A Unique History From My Work Diaries

Surveying Jobs

North Nottinghamshire Area from April 1967

Page - 68 -

Jan 1985

1985 subsidised transport at 12.8p / mile = £323.08

Tues 1 … New Years Day … Security duties 6pm – 12 midnight

Wed 2 … Office … General. Discuss PGS. Phone B Day PPM re water figures. Phone F Gieves Hollybank re 9’ 6” arches? Phone David Brooke-Jackson Hollybank re arches. Discuss MDC. Discuss KFG re weekend. Discuss CIDS re 241 Junction. Discuss KG F. Discuss JL and CIDS shaft work.
160 pits now working out of total of 174

Thurs 3 … Office … Phone Graham Milward Bilsthorpe. Discuss KG F re 16s MI 1etc. and 35s proposal. Discuss E Spencer re norms. Discuss D Mapley re Weekend. Phone N Hubbard Architect. F Gieves drawing of 8 / 9’ 6” arches. Second copy plans. Discuss B Wells. Comp Roster for fans. Discuss JS. Phone Ken Middleton Hollybank re manholes ... CW S, KG F and TJK. Ordered 200 small arches.

Fri 4 … Office … KG F re 33s fault? Discuss N Hubbard Architect with preliminary drawings of offices. Phone CW S re borehole. Phone C Thorne. Phone Celia Area HQ Survey. JRG re Ompton Pumping Station pillar. Discuss B Wells. Phone D Hinkley geology. HMI HC Evans re Grimston Hill borehole info. Phone G Walsh Architect. Phone BTB re possible diversion of culvert. Area HQ progress.

Sat 5 … 8859 tonnes
Sat 5 … Control Room computer for Booster fans 12 noon – 6pm

Sun 6 … Power house readings 12 noon – 6pm
A Phil Garner (APG) transferred to Area HQ Subsidence department

Mon 7 … Office … Area HQ progress. Correspondence. Discuss D Stone Strategic Plan … Surface … Walk round surface with Derek Stone … Office … Phone KFG re 16s AW engine house x 3 … 36” centres not 44”. Wall plans. Correspondence. Discuss GW, CIDS and D Stone. Discuss RS.

Tues 8 … Office … Made out master sheet for water report. Discuss Mike Platts Area HQ re Tubular manhole supports. Phone G Ison re Gyro results. J Stewart re proposed visit to Hollybank works. Discuss Ernie Vallance NUM re borehole at 16s. Water figures from Brian Day PPM for water report. Meeting 2pm BACM Members re Weekend working CW S. Discuss Ted Hodgson dirt and tailings etc. Discuss DM and Roster, phone MDC and CT same. CW S phone re possible office for Weekend security. Discuss JL and RS re 16s AW haulage also proposed pump house and old 600 ton Sutcliffe bunker. Phone Keith Sissons Hollybank re visit to see manhole.

Wed 9 … U/g … Visit to No1 Pit bottom Connection , grade line check with M Cox, 3rd drift laser check catching pipes and spraying (RB*) … Office … Meeting 12.15pm General development JS. Meeting 2pm Capital Investment, Manpower Savings and Development R Anderson. Discuss E Hodgson. Meeting 3pm Seismic survey 33s KG F. Phone G Ison Gyro results and discuss. JL re plans. Water Action Report and figures typed. Phone Peter Daffin Estates re new fence at No2 Dirt tip and re-position, also re broken sewer pipe re EH.

Thurs 10 … Office … General. CW S discuss. Policeman re fossils o.k. G Walsh Architect plus 2 from Doncaster HQ re offices. Saw KG F re same. And meeting. Phone JRG. To Funeral of Ken CB Mirfin at Walesby, died 4/1/1985 … Office … P Rees re 33s sample. MDC various. Discuss KFG, IWS, CIDS re 1s / 2s /10s Junction alterations. TRK U/m re 2s and 9s check lines.

Fri 11 … Office … Phone JRG re Dirt tip tonnage figures. Books borrowed from Ted Hodgson and totalled same. D Stone and MD Clarke re Strategic Plan extension for Risk Assessment. KFG re 12s gate heights etc. Discuss EH and books returned having copied info as usual.

Sat 12 … 16613 tonnes

Sun 13 … Security duties 6pm – 12 midnight with John Danbury and Steve WH Lindsay

Annual Leave Mon 14 – Fri 18

Sat 19 … 13057 tonnes
Sat 19 … Security duties 6am – 12 noon with CW Standage, Ted Hodgson and Brenda Davidson Nurse

Sun 20 … Security duties with Ken F Greaves and Kenny Burns Deputy CPP … Mon 12 midnight – 6am Mon 21

Tues 22 … U/g … Visit RB with CJ Whyte Area Surveyor, G Ison and 5 Subsidence Inspectors to 2s panel, screens etc., No1 Pit bottom heading … Office … Discuss over Lunch. Phone John Proudlock info re 14s dips etc. Discuss G Ison re Kern 502 EDM and general.

Wed 23 … U/g to 33s face line and measured out holes for second seismic survey … 4 men (RB*, PHS, APG, IWS) Info to operators … Office … Info to KFG. Discuss … PN Paul Brown D Mapley. Phone G Ison. Phone KG F re 33s seismic and later phone re new offices.                                    

Thurs … Office … Correspondence. JS re 11s. ART re ventilation. Discuss P Brown elecs. Info to Alan ? Security re land adjacent to 1 poplar Street … not NCB land. Phone Eric Fletcher O/m 33s seismic tackle on way out. CW S re 9s and 2s fault at 58 chock. Phone CJ Whyte. Mended floor tiles. Phone JRG re Dirt tip figures and water.

Fri 25 … Office … General. Discuss PN. Info to CW S re 9s and 2s. Durham Ox for Lunch ... for AP Garner. SM1 for 35s in for typing. Discuss SWH Lindsay Cost Clerk various. Brattice for floors and tables.

Sat 26 … 15747 tonnes

Sun 27 … CJ Whyte phoned me at home re IW Smith to go to Sutton for Monday night re boring from Piper to Deep Hard using Pjari Tropari borehole surveying instrument o.k.
A Phil Garner on holiday from Mon 28 – Thurs 31.

Mon 28 … Office … Phone G Ison re IW Smith to Sutton all week … NO! Action programme ... KG F re office floor. Phone G Ison re new Kern 502 EDM ordered. Progress. Discuss Terry J Knott U/m various. Info to KG F for Accountability. Incentive measurements. Phone Les Briggs Deputy re accident at 33s AW. Discuss KF Greaves same. Discuss RS re measures for 16s substation.

Tues 29 … Office … JS re 11s. KFG re 33s accident. Discuss MDC. Discuss John Wilson and one other ICI Rep re general. Info D Lees conveyors. And compressed air. Phone A Liney ventilation. Phone G Ison re order Kern 502. Discuss PG Shaw re 16s AW grade. Phone P Rees re office! Discuss EH surface etc. RS re 16s substation. Discuss KF Greaves Safety Engineer re 35s SM1 form.

Wed 30 … U/g … Visit to 16s Junction and 17s water and met D Stockham 11s LG … Surface … to new Surface fan drift with Geoff Mayne. J Lyons re Laser. CW S re Laser and appointment. D Mapley re-records. HMI Tyrell Electrical re Laser for 3rd drift, info and questions? Peter Hurst PHB re various. D Mapley re various. JS re 3rd drift. G Ison re DI4 EDM instead of other. CW S signed authorisation. Discuss Benny Wells Time / Wages. (720 + 11 u/g)

Thurs 31 … Office … Plan. Poem. Info to Tony Clarke Area Safety re 14s AW and 11s LG snickets re shotfiring. Phone G Ison re AGA instrument at Sherwood. Presentation Lunch Eric Spencer. To Sherwood Survey office… demo of Geodimeter 220? Ordered same. To Area HQ discuss JR Greasley Severn / Trent Pit yard catchment etc. KG F re offices and also re non-attendance of PG Shaw and Paula Lesh at Eric Spencer’s presentation!
A Phil Garner left to Subsidence department at Area HQ

February 1985

Fri 1 … Office … Discuss PGS re Water Catchment area. Correspondence. Discuss EH Dirt tips etc.
Discuss KG F various. Discuss B Wells. Discuss JS re fans and developments. KG F re offices again! Drew out new proposed offices and discuss KG F.

Sat 2 … 15337 tonnes
Sat 2 … NUM shaftsmen cleats in No1 shaft

Sun … Security duties 6am – 12 noon with CW S, P Longden and Paula Lesh. Discuss CW S re Dirt tip figures, also 35s SM1 notice, Severn / Trent water shed in pit yard.
Ian W Smith (IWS) on holiday Mon 4 – Sat 16

Mon 4 … Office … Incentive figures and progress. Phone MDC. Discuss and info to Bernard Charles Area Safety. Jim Turner and Ken Cross Deputies re roadways in Pit bottoms re exams and stoppings etc. Phone A Liney re 35s / 16s. SWH Lindsay re incentive figures. Checking figures o.k. 35s SM1 finished. Discuss D Stone various. Discuss Doug Raisbeck geology and 33s seismic etc. to 5.45pm
Now only 11 pits not working out of 174 with 79 pits producing coal.

