A Unique History From My Work Diaries

Surveying Jobs

North Nottinghamshire Area from April 1967

Page - 66 -

Jan 1984

1984 subsidised transport at 12.2p / mile = £11.85

A Phil Garner (APG) Assistant transferred from Mansfield
Still no problems with NUM re Overtime ban
Nil

Sun 1 … This was a swapped shift for Fri 30. Power house and Main fan readings 6pm – 12 midnight

Mon 2 … Bank holiday Power house readings … 6pm - 12 midnight

Tues 3 … Office … CW S discuss. Introduction to the Colliery with AP Garner … Surface … to Pit Head Baths, Power house, Fan house and Rescue Room re R & FF plan amends (RB*, APG). Discuss Mick Young Deputy Mech Engineer.

Wed 4 … U/g … Visit to Booster fan house, 1s AW, Following Return outbye, Vertical Bunker, 3rd drift, Substation etc. … 2 men (RB* AP Garner) … Office … Phone Graham Hall Bevercotes various and advice. Info to R Dickson Deputy Mech Engineer re grades at 9s and 33s. Discuss DR Mounsey DCME re 1s Following Return and 3rd drift. AVG U/m re 9s check line to push AW end to stop panzer creep. Phone Andy Vjestica re working out Overtime ban roster for 6th, 7th and 8th. Discuss Des Mapley PPM computer.

Thurs 5 … Office … Phone MD Clarke. Phone JRG. Phone P Rees Geologist re Roster. Phone Chris Thorne Geologist same. Phone G Ison re grade of Weigh plate … Surface … Levelled to same at Rapid Loading Bunker (RB*, APG) … Office … Meeting re Main Bright cracks in No 2 shaft (G Ison, HH Grime, K Hartwell ATT, CID Swinscoe, RB). DR Mounsey DCME Mining phoned me re same.

Fri 6 … Holiday … Aunt Connie’s funeral                                                      

Sat 7 … Power house readings 6pm – 12 midnight 11432 tonnes

Sun 8 … Extra volunteers from Area HQ etc. … Now on 8 man roster instead of 6
Ken G Fidler (KG F) Assistant Manager Thoresby appointed Deputy Manager Ollerton

Mon 9 … Office … CW Standage off sick for 2 days. Met Ken G Fidler, Acting Manager on his first two days. Progress. Incentive measurements. Phone P Noone Elecs. KG Fidler and HMI H Evans re forms filled in for general info about the pit. Discuss KG F general. Phone Garry JD Hall Sutton re advice. Wall plan to date.

Tues 10 U/g … Visit to 14s panel, 11s Junction, Vertical Bunker and 3r / 4t drifts (with Charles J Whyte, Area Surveyor and Gordon Ison Senior Surveyor, RB) … Office … Discuss various over Lunch. Phone G Ison re SM1. Deputy’s Districts plan with PG S and KF G … to Area HQ.

Wed 11 … Office … Risk Assessment info and neg to date. Phone R Pickering Borer re possible borehole from 3rd drift to 622s. Discuss John Ryan Deputy. Phone Andy Liney re same. P Noone and E Hodgson discuss. CW S re old boreholes in 1s AW. KG F re same and JS re districts sketches. KF Greaves Safety Eng’s re same.
BACM Meeting re Overtime ban

Thurs … 12 Office … CIDS re doors for Return drift. Updating Working plans. Discuss P Noone Deputy Elec. P Robinson Rufford phoned re advice. Meeting 3pm Additional Airways R Anderson Production Manager. Discuss A Liney ventilation.

Fri 13 … U/g to Thoresby visit to 1000 tonnes 60 degeess Inclined Bunker construction and 3rd drift development (RB with Ian Shaw, Keith Jenkins and PG Shaw) … Office … Discuss. G Ison and Risk Assessment folder and files. MI 1 form for 3rd drift sent. Presentation for Bill Denton. Discuss JS development.                                                                                 

Sat 14 … 17518 tonnes
Wm (Bill) Denton Assistant U/m appointed Undermanager Shirebrook, North Derbyshire Area (He would go on to be Deputy Manager Lea Hall and Manager at Bolsover, later working for Coal Authority)

Sunday 15 … Power house readings 12 noon – 6pm

Mon 16 … Office … Progress. Incentive measurements.

Tues 17 … U/g … In No2 shaft on top of chair to measure repair work done at Main Bright seam horizon … (RB, Bert Grime ATT, CID Swinscoe Mech Engineer and 2 Blacksmiths) … Office … Risk Assessment info. Sketch for KG Fidler re 9s. Meeting 3pm Pre Strategic Plan, CW S.

Wed 18 … Office … General, correspondence etc. Shaft info for Main Bright repairs in No2 shaft. Phone Doug Raisbeck gave him info re geology of the pit. Jim Brennan Assistant Manager Clipstone phoned re Markham Shield. To Area HQ Meeting 2pm … Strategic Plan JE Wood (CW S, KGF, RB).

Thurs 19 … U/g … Visit to Booster fan house thirling o.k. to 9s panel re gate lead and panzer creep and face assessment (RB*) … Office … Discuss HH Grime ATT various. Phone G Ison … Surface … to Thoresby office … Meeting re visit by group of Indian mining engineers next week (G Ison, Jack Storr, RB) … Office … discuss 9s with CW S and KG F. Junction plans for KGF. Discuss KF Greaves re matches found in the pit … Surface … to Clipstone to take info re Markham Shield to Jim Brennan Assistant Manager and discuss.

Fri 20 … Office … discuss AVG various. 1 Retirement Certificate. Tuition with APG explaining logarithms etc. for calculating. Plotted 1s Following Intake / Return connection on 1/1250 with Bocking protractor as check with APG. Discuss Fred Gieves Hollybank queries re arches. Discuss KGF. Discuss MD Clarke Planner re 15s development. Discuss 9s creep etc. with CW S and KG F.

Sat 21 … 19450 tonnes

Sun 22 … Power house readings 6am - 12 noon

Mon 23 … Office … KG F Wall plan. Incentive measurements. HMI HC Evans re 3rd drift plan 15 men exemption and 2s AW and 2s LG Refuge holes … sheet to prepare. New plans to HMI. KG F re 2s LG end. Phone Keith Jenkins Assistant Thoresby re instrument to take. Phone G Ison. Plotted 2s and 14s gate end Support Rules. Discuss KG F. Phone HMI HC Evans re 3rd drift borehole. Discuss same CW S and KG F also re 9s … Surface … to Thoresby to take DI4 EDM.

Tues 24 … Office … Info re talk. Progress. Discuss general. Phone Ken Cross Deputy re info and also re arches in Pit Bottom slit. Discuss ART re 3rd drift and vent. Discuss G Weeks (re R Flint) re Sunday night Banksman etc. by AP Garner … o.k by Paul Brown Elec and Richard Sneade Deputy Elec. Info re all. Discuss KFG and HH Grime. Discuss CW S and KG F.

Wed 25 … Surface … to Area HQ Conference Room B and then A. I gave a Talk on Roadway drivages and Bunkers to a group of Indian Engineers. Also in attendance G Ison Senior Surveyor and Jack Storr Thoresby. Discuss afterwards. Continued. Survey department involvement. Phone Marketing department re letter about coal stocks. KG F re 9s LG new supports are to be Hollybanks. KG F re 2s LG end 1.5m exemption.

Thurs 26 … Office … Drawing out 9s LG end with new Hollybank arches. Phone WEB Barlow re various. Discuss P Noone. Dilwyn Richards Principal HMI phoned me direct to ask why was 3rd drift SM1 late? … held up at Area HQ after CW S signed?) Why me again? Possibly because I was the one who instigated it. Discuss K Cross NACODS same and discuss J Hood and D Walker NUM. Checking on info. Discuss ART and K Willings 1s boreholes. CW S re signing plans. 9s snicket shotfiring pattern and seam exemptions for gate ends. Discuss CW S and KG F re 9s and 1s. Ventilation plans.

Fri 27 … U/g …Measured 1s AW for distortion etc. and Methane drainage holes. (RB*) (675 + 11 u/g)
Fri 27 … U/g again with KF Greaves and 2 Workmen’s Inspectors. Accident near base of Return drift on Manriding conveyor (2) (RB* plus 3) (40) … Office … Plotted levels with PG Shaw.

Sat 28 … 18360 tonnes

Sat 28 … Power house readings 12 noon - 6pm

Sun 29 … Office … Plotting accident plan. Measured up Power house cabin and made a plan of same.

Mon 30 … Office … Continued with accident plan. Electrical tracings to date and drew in all power lines in pencil. Discuss P Noone Deputy Elec re Fan drift etc. and plan. Geoff Mayne Assistant Ventilation re 1s AW Methane holes! Discuss M Young. Discuss R Dickson Dep Mech 33s. Discuss KF Greaves. Stencilling on plans. Discuss Frank Dove Area Civil Eng’s. Discuss MD Clarke development planning.

Tues 31 … Office … Finished accident plan. Discuss KF Greaves. Phone Ken Cross Deputy re Pit bottom arches in slit … 7 x 8s. Finished off Risk Assessment plans on 1/10560 and prints coloured. Ken Willings re 3rd drift borehole next Thursday. 3 notices re Capping winding rope 6/3/1984. Info to AV Goodwin U/m re Pit bottom arches. Discuss J Stewart Asst Manager various.

February 1984

Wed 1 … Phone JS re Following Return outbye heading. Amends to accident plan. Discus KF G. Discuss K Willings re 3rd drift borehole. Extensions to 6 inch plans. Discuss HH grime. HMI Tildesley re accident plan. Amended same for new positions. 4 prints coloured slides of arches. KG F re prints of all panels Support Rules. This was the build up of the collection of plans in folders.

Thurs 2 … Office … Discuss CID S and A Liney, PG S re proposed doors for Return drift re Booster fans. Discuss PN. Graham Hall Bevercotes phoned re advice sorting out Booster fan doors with PGS. Discuss AVG.
Folders for KG F for his plans. He had phoned me to say he had got his plan folders fast in his table drawer and could not open it. What could I do about it? I said I had told him several times that to put too many plans in one folder would cause it to splay open and that was what had happened. I suggested I send for the Joiners … ‘What will they be able to do?’ he asked. ‘They will saw the table in half’ I said flippantly … Silence, the phone went dead. But I did know what to do. I took my 5 feet long steel straight edge up to his office and whilst he was out for a few minutes I gently eased the drawer open a few inches then inserted the straight edge and gently moved it over the plan folder and yanked the drawer open. I hid the straight edge outside the door put the plan folders neatly in line and waited for him to return. ‘How have you done that?’ he asked in amazement. ‘You mind your business and I’ll mind mine’ and with a flourish I left and pulled the door to loudly. Paula said ‘Shall I put the kettle on?’ I said ‘No, because he is going to send for me in a minute’. The phone rang after a few minutes. ‘Can you come up?’ Fidler wanted the Deputy’s Districts plans for his folder. I offered my copy but he insisted he wanted … ‘his own’ so I went downstairs told Paula to take 2 prints off same, she to colour one and me to colour the other. Armed with the plans all neatly folded ready for a file I presented one to KG F and then I gave him the second copy. ‘What do I want that copy for?’ he asked. I retorted ‘Now you have got one more ******* plan than I have, good day’ and left and slammed the door. A bit of plaster fell off the door frame. He knew he had ruffled my feathers as the saying goes. He sent for me shortly afterwards and told me to shut the door and sit down. I thought ... I've never had a bollocking sitting down before. But no, He said ‘You and I have not got off to a very good start have we! ‘Who’s’ fault’s that?’ I replied. ‘You have never wanted for anything but I have a full time job to do without running up and down stairs all day bringing plans’. He went on ‘I can’t find anything wrong with your department’. Quick as a flash I said ‘I can find plenty wrong with your department but we should all be pulling together, not against one another’. He reached across offering his hand and we shook on it and had a cup of tea and chatted for an hour. Got on well after that although he still wanted a lot of information, but no plans.
Not one of the mining management could manage on their own without help from me and my department … just note the number of queries answered by me.

Fri 3 … Office … Info re borehole in 3rd drift … phone PGS. Phone John Shone Thyssens re total tonnage throughput for both Vertical bunkers. Discuss KG F various. Plotting etc. Discuss R Hunt Head weighman re coal stocks.                                                                                 

Sat 4 … 20004 tonnes
Russ Topliss Assistant Cost Clerk transferred.
Sat 4 … Power house and main fan readings 6pm – 12 midnight.
PG Shaw holiday 1 week

Mon 6 … Eric Spencer re 9s outbye heading norm. Discuss KG F and CW S 1s AW etc. also plans of offices. Plotted 9s. Phone JR Smith progress and MD Clarke called for progress. Meeting 2pm Capital Investment, Manpower Savings and Development R Anderson. Meeting 3pm Booster Fan Installation KG F. P Rees section of 3rd drift borehole. Phone MF Whittle (Senior Inspector, Estates) re various.
Capping No1 shaft rope … Underground men off on Day shift. P Hudson Assistant Cost Clerk started.

Tues 7 … Office … General. Discuss KFG. Info to Charlie Swinscoe re pumps re 2s to Pit bottom. K Willings re possible other borehole in 3rd drift. Discuss Ted Hodgson coal stocks. Discuss Ken Hartwell ATT re Fan drift project. Discuss CIDS and KG F re Pit bottom pumps. Discuss Derek Francis Meco re possible booster conveyor in Intake drift. Russian group visited PPM Computer … Des Mapley Elec and Ron Ball Mech. This was the first Computerisation of PPM records in the Country.

Wed 8 … Office … Prepared negative for Introduction of Electricity into 17s, 11s and 3rd drift. Wall plans. Phone Ronnie Havelock Deputy re 9s outbye. Phone Denis Jewsbury re plan of Wellow with Top Hard and Parkgate workings for Norman Preater Welbeck. Meeting 12.30pm Development In to PG J Stewart. CW S, R Anderson, Alan Ingram CME RB and KG Fidler re 9s creep and change of LG supports etc. Drew out same for Reg Smart Deputy. Discuss JS and MDC. Discuss MY. Notice for KF G re accidents.

Thurs 9 … Office … Electrical plans, amends with Paul Brown … Surface … with Bert Grime and Ken Hartwell ATT to Fan drift and No2 heapstead. … Office … continued discuss MY. AR Tryner re 3rd drift fan alteration. Sketches etc. 9s LG end with AVG U/m. CW S re Titan E169 and RH 22 Roadheaders and to have a further Titan E169 for 11s. Discuss JS. Discuss F Gieves Hollybank. Continued with Electrical plans.

Fri 10 … Office … Electrical negatives. Phone Graham Hall and K Mirfin Bevercotes discuss various. Discuss AVG 9s etc. Discuss KG F. New office plans made out. Finished Electrical negs. Discuss JS. Discuss CW S and KG F various.

Sat 11 … 17056 tonnes
Sat 11 … Power house and Main fan readings 6am -12 noon.
AV Goodwin U/m holiday 1 week. Gordon Weeks Acting U/m

Mon 13 … Office … Progress and Incentive figures. Discuss PG Shaw. Phone MDC various re development. JS re mark out No1 Pit bottom feather edge. CIDS re underground water stop valve on surface. Phone P Rees. Info re Markham Tunnel for MD C. Area HQ progress. Discuss MDC development. Plan from Area re No1 Pit bottom. Discuss Roy Stubbs Area Safety Engineer re 2s fault ‘hot spot’. Info to CW S re development.

Tues 14 … Office … Plan. Phone P Rees. Phone JRG re Dirt tips. Phone Chris Thorne. CIDS several times, re excess water into pit Saturday night to 33s. Discuss KFG. Eric Spencer re notice. Copies off subs notes. PGS and staff re setting out No1 Pit bottom raft etc. KF Greaves re ‘hot spot’ at 2s at top of fault.

Wed 15 … U/g … to 3rd drift!! and No1 Pit bottom setting out raft … 3 men (RB*, DS, RC) … Office … Discuss PGS re 2s refuge holes. Discuss MDC re proposed engine house for 3rd drift. G Mayne Vent re sketch of 2s AW heating. Phone Thyssens in South Wales re progress of Titan E169 for delivery. Phone Len Quibell Coal News re same and 9s. Meeting 3pm Additional Airways R Anderson. Discuss Andy Liney.

Thurs 16 … U/g … to Booster fan substation, 1s following Return Titan thirling o.k. 1s Return outbye heading ... 2 men (RB*, DS) Shotfiring pattern to 3rd drift and 1s outbye head. Plotted 9s panzer creep with PGS.

Fri 17 … Office … Plotted 1s Following Return to date. Phone JR Greasley re coal tip. Phone G Ison re info and discuss Peter Carter Ex Surveyor Clifton now with NCC re BMs for Rufford Lake o.k.. Discuss Bert Grime. Working plans, dating etc. Discuss Ted Hodgson re coal tip. Deputy’s District plans.

Sat 18 … 13298 tonnes

Sun 19 … Power house and Main fan readings 6am -12 noon.                     

Mon 20 … Office … Checking through Report book. CW S re Paper for 9s. Also possible development 16s, 17s etc. and 2s AW smoke appearing from heating site at fault area. J Higginbotham at that time Deputy Manager had organised railway sleepers to support the fault area some months back.
Mon 20 … Capping No1 shaft rope … Underground men laid off on Day shift. Began to reclaim coal from Poplar Street Bungalow site 180,000 tonnes tar covered (was the first in the country)

Tues 21 … Office … Discuss AVG re 2s AW and heating. Incentive measures and progress. Phone Don Brown Area HQ re slides for 9s retreat face. Phone G Ison re ammonia … use in the Printing machine. Discuss KG F re 2s checkline and LG end supports. Wall plans to date. Cost clerks discussion. Heating graph for 2s AW. Discuss CW S and KG F re 2s LG half head supports. Discuss JS development. Discuss AVG 2s AW fault heating. Discuss Bernard Charles Safety Dept. Area HQ re same. Discuss JS 9s outbye head plan and extension of 1s Following Return re CW S.

Wed 22 … Office … Discuss KG F re 2s graph of heating. Discuss PN. Tracing of 9s ends and general layout. Discuss MDC re Pit bottom raft … Surface … to Bungalow site coal stocks and Landsale … Office … CW S Risk Assessment folder. Discuss MDC 10 year Plan amendments. Discuss J Lyons re lights.

Thurs 23 … Office … Progress. Discuss J L lights. Discuss Roy Stubbs re 2s and plan for him. Discuss Bill Lacey Lamp Room Foreman re his systems. Discuss P Noone Deputy Elec re same, in readiness for doing that job. CW S re NUM men working at Weekend. R & FF plan checked over. Colouring Risk Assessment plans for surface. Discuss MDC and A Liney 2s.

Fri 24 … U/g … to 1s Following Return outbye heading thirling o.k. also to 1s Following Return re-grading … 2 men (RB*, AP Garner) … Office … Discuss ART and GM ventilation. Plotted same. Discuss Cliff Meakin O/m. Discuss KFG 2s AW fault and heating position with CW S and JP Berry Deputy Director. CW S re 9s Paper on retreat mining. Discuss JS and AVG re 10 year Plan revision.
NUM Winding engine men at work over the weekend. 9 2 men at work during the overtime ban but this was an emergency re 2s heating …no problems.

Sat 25 … Power house and Main fan readings 6am -12 noon.
18300 tonnes

Sun 26 … Power house, Main fan readings and Compressors. 12 midday – 6pm

Mon 27 … to see Ken Mirfin at home, Walesby… ill with leukaemia, needed me to complete some jobs.

Tues 28 … General. Freddie Parr Crane driver re new pipe from Reservoir overflow. Discuss JL lights again. Discuss CW S various. Phone MDC re progress …. Surface … Measurements to locate the line of the pipel trench … Office … D Lees re conveyor in 3rd drift. I Redford, Bretby re possibility of Ski lift type manrider up 400s! … To Area HQ Don Brown and V Williams re titles on 9s slides. CJ Whyte and WEBB re A Phil Garner Assistant, work.

Wed 29 … Call out at 5.10am by Ray Flint Assistant U/m.
Wed 29 … U/g … Measured up accident to Littler 1s Following Intake heading … 2 men (RB* and Dicky Bryan O/m) (41) … Office … phone KFG re accident. Phone CJ Whyte staff. Plotted accident. Sketch of 9s layout for KG F. Phone MDC development advances etc. Plotting 9s panzer creep. Meeting 2pm Capital Investment, Manpower Savings and Development R Anderson. CW S re Radford and survey of 400s. KG F re office plan amends. (680 + 11 u/g)
12s LG sealed off … 9s sewer gate. PG Shaw holiday to Sat.
JE Wood Director visit to 9s retreat face.
Willie McGranaghan started as Assistant U/m from Overman Bilsthorpe.

March 1984

Thurs 1 … Office … R Anderson Production Manager and KG Fidler Deputy Manager re graphs for 2s heating. Info to date and plan. Phone Tony Clarke Area Safety re Markham Shield and print sent. Willie McGranaghan new Assistant Undermanager introduction to the Colliery etc. and gave him a plan. Phone Tommy Partridge Deputy re 10s slushing 180m from Loco house. Discuss graphs of heating with Roy Stubbs. Discuss AVG and KG F. Discuss Ken F Greaves. Plan to date.

Fri 2 … Office … Phone Wm Rose Area Mech x 2 re Markham Shield and print. Phone J Faben Strata Control re 2s. Phone J Stewart re 16s Junction. CW S and HMI HC Evans re Seam exemption for ripping. Also 2s LG prop density. CW Standage, R Anderson Production Manager, A Ingram CME, RB and Scientific Officer re 2s heating. Info etc.
Fri 2 … U/g … afternoon … 2s AW site of heating … set out borehole 10m long, 10 degrees inbye to right and 15 degrees up at 2686m mark …3 men (RB*, APG and K Willings)

Sat 3 … 17846 tonnes - Bought a Dec 1981 Talbot Sunbeam, Royal Blue

Sun 4 … NUM men working … heating at 2s AW under control. Winders at work until Sun evening.

Mon 5 … Office … Discuss PGS. Discuss E Hodgson re coal stocks. ART re ventilation amends. Don Brown brought slides for 9s and projector. Discuss PN. CW S run through with 9s slides etc. Amends and prints off Ventilation negs. Discuss KFG re 2s. EH re coal stocks again. 1 Retirement certificate.

Tues 6 … Office … Discuss AVG. R Bland re 2s. Phone MDC re dev and 10 year plan. Phone AVG re plan for 33s B conveyor house. 7 Retirement certificates. CW S, KG F slide show. Discuss JS.
Chairman of NCB I McGregor announces a 4m tonnes cut in production and to close 20 uneconomical pits and the loss of 20,000 jobs.

Wed 7 … Office … Plan of 400s for Bretby. Gullotine for trimming prints sharpened in Workshop. Discuss M Young and P Wardle. Phone APG re 14s angles? Jack Storr Thoresby fetched DI4 EDM. Phone Ian Shaw re plan. B Hopkinson Marketing re coal stocks. Meeting 12 noon – 1.50pm Development JS. Plan plotted for 400s and prints. CW S re 9s Paper on experiences with retreat mining in PG … I suggested the title could start with ‘Hammer Films’ as they were all Horror pictures … he said he daren’t. We had a laugh ... Updated KG F office plan of 2s.
Yorkshire NUM miners on strike

Thurs 8 … Discuss B Wormald re a trainee. CW S re the signing 3rd drift Titan plan. Discuss E Spencer. PGS re Support Rules. Discuss George Case Materials Officer. Ken Willings re 3rd drift borehole. Discuss PN. KG F re 2s plan. Discuss AVG re various. Discuss JS.

Scotland, Wales and Kent out on strike

Fri 9 … to Area HQ … Office … HMI HC Evans re 2s LG support exemption … new plan. Discuss Ken Cross NACODS re Seminar. Phone JRG … Surface … Tacheo survey of all coal stocks … 3 men (RB*, PGS, APG) Discuss KFG Discuss P Rees acquifer.

Sat 10 … 14726 tonnes

Sun 11 … Power house readings, Control Room monitoring, Banking at No2 shaft, Off-loaded a pump in Workshops with J Daubney. 12 noon - 6pm

Mon 12 … Seminar for Deputies in St John’s hut 8.45am. Talk on Colliery plans 10.15am – 11am. WEBB with Br Rail Surveyor re plans update. Then Seminar continued after lunch 1.15 -3.15pm.
Changed winding rope at No2 shaft. All underground men off on Days, Afters and Nights

Tues 13 … Office … Discuss KFG. Discuss SWH Lindsay Cost clerk. Discuss PN. Discuss CW S re possible strike action. Incentive measures. Meeting CW S re Possible strike by NUM. Discuss AVG and JS. Progress.

Flying Pickets from Yorkshire

Wed 14 … Office … Phone, phone, phone, phone !!! Meeting to discuss Roster. Phone, phone, phone phone !! … All re Roster. Phone Mike Pope Deputy Admin Area, he too asked about people on the roster.
Wed 14 … On the night shift 2am – 8.30am partway through other jobs listed was in the Control Room doing computer and Main fan readings with Richard Sneade Deputy Electrical Engineer when + 500 pickets and 1,300 police on Forest Road at the bottom of Pit Lane and had made fires with garden gates etc. David Jones a picket died earlier, we think when running into a concrete lamp post during an altercation with some Ollerton men. It was very frightening as we heard chanting and banging that went to a crescendo and Richard and me thought they were going to charge the pit and we locked all doors and waited, but suddenly there was silence. We found out later that Arthur Scargill NUM Secretary had arrived and had calmed the mob down. In the meantime Alan Dolphin Colliery Overman had phoned out of the pit and asked if all the night shift men could come out as they wished to get home as soon as possible as they feared for their families. I said yes of course and went banking. By 4.10am the pit was clear. Some men I was told later did not bathe but went straight home in their pit muck over the dirt tip to avoid any confrontation with the pickets. I had contacted CW Standage by phone and he and R Anderson Production Manager arrived later. I carried on with Fan house duties, and of course had missed some of the statutory readings due to the situation. I was Jack of all trades in the Time office, Lamp Room, and Banksman at No2 shaft. I switched the Compressors off. Locked up. However the flying pickets from Yorkshire would revive to picket and cause mayhem at the neighbouring colliery Thoresby for the early morning shift and ripped down fences etc. as well as challenging men going to work. There was a large force of police in attendance both at Ollerton and Thoresby. It was not a nice experience at all!

Thurs 15 … Morning, knocked off after 8.30am.
NUM on strike but not all men. Dougie Stockham my Surveying Assistant in WIPS (Weekly Paid Industrial Staff) union on strike. Think it was only 1 day or maybe two.

Fri 16 … General. Power house and Main fan readings and Banksman at No2 shaft. Lamp Room charging and topping up batteries and oil lamps and Control Room.

Sat 17 … 1801 tonnes
WPIS working now and to have a ballot.
Sat 17 … Power house and Main Fan readings and Banksman duties at No2 shaft 2pm – 8pm

Sun 18 … Power house and Main fan readings. Lamp Room charging and oil lamps 8am – 2pm.
Nottinghamshire NUM voted 3 to 1 against strike action

Mon 19 … Office … AVG discuss. Progress. Incentive figures. Eric Spencer re Roster. Fred Gieves re arches. Phone Graham Hall Bevercotes. Phone J Shone Thyssens. K Willings re 3rd drift borehole. Phone Stefan Pazura Deputy shotfiring pattern for 11s. John Ryan Safety Officer re shotfiring pattern. Correspondence. Phone various … mainly re Roster again.
120 pickets at Bevercotes. North Derbyshire NUM men out on strike. 44 working pits out of total of 174.

Tues 20 … U/g … Pit with J Stewart to 1s Following Return outbye heading o.k. To 11s LG and 3rd drift boring with PGS and Ken Willings. To N1 Pit bottom cleaning up … Office … Planning 16s and 2s Scour. Discuss CW S same. Made out 16s SM1 form. Phone various.

Wed 21 … Office … Plotted 16s proposed development on 1/500 with PGS and info etc. for setting out. Notice re capping at no2 shaft. Discuss Andy Liney and MDC re 16s and 2s Scour. Phone S Porter Area HQ. KG F, CW S and GW re 9s panzer creep and gate lead. I mentioned again to always push the gate the panzer was creeping to. However that always meant fly cutting and full cuts were necessary for production, but then you get creep. I advocated setting a gate lead on face heading ‘a la’ 2s.

Thurs 22 … General. Phone MFW HQ. KG F re 9s outbye heading supports. Planning out 16s. Discuss and info check with J Ryan and PGS … 2s heating plan. E Spencer and notice re state of pits working in the Area. 34 pits working in the country out of 174.

Fri 23 … Office … Discuss Geoff Wright Security Officer. SM1 form and plan finished. 2 plans for the Police and discussed all entrances to the pit. Discuss F Gieves and plan of arches for Pit bottom. Discuss A Liney and ART 16s. To Red Lion for lunch … Paula Lesh’s Birthday treat. Discuss MDC re 2s Scour alternative position. CW S and KG F re 16s SM1 … served same.

Sat 24 … 15010 tonnes
Re-capped No2 shaft winding rope. Underground men on the surface doing various jobs.

Sun 25 … Power house and Main fan readings. Banksman at No2 shaft and compressors. Police visit with Ray Flint to see what we did. 12 midnight – 6am
Police Road Blocks to stop Flying Pickets.
Output for 1983 - 1984 = 901,883 tonnes Profit £6,323,000
Lancashire Area out but Bolsover at work.

Mon 26 … CW Standage on holiday 1 week. KG Fidler Acting Manager. AV Goodwin Acting Deputy Manager, G Weeks Acting U/m. R Flint and JS Nights

Tues 27 … Office … General. Phone S Porter. Correspondence. 2s contours to date. Avg re JS bar chart for Booster fan house work. And copies. Copy of 1 inch plan for Police. F Gieves, Hollybank arches. KG F re 2s fault. Phone G Ison. He came and went though and signed Risk Assessment File. Meeting KG Fidler 3pm … In Seam Seismic survey proposals for 33s. Info for same. P Taylor, D Raisbeck, J Lyons and KF Greaves.
38 pits at work. South Derbyshire Area on strike.

Wed 28 … Catenary grades for 3rd drift for KFG. KG F re proposed office for Assistant Undermanagers in Deployment Centre … plans for same. Phone Keith Jenkins Thoresby. 9s check line. Phone S Porter. Discuss MDC 2s. Meeting 3pm Additional Airways R Anderson. Discuss KG F. Phone Don Brown re plans. Copies off prints. Discuss R D.

Thurs 29 … Office … General. Sorting out borehole info. Phone x 3 various. Discuss AVG U/m. Roster. 1 Retirement certificate. Brian Wormald re Linesman. Discuss D Wells re Linesman. Discuss KFG. Discuss SWH Lindsay and RD Costs. Discuss A Liney 3rd drift sketches and 16s development. Also 16s elecs with J Lyons and R Sneade. Plans and prints.
38 pits working. NCB offers cease fire by suspending. High Court contempt action against Yorkshire NUM over unlawful picketing.

Fri 30 … Office … 2 water samples from 1s Sulza tanks and 1s Following Return sent to Lab. Phoned Mansfield Woodhouse Lab re same. Clean up office.

Sat 31 … 17269 tonnes

April 1984

Annual Leave Mon 2 – Sat 14. Tenerife. KG Fidler Holiday 2 Weeks

David Wells restarted as Linesman in place of Kevin Soar.

Tues 3 … 4 men staged underground sit in at 33s.

Wed 4 … another joined the sit in.

Thurs 5 … 5 men came out of the pit after a sit in of 64 hours. 41 pits working. Following week 48 working.

Sat 7 … 13438 tonnes

Sat 14 … 18632 tonnes
Area Tunnelling Team (ATT) left after completing the Booster fan site. Ron Ball Mech PPM left to Area HQ

Sun 15 …. Power house and Main fan readings 12noon -6pm. Discuss CW Standage and Andy Liney.

Mon 16 … Office … Correspondence. Incentive measurements and progress. Phone G Ison … Laser, to Electric shop. Discuss P Noone and R Sneade. Phone G Ison, on control at HQ. Phone A Liney re meeting on Wednesday. Manager’s Wall plan.
Ollerton men voted 260 to 210 against changing majority vote to 50.5%. D Wells Linesman on strike.

Tues 17 … U/g … to 3rd drift, various checks and progress of drift and conveyor centre line for No1. Discuss E Barton O/m and Les Boyles Deputy. Collected water samples … 2 men (RB*, DS) and then John Ryan safety Officer re same … Office … Sent 2 more water samples to Laboratory to confirm (old 1s). I was the Water Liaison Officer. KFG re 3rd drift. Phone G Armstrong, Woodlands, Estates … Surface … to Workshops, Painters and Welders re levelling plates. Phone Norman Hibbert Deputy 11s LG engine house. Sorting out levelling circuit. Sorting out borehole amends and filing. K Hartwell re concrete hardness.

Wed 18 … Surface … Setting out metal plates around Dirt tips ready for Aerial photographs with APG, George and Roland from Estates. Meeting 2pm Booster fans A Liney. Discuss M Young. Phone JR Smith re 3rd drift.

Thurs 19 … Office … General. Discuss B Sheppard. G Weeks re 9s … Surface … Levelled over No2 Dirt tip … 3 men (RB*, C Ingram, D Wells Linesmen) ... Office … Calculations. Re-check on gate post value of levelling. Discuss Ted Hodgson. Phone R Sneade re Lamps. Phone K Chilligworth Estates re office alterations … sent plan of existing.

Fri 20 … Office … Doug Stockham re 3rd drift grade line. D Lees re conveyor. Phone John Faben Strata Control re list of exemptions for 1/12/1982 and 1/12/1983 letter not received. Discuss PH. KFG various. Charlie Swinscoe re 2s AW grade through fault area.

Sat 21 … 14280 tonnes
J Russell Smith Planner And John Beeves Deputy Planner retired.
Sat 21 … Power house and Main fan readings 6am -12 noon

Mon 23 … Easter Monday
Tues 24 … Statutory Holiday
Wed 25 … Holiday

Derek Stone upgraded to Senior Planner for Ollerton, Bilsthorpe, Bevercotes and Harworth … Assistants MD Clarke and David Snodin. 46 pits working

Thurs 25 … Office … General. Correspondence. Plan. Discuss PGS Dirt tips. John Sproston Deputy Area Vent phoned re various.
Pickets now living in Ollerton

Fri 27 … Office … Plans. Discuss John Ryan. Notices. Discuss MDC. Also CW S, KG F re 3rd drift slot track creeper … refer Engineer. M Young same and to refer to Ken Rutherford.
Arthur Scargill at Ollerton / Bevercotes Welfare … 500 plus pickets

Sat 28 … 5330 tonnes
Sat 28 … Power house and Main fan readings 6am – 12noon

Sun 29 … Power house and Main fan 6pm – 12 midnight

Mon 30 … Office … Phone JS re plans for 3rd drift and Booster fan installation. Also re doors on Return drift. Phone MY re same … too small at 6 feet? Eric Spencer discuss. Incentive measures. Discuss SWH Lindsay Cost Clerk. Info re plans for M Hopkinson Deputy Estates. Calculated and plotted contours to date. Made out 9s statutory survey. Discuss AVG. Discuss MY. Phone John Mansfield Stores re 9s Five feet arches. Figures to date.
PGS holiday 2 days
Started 2 shift coaling Days and Afternoons. No1 shaft rope change cancelled because no Blacksmiths coming to work! 270 pickets. 52 pits working now. Titan E134 started at 1in4 dip in 3rd drift.

May 1984
Tues 1 … Office … 1/2500 Working plans to date. Inked in, faults, contours, levels, dates. D Lees re conveyors. CW S phone x 3 re various. Stippled plans to date.

Wed 2 … Office … Discuss J Wright Security. Phone Peter Daffin to confirm land. Meeting 9.15am Additional Airways Project R Anderson Production Manager. Discuss L Stewart Junctions. Discuss Andy Liney ventilation. Figures. Sketches of 9s outbye move to new Cross Gate for KG F.
Only 12 men turned up for Night shift. 10,000 pickets at Harworth.

Thurs 3 … U/g … to Booster Fan and 2s AW grade, 1s Following Return and 11s LG heading (with Jim Stewart) Discuss Lenny Clarke O/m and Matt Monro Deputy … Office … Phone E Barton O/m re lengths of girders! Retirement certificates.

Fri 4 … Blacksmiths discuss. CW S and HMI HC Evans re Dirt tipping operations etc. Query later re 5 feet layers by HMI. Discuss J Ryan S/O. Retirement certificates. … Surface … to Electric shop re Vickers Last check. CID Swinscoe re Dirt tipping Rules, also Peter Longden CPP … prints off same for them.
Some NUM men on strike (I think Machine drivers). Obviously output began to fall with 2 shifts coaling instead of 3.

Sat 5 … 9907 tonnes

Sun 6 … Power house and Main fan readings 12 noon – 6pm
CW Standage holiday1 week. KG Fidler Acting Manager, AV Goodwin Acting Deputy Manager, G Weeks Acting U/m, R Flint Afternoons, W McGranahan Nights

Mon 7 … May Day Holiday

Tues 8 … Office … 1/10560 flat sheets to date. Phone JS re Booster fan house. Meeting 10am No2 Heapstead D Walton. Discuss Ken Hartwell ATT re job. CIDS re shaft exam arranged for Sunday. Phone A Liney re girders. Discuss Des Mapley Elec PPM Computer. Continued with plans. Discuss Ted Hodgson Dirt tips and old lagoons and Tip Rules etc. Roster for overtime ban made out to July …

Wed 9 … Office … MFW re KG F. Blacksmith discuss. Continued with /10000 flat sheets to date. Notices for Rope change at No1 shaft. Les Boyles Deputy re 3rd drift … coal seam … Main Smut? JS re same. 1/5000 flat shees to date.

Thurs 10 … Office … Discuss. Jonah Porter NUM, notices for Sunday Meeting and discuss. Bar chart neg. KG F re same. Sorted out books.

Fri 11 … U/g … Visit to 3rd drift , Main Smut seam in head end. Set 11 arches with Titan E134. Discuss Helmut Boise. To Booster fan, checked girders with Percy Cooper and J Stewart … Office … Master bar chart for Holiday work programme for KG F. Discuss JL and CIDS re shaft. Discuss SL. Discuss JL re 3rd drift, also KG F. Copies off 3rd drift section. (685 + 11 u/g)

Sat 12 … 9251 tonnes

Sun 13 … Power house and Main fan… 6am – 12 noon.
U/g with Charlie ID Swinscoe and Mick Young on top of cage doing a shaft exam at Fan drift level, Main Bright inset and Top Hard Pit bottom.
Jim Stewart Assistant Manager holiday …

Mon 14 … Surface … Subsidence levelling at Jordan Castle Farm for 33s … 3 men (RB*, Roger Farrow and Chris Ingram Linesmen) … Lunch … Angel at Kneesall. Afternoon continued levelling off A616 for 14s panel subsidence.
Mon 14 … Demonstration at Mansfield … Arthur Scargill and 10,000 demonstrators approx.
No1 shaft underlap rope change Mon and Tues … all underground men on surface assisting and general.
PG Shaw sick 2 days. Paula L Lesh holiday – Tues 22

Tues 15 … Office … Sorted out further levellings for 2s and 9s. Discuss JR Greasley info re Dirt tip Meeting. Colin Walle Elec made Electrical plans to date. Discuss E Spencer Admin … Surface … Levelling near Walesby … 3 men (RB* + 2). Phone Area HQ Civil Engineers. Levelling near Wellow on A616 … Office … Phone D Walton Civil Engineer re No2 proposed tubbing re new plan.

Tues 15 … 300 pickets … Women pickets also

Wed 16 … Office … Electrical plans. Phone K Hartwell x 2 re No2 shaft … Surface … to see Harold ATT measurements re tubbing 90 x 2 feet x 4 feet and 3 inch soldiers. To Wellow, subsidence levelling … 3 men (RB*, D Stockham, A Phil Garner) … Office … Completed Electrical schematic diagram. Discuss EH re Dirt tip. Discuss R Dickson Deputy Mech re line for 9s stage loader at the new snicket. Discuss KFG various.

Thurs 17 … Electrical plans Discuss Frank Dove and Bernard T Bailey Tip Inspection in Land Rover 10am. Tip Meeting 11.15am Les Crellin Chief Engineer. Discuss CJ Whyte and JR Greasley. Phone Eric Fletcher O/m re soft dirt on 14s 90 to 180 chock. Electrical plans continued. Dirt tip info. Ted Hodgson re Power house, also KF Greaves.

Fri 18 … Office … Discuss Policeman and plans etc. and copies of Ollerton. Phone Bert Grime. Geoff Wright Security re copies of Ollerton Street plan. Phone JRG re plans of North Notts. and South Notts. for Police. AV Goodwin re 16s. Des Mapley re Lamproom and keys. Peter Rees Geologist re 14s soft dirt. Phone MDC. Phone D Stone. Discuss M Young re shaft time etc.

Sat 19 … 7536 tonnes

Mon 21 … Office … Sorting out plans with PGS and ASG … Surface … to No2 heapstead with Bert Grime and Ken Hartwell and CID Swinscoe and Eddie Moody Head Joiner. Phone Andy Vjestica. CW S mention re ripping required at PG No2 for proposed Booster conveyor. Phone WEBB re possible work experience for schoolboy in June o.k. … never refuse but why always me? Because the feedback to HQ and schools from the students has been first class tuition. Phone Des Thompson Harworth. MD Clarke re script change for Strategic Plan and 16s script new style. CID Swinscoe re shaft time.

Tues 22 … U/g … 9s outbye heading snicket etc. New centre line for proposed conveyor changes. Checked Booster fan house and Loco grades … 3 men (RB*, PGS, APG) … Office … 3rd drift geological section to Helmut Beuse Thyssens. Discuss MFW. B Wells re proposed Computer Room at Time / Wages, calculated number of bricks required. Discuss levelling program. Discuss Des Mapley PPM.

Wed 23 … Surface … to Blacksmiths and discuss with Eric (Slog) Harison shaft. Checks at shaft with D Walton Civil Engineer and plan. B Wells Time / Wages dept. I calculated 2,000 bricks and 300 blocks for extension. Roster checks. K Willings re 9s boring changed. AVG re different 9s snickets. KG F 3 copies of chart. Discuss AV Goodwin and Roy Bland Strata Control. Discuss J Stewart re development. Jim would never answer the phone and it would ring constantly whilst he casually sat in his chair. I once asked him why he never answered it and his reply was … ‘If I answer and whoever is on the phone from underground will give me the problem to sort out whereas if I don’t answer they will get fed up and sort the job out themselves’. One day though he let the phone ring and ring several times for minutes on end without answering whilst I was there when suddenly the door was flung open and it was Walter Standage the Manager who was fuming because he was phoning him as he knew he was out of the pit and in his office. He tore him a right strip off. It must have been shortly after that when if it was the Manager the phone would ring with a ’long one’ then everybody knew who it was and usually answered straightaway.

However in the Mechanical and Electrical Green hut in the pit yard where they filled in their report sheets whenever the long one sounded it was like the Keystone Kops of the 1920s films, everybody would rush out of the door and scatter leaving one hapless person who had to answer the phone. They dreaded it because whoever did answer the phone had got to tell him why the wheels were stood, what was the state of shift, etc., etc., etc. and then if they hesitated he would then grill that person, who was he, and want to know why he was up the pit early and so on and so on. I was only near the hut on one occasion when it happened and nearly got mowed down. It was quite comical because although Walter Standage could see the winding wheels from his office chair when he spun round quite frequently he would carefully note to see if they stopped moving for a while but he could not see the Green hut because his view was obstructed by the Canteen. If only he had known!

Thurs 24 … U/g … Visit to 3rd drift. (RB* Discuss Tommy Faulkner Deputy) … Surface … Discuss Blacksmiths … Office … Copies of Geological section for drift. Discuss A Liney ventilation. Discuss MDC. Discuss D Stone development. Meeting 3 pm … Additional Airways … R Anderson. Phone P Noone, KG Fidler re Holiday work programme.
First meeting in London NCB v NUM offered to extend on pit closures … talks broke down after 1 hour.

Fri 25 … Office … D Lees re 33s LG ‘B’ drive house etc. CW S re plans and section of Intake drift proposed Booster conveyor. Info re 3rd drift catenary. Ron Ball Leaving presentation by CW S in Conference Room. Checking through records. Ted Hodgson re Dirt tip road grades. CIDS re require Brake Test marks on Battery Loco circuits TH and PG. Discuss D Mapley.                                      

Sat 26 … 10025 tonnes
Sat 26 … Power house and Main fan readings 12 noon – 6pm

Sun 27 … Power house and Main fan readings 12 noon – 6pm

Pit Holidays Third Week Mon 28 May – Sat 2 June.

Moving conveyors to 9s outbye snicket. Rotating Probability Fines Screen installed at Coal Prep Plant

Mon 28 … Office … Incentive figures with Steve WH Lindsay Cost Clerk. Discuss AV Goodwin U/m. General.

Tues 29 ... Office … Discuss Eric Harrison Blacksmith re cage tomorrow. Discuss D Young ATT … Surface … to No2 shaft fan drift with Bert Grime and Ken Hartwell ATT … Office … Progress. New Wall plan for KG F.

Wed 30 … U/g … With Eric (Slog) Harrison Blacksmith, RB*, T Godber and AP Garner … On top of cage … Measured out for tubbing marks in No2 shaft for new fan drift … Surface … to Screens with CID Swinscoe various … Office … Discuss Derek Stone Planner and went through all development plans. Rep came and fitted a new belt to the Printing machine.

Thurs 31 … Office … Discuss old correlations etc. and conversion from Dunnose grid to Ordnance NMG co-ordinates and calculations. Discuss Cliff Godley Clerk. Discuss Benny Wells re extension to Time / Wages office.
Yorkshire NUM and NCB met to exchange views and arrange to meet again.

June 1984

Fri 1 ... Discuss PG Shaw and AP Garner general, work etc.  Discuss Derek Stone planner re Progress and development.  Discuss Peter Longden CPP re burning on old lagoon other side of Bevercotes Branch line.  Discuss KF G re safety.

Sat 2 ... Nil tonnes ... holiday.
Sat 2 ... Off ... Shropshire for W/e.

Sun 3 ... Power House and Main Fan readings.  Banking at No2 shaft and Compressors 12 midnight - 6 am.

Mon 4 ...  More men back to work.  Paula Lesh holiday for week

Tues 5 ... Discuss DS and PGS.  Elect re Building, thermals etc.  Phone Area HQ.  Discuss Brian Wormald Training Officer.  Ted Hodgson re tips.  Surface ... searching for Lingard Box Vent fan ... in No2 pit bottom!  Discuss Willie Ilett Elec.  To Stores re order.  AR Tryner Vent Officer re fan.  Phone Derek Stone re figures.  Meeting 1 pm Policy CW S cancelled. Dougie Stockham re Mark out loco brake test also re-levelling tracks.  Discuss J Lyons and Richard Snead Elec.  Geometrical problems.

Wed 6 ... General.  Discuss B Wormald.  Discuss David Lees and John Longstaff Mech. Discuss KF Greaves Safety Engineer.  Records to date.  Meeting 1 pm Policy CW S cancelled.  Discuss various. Stencilling sections on Working Plans.  Amends to Dust Zone plan neg.  Discuss J Lyons.

Incident ... Slinging a large Booster fan beneath No2 shaft cage ... chains got caught on cage coming up and chain broke ... went down shaft and smashed through new buffers ... no injuries ... men in pit bottom heard it ‘whistling’ in the shaft and ran away. Fortunately for me I did not have to make a plan or shaft section of the incident. There was a plan of the sump buffer installation. However I did ring Andy Liney, Group Ventilation Engineer, who was at Bilsthorpe to ask him why they were sending 5 feet long 2 feet high booster fans down Ollerton. He took the bait.  They are not he said because they don't make them that size. I went on to tell him it was true. He again reiterated his statement.  I went on to repeat that my measurements of the fan were correct. He started to get agitated so I had to tell him that the only piece of the 5 feet dia fan was two feet sticking up in the sump buffers after the fan had dropped down the shaft. He then had to order another one to match the other four. The ATT men reinstalled some new buffers  at end of July.

Thurs 7 ... Discuss Eric Spencer re W/ends.  Discuss J Stewart re 11s gate profile, with PGS.  Surface ... Discuss sections. Discuss Peter Rees geologist.  Meeting 1pm Policy ... KG F, AVG, KF G, J L, R D, JS.

Fri 8 ... General.  KF G re No 2 shaft information.  Meeting CID Swinscoe, M Young, Sam Dunlop Mech, Alan Dennett Drawing Office and J Thompson (firm) re ‘V’ doors in No2 pit bottom.  Amended measures and sketches.  J Thompson called for same.  Discuss ES re manpower etc.  Paper on Subsidence.  Discuss KF agreement slinging rules.

Sat 9 ...Knocked wall out in lounge. - Bought a 1980 Toyota Corolla SR 1.6 Coupe, Black
Sat 9 ... 10,255 tonnes

Sun 10 ... Power House and Main Fan readings and Lamp cabin 6 am - 12 noon.

Aerial photography of the tips.
CW Standage holiday, KG Fidler Acting Manager, AV Goodwin Acting Deputy Manager.

Mon 11 ... incentive measures and Progress plans.  S L various.  Discuss E Spencer Admin Officer and AV Goodwin re Kevin Soar.  Discuss KG F.  Discuss CID S re rope change.  Phone JR Greasley Senior Surveyor update.  Discuss EH coal stocks.  Phone MD Clarke planner.

Tues 12 ... CID S plans.  Phone A Dennett.  AV Goodwin re 14s A/W stable hole.  Discuss and info to KF G re Mo2 shaft.  Discuss Ken Willings Methane drainage re 3rd drift proposed borehole.  Bilsthorpe new exchange tracing ... workings to date.  Meeting ... 16s / 35s AW junction J Stewart.  Drawing of pit bottom doors for J Thompson Rep.  B Whetton  D / Officer ... No 2 shaft cage.  Ken Cross NACODS re NCB land.  Discuss EH coal and heating at Bevercotes Branch line.

Wed 13 ...  General.  Discuss KF G.  New plan in Conference room.  Discuss J Lyons and PGS re 11s installation ... Lingard Box vent ... new plan.  Discuss EW Fretwell, GN and JB.  Ken Willings info 3rd drift on phone.  Discuss Andy Lindy Vent Engr and AR Tryner Vent Officer. Phone Jack Storr Thoresby re various.  Discuss PGS and APG re 14s surveys.  Discuss MD C.
NUM and NCB resumed talks in Rotherham ... Arthur Scargill walked out!

Thurs 14 ... 1/5999 photo negs ... plotting to date.  JS re additional support and write up for 16s / 35s junction.  Ken Willings re info from borehole in 3rd drift ... Top Hard goaf at 32 ft 6 in ... o.k.  JS re HMI H Evans visit re plans etc.  KG F re Following Intake conveyor line ... plan to date ... levels etc.  Discuss KF G.  Phone Gordon Ison Senior Surveyor.

Fri 15 ... JS re 16s junction method of work plan.  Phone Eric Barton Dev Overman.  Phone Trevor Brown Deputy re Pit bottom.  Check plotted offsets ... o.k.  Matt Marshall Storekeeper re order 18 / 19 arches.  Discuss KG F re 1s Following Intake conveyor line.  Discuss J Burton Huwood Rep re same re Booster conveyor.  Phone Peter Hall Mech info.  CIDS re Pit bottom doors.  Phone JR Greasley re coal stocks.  Discuss AVG re a linesman.  JS re Pit bottom doors.  Discuss Peter Daffin Estates re tip.  Discuss EH re coal stocks.  Phone G Hall.  Discuss KF G re Support plans.  Discuss G Ison.

Sat 16 ... 13,622 tonnes.
Sat 16 ... Power House and Main Fan readings 6 pm - 12 midnight.

Sun 17 ...  Off

CW S back.  AV Goodwin U/m off sick.  G Weeks Acting U/m.  R Flint Afters, W McGranaghan Nights

Mon 18 ... G Weeks Asst U/m and Seismic survey.  Incentive measures and discuss Steve Lindsay Costs.  Sorting out re Gyro.  CW S re 2s fault and drawing of same ... also KG F same.  (Writing paper for CW S on Titan heading machines).  Query GW re 33s B sub station plan.  Ordered Stereo glasses for tip photos.  Made tracing of 33s B Conveyor sub station ... prints.  Discuss JL same.  Discuss KF G same.  Phone G Ison. Info and correspondence re Electrical Certificates from Doncaster for Gyro and DI 10 instruments.

Tues 19 ... Discuss KG F re 33s B and 2s E start?  Calculated paving slabs for Booster fan, check PGS.  Sub station 80 slabs.  Discuss GW.  Discuss JL.  Paper on E134 and E169 Titan machines for CW S.  Phone Chris Thorne.  Phone AV.

Wed 20 ... To Joiners.  General.   Calculations.  Phone A Dennett re V doors.  Phone Geoff Austin Bilsthorpe re contours for 106s Low Main.  Phone G Ison ... cancel order for stereo glasses.  Info for 16s Face design and contours ... 15s, 16s, 17s etc.  Phone Alan Elliott planner and Jim Brennan Asst Manager Clipstone re Markham Shield.  Meeting KG F ... pre Face design for 16s.  Meeting 3rd drift Additional Airways R Anderson Production Manager.  CIDS re Pit bottom doors.  Calculations for 16s chocks, pans etc.

Thurs 21 ... CG re accident plan 217.  CIDS and MY re Pit bottom doors.  Phone BT Bailey Civils Tips twice re proposed No10 lagoon.  Sorted out Tip drawer.  Tony Tryner re 2s heating?  KG F re stereo glasses ... been cancelled.  CW S re Rules for EDM.  Discuss MD Clarke planner.  Discuss K Willings 2s.  David Oldham Elec Engr re scales for China, why me?  KG F query re 16s junction method of work.   Joiners.  Phone Area HQ.  Meeting 2.30 pm ...  16s Face design R Anderson.  Discuss John Fabin Strata Control and KG F.
2s AW heating flared up again.

Fri 22 ... Discuss KF G and KW re 2s heating.  JS re method of work for 16s / 35s. Drew out sketches for same.  Joiners brought plan boards.  Eric Barton and Lol Harwood re same, also KF G. Graphs for KG F and discuss.  Eric Spencer Admin re norm adjustments (400m).  Calculations for borehole at 2s AW.  Discuss Ray Flint re 2s.  Discuss JS.  Plotted 9s out bye head.  Phone David Snodin planner re Progress Folders.  Correspondence.  Discuss ES.  Copies of Holiday Program to KG F.

Sat 23 ... Off. 12,590 tonnes

Sun 24 ... 6am - 12 noon ... Power House and Main Fan readings.  To Mansfield Woodhouse Laboratory with 2s Full Mine Air samples.

Mon 25 ... 12 midnight - 6 am.  Power House and Main Fan readings.  Banking at No2 shaft and compressors.   Dougie Stockham holiday 2 days.

Tues  26 ... Discuss JS re Support plans.  Same KG F and same KF G.  Notice for Jonah Porter NUM voting. 1/5000 3year Layout plan.  Method of work for 11s and Pit bottom.  Phone KG F six times !  Discuss Jack Storr Thoresby.  Discuss J Stewart ... Back tip plan and method of work.  Started same.

Wed 27 ... Discuss Ken Willings Methane Drainage Officer re borehole at 2s heating.  Also re the recording and sealing of boreholes PI 77/9.  Geoff Mayne Vent re Booster fan doors.  U/g ... to 2s AW heating site boreholes at face fault.  R Brocklehurst for job.  Aerial photos.  Meeting ... 2 pm KG Fidler Codes of Practice ... PI 77/9 Sealing of borehole sheets 1 to 6.  Discuss DM.  Discuss MD C.

Thurs 28 ... Discuss B Wormald and JG re Brocklehurst.  Discuss KF G re supports etc.  Fred Gieves Hollybank 14s.  U/g to No1 Connection and 3rd drift.  U/g again ... with Ken F Greaves to accident site at 33s B Conveyor house. Discuss.  Filled in borehole sealing details etc. with KW.  JS re 33s Overcast ... sketch for Walls.

Fri 29 ... Sorting out borehole info.  Phone DB.  G Weeks Assist U/m discuss.   KF Greaves discuss.  Phone KG Fidler various.  D Brown Deputy re 9s Retreat face. Surface ... Survey of coal stocks with PGS and APG.  Calculations of same.   Phone WEB Barlow same. Phone KG F.  Phone Jack Storr Thoresby and Ian Shaw.

All the NUM Committee and Jimmy Hood Secretary and Denis Walker President voted out... new Secretary Ernie Vallance, new President Jonah Porter ....

Sat ... 12 noon - 6 pm Power House and Main Fan readings.                     
Sat ... 11,575 tonnes ... 153,710 tonnes for Quarter.