inquest at Mansfield Police Station re David Abram … (CW S, RB, Ron Greatorex temp Safety Engineer). 
NUM Overtime ban started….

Sat 17 … No1 Winding house, No1 bank etc … Loco with Ted Hodgson taking coal to boilers … 7am – 3.30pm.

Sun 18 … U/g … Rode No2 shaft with John Maskrey Opencast Director to pit bottom, he was scared because JA Daniels was winding … 5.45am Inbye to North Booster fans ALONE IN THE PIT , to read dials etc and book every half hour … until Ernie Corcoran came at 11.45am ... out of the pit at 4.15pm. (145 U/g)

Mon 19 … Office … Sorting out borehole logs. Discuss. Drawing of 110s AW end for slusher extension for Deputy.

Tues 20 … Office … 20s Air samples to date. General correspondence. Notice. Overalls and gloves.

Wed 21 … Surface … to Teversal and Silverhill various (RB*).

Wed 21 … Meeting … Institute of Mining Engineers … K Shaw re North Notts Development (RB).

Thurs 22 … Off

Fri 23 …. Office … General correspondence etc. Manager’s Wall plan.

Sat 24 … U/g … North Booster fan at 34s … with Jim Rhodes (Area) Industrial Relations … readings every 30 minutes 5.45pm – 3.00 am.
12600 tons

Sun 25 … U/g … North Booster fan … with Geoff Parry ex Manager … 5.45pm – 3.00am … also acting as Deputy to fetch air samples from 20s AW heating site.

Mon 26 … Off

Tues 27 … Office … General. Discuss CW Standage.

Wed 28 … U/g … 110s checked seam section and measured up packhole supports etc … (RB*) … with JA Daniels D/m discuss extra 8 inches cut of coal, 11 inches in floor. Also re the Deputy reporting Harold Hand for easing the LG centre line to the right, saying that I had told him to do so. That was correct because at that time I did not know where the panel to the left hand side was to any degree of accuracy and it was supposed to be running parallel to it, so to err on the safety side I advised the linesmen to ease the line to the right sooner than the left. JA Daniels was up in arms over the statement so he and I went down the pit, rode on the Jotty paddy car and went to the outbye end of the LG. I asked what size arches were being set, 15 x 10 ft he told me, so being stupid I asked if that was 10 feet wide and 15 feet high, knowing that it was 15 feet wide and 10 feet high. He stated that it was, I then said we would check the gate width so instead of stopping the gate belt I skipped along it whilst there was a lull in coaling and stepped off on the tight side. Using the gate measure marks we proceeded to take measurements, with me insisting that he read the tape and I would book the readings. First reading from him was 7 feet 8 inch, moved inbye 10 yards and the measurement was 7 feet 1 inches, third reading another 10 yards inbye gave a width reading of 7 feet 6 inches and it was obvious looking inbye that the gate widths would be similar due to crush. I then asked him where the other 8 feet of the gate had gone and if he could tell me that he could have the line at the lip just where he wanted it. His face looked in awe as it sunk in and the penny dropped. With a grin he then said I had proved a point so ‘now let’s go round the panel’ he said. Never ever mentioned about centre lines again in future!
Office … Plotted same. Discuss E Corcoran U/m with BS and MJ.
Retirement Party for Clary Skeavington at the Lord Byron

Thurs 29 … Off

Fri 30 … Office … General. Measured up accident in Saw Mill … Tom Siddons cut off some fingers using a circular saw. (RB*) (9) Plotted same and prints ... 12374 tons.
Wilf Pearson finished … Peter Davies appointed Mechanical Engineer from Deputy, Mick Young Deputy Mechanical Engineer. Steve Morris Assistant Cost Clerk started.
Ted Hinde back with NCB with Stan Brunskill organising Surface boring sites.

Dec 1973

Sat 1 … U/g … North booster fan at 34s … with Arthur Barker (Area) … 11.00am – 7.15pm … also 20s air samples
Sun 2 … U/g … North Booster fan … with John Herbert (Projects Planner at Area, ex Surveyor at Welbeck) … 20s air sample from heating site, acting Deputy 12 noon – 8.00pm.       (150 u/g)

Mon 3 … Off

Tues 4 … Office … Discuss Rota and made out sheets. General. Repaired strap on theodolite box. Sorting out 20s old levels. Discuss Eric Barton O/m re 41s snicket … borehole through o.k. Discuss Jack Lyons Electrical Engineer.

Wed 5 … U/g … to 41s snicket, 20s AW line adjusted, 59s AW scour checked … 4 men (RB*, ANM, CM, KS) … Office … Discuss JAD and Ray Keeton 110s AW supports. Informed JAD re sump at 26s A / 25s A.

Thurs 6 … Off … NNMES evening … Talk by R Scott Chief Mining Engineer re Plant Pool

Fri 7 … Office … General. Weekend rota. Discuss JAD. Water at old 41s? discuss Jimmy Pickering Safety Officer.                                                                                                 

Sat 8 … 13213 tons
Sat 8 … U/g … North booster fan, and driving Drapers paddy and 20s AW air samples … with Arthur Barker … 5.00pm – 2.00am.

Sun 9 … U/g … North booster fan and driving Drapers paddy and 20s AW air samples … with Geoff Parry … 5.00pm – 2.00am.

Mon 10 … Off

Tues 11 … U/g … Abandonment survey of 116s panel with dial. Coupled through face from AW to LG … 4 men (RB*, SNW, HAR, DS) Copied up survey. Weekend rota.

Wed 12 … Office … Plotted 116s on all scales and contours. Thoresby workings on 6 inch flat sheet. Phoned Clarksons at Cannock re theodolite for repair and overhaul. JAD re 10s Scour off square? o.k.

Thurs 13 … Off

Fri 14 … Office … Geological folder. 110s AW Support plan and prints. Progress. Discuss JAD. Russ Smith re lamp, explain Drapers Paddy. BUPA forms from R Adcock.

Sat 15 … 13274 tons

Sat 15 … U/g … North booster fan at 34s … ALONE IN THE PIT, plus 20s AW air samples and Deputy … 5.00pm – 2.00am … phoned Control about every hour. (155 u/g)

Sun 16 … U/g … North booster fan … and 20s AW air samples … with Ray Keeton 6.00pm – 2.00am

Mon 17 … Off

Tues 18 … Office … Drawing of East side proposed Booster fan site and prints. Form B3 with Eric Spencer Admin Officer in case of petrol rationing. New bookcase from Joiners. 10s sections drawn out for CW S. Discuss same and Weekend rota.

Wed 19 … Office … Austin Brown student tuition till Jan 4. Checking through sections. Discuss JAD re East Side Booster fan site. Discuss E Corcoran U/m re Alan Wragg.
Dinner 7.30pm at the Great Northern Inn.

Thurs 20 … Surface … to Sutton Colliery (RB*).

Fri 21 … Office … Routine …      Christmas Party.

Sat 22 … U/g … North booster fan with Joe Rafferty 10.00am – 7.00pm.
12400 tons

Sun 23 … U/g … North booster fan and Drapers paddy driver … with Joe Rafferty 12.00 noon – 8.00pm

Mon 24 … Colliery Rest Day
Mon 24 … U/g … Christmas Eve … North booster fan and Drapers paddy driver … with John Maskrey 12.00 noon – 8.00pm.

Tues 25 … Christmas, Wed 26 … Boxing Day Holiday.
Thurs 27 … Pit Holiday. Fri 28 … Pit Holiday.

Sat 29 … Off  

Output 1973 = 798,053 tons - Manpower … 989 u/g, 321 s/f - 3800 tons

Sun 30 … U/g … North booster fan and Drapers paddy driver … with Ernie Corcoran 12noon – 8.00pm.
(160 u/g)

Mon 31 … U/g … New Year’s Eve … North booster fan and Drapers paddy driver ... with Arthur Coggan 12 noon-8.00pm.