Tues 5 … Office … Progress KG F. Correspondence and Production Instructions etc. (P Is). Plan. J Lyons re laser. Manager’s Wall plan to date. Discuss B Charles and Jim Turner various … Surface … Survey of rain water drains around pit yard with JRG. General discussion. G Weeks re plan for 2s LG re-chain gobbing. Discuss P Noone re laser returned from Davis of Derby.

Wed 6 … Discuss MDC re 3rd drift haulage. Phone G Ison and info. P Brown re Electrical introduction procedure. Calculated 2s, 9s, 14s, 33s Dr Dollars clinometer surveys o.k. Meeting General Development J Stewart. Also re ART Ventilation Rules. D Mapley and P Noone re laser info. KFG re various and water samples. KG F, JL, CIDS re Booster conveyor drive. KG F re water samples taken on 33s by NUM. Also 2s fault. Phone R Gillott re samples, sending another to Lab.

Thurs 7 … Office … Sorting out letters re lasers. Discuss P Noone same. Phone G Ison same x x x x! Checking drains. Send laser to Lab for check. Meeting Capital Investment, Manpower Saving and Development R Anderson. Discuss D Stone various. JS re substation and Building station in Following Intake. KG F re possible substation at 16s also Introduction of stages for ventilation at headings.

Fri 8 … Office … Phone Alan Goodwin ex U/m now Asst Manager at Blidworth re info for Vertical Bunker etc. Plotting levels. Phone G Ison re lasers. Calculated and plotted 33s and 11s LG surveys. Discuss P Rees geology.                                                                       

Sat 9 … 15677 tonnes

Sun 10 … Security duties with Benny Wells, Matt Marshall and George Hartley (extra) 6pm – 12 midnight

Mon 11 … Office … Incentive figures. SWH Lindsay. Progress. DS and PGS re 11s. Phone KG F re accident. Tony Brown Deputy re same … Access snicket Junction 3rd drift Conveyor Road. Meeting 2pm 3rd drift haulage KG F … abandoned. Meeting 3.30pm Substations 16s / 35s KG F. Meeting Proposed offices J Lyons. (There had been and would be meetings and discussions and queries re ‘new offices’ … the project would be cancelled later). Discuss PG Shaw.
Benny Wells Head of Time / Wages appointed Admin Officer

Tues 12 … Office ... Phone G Case re materials. Discuss KFG and John Leivers Medical Centre re R & FF plan Ambulance tins etc. Coloured Surface Strategic plans for discussion PR. Phone JS Drawing out 3rd drift … struts etc. Meeting 2pm Pre-Strategic Plan CW S. Phone Planning DE. Phone C Thorne re geology. CW S phone various.
Call out … just got home after 5pm …U/g … Measured up accident to Wm Spiers Deputy at 2s LG fast end (RB*with KFG, J Turner NACODS and E Vallance NUM (44)).

Wed 13 … Office … Drawing out accident plan to Billy Spiers. Phone various > KG F re accident. ET from Area Mech. Phone D Stone Planner. Discus Dave Soar info required. Meeting General Development JS. Info to CIDS. P Noone re laser. Measures etc. Fred Gieves Hollybank 7 x 9 arches for 9s AW, ordered same through Matt Marshall Stores. To Plant Pool at Clipstone to measure up Gemini 120 Modular headframe.

Thurs 14 … Office … Finished accident plan with info supplied by D Soar. HMI HC Evans re accident and 3 prints. Meeting Area HQ 2pm Strategic Plan JE Wood Director. Discuss R Anderson, Production Manager, CW S and KG F. Discuss Frank Dove Area Civil Engineer proposed surface drains.

Fri 15 … Office ... Phoned WEBB re shortage of staff! Phone JRG re water on surface. Phone J Stewart re Harrison’s Hill No2 Pit bottom drivage re methane gas seepage been detected. Plan of surface and discuss KG F. With PGS plotting drains. Discuss KG F and Architect G Walsh and Civil Engineer Peter Downing new offices. Discuss D Stones.

Sat 16 … 14450 tonnes

Sun 17 … Security duties … 6pm – 12 midnight with Benny Wells and Matt Marshall
KG Fidler holiday 1 week, J Stewart Acting Deputy Manager

Mon 18 … Surface … