A Unique History From My Work Diaries

Surveying Jobs

North Nottinghamshire Area from April 1967

Page - 46 -

Jan 1974

New Year’s Day … Tues 1 … First Public Holiday

Joe Rafferty left to British Gypsum. Ron Greatorex went back to Sherwood Safety Engineer.
Ken F Greaves on Nights, Alan V Goodwin on Days. Geoff Weston HMI to Senior District Inspector
Gordon Ison from Sutton promoted to Senior Surveyor, Geoff Austin appointed Surveyor at Sutton
Wed 2 … Colliery Rest Day.

Wed 2 … U/g … North booster fan and Drapers paddy driver … with John Reeves Planner 12noon – 8pm.

Thurs 3 … Fri 4 … Sat 5 … Off

Sat 5 … 4100 tons

Sun 6 … U/g … North booster fan and methane pump … with Arthur Coggan. Ventilation department 6.00pm – 2.00am.

Mon 7 … Off

Tues 8 … Office … General. JA Morley Area Surveyor phoned re Hadi AlRekabi to Clipstone as Second Assistant. Quarterly measurements book. Made Working plans up to December.

Wed 9 … Office … Discuss Keith Shaw DCME re Weekend rota system and to call every Tuesday morning for same. Inking in sections and theodolite stations on Working plans. HMI K Couldwell and JA Daniels D/m re 110s LG in relation to 109s AW for gas. JAD re 110s AW Support Rules … to leave for CW Standage to sign!

Thurs 10 … Office … Continued plotting. Updating photo copies. Mr West re accident 116s AW … no help! Discuss Hadi AlRekabi transfer to Clipstone and with CW S, DR Mounsey and JAD, decision for him to stay at Ollerton until NUM Overtime ban ends.

Fri 11 … Office … Completed photo copies. Discuss roster.

Sat 12 … U/g … North booster fan, Drapers paddy driver, 20s face check and air sample as Deputy … with Bernard Bailey Tips Surveyor Civil Engineers department 5.00pm – 2.00am.
Sat 12 … 13113 tons

Group change DR Mounsey … Ollerton, Clipstone, Rufford, Sherwood and Thoresby … (R Gregory … Teversal, Silverhill, Sutton, Creswell and Welbeck ... R Anderson … Bevercotes, Bilsthorpe, Blidworth, Mansfield and Harworth).

Mon 14 … Office … Keith Shaw DCME came for rota. Discuss CW S. Chart for George Hartley, Deputy Mechanical Engineer Surface. Discuss Cliff Johnson Area Method Study Engineer chart for Working times at faces and shifts etc.

Tues 15 … U/g … Catenary measuring 10s LG … 5 men (RB*, SNW, ANM, HAR, MJ) … Office … Copied up. (165 u/g)

Wed 16 … Off

Thurs 17 … U/g … 58s check on panel also assist 58s LG levelling (RB*, DS and RS).

Fri 18 …Office … General and rota … Surface … Levelling for grades for Slack road under Coal Prep Plant … 3 men (RB*, SNW, HAR) … Office … Plan started for same.
Alan Wragg (AW) started as linesman,

Sat 19 … Off

Sat ... 11623 tons

Sun 20 … U/g … North booster fan, Drapers paddy driver, 44s AW check with Bernard Bailey 6.00pm – 2.00am

Mon 21 … Office … Plotting Coal Prep measures. Discuss K Shaw DCME. Stockyard plan for clean-up starting next Monday.

Tues 22 … Office … Mr Dorman of Clarksons brought Watts 20” theodolite back and took CTS 1” prism. 3 notices. Drew out 45s layout with drift earlier than planned previously. Further notices.

Wed 23 … Off

Thurs 24 … Office … 500 Hilti clips delivered for lining. 116s salvage sheets. Discuss DR Mounsey and CW Standage. Correspondence.

Fri 25 … U/g … Sites of proposed Parkgate drifts in Pit bottom with Alan Goodwin U/M and Ted Lilley Deputy (RB*) … Office … Plant Pool items with Eric Ricketts PPM. Rota.

Sat 26 … 10050 tons

Sun 27 … U/g … North booster fan, 20s face fall checked by me on Deputy duty and air samples from 20s AW re heating… with John Herbert … 12noon – 8.00pm.

Mon 28 … Off Changed No1 Winding rope with Underground men assisting and also cleaning up on surface.

Tues 29 … Rota. Discuss 20s with JAD. Petrographic Top Hard sections from Jim Barnett … Meeting 1.30pm … Heading design for Parkgate Intake and Return drifts.

Wed 30 … Office … Parkgate layout. Sorting out sections. 6 inch plan for CW S for Area HQ showing stoppings etc. and hardstemming programme … Surface … Escorted HMI K Couldwell to No2 pit bank re … supposed heating? ... (they had set ground on fire by welding and didn’t tell him) … K Couldwell was not convinced about the heating but could not prove otherwise! … Office … Discuss 44s sections with CW S, JA D, EC and Jim Barnett.

Thurs 31 … Off NUM Ballot voted for Strike Action (81% in favour).

Feb 1974

Fri 1 … Office … Made negative up to date for 20s re suspected heating at Loader gate old face heading position. Rota with Cliff Johnson. Discuss JAD and Mr Higgins Coal Survey (Scientific) re getting a full pillar sample of the seam at 58s LG.

Sat 2 … Malcolm D Clarke to Technical Assistant. Ron Greatorex Safety Engineer on loan went back to Sherwood.
6608 tons

Sun 3 … U/g … North Booster fan, Drapers paddy driver, 20s Deputy , with Bernard T Bailey … 6pm – 2am. (170 u/g)

Mon 4 … Off No1 shaft rope change. Underground men assisting and cleaning up the surface.

Tues 5 … Office … Progress to date and checked surveys. Discuss CW S re Hadi AlRekabi and possible rotas. Area HQ progress, stopping sites etc. 10s contours.

Tues 5 … U/g … Accident site measured for J Coope, 100s LH AW near 105s … 2 men (RB*, ANM) (10) called out by CW Standage, Manager at 6pm … 7pm to 11pm.

Wed 6 … Office … Plotting accident plan. Discuss CW S. Info re 24s and 52s boreholes to Eddie Gray Boremaster by phone. Capping No2 winding rope.

Thurs 7 … Office … Gridded new Pagra sheets using template. With CW Standage and HMI K Couldwell interviewing witnesses and subsequently amending the accident plan and copies. Info re 42s and 56s boreholes to Alan Elliott Planner by phone.

Fri 8 … Office … Sorting out further petrograms of seam. Parkgate, discussion with CW S and JAD. Up to date Valve plan to Peter Davies Mechanical Engineer. 

Sat 9 … Bob Shepherd (RS) linesman left. Hadi Abdul Razal Al Rekabi joined BACM staff. 5739 tons
NUM Members on Strike

Mon 11 … Office … Progress to date in the morning.

Mon 11 … Boiler duties Afternoon shift with Mick Young, Derek Stephenson and Malcolm Clarke … 4pm to 12 midnight (4 men).

Tues 12 … Boilers Afternoon shift … ditto (4 men)

Wed 13 … Boilers Afternoon shift … ditto plus 2 others from HQ, Steve Wright and Stan Sterland (6 men).

Thurs 14 … Boilers Afternoon shift … ditto, (then Malcolm Clarke to U/g ) (3 men) … we decided to go one man light on each back shift to let one have time off …. Didn’t tell the others, it worked.

Fri 15 … Off … thus.

Sat 16 … Boilers afternoon shift … ditto 8pm to 12 midnight (3 men).
Nil output

Sun 17 … Off … thus.

Mon 18 … Boilers … Day shift, same team 8am to 4 pm plus I was Banksman at No1 shaft… 8am to 4pm (3 men).

Tues 19 … Boilers … Day shift … plus being Banksman at No1 shaft.

Wed 20 … Boilers … Day shift … plus being Banksman at No1 shaft.

Wed 20 … U/g … also Onsetting in pit bottom … 8am to 5pm (3 men).
Wed 20 … U/g … then driving Drapers paddy then onsetting whilst oiling balance rope (with Peter Davies, Charlie Swinscoe, Malcolm D Clarke) … 8am to 5pm (4 men).

Thurs 21 … Boilers … plus Banksman at No1 and No2 shaft .
Then U/g … Onsetting in pit bottom … 8am to 5pm (3 men).

Thurs 21 … U/g … Measured overwind distances … No1 and No2 shafts with Peter Davies and Malcolm Clarke then Drapers Paddy driving … 8am to 5pm (3 men). (175 u/g)

Fri 22 … U/g … RB … Onsetter and Banksman at No1 and No2 shafts … then Drapers Paddy driving … 8am to 5pm (3 men).

Fri 22 … U/g … Drapers paddy driving twice and pumping No2 sump with Mick Young and Malcolm Clarke … 8am to 5pm (3 men).

Sat 23 … Boilers Day shift 8am to 4pm RB with M Young, Steve Wright and Stan Sterland (4 men).

Sun 24 … Boilers Day shift 8am to 4pm … with ditto (4 men).

Mon 25 … Boilers Night shift 12 midnight to 8am with M Young and S Wright (3 men).

Tues 26 … Boilers Night shift 12 midnight to 8am with M Young, S Wright and S Sterland (4 men).

Wed 27 … Off

Thurs 28 … Boilers Night shift 12 midnight to 8am with M Young, Derek Stephenson, S Wright and S Sterland (5 men).

March 1974

Mon 4 … Boilers Afternoon shift 4pm to 12 midnight RB with Mick Young, S Wright and S Sterland (4 men).

Tues 5 … Boilers Afternoon shift 4pm to 12 midnight RB with M Young, D Stephenson and S Sterland … mending grate then cleaned out Pit Head Baths and loading coal in hoppers (4 men).

Wed 6 … Boilers Afternoon shift … 4pm to 12 midnight … mended No10 grate RB with M Young, S Wright and S Sterland (4 men).

Thurs 7 … Boilers Afternoon shift … 4pm to 12 midnight … Mending grate, loading coal in hoppers and Water Softener RB with M Young, D Stephenson, S Wright and S Sterland (5 men).

Fri 8 … Boilers Afternoon shift … 4pm to 12 midnight … Coal in hoppers RB with M Young, S Wright and D Stephenson.       

Sat … Nil

NUM Strike over
AV Goodwin Days, KF Greaves Afternoons, D Stephenson Nights

Mon 11 … Office … General. Plan. Discuss … all heights of buildings measured. Russ Smith brought Ordnance Survey sheets. Surface plan for CW Standage.
BACM members Meeting … CW Standage

Tues 12 … Office … Discuss E Corcoran 600s. AV Goodwin re Parkgate Junction. Contacted Projects planning Leo Kirk. Discuss Ted Hodgson surface work and underground. Discuss DR Mounsey and CW S. JAD re 58s AW line … off. Interviewed Neil Smith for job as linesman.

Wed 13 … U/g … Established line in 59s LG heading and sample of seam … 2 men (RB*, HAR) … Office … Discuss same CW Sandage, DR Mounsey Production Manager and Frank Lee Area Planner.
Institute of Mining Engineers … Papers … RB Dunn, Konrad Hess and John Town from N Derbyshire Area.

Thurs 14 … Office … Discuss Lou Scrivens re strap for dial. Adjusted vertical circle on dial and checked with HAR. Ozalid rep to Printing machine.

Fri 15 … Office … Plan. 6” x 6” plans showing emergency and normal routes out of the pit from districts. Emergency Procedure to date. Discuss CW S and JAD.

Sat 16 … 9535 tons
Hadawi Abdul Razak AlRekabi (Hadi) transferred to Clipstone as Assistant Surveyor.

Mon 18 … Office … Emergency plans on 6” showing distances and times from each panel to pit bottom.

Tues 19 … Office … Find Parkgate at No 2 shaft … no. Info to Eddie Gray Boremaster by phone re 58s pillar coal sample. Geological folder to date. Manager’s Wall plan. 10s Scour turn plan.
Pay Rise 24% from Mar 1

Wed 20 … U/g … 44s LG checked with dial … now on 3 ft offset … 3 men (RB*, ANM, DS) … Office … continued with Scour turn drawing.

Thurs 21 … Office … Plan of New fence round Powder distribution. Plan showing Parkgate access for HMI K Couldwell, also shotfiring pattern for ½ head and short stable hole exemption for 20s. Pit bottom plan to Les Kerry, Projects, re deepening No2 shaft.

Fri 22 … Office … Jim Kerr Special duties Production Manager and JA Daniels 41s sections etc. Emergency procedure with Jimmy Pickering Safety Officer. Drew out proposed Chock Repair shop and site at back of Romney hut.

Sat 23 … 11169 tons

Mon 25 … Office … Checking Emergency procedure. Discuss Peter Davies re Chock Repair shop drawing. Keith Shaw DCME discuss re old roadways in shaft pillar, requested a plan.

Tues 26 … U/g … Theodolite angling from 58s AW down 25s CG, checked 59s LG line then up NE Connection to 25s LH … 4 men (RB*, SNW, DS, AW) … Office … Calculated bearings. Phone Jack Storr, Thoresby re 51s Dosco head struck north fault. (180u/g)

Wed 27 … Office … Colouring Emergency Procedure plans. Keith Shaw came for plan of pit bottom roadways in shaft pillar. Coloured 6” pit plans for Emergency routes out. Drawing of Chock Repair shop. Discuss Jim Barnett Geologist various.

Thurs 28 … Office … Finished 6 inch plans for egress. Amends to Emergency procedure. ‘Talk In’ JA Daniels and 4 Overmen … Emergency routes out of the pit and saw Rescue Teams re same. E Corcoran re Neil Smith release for linesman. Also re 58s check line and sections.
Pay for weekend work £10 per shift = £240

Fri 29 … Office … Geology… boreholes on 1/25000 new plan. Info for DR Mounsey and CW s re advance per strip etc. Began drawing out 20s face breasting supports plan for JAD … did not use.

Sat 30 … 13932 tons
Output for 1973/74 = 646,552 tons Loss £754,000

Apr 1974

Mon 1 … Office … Made working plans to date for March quarter. Finished off 20s breasting plan and prints. AV Goodwin U/m in charge re Neil Smith for linesman.

Tues 2 … Office … Made up photo copies of Standard Mine plans for Area HQ. Coloured 1/25000 plan of boreholes … Surface … Measures to new fencing in Pit yard. Amended plan for Gordon Fryer Civil Engineer showing existing and proposed fencing. John Sparks Rep re 44s picks (ex Teversal Materials Officer) and discuss.

Wed 3 … U/g … to 20s district, progress and broken ground … (RB*) Assisted John Hayter Fire Officer. Sketch of 20s for JAD and AVG. O.S. Rep came re station on No1 headgear … o.k. but the rails difficult.
Wed 3 … Surface … Ordnance Survey Surveyor came re trig station on No 1 headgear (RB*)

Thurs 4 … Office … Made up 62 and 1/5000 flat sheets. Contours, levels etc on 1/2500 plans. R & FF 1/5000 workings to date. Russ Smith collected copies.

Fri 5 … Office … Poster for Safety dept and prints. Finished off Emergency Procedure info and copies distributed. General discuss. Russ Smith returned old R & FF plans.

Sat 6 … 13111 tons

Sat 6 … Party for BACM members and wives at the Fiesta Club Sheffield

Annual Leave Mon 8 – Sat 13, Mon 15 … Easter Monday, Tues 16 … Statutory Holiday.
Annual Leave Wed 17 – Sat 20

Sat 13 … 13841 tons

Sat 20 … 7307 tons
Kevin Porter (KP) started as linesman. Mick Young Deputy Mechanical Engineer

Mon 22 … General, up to date, correspondence etc. Progress to date on plans. Emergency procedure with Reg Smart Deputy plus 3 others. CW S re Parkgate Junction. Phoned Les Kerry re same. Manager’s Wall plan. Amendments to Electrical diagram. Geological folder to date. Area Salvage folder. Emergency procedure with Jack Todd Overman, 6 o’clock shift and 5 extenders.

Tues 23 …Office … Plan of Access Junction for Parkgate sent down pit … Surface … marked out 111 degree line for conveyor for North No1 Transfer point (RB* and Fred Marples C/v belts ). Thoresby workings on 6”. Emergency procedure with 1 Deputy. Check calculations. Co-ordinates in books. Made out list of Linesmen.

Wed 24 … U/g … Lines checked in 10s AW and 10s LG and 10s Scour and advanced and measured 10s face … 3 men (RB*, DS, AW) … Office … Sorting out 110s faulting.

Thurs 25 … U/g … 20s district dial survey and measured face … 5 men (RB*, ANM, KS, MJ, PNS) … Office … Notice re Code of Practice for Slushing onto AFC for E Corcoran U/m.

Fri 26 … Office … Finished off notice and prints. Repaired some tapes. Finished Electrical drawing of Blacks Safety Tripping device for No1 and No2 shaft winders. Calculated bearings for South side. Progress. Geological folder. General.

Sat 27 … 14019 tons
Derek Stephenson Assistant U/m Days, Ken F Greaves Afternoons and Alan V Goodwin Nights

Mon 29 … Office … Info to Derek Stephenson Asst U/m re 110s and 45s development. Staff Policy Meeting 10am. Alan Elliott Planner came and we agreed bearings for Parkgate layout. Discuss 45s development etc.

Tues 30 … U/g … Theodolite angling from 100s LH Aw to 110s LG and line check … Office … Copied up. Info to Derek Stephenson re 10s chock change from Gullick 5 leg to Dowty 6 leg and also 45s development.

May 1974

Wed 1 … U/g … Theodoite angling from 100s LH to 110s LG and line check and adjusted and measured face …5 men (RB*, DS, CM, AR, AW) … Office … St John’s Ambulance hut for discussion and slides on accidents with CW S. Copied up survey. No1 plan for 45s development. (185 u/g)

Thurs 2 … U/g … Centre line and grade line at Access drift (Dunsil horizon) for new Parkgate Intake drift … discuss Ted Lilley Deputy and NACODS Sec … 2 men (RB*, SNW) … Office … Plotted 10s levels. Discuss JAD developments and East side Booster fan site … print off.

Fri 3 … Office … Calculated and plotted 10s and 110s surveys. Drawing for D Stephenson for 10s LG packhole. Geological folder and progress to date. Write up for Jimmy Pickering ‘A brief history British Coal mining’. Discuss various JAD.

Sat 4 … Surface … Repaired CTS 1” Theodolite with prism supplied from Clarksons and checked (RB*)
15176 tons

Sun 5 … Office … Markham shaft disaster report
Change … David R Mounsey Production Manager promoted to DCME Mining and Frank Middleton, Manager at Rufford succeeded as Production Manager

Mon 6 … Office … Sorted out new Progress folder ‘B’ for Area HQ. Manager’s Wall plan with ANM. Made out new dial book for Parkgate … Copied up prep work. Check tonnages with Russ Smith for scaling tracings over the phone. Derek Stephenson re grade line from old South Loading point up 200s.

Tues 7 … U/g … Catenary measuring 110s district. Grade line from old South Loader up 200s to old Stable Road. Marked out Parkgate Return Cross gate from Bunker Road to 400s … 5 men (RB*, SNW, ANM, DS, KP) … Office … Theodolite calculations and plotted stations.

Wed 8 … Office … Attempting to sort out 45s projected faults etc. with Jim Barnett. Drawing of Washery flow diagram for Peter Longden CPP Manager. Discuss JAD.

Thurs 9 … U/g … with CW Standage and JA Daniels … investigation of old roads in pit bottom. Marked out 3s Main Extension at back of Bunker – found it later in an old notebook … Discuss JAD.

Fri 10 … Office … 59s development drivages re new ideas. Discuss CW S and JAD same. Discuss Ted Lilley NACODS re Parkgate. Progress. General. With Jim Barnett set up a file for geological hazards.

Sat 11 … 15395 tons

Mon 13 … U/g … Theodolite angling from 25 CG North No1 up NE connection. 59s LG line and tied 58s LG onto 25s CG. Found old road 425s at back of Bunker … 3 men (RB*, SNW, DS) … Office … Calculations.

Tues 14 … Office … Office … Calculations, Discuss Ted Lilley info … Surface … Levelling and survey of Lagoon No8 … 2 men (RB*, SNW)… Office … Plotted same and calculations for volume of slurry / tailings. Discuss Ted Hodgson, Surface Superintendent.

Wed 15 … Office … Discuss Jim Barnett cleavage lines etc. … Surface …Measuring up extension to Dirt tip No4 with Paula Lesh (Tracer) … Office … Plotted same. Discuss JAD re Back slit to 400s / 600s for turn. Discuss 110s boreholes Jim Barnett re water Alan Blyton.

Thurs 16 … U/g … Levelling round old roads in Pit bottom area … 3 men (RB*, AW, KP) Plotted same. Office … Designing turn from old 400s Empty slit to 600s. (190 u/g)

Fri 17 … Office … Plotting surface extension of Dirt tip on negative. General. Discuss CW S. Discuss JB. Discuss JAD 400s / 600s turn … 50m band broken.

Sat 18 … 15009 tons

Mon 20 … Office … Plotted cabin under 400s Empty slit. Plotted 110s AW borehole 8 for water sample. Discuss Russ Smith Senior Surveyor. Progress. David R Mounsey ex Production Manager, now DCME Mining introduced me to Frank Middleton, new Production Manager.

Tues 21 … Office … Investigation for 110s supposed fault and discuss CW S and JAD re boring. 400s / 600s turn and cabin plotted. Discuss JAD re Drapers Paddy dint, 10s chocks etc. Discuss D Stephenson re 25s re-rip line / 59s.

Wed 22 … U/g … Measured up 20s bad work on face etc. Drapers Paddy heights etc. and 41s overcast … 2 men (RB*, ANM) … Office … Plotted and discuss same JAD and EC.
J Arthur Morley, Area Surveyor, came to say cheerio as he retired.

Thurs 23 … Office … Sorting out drawers. Order form for 50m bands. Discuss Frank Radford Planner re amendments to 59s and 45s layouts. Made 25s second haulage signal notice out of red reflective tape. A new 50m band broken.

Fri 24 … Office … CW S re developments. Plotted Dirt tip levels and calculated contours. … Surface … to Bilsthorpe with Tacheo. Parkgate Stage II presentation folder. Both 50m bands repaired using punch and rivets.       

Sat 25 … 11087 tons

Mon 27 … Spring Bank Holiday

Tues 28 … Colliery Rest Day

Wed 29 … Phone to Doug Raisbeck and also to George H Jackson re coloured copies of Geological plan for Ollerton. Preparation for tomorrow Rescue Practice etc. Plans, notices etc. 600s / 400s turn planning. Discuss Frank Radford 45s new proposed layout. To see CW S next Monday re same. Interviewed Keith Walton re job back as linesman. (… In retrospect bad choice).
Clipstone, Harworth and Sutton … Area Safety Quiz at Clipstone Welfare

Thurs 30 … Office … Finished off plans etc. for Rescue Practice … did not need! Sorted out all notices for Jimmy Pickering … Direction signs to hang up. JAD re bar charts for development!!! To see Derek Stephenson. Manager’s Wall plan.
Surface … Rescue practice … Jimmy Pickering Safety Officer.

Fri 31 … Office … 2 diagrams for E Corcoran for 20s face bolting and 24s C substation and copies of same. Discuss Alan Blyton Ventilation Officer various. Progress. Plan of East Booster fan site for Peter Noone, Deputy Electrical Engineer for electrical installation etc. Area Progress folder.
J Arthur Morley Area Chief Surveyor retired. David Lawson new Safety Engineer from Parsonage, Lancs.

June 1974

Sat 1 … 6124 tons

Mon 3 … Dial survey of 44s panel, measured face … 5 men (RB*, DS, CM, MJ, NS)… Office … Copied up survey. Discuss CW S re various and 45s layout and 110s borehole. Wire from Electric shop.

Tues 4 … Surface … Tacheo survey with dial on No4 Dirt tip, No8 Lagoon 2 men (RB*, ANM) … Office … Calculations. Discuss David Lawson new Safety Engineer. Calculated and plotted 44s. Adjusted Watts 5 min dial for vertical angle and adjusted CTS S300 level pill-box level. Maurice Lamb brought a Clinometer.

I had started a card school at Lunch time earlier once the Survey department had become efficient and topside all Statutory surveys and levellings and theodolite base layups that overlapped the dial bases after 3 or 4 surveys, allowing Assistants and Apprentices to gain experience. If anyone wanted anything urgently then of course the game folded, but most were aware and usually called after we had finished. David Lawson the new Safety Engineer as well as Brian Wormald Training Officer would join us at Lunch time for the card game. Successive Assistants and Apprentices and Doug Stockham would play also when convenient. Terry Jones Dowty Rep and Colin Wynne ICI Rep would also endeavour to attend for a game. We had great fun. I still used to win quite often by taking unusual calculated risks that the others didn’t do, and still in pocket although now I didn’t keep a record.

Wed 5 … Office … Checked through Development Bar charts. Discuss Alan Elliott Planner 45s new development plan and info etc. John Clapperton Deputy Electrical Engineer re drawing again! Drawing out 600s / 400s turn on ¼ inch scale. Discuss Derek Stephenson. Discuss Ted Lilley and Bill Woodcock, Ropeman. Info to Peter Noone.

Thurs 6 … Office … Pit bottom plans for Frank Middleton, Production Manager. Continued with drawing. Chock measures for 20s. Discuss David Lawson supports etc. Discuss Ted Lilley NACODS development. Sorted out Special jobs file. Ted Hodgson re Surface Manpower plan to date.

Fri 7 … Office … General. Finished off 600s / 400s turn on ¼ scale. 20s sections. 10s borehole 53 feet abandoned. Drew out proposed site plan for future boreholes. Fred Marples Conveyor Foreman re 22 feet minimum from end of loop for conveyor in 58s LG. Discuss JAD re UNOR unit mine sampling system. Discuss Maurice Lamb and A Maude borer. Peter Davies (wanted a tape) re Surface Manpower plan.

Sat 8 … 11200 tons
Neil Smith Linesman left and Keith Walton started back as Linesman.

Mon 10 … Office … Drawing 45s LG turns on ¼ inch scale. Plotting Pit bottom roadways progress etc from 1925 again) on 1/2500. Discuss Ted Lilley. Discuss David Lawson.

Tues 11 … U/g … Pit with SNW and Ted Lilley NACODS Sec. Centre line on 425s and 400s. Investigation into old roads down old SE district … Office … Discuss Ted Lilley and Derek Stephenson and Les Kerry Projects Planner re Parkgate Junction. Plotting same.

Wed 12 … Office … Finished 45s LG turns plan and prints. Discuss JAD various.

Thurs 13 … Office … Amendments to 45s LG turns. Arch sizes from Tom Blaze for same. And prints. 10s sections info to pipe smoker Bob Dale NUM Agent (ex-Manager at Harworth). 44s sections and info to DR Mounsey, F Lee. R Scott, F Middleton. Plotted old 41s and new levels for 1in10 drift. Manager’s Wall plan.

Fri 14 … Office … Plotting old pit bottom progress from 1925/26/27 on.

Sat 15 … 11505 tons

Mon 17 … U/g … Underground visit at Clipstone with Walter Cantrill to new 1,000 tons Vertical bunker sinking and also to base of borehole in chamber and discuss … Office … Discuss BTB re No8 lagoon input. Discuss D Stephenson 45s AW. Alan Elliott Planner re adjust line of 45s AW.

Tues 18 … Office … Discuss amendments to 45s AW turn. Plotted 44s and 10s by protractor as a check. Progress. Geological folder to date. Jim Barnett seriously ill. Meeting … R Scott, DR Mounsey, J Kerr, F Middleton, G Parry, CW Standage, JA Daniels, Ernie Corcoran, A Stevenson, Jack Lyons, Peter Davies and RB. 44s proposed machine change to BJD B59, 20s gates to turn 15 degrees, re-appraisal of 62s face design, start on 59s development … Meeting closed 5.30pm

Wed 19 … Office … Drew out 20s face turning. Discuss CW S. Various drawings … Idea scrapped by Mr JP Berry Deputy Director.

Thurs 20 … Office … Check on East Booster fan and check with Gerry Kirkpatrick Group Vent and D Stephenson Asst U/m. Drew it out. Plan for ring extensions Lou Scrivens.

Thurs 20 … U/g … Set out walls and checks etc. for East side Booster fan site … 2 men (RB*, ANM) … afternoon … Office … Progress.

Fri 21 … Sat 22 … Sun 23 … Sick

Sat 22 … 12696 tons

Mon 24 … Office … Geological folder to date. Progress. Accident Severity Rate graph for Safety department.

Tues 25 … U/g … Theodolite survey 110s LG and 110s AW and lines check … 3 men (RB*, AW, KP) … Office … Copied up. Calculated same. East Booster fan Electrical Sub-station drawing info from J Clapperton and copies to D Stephenson. (195 u/g)

Wed 26 … Office … Discuss Alan Goodwin Asst U/m. Amended angle for 20s turn. Theodolite book. Check plotted 20s o.k. Plotted 110s. Checking 59s AW Overcast.

Thurs 27 … U/g … Checked East Booster fan arches set. Ride on 25s LH new paddy. 59s LG heading section and centre line across 59s overcast position and check measured double arching … (RB*) Measures at 600s … 2 men (RB*, DS) … Office … Plotted same.

Fri 28 … Office … General. Progress. Plan. Info to Mechanical dept. re gradient of 20s CG. Info to JAD re Powder magazines, 1000 lb max. Drew out line for pipe range on 600s slit for Sam Pepper Pump Mech. Discuss Ted Lilley Parkgate Junction.                                                 

Sat 29 … 15328 tons