A Unique History From My Work Diaries

Surveying Jobs

North Nottinghamshire Area from April 1967

Page - 54 -

Jan 1978

1978 subsidised transport at 6.4p / mile = £207.23

Chris Fegan CAF started as Apprentice Surveyor from Area HQ … dressed like a Clown … told him that the dress code was suit and tie and if he came dressed like that I would take him into a Group Meeting. If not he was to go back to Area HQ. It worked, he went to a meeting and ever after came smartly dressed. (Sadly he would die from Leukaemia aged about 40 after leaving the Board and running his own business). Ian Orgill Apprentice for the week.
Assistant Undermanagers … Ray Flint Days, Gordon Weeks Afternoons, Ken F Greaves Nights

Sun Jan 1 … New Years Day Mon 2 … Statutory Holiday

Tues 3 … Office … General. Discuss with Chris Fegan new Apprentice re work routine. Also re coal face machinery.

Wed 4 … U/g … Checked Vertical Bunker drivage for centre line and grade with theodolite … 5 men (RB*, EWF, DS, CAF, IO) then (RB with CAF) to Butterley Bunker site and 10s face … Office … General. Colouring surface plan. Phone JRG re staff.

Thurs 5 … Office … General. Org 67 with IO and CAF and old workings etc. Meeting R Anderson … F Lee and J Herbert talk re new Office accommodation at Area. Plan for tomorrow for Frank Lee to take to Eastwood Architect for price estimate (£23 / sq ft) for new office extension £50,000. 59s norm agreed.

Fri 6 … U/g … to 46s panel … Check sections through face from Collier’s parting … 3 men (RB*, DMP, KS) … Office … Floor dirt sections to G Weeks. Info re 59s Overcast to R Flint. Info re travelling distances to 46s for AV Goodwin. Discuss 46s sections. With JH and Roy Bland Mechanisation dept. Sketch with DMP for meeting. Contours on plans to date at Quarter end. Tuition to CAF.

Sat 7 … Office … Progress. Wall plans. Incentive scheme measures. 2 diagrams of 46s face sections for 10.30am Meeting. Repairing tapes. DM Parker would alternate with me for Sat morning figs etc. when necessary.
11311 tons
John A Daniels transferred from Sutton Colliery to Clipstone.
CA Fegan sick for week. Ian Orgill Apprentice now full time at Technical College till end of June.

Mon 9 … Office … Stationery order. Phoned Staff dept. and Paula Lesh. Phone F Lee re Office drawings. J Herbert phoned for info. Colour washing Surface Strategic plans. Info to Costs. Discuss T Jones Dowty Rep 10s and 46s.

Tues 10 … U/g … Visit to Parkgate 1s, 10s and 2s, Butterley Bunker, Vertical Bunker drift, Loco houses etc. … (CJ Whyte, JR Greasley, RB) … Discussion over Lunch plus Frank Lee. Jimmy Pickering re Vertical Bunker Road drivage, exemptions for shotfiring. CW S re 10s Support Rules amends re Buttress chocks being left behind and gobbed. (a few thousand £s worth there and he whittled about ordering a carpet for Survey office or tapes etc.).
G Mason sick … Ray Flint Acting PG U/m

Wed 11 … Office … CW S re new plan for 10s amends to neg and print. Phone JRG and CJ Whyte. Made up metric level plans, also Second copy Working plans. Discuss Steve Lunnon Geologist. Discuss Ken Hartwell ATT, back with NCB re Vertical Bunker project. Steel requirements in future for Matt Marshall Stores … 15 x 3 13/14 x 10 feet, 20 x 3 16/17 per week.

Thurs 12 … Office … Discuss J Herbert various and prints of Surface Strategic plan. Shotfiring pattern from C Wynne ICI. Discuss Tom Grainger Vertical Bunker. Meeting 11am Vertical Bunker. Discuss. Strategic plan minutes.

Fri 13 … Office … Shotfiring pattern and prints coloured for Vertical Bunker drivage. Discuss ventilation on Following Intake with Tony Tryner Ventilation Officer and Barry Shephard Dust Suppression Officer, and Tommy Newsham Group Ventilation. Informed J Herbert re amends. Info to Derek Stephenson Area Mechanisation re 59s salvage and discuss. New system for Deputy’s measurements via Overman and Undermanager.       

Sat 14 … 17220 tons

Mon 16 … Office … Phoned D Stephenson 59s salvage info. J Lyons Electrical Engineer re Surface Strategic plan and copy. Coloured shotfiring pattern for Staple pit (Vertical Bunker) ICI. Discuss CAF.

Tues 17 … Office … Strategic plan notes. David Bowler Planner for printing plans. Plans updated. Jimmy Pickering discuss. JRG exchanged Second copy plans and 6 inch plan. Parkgate Meeting 2.30pm … R Anderson (RB). Discuss Leo Kirk and Tom Grainger re 3rd drift to PG sooner than shaft deepening due to greater depth to below PG for gradients.

Wed 18 … to Area HQ RB with CW S Strategic Plan meeting … HM Spanton … 10am – 12.30pm. New offices at Edwinstowe ... Office … C. \info re shafts to Student, Peter ? … Meeting … Vertical Bunker 2.30pm … Requisition list … Alan Dennett, Tom Grainger, P Davies, J Lyons, Peter Noone, Stuart Warrior and J Higginbotham. (RB)

Thurs 19 … Office … Covered 5 prints for Bill Robertson. Info to SN Whittle re Vertical Bunker. Info for P Davies re Vertical Bunker drift conveyor. Discuss Bernard Charles Area Safety dept. Phone to Ken Mirfin Bevercotes re Bunker winches and signal cable etc.

Fri 20 … Office … General. 2 plans for proposed Pump house in PG Following Intake. Discuss P Davies and J H. Shotfiring pattern for ½ sec delay detonators for Vertical Bunker drift. Phoned Clarksons Mr Lewis. Phoned Matt Marshall Storekeeper re to send Instrument to Clarksons for repair etc.

Sat 21 … Office … Progress. Incentive measures. Wall plan. Shotfiring pattern for Vertical Bunker (RB). Plotted 10s face check line. - 17384 tons

Mon 23 … U/g … RB with Jimmy Pickering Safety Officer, Geoff Mayne Ventilation dept., Tommy Newsham Area Ventilation to sort out stopping sites in Pit bottom for Top Hard South side. Also for final Top Hard sealing …. Discuss Terry Jones Dowty re 2s chocks. Sorting through various plans for Jack Lyonsre electric cable cut (EMEB?). Phoned several collieries to enquire re their Incentive measuring system.

Tues 24 … Office … Sorting out borehole info and new logs … Surface … RB, DMP, EWF and J Lyons, J Clapperton and EMEB engineer following and marking the route of major cable using sensor. Copy of plan. Discuss George ? Butterley Rep re haulage house. Discuss Alan Dennett plus one, P Davies, M Young re top of Vertical Bunker access. Phoned rest of collieries re Incentive measured. Discuss CW S re same … he decreed our Survey measurements in future for payment. Info to JH re 10s.
This was following the weekend measurements checked by Deputies as against Linesmen’s figures. One Deputy lost his tape so his check measurement at the weekend … from last measure mark … 9 three feet boards, a strut and a panzer flight! Laugh …!! That went to show how stupid it was to check our accurate figures.

Wed 25 … Surface … RB and EWF set out line of pegs for buried cable … Office …Office … Plotted boreholes on new PG plans. Info to JH 10s sections. Discuss RF re 10s Packing table and method of work.

Thurs 26 … U/g … Abandonment survey of 59s panel East side … 6 men (RB*, DMP, EWF, CAF, DS, KP) … Office … Calculations. Sketch for Ventilation dept. showing proposed South side Top Hard stopping sites. Info to Ken Hartwell ATT re 600 ton Bunker yardages. (380 + 8 u/g)

Fri 27 … Office … Calculated 59s. Shotfiring pattern for 2s and prints. Copy of proposed offices. Discuss CAF. Phone John Faben info. Phone J Herbert re-signing plans in future. Info to AV Goodwin re possible slips in front of 46s face.

Sat 28 … 15696 tons

Mon 30 … Office … General. Amends to Dowty Packing table plan of operations. Brian Goacher, Welder re proposed Elec gantry. Measures for surface electrical cable. Albert E Robinson discuss. T Jones info re 2s. Discuss gantry for cables with Electrician. Tuition to CAF re setting out.
2 Planners from Area HQ using our Printing machine, the one at Area HQ broken down.

Tues 31 … Office … Plan to Brian Goacher Welder, also P Honeywood Dep Mech and Fred Marples C/vs re same, also J Lyons and re proposed Pump house in PG Second Intake ... Info to Jimmy Pickering Safety Officer plans. Made temporary Support Rules for 10s PG breasting round bad work and 10s AW roofbolting … 25 copies off each. Discuss CAF various.
Area Drawing office personnel and others usuing our Printing machine.

Feb 1978
Eric W Fretwell holiday. CA Fegan Technical College every Wed

Wed 1 … Office … Info to AVG re-South side stopping sites. Discuss Jimmy Pickering re R & FF plans at Rescue Station re their meeting. Making Maps for proposed Sponsored Walk of Pennine Way. Cyril Murphy Area Mechanisation Engineer re Project for 2s Chock Shield supports. Area Drawing office personnel using Printing machine.

Thurs 2 … Office … Signing of amendment to Following Intake. General. Copy of new offices plan. Phone AE Betts re new Wild T16 theodolite. Area Drawing office personnel using Printing machine.

Fri 3 … Office … Plans for Sponsored Walk of Pennine Way coloured. Tuition with CA Fegan. Calculated 1s survey.

Sat 4 … Office … Progress and development. Incentive measures. Sketches - 15797 tons

Sun 5 … U/g … Visit RB with daughters, Jane and Karen, (plus Cyril Knowles and John Mason) to Parkgate 10s and checked 10s LG progress.
J Higginbotham at Chalfont Staff College till Mar 4. Alan V Goodwin Acting Deputy Manager. Ken F Greaves Acting U/m North side TH, Ray Flint Acting U/m PG. Gordon Weeks 59s and S side TH stoppings.

Mon 6 … Office … Making diagrams and sketches for 2s project. Support plan from Kellingley N Yorks Area. Discuss Terry Jones, Dowty Rep. I gave a talk to residents from Hallam Estate, New Ollerton re Surface and Underground Strategy. Visited Ged Mason at home re off work.

Tues 7 … Office … Info to D Stone and discuss development and 2s project. Finished 3 coloured copies. Discuss CW S re same. 4 new chair / stools from Area HQ, Planning department.

Wed 8 … Office … Inked in Working plans, levels, contours, plotted all to date. CW S re PG Return drift Haulage Rules and amends. Sketches for CW S re-HM Spanton, also Wall plan to date. Cyril Murphy Area Mechanisation Engineer phoned. Walter Cantrill Clipstone phoned re Safety Planned Operations chart? List of R & FF amends before and since the PI (Production Instruction) for updating plans.

Thurs 9 … Office … Discuss PG Return drift with J Pickering. Info for Surveyor’s Meeting. Updated PG plan with Imperial levels. Info for project for Ian Orgill Apprentice re Survey procedure and office organisation etc. Peter Davies re Return Drift Haulage Rules and amends.
10s production increased to give 4,600 tons / day for the pit output.

Fri 10 … Office … Discuss Barry Shephard, Dust control, Following Intake. Discuss Jimmy Pickering Return Drift Rules.    

Sat 11 … 19791 tons - Bought a 1977 Vauxhall Chevette E, Yellow and Fiat 126, Red (Mary)

Annual Leave Mon 13 – Sat 18

Sat 18 … 20483 tons

Area HQ Annual Meeting Surveyors ... Apprentices and Water Pollution report.

BACM Meeting Vocational Group 5 Gordon Ison voted in as new chairman replacing Norman Preater, also Cliff Johnson voted off.

Mon 20 … Office … General. Ken Mirfin Bevercotes phoned re various. Percy Cooper and Paul Hufton re bed girder excavation for 1s AW new engine, sketches supplied. Colin Gibson, Deputy re proposed games in Ollerton Village.
Tues 21 … U/g … Measurements on 1s, 2s, 10s AW Junction for new rail points. 2s heading grade line 1in7 checked. Butterley Bunker check on work in vibro pit, Following Intake Junction check also check on Vertical Bunker top access Junction … 2 men (RB*, EWF) … Office … Frank Lee, Area Planner re office plan. Eric Barton Development O/m re various. To see CW S re R & FF updating of plans procedure. Peter Davies and Mick Young re Butterley Bunker and 1s AW haulage excavation plan. Discuss Theodolite survey check for Bunker.

Wed 22 …Began check calculations, then …
Wed 22 … U/g … to Butterley Bunker work with Peter Davies Mech Engineer and Alan Goodwin U/m … Office … Parkgate Meeting 3pm … R Anderson (RB)

Thurs 23 … Office … Various, 3 fans amendments. Plan for Loco track into 2s AW. Tuition to CA Fegan, Apprentice.
Output reached 5,000 tons for the day.

Fri 24 … Office … Meeting … P Davies snag with Bunker haulage.                                     
Fri 24 … U/g … To Butterley Bunker (RB*, DMP) … We made decision to knock out walls etc. to fix frame into recess … with G Heath and R Brown, Reps. …. Office … General. Colin Gibson re proposed Playgrounds in Ollerton ... Plan to date for County Council.

Sat 25 … 22858 tons
Record OMS 84 cwts, previous 77 cwts. Production improving.

Mon 27 … U/g … to Butterley Bunker … checked various points on installation … Pikrose still needs to be moved over 10 inches into recess (RB*) … Office … Manager’s Wall plan. (385 + 8 u/g)

Tues 28 … Holiday … to Manchester

March 1978
No longer Colliery General Managers now Colliery Manager on all documents

Wed 1 … Office … Plan to Colin Gibson for Playgrounds. AVG re 2s LG shotfiring pattern. Sorted out exemptions. Discuss Jimmy Pickering. Ted Hodgson with Dirt tip figures to date and copied. Phone JRG re-records for 1976 / 1977 and sent to him. Discuss GM. Phone CW Standage re going to Chalfont. Check calculations for 46s survey. Phone DW Thorpe Area HQ.
North Notts. Engineering Society Meeting … Terry Wheatley Thoresby Parkgate development.

Thurs 2 … Office … Colin Wynne ICI re shotfiring pattern for 2s LG … Surface … Levelling and measurements for check on volume of Lagoon No8 … 710m cubed. Calculations. Discuss and info to Ted Hodgson Surface Superintendent.
Charlie Robinson Sutton retirement party at Skegby Welfare.
Denis Jewsbury an ex Apprentice at Annesley in early 1950s left the NCB and joined the Army Engineers. He later worked on motorways and returned to the NCB to complete his practical exam for MQB certificate. He was set on at Sutton as a Linesman to complete his 2000 underground hours required and to gain experience with underground instrument work. He assured me that he was stopped from using instruments by John Nightingale and not treated well at all. Being a close neighbour and friend I used to lend him several instruments, theodolites, dials and Levels to practice at home at weekends. He did pass the MQB practical exam and was sent to Rufford as an Assistant.

Fri 3 … Office … Prints coloured. CW S re-next week’s Meeting. Calculations. Discuss Steve Lunnon re 3rd drift to PG. Discuss George Heath Butterley Rep. Street plans of Ollerton for Dennis Ryan for ABA Boxing. Hung Conference Room plans.    

Sat 4 … 23046 tons
Butterley bunker operational. Conference Room plan Ken F Greaves Assistant Undermanager appointed Safety Engineer. John Higginbotham back from Chalfont.

Mon 6 … Office … Meeting 10am … CJ Whyte re Town & Country Planning for 2,000 tons Rapid Loading bunker … surface visit to site … CJW, JRG, RB plus Mr Hunt (instead of Malcolm Turner). … Office … General. Vertical Bunker plans. Tuition with CAF, checked volume Lagoon No8 with Planimeter. Meeting 3pm … Accountability, Manpower Savings and Development … R Anderson (RB). Discuss Billy Bracegirdle NUM Sec re Linesmen’s operations daily near face re 65% bonus for NUM.

Wed 8 … Group meeting 9.30am in Ollerton Conference Room … AE Betts, JRG, GI, SB, Maurice Lamb plus Surveyor and Assistant at … Harworth, Bevercotes, Bilsthorpe and Blidworth. Instruction on the use of the Tropari Pjari borehole surveying instrument. General discussion re Incentive measurements by Linesmen. Tom Grainger Projects Planner brought copies of Vertical Bunker layout.

Thurs 9 … Office … Plan for Colin Gibson … HMI K Couldwell re 10s Support Rules and machine cut stable holes, amends to make. JRG phone re Water Board. Altered both negs ready for printing. Colin Wynne ICI Rep re shotfiring pattern for Vertical Bunker top Access … 3 lifts of 8 feet. Discuss Ian Orgill re Tech work etc. Ted Lilley NACODS re panels on South side TH as against PG.

Fri 10 … Office … Constructing and plotting new 1/10000 PG and updating 1/1000 negs to date. … Surface … Measurements to cables near pit chimney … (RB*, DMP, EWF, CAF)             

Sat 11 … Office … Progress. Wall plans. Incentive measurements. Bunker Access steel work details with Lou Scrivens and Joe Gelsthorpe Supplies
Record OMS 87.3 cwts.   22971 tons

Mon 13 … Office … Continued with TH 1/10000 negs to date. Info to Lou Scrivens 4” pipes. Policy Meeting … CW S … 11am – 12.30pm … break for lunch … continued 2pm – 3.45pm (RB) … Discuss EWF various re 2s Engine house. Phone Tommy Newsham Group Vent and CW S re Access Vertical Bunker fan. Ken F Greaves Safety Engineer to Mansfield for a week.

Tues 14 … Office … Continued with and finished 1/10000 and traced same and updated 1/10560 flat sheet copies. HMI J Jones re amends to 10s Support Rules and Machine cut Temporary Stable holes. Meeting … 10am … JRG plus 1, RB plus 2 from Severn Trent Water Authority re proposed water supply pipe route etc. to proposed new modern boiler house. JRG and Tom Pallant discuss same and existing pipe range supply. D Stone re levels along 1s LG. Phone Charlie Raybon Method Study info re 2s LG, firing etc., grades and centre line. Saw P Davies re proposed 1s B conveyor at 925m and run of 110m ?
Setting trees and grass on No2 tip re landscaping … first in North Notts. Area

Wed 15… Office … Check calcs for Vertical Bunker Access setting out and centre line calculation. Discuss KF Greaves shotfiring pattern. Saw CW S re same and agreed 8 feet lifts. General. Surface … located damaged cable near No1 winding house plus other cables exposed near chimney … (RB*, DMP, EWF).

Thurs 16 … U/g … Theodolite survey in Vertical bunker drift and grade line extended then to Vertical bunker top access level grade line … (RB*, DS) … Office … Calculations. AV Goodwin re 46s AW end Plan of operations for Weekend. Discuss Ged Mason U/m re proposed working for Bunker Access. In afternoon to old Laboratory at Edwinstowe … Don Brown and Jack Chapman photographers re slides for temporary Stable hole (RB).
BACM Meeting at Sherwood Welfare, 400 plus attended.

Fri 17 … Office … General. Discuss CW S. Police CID Fairley from Ollerton Police station re 7 copies of O.S. sheet SK / 6668 re JRG. Grade info re panels to Engineers. Completing Surface Dirt tip plan with info for Meeting. Contours.                                                                           
U/g … Measured up accident to Gordon Weeks Assistant Undermanager at old South No3 conveyor (RB) (24)

Sat 18 … 22707 tons
CW Standage holiday Mar 20 – Apr 8. J Higginbotham Acting Manager, G Mason Acting Deputy Manager, Ray Flint Acting U/m PG

Mon 20 … Office … Info to J Higginbotham re development. L Scrivens re struts in Access heading. Fred Marples re South No2 conveyor line … Surface … to old Laboratory at Edwinstowe for slides from photographers (RB) … Office … Inking in levels to date. And stippling. Phone Graham Hall Bevercotes re send ink. Continued with plans, levels and contours.

Tues 21 … Office … Continued with Working plans., sections and stippling. Discuss AV Goodwin U/m. Coloured 2 more Pennine Walk plan.

Wed 22 … Office … General. Amends to R & FF neg, South side TH drawing off. To be stopped off on Friday. Also rmoved stone dust barriers from plans. These in future to be put on Dust Zone plan. Phone Ian Orgill re Dirt tip books Dirt tip records to date from Peter Longden, Coal Prep Manager.

Thurs 23 … Office … General. Discuss KF Greaves. … Surface … to Workshops to see new Shield support for 2s (£11,000 each) … to Sherwood Colliery Engineering Test Centre to see Robbins 23R Raise drill to be used at Vertical bunker … J Higginbotham, RB, DMP …. Office … Discuss G Mason U/m. Plotting 1s LG centre line offsets with DM Parker.
Fault on 10s ?

Fri 24 … U/g … 2s AW water level. Measures, to 10s small fault on face at 105 chock. . Check on 2s LG heading. Vertical Bunker top access chamber ready to set the first 22 feet long girder … check (RB*) … Office … Discuss same. Phone Jack M Storr Thoresby re same.                   

Sat 25 … 19984 tons

Mon 27 … Tues 28 … Statutory Holiday

Wed 29 … U/g … Check survey of Vertical Bunker top access chamber, level grade also. … 4 men (RB*, EWF, CAF, DS) … Office … HMI J Jones re Vertical Bunker fan. Calculations. Plotting on 1/50 scale. (375 + 7 u/g)

Thurs 30 … Surface with EWF … to Area HQ first to see R Anderson then to Mansfield Church Street to measure up for plan re accident to R Anderson Production Manager’s car (Jaguar) why me? He said he could trust me and didn't want it spreading … Office .. Drawing large plan of accident.
Wild T16 theodolite and accessories delivered. Output now in tonnes and not tons

Fri 31 … Office … General. Looking through old plans in connection with old Top Hard 6s SE re proposed Surface borehole to be drilled 23m from goaf. Sorting out info required for Dirt tip Meeting proposed. 
George Rushworth Lecturer at West Notts. Tech retired. Party at Black Bull and then back to his bungalow at Park Avenue, (4 or 5 including self and Ged Mason).
Output 1977 - 1978 = 714,762 tons Profit £2,859,000 In future in tonnes 13899 tonnes.
David Oliver Deputy Manager at Thoresby appointed Manager at Creswell. Philip Wood Deputy Manager Welbeck appointed Manager at Sutton.

Apr 1978

Sat 1 … Office … Progress. Incentive figures. Vertical Bunker checking etc. Discuss AV Goodwin. Amends to R & FF plan.
J Higginbotham holiday Mon 3 – Sat 15. G Mason Acting D/m, R Flint Acting U/m PG.

Mon 3 … Office … General. Checking Vertical Bunker measures. Amends to R & FF negs. Plotted levels on drift. Examining new Wild T15 theodolite. Second copy Working plans to date. Phoned JRG.

Tues 4 … Office … Preparing Abandonment Report for Top Hard seam in readiness. Gordon Bennett British Rail came re workings to date 31st Mar (RB). Photo 1pm Don Brown.

Wed 5 … U/g … Check theodolite angling and catenary measuring for Vertical Bunker using new Wid T16 theodolite …5 men (RB*, DMP, EWF, CAF, DS) … Office … Copying up. Calculations. (390 + 8 u/g)

Thurs 6 … Office … Finished calculations. Ken F Greaves re Stone dust barriers etc. Making out list of updating of R & FF plans for CJ Whyte. Phone WEB Barlow re same. Discuss Ken Hartwell ATT re Vertical Bunker base etc. G Mason discuss. RB and team … Talk to linesmen yet again re various reports from Deputies Time office etc. … coming up pit early but not reporting to office. Not filling reports in properly. As from today … no-one to come up the pit early unless authorised by me.
BACM Incentive meeting

Fri 7 … Office …R Anderson re plans of his accident. General. Discuss Tony Tryyner re various … Tube Bundle and 10s Methane range. Derek Flear Blacksmith re old square crossing to be used for 1s, 2s, 10s AW Junction. Ken Stokes Elec Shift charge Engineer re 3 winches and pull wire. Discuss B Sheppard. HMI K Couldwell re Loco gradients in 10s AW … to produce section for Monday (RB). JRG re R & FF list. Phone AE Betts re Wild theodolite and accessories and use. Discuss Peter Noone notice. Progress and plotted 10s and Vertical Bunker surveys.

Sat 8 … 22337 tonnes

Mon 10 … Office … Info to Lou Scrivens … 47 x 4ft 6in extensions to crowns for 1s Following Intake Pump house. Phone JRG. Drawing out 10s AW Loco grades … previous and todays. Dosco Side discharge loader etc. Info for paper for Alan Goodwin Undermanager re his visit to Chalfont Staff College

Tues 11 … U/g … Visit to 1s panel, 10s panel, Butterley Bunker and top access chamber and base drift for Vertical Bunker … (RB, John Herbert and Derek Stone, Planners) … Afternoon … to Clipstone to take Support plan of old 110s TH shortening down AW re JA Daniels request … discuss Hadi Al Rekabi. (RB).
DM Parker Deputy Holiday Thurs 13 –Sat 15

Wed 12 … Office … Discuss WEBB brought Vivienne, Silverhill tracer for the day to assist. Surface … Discuss GM, F Marples, DMP re Following Intake conveyor in Workshop … Office … Began a tracing for Loco circuits showing gradients, lengths, etc. for HMI next Monday. Ted Hinde phone. Discuss T Grainger various.

Thurs 13 … Office … Discuss K Hartwell ATT. Discuss G Mason. Sketches etc. for proposed work on 2s Chock installation. Continued with plan of Loco circuits. Discuss Ray Flint, Asst U/M and Eric Barton O/m. Meeting 2s face … P Davies, RB plus Area Mech, Dowty Reps Terry Jones, Cliff Davison. Plotting with Bocking Protractor with CA Fegan for Dirt tips and check for Vertical Bunker.

Fri 14 … Office … Phone Ken Mirfin Bevercotes re his knowledge of old workings at Ollerton. Phone T Grainger re Vertical Bunker base. Finished Loco circuit plan and prints coloured. CW S phone. Info for AV Goodwin re Dosco side discharge loader, strata, supports etc. for Chalfont Staff College. John Nightingale, Sutton re supports etc., I sent a copy of 10s. Info with JR Greasley re old SE TH workings 5s, 6s, 7s re borehole. Sketches for 10s LG end machine wheel change.  
NN ME Society Dinner at Hardstoft

Sat 15 … Office … Progress. Wall plans. Incentive figures. Pipework at 1s, 2s, 10s AW Junction. Only D Stockham Supervisor at work as normal every Sat … No Linesmen came to work. 23053 tonnes

Mon 17 …Office … Discuss CW S various. Info to HMI J Rushton re 46s. Discuss DM Parker my Deputy, re Bunker. Discuss Ted Hodgson re Dirt tips info for Meeting on May 18. Drawing graphs … to Area HQ 2.30pm Demonstration of R & FF symbols called Chartpak. Amendments to sheet with JRG with possibility of ordering some. £84 per 1000 sheets … Walter Cantrill Clipstone and Jack M Storr Thoresby.

Mon 17 … A Jim Hanson from Silverhill to transfer to Teversal to replace Ches Stasiewicz … Lunch with both of them and CJ Whyte.

Tues 18 … Office … Sorted out all Support Rule files, and indexed same. Print of 66s (1977) accident for Claims Inspector (P Thompson). Manager’s Wall plan. Plan of Loco circuits to CW S for HMI K Couldwell and Electrical HMI J Mansfield. Meeting … Vertical Bunker 3pm. Discuss T Grainger.

Wed 19 … Office … Phone T Grainger. P Davies re steelwork for Bunker also same Lou Scrivens. Plotted levels. JRG changed Second copy plans ... He brought 70 small copies of 10s Support Rules for Brian Wormald Training Officer. Sorted out Support Rules plans. Discuss fault at 46s.

Thurs 20 … Office … Amends to Code of Surveying Practice. Admin queries. Ted Hodson re Dirt tip Rules. CA Fegan re battery for HP65. Discuss 2s set up. Drawing out Chock Shields. Plotted Vertical Bunker measures. Discuss Ken Middleton Hollybank re supports. Discuss CW S, JH re 2s. Stencilling.

Fri 21 … Office … Phone several pits re Supervisory Linesman. Dirt tip subsidence now 1ft 6in from DWT. Alwyn Oscar Coulson Planning re 4th face in PG. Set of engineering drawings for Vertical Bunker. JH re 2s LG heading. Borehole to go through Overcast. Isometric drawing of 2s area for JH.

Sat 22 … 21551 tones

Mon 24 … Office … Repaired steel tape. Discuss J Herbert and D Stone, T Grainger re 4th face and development. Plotted estimated subsidence on Dirt tip plan and subsidence plan for 2s. Copied up 10s LG end. Progress plans. Plotted 1s and 2s levels. 2s Support Rules neg.

DMP Holiday Mon 24 – 26. EWF Holiday Wed 26 – Mon 1 May

Tues 25 … U/g … to 1s AW and 2s LG … measured to borehole pipe through … spot on. 10s face to measure fault. 1s Following Intake check and Vertical bunker top access chamber check … (RB*, DS) … Office … Plotted borehole. Continued with 2s Support Rules. Conveyor figures to March quarter end. Discuss D Stone and CW S re 4th face and Following Intake Crossing.

Wed 26 … Office … General. Vertical Bunker plans with JH and DMP, several times. Phone Jack M Storr Thoresby re same for Thoresby base … Temps. Explaining Top Access to Tot Robson header. Meeting Mr Reese and Dave Allen Architects re proposed new offices. Plan of Pit bottom for proposed Rescue Practice. (RB)

Thurs 26 … Office … Continued with 2s Support Rules. Pit bottom plans for Rescue Practice. Meeting Bunker base concrete … (JH, RB and Peter Downing Deputy Civil Engineer). Phone Russ Worsey Planner re Vertical Bunker. Discuss Eric Barton O/m same. Discuss Dave Muller Geologist faulting in PG and he asked for section for 1s Following Intake. CW S and JH re 2s Support Rules, amends to make for tomorrow.

Fri 27 … Office … Finished 2s Support Rules and discuss CW S. Discuss KFG. JH re Vertical Bunker work. L Scrivens re-girders. Phone Peter Downing re Vertical Bunker concrete and mortar. Sketches of Bunker top and base. Prints. Sketch 1s LG end for panzer head.                         

Sat 28 … Progress. Incentive figures. Wall plans. Discuss CW S. Discuss Peter Honeywood Dep Mech Engineer Surface. 21006 tonnes
Cheslaw Stasiewicz (3030) Surveyor at Teversal retired

May 1978

Mon 1

May Day Holiday, First Time

DW Thorpe (5486) to First Assistant at Thoresby replaced Gary Bardill who left to Opencast (Gary would become Chief Opencast Surveyor, also President of RICS). Ted Hinde Deputy Area Surveyor retired. Alwyn Noble Planner died 4/5/1978

Tues 2 … Office … Discuss E Gillfillan ATT re Vertical Bunker. New tracing for 2s Support Rules. Discuss CW S. Discuss KFG. T Grainger and L Kirk re Bunker, Phone D Stone re 2s face. Phone J Herbert re 1s B conveyor house at 12s Junction NOT 14s and discuss same.

Wed 3 … Office … General. Discuss JH re 1s B conveyor. Meeting 11am … HMI K Couldwell … Management and NUM men and NACODS Officials re method of operation etc. re temporary Stables machine cut … RB. Info to J Lyons 1s haulage. Amends to neg and addition. Discuss Ted Hinde. Discuss Alf Evans re proposed borehole at Roys Bridge and old goaf line for setting out. Discuss D Muller re pyrites.

Thurs 4 … Office … General. Info to L Scrivens with Alan Dennett and KP re legs to drill for Bunker Access Top. Drawing 1s AW temp stable hole for machine maintenance. Meeting 2s set up … P Davies number of chocks, pans etc., etc. (RB). Phone SNW re prints for Loco houses, spares for future distribution.

Fri 5 … Office … General. Finished 2s Support Rules, CW S signed, copies also 2s 17 men exemption. Phone P Noone elect info. Alan Dennett re Bench Mark on No1 Winding house. John Herbert re development. Discuss P Davies. Inking in Working plans. Stippling.

Sat 6 … 16925 tonnes
Thyssens Rep visited underground to see Bunker with Tom Grainger.
Sherwood output 120s face 17,005 tonnes as against Ollerton 114s 8 year record of 16,956 tonnes in Aug 1970.
CW Standage holiday Mon 8 – Sun 14. J Higginbotham Acting Manager. AV Goodwin Acting D/m. R Flint Acting U/m TH.

Mon 8 … U/g … Set out lines for walls etc. at Vertical bunker base. Check catenary measuring … 2 men ... (RB*, DMP) then met others at top access chamber and checked likewise … 5 men (RB*’ DMP, EWF, DS, CAF) … Office … Copied up. Dirt tip figures to date from Ted Hodgson. John Walls Bevercotes rang re Spontaneous Combustion plan to send.
Rocks and fossils for John Higginbotham’s children.
On another occasion he phoned Dougie Stockham one morning early, for him to contact me at home to tell me to get to the pit straightaway. I asked what did he want. Dougie said he wouldn’t tell him. There had been no accidents etc. or panels stood or faults etc. so I ignored it and told Dougie to tell him to ring me. He wouldn’t, so I said I would be there at normal time 8.30am. Dougie rang again about 7.45am saying he wanted me there straight away. What for? He wouldn’t say. Anyway I turned up at maybe 5 minutes before normal time and Dougie said he had been on again but said that he had told him I was coming. I had my usual cup of tea and went upstairs to his office and flicked the door open with my foot, it was always ajar … ‘What is your problem and why wouldn’t you tell Dougie what you wanted?’. He said … ‘I want a red and a blue pencil for each of my kids for school’. I almost exploded. ‘And that is what you got Dougie to ring me at home just for that, and you are going to be a Manager one day, God help us. Anyway you should have asked Dougie, he’s got the key to the store cupboard, not me’, and with that I left him boiling up …’I’m going to have your hours changed’ he expostulated …’Good, I agree with that’ ... ‘Do you?’ … ‘Yes, I think 9 o’clock is early enough for anybody … I’ve had gentlemen’s hours at work now for 25 years, and I am not changing them for anybody ... good day’. He didn’t know what to say, but he never mentioned it again and never contacted me at home either ….

Tues 9 … Surface … Levelling around Office block for proposed extension … Office …. Calculations. Examining old boring records and checked same with D Muller. Discuss Colin Wynne ICI. Discuss E Gillfillan ATT. Discuss JH set of plans for 2s Meeting. Sorting out plans for filing. Discuss Tom Grainger.

Wed 10 … Office … Discuss Tony Tryner vent and methane drainage info. Discuss L Paterson Method Study (to Doncaster) Updated Spontaneous Combustion plans. Frank Lee re Office extension. Updating 6 inch contour plans, Imperial and metric. Phone Bobby Watson (RCW) from Chalfont for info re PG etc.

Thurs 11 … Office … Info for RCW at Chalfont NR Griffin UMM Greenside 2s Building station. Phone Percy Hett Eastwood Hall. … HMI K Couldwell … re machine cut Stable hole (RB). Phone Roy Pierce Vent dept. info re-levels in PG seam. Discuss Eddie Gillfillan and Ken Hartwell ATT. Discuss Alan Dennett plus 1 re pulleys for Vertical bunker. Discuss alignment of 600 tons Sutcliffe bunker and GM re same. Began tracing of schematic layout for lighting at 2s chock building station.
Teversal Welfare retirement party for Cheslaw Stasiewicz, Teversal Surveyor

Fri 12 … Office … Continued with Electrical plan for lighting 2s chock building station. Jack Lyons checked it. Meeting … 9.30am … Accountability, Manpower Saving and Development … R Anderson. Phone Walter Hulley Head Draftsman re pull wire, gave 3 ft piece to Alan Dennett for testing. Discuss D Stone. Discuss D Muller re subsidence at Kirton (66s TH). Phone Peter Robinson Rufford. Discuss Sutcliffe bunker with Engineers and Fred Marples. Discuss AVG 46s LG end. Discuss GM 1s B conveyor house, cheeking right hand side of gate.

Sat 13 … Office … Progress. Wall plans. Incentive figures. Sketches of materials vehicles and breakdown of 2s chock shields for transportation … 20956 tonnes
AV Goodwin holiday. R Flint Acting TH U/m. G Mason Acting PG U/m also.

Mon 15 … Office … Discuss CW S. Discuss and info re Methane boring. Plotted Vertical bunker to date on 1/500 PG neg. UMM Rep info for 2s Lifting hoist. Levels to date, contours and inked in. 6 trowels delivered for Linesmen to dig down to measure sections on coal faces.

Tues 16 … to Eastwood Hall … Mining Records procedure for abandonment plans etc. … Percy W Hett, Jack Milburn, RB and CAF.

Tues 16 …Surface with EWF Measures to main electric cable and buildings … Office … Meeting with Thyssens first time. Formal meeting for Vertical bunker, John Shone Surveyor and Zep (Austrian Contractor) (RB).

Wed 17 … U/g … (RB* with DS) to 2s LG heading, 10s face to measure fault. Following Intake pump house and Vertical bunker top access chamber top girder 35 and bottom girder check … Office … Writing notes for Firedamp Drainage Meeting.

Thurs 18 … Office … Finished notes. Discuss P Downing Civil Engineer re visit underground and water sample for analysis. Phone re same. Number of bricks to L Scrivens and meshing to deliver.. Discuss JH and DS various and 10s Overcast. Discuss CW S. Management meeting 2.30pm re Dirt tip spoil heap CW S … (RB) Discuss AE Betts and JR Greasley various., Vertical Bunker etc. … new aspects on plan reproduction by computer e.g. for Face supports and R &FF.

Fri 19 … Office … Discuss KFG, AR Tryner 46s and 2s. Finished notes for meeting. P Downing Civils re visit underground water sample given and piezometer for No8 lagoon (RB). Meeting … 12 noon … Parkgate Development … (CW Standage, J Higginbotham, RB, D Stockham). Meeting 1pm … 7 Methane borers KF Greaves and AR Tryner, I explained the system of recording boreholes.

Fri 19 … U/g … Afternoon … Centre line and grade line for concrete foundations and line for bricking to be put on tomorrow (RB and DMP) (395 + 8 u/g)
After showering Ged Mason U/m came into the office to say they wanted a line on for bricking. I said it was arranged for tomorrow … but he insisted … We’re ******* bricking , We’re ******* bricking several times more times as he strutted round the office ... Paula just grinned. I said ‘no way’ and went upstairs to discuss with JH and as usual I casually flicked the door open with my foot as it was always ajar and said (to JH) ‘What idiot says we’re bricking this afternoon?’ ... assuming it was him of course, but then I noticed Walter Standage sitting in the corner … he immediately took me up on it saying they were to start bricking now this afternoon and a line wanted putting on. … I said that was crazy as the concrete had not set … and I had arranged to put the line on tomorrow … but he reiterated he wanted a line on today and JH just stared … I said ‘I wouldn’t even walk on a garden path till next day of laying it in concrete’  What I said fell on deaf ears! So I went to get changed into pit clothes again.
Fri 19 … U/g … Advised once more that there could be cracks in walls later. Went back down pit again reluctantly at 5.15pm to put bricking line on and Jack the bricklayer started laying bricks in soft concrete straight away as we dropped some string lines for him to follow … 2 men (RB*, DMP) … He thought it was crazy too … but …. He had to do as he was told, like me. Bricks were sinking into the wet concrete … I went home a couple of hours later to a ‘Circus dinner’ (ring round the plate in dried gravy!) … 21144 tonnes
Note …. a large crack appeared in the wall a few days later and concrete fill had to be pushed into the gap and covered with whitewash ! I couldn’t help saying ‘I told you so’. All 3 of them looked out the window, there was no eye contact!. A perfect job almost ruined for the sake of 24 hours …

Sat 20 … 21006 tonnes

Mon 22 … Office … Peter Davies and Mick Young re 2s. Discuss Eddie Gillfillan and Ken Hartwell ATT and Sid re the Vertical bunker base. R Griffin re 2s pull lifts. J Higginbotham and Dave Lees re 1s B conveyor drive house, shortening down work to do. Made new plan for same. Prints. Making 1/2500 O.S. sheet to date with amends. Imperial levels and contours for PG. P Davies re 2s Building station and 1s B conveyor house and 2s AW shunts etc.
Tony Prout Linesman temp.

Tues 23 … U/g … Visit to 46s for fossils. Measured AW pack 9.5m, saw AV Goodwin … Office … JH re Vertical Bunker and shortening 3m of Pump house, also proposal to stop at 238m and blob through to 10s AW. Also re 2s Hollybank arches re phone Ken Middleton. Calculated and plotted 46s survey with CA Fegan.

Wed 24 … Office … 6 inch and 1/5000 to date and inking in contours etc. Jimmy Pickering re shotfiring patterns. Sketches and info for CW S re HM Spanton visit. Discuss KFG various, Phone Peter Robinson Rufford re tackle etc. Phone JRG re scalings and also apply for DI3S with letter to HMI.

Thurs 25 … Office … Discuss AVG various. Finishing inking in 1/5000 TH and stippling. Discuss JRG and letter for use of DI3S. Discuss Alf Evans Area boring team.

Fri 26 … Office … General. CAF tuition re correlations. JH re Junction corners. J Lyons re water analysis and 10s AW re electrical problems. Phone Ron Gillott and Alan Kirk Woodhouse Laboratory re same. Terry Jones, Dowty re various and problem of chock build up and transportation. CW S and Wellow borehole. Amends to R & FF neg and prints.
Fri 26 … U/g … Water sample from 10s AW to go to Lab for analysis (RB*)… re Jack Lyons stating electrical problems. To Mansfield Woodhouse Laboratory with sample on way home.

Sat 27 … Progress. Wall plans. Incentive figures … Surface … to Roy’s Bridge Surface borehole in Wellow (RB*) … bored through Top Hard seam … 19428 tonnes

Pit Holiday 3rd Week

Annual Leave 1 Week … Mon 29 May – Sat 3 June. EW Fretwell, CA Fegan, I Orgill Holiday

June 1978
Ray Flint Asst. U/m Nights. DM Parker holiday

Mon 5 … Office … Discuss E Gillfillan ATT. Correspondence. E Hodgson re fencing, phone Sam Dunlop Group Mech re same. Confirm CW S and discuss various. Roy’s Bridge borehole and Vertical Bunker. Updated 1/25000 contour plan. PG contours. Calculations. General. JRG discuss. Colin Gibson re Gala plans …

Tues 6 … Office … 1/5000 negs to date in preparation for new Wall plan for Manager. General. Parkgate meeting 2.30pm … CW S (RB). Vertical Bunker meeting 3.30pm … (JH, RB and Thyssens rep)

Wed 7 … Office … General. Phone JH re concrete. Dosco. Edale. Surface … Measurements of 2s chock shield and measurements of No2 shaft chair RB with P Davies.

Thurs 8 … U/g … Offset survey of 1s LG conveyors. Measurements at 10s large fault … (RB*) … Office … JR Greasley re posting notices in the Parish for Rapid Loading Bunker. Colin Gibson re Gala Plans. 1s Conveyor plan.
Down pit again U/g … 8pm (phoned to home and sent for at 7.15pm ) ... to 10s with Ray Flint Assistant Undermanager directed and measured bore holes to prove fault … Office … Plotted results till 12 midnight. Approximately 3m throw … (400 + 8 u/g)

Fri 9 … Office … Finished 1s Conveyor plan. Updated 10s on 1/2500 Working plan showing 10s fault. Prints to CW S and discuss fault … face stopper! … Plan of land at No1 Savile Row to CW S (200 sq m approx. o secure Lane entrance. Plan of PG for HMI GDR Adamson. Discuss B Wormald info for 1s. Discuss J Herbert Planner re 10s … Surface … Viewed land at No1 Savile Row to secure load for pit lane entrance (RB to CW S).

Sat 10 … 19427 tonnes
10s face stopped because of large fault … I estimated 3m throw app. It was correct.
Brian Wormald Training Officer re change Training face from 10s to 1s (RB to CW S).
Sat 10 … Office … Progress. Incentive measures. Wall plans to date. Ventilation plan amended for 2s.
CW Standage holiday. J Higginbotham Acting Manager. AV Goodwin Acting D/m

Mon 12 … General … Surface … to Clinic checking level of foundations RB and Richard Clarke Bricklayer … Office … Meeting … Developments 10s and 2s… JH, P Davies, RB and Cyril Murphy Area Mechanisation Engineer. P Davies re 10s and 2s developments. Borehole logs for 10s and Roy’s Bridge. G Mason U/m re Job descriptions and bar chart re same. Frank Lee phoned re 10s fault. J Herbert phoned same.
Changed Survey office from 2 tables in line to one L shaped

Tues 13… Office … Finished 1/5000 Manager’s Wall plan tracings. Derek Stones Planner re 2s and 10s developments. 2 charts made for JH re same for R Anderson Production Manager. AV Goodwin and E Gillfillan and E Hodgson re setting out Vertical Bunker tubbing on surface tomorrow. Discuss B Shephard and Roy Simms (at Teversal in the past as Asst. U/m before being U/m at Pleasley) now Area Dust Suppression Engineer. Drafted out Auxiliary Ventilation plan for same. Began tracing for 2 fans in one airstream for 10s.
BACM Meeting Group 5 at 5.10pm

Wed 14 … Office … Finished tracing for 2 fans in one airstream for 10s re-development re heading both gates forward. Geoff Mayne Ventilation re figures. JH same. Discuss T Jones 2s. … Surface … RB with Eddie Gilfilan and Sid ? ATT and welder re set out circle on yard for tubbing ring for Vertical bunker … Office … Gala Day plan finished. Walter Cantrill Clipstone phoned.

Thurs 15 … Office … Check calculations for 1s and 10s surveys, amends and plotted. 10s ventilation figures for plan. Finished plan for 1s Conveyor belt and coloured for P Davies … Surface … 2.30pm Practice on surface base line with DI3S instrument … 6 men (AEB, JRG, RB, DMP, EWF, CAF) … unfortunately rained off … Office … General discussion. Tom Grainger, JH re Vertical Bunker Top collar. Discuss D Muller re 10s geology.

Fri 16 … U/g … Setting out concrete plinth for Vertical bunker, catenary measuring and dial … 3 men (RB*, DMP, EWF) … Altercation with John Higginbotham Deputy Manager who on passing by the Bunker Access noticed that there were far more than 9 men in the heading and as usual without thinking screamed for us Surveyors to leave the heading. Of course we were on the last part of setting out the centre point of the bunker shaft in readiness for the boring rig to be positioned for the pilot hole with the Robbins Raise drill. This was to be the first use of this machine. Besides us 3 in the heading and the headers and Deputy several were idliy passing the time of day. They were quite amused as JH and self were shouting at one another, nose to nose. I took him out of earshot of the others and explained that if we were to leave before putting the mark for the concrete pad then the drilling could not be built in position. I further went on to say that we would pack up and go as per his instruction, but, on no account was he to ring me at home to come back and do that task as it was needed for the afternoon and night shift, so I told him to make his mind up. Did we go and then he would then have to explain to the Manager why the borers could not start work to position the rig! He realised his mistake. He then turfed everyone out of the heading whilst we completed our job which was probably only going to be a further 15 minutes or so ... The mark was put on for the concrete base etc. and the Raise drill was built up and as will be seen later it was absolutely spot on … Office … Sorting out Vertical Bunker spiral, man tube etc. and check with calculations.

Sat … 16425 tonnes
Colin Slater ET seconded to me for experience on survey work.

Mon 19 … U/g … Check survey for Vertical bunker with Wild T16 and DI3S … 5 men (RB*, DMP, EWF, CAF, DS) … Office … Calculations ... Surface in afternoon … Set out points for Rapid loading bunker and overspill (RB*, DMP, CAF and Ted Hodgson Surface Superintendent) … Office … Meeting … Vertical Bunker, JH chair. Tom Grainger re Vertical bunker and man tube … Surface … T Grainger re No1 ring for tubbing … P Noone re substation … Office … Meeting JH, GM, PN, GW, MY KFG, RB … 10s re-development and bar chart.

Tues 20 … Office … Bar chart for 10s re-development. Colin Slater ET, discuss jobs etc., Vertical bunker and planning etc. J Herbert and D Stone discuss. Meeting … Vertical bunker 3pm (JH …RB) … Plotting.

Wed 21 … U/g … Grade marks and levelling for Vertical bunker top access ... setting last 3 long legs of 54 total. Checked for centre. To base chamber also second part of walls finished … boring forward … 4 men (RB*, EWF, DS, Colin Slater ET student) … Office … JH and John Longden DCME re-proposed boring … suggested 12” pipe. Discuss Colin Slater various. Phone Jack M Storr Thoresby re DI 3S instrument. Plan for HMI.

Thurs 22 … Office … General. Jim Barnett, Dave Muller and an Australian visitor re 10s fault. Tom Grainger and Lou Scrivens (Supplies Officer) re the reinforcing. Amended Deputy’s Districts neg to date. Discuss KFG and EL the Deputy’s District plan amends. Discuss various Colin Slater. Discuss Bert Grime Asst Manager Bevercotes re Vertical Bunker etc. Harry Bickerton and John Shone, Surveyor for Thyssens re 2’ 6” concrete and tube amendment for Vertical Bunker. To set out tubbing next Monday. Discuss CW S, JH and GM same.

Fri 23 … Office … Tony Tryner Vent re Gas content in PG. Selwyn ? Borer Maintenance re proposed pipe extension for Robbins boring rig. L Scrivens various. Eddie Moody Joiner re box 4ft square. CW S re V Bunker. Coloured 3 copies of Deputy’s Districts plans and distributed …        
Surface … Enquiry from WS Brooks of Wellow re Rapid Loading Bunker, size, position etc. … answered his questions on behalf of NCB and he seemed quite satisfied with my explanation.

Sat 24 … Office … Progress. Incentive measurements. 14795 tonnes

Mon 26 … Office … PG Working plans to date, inked in, levels, contours, dates, faults, stippled etc. Discuss Vertical Bunker with Paul and Michael, Thyssens workmen. Colouring 1/5000 prints. Organising tackle for Vertical Bunker tomorrow.

Tues 27 … U/g … Setting up centre line, plumb and set out tubbing for shaft and reinforcing etc. and man tube box. Set out marks for voids and man tube … 4 men (RB*, DMP, EWF, CAF plus Paul, Thyssens Hungarian foreman) … Office … Discuss JH, T Grainger and John Shone re Vertical Bunker base amended girders. JH re 1s seam sections.
Demonstration of Thermal lance to be used in July on winding engine.

Wed 28 … U/g … RB with Frank Lee Area Planning Engineer, Tom Grainger, Maurice Lamb Boremaster to Vertical bunker top where concreting of collar was starting. To base where bricking was continuing … Office … Discuss over lunch. Rep from Chartpak came at 2.30pm with samples for R & FF plans etc. Info to Roy Whitehead Method Study re face advances, paddies etc. (405 + 8 u/g)

Thurs 29 … Office … SN Whittle phoned. Eddie Moody Joiner re plinth for Bunker top. T Grainger re Bunker base amends and top wall …. NO! P Davies, Dave McLean and Rep and JH re 2s Chock building station … can now be situated at gate end. General. Tuition to Colin Slater. Discus KF Greaves.

Fri 30 … Office … Drawing of a face extinguisher bracket for Dowty 6 leg chock. General. Discuss T Grainger. Bert Grime, Bevercotes phoned re Vertical Bunker. JRG phoned re Tacheo instrument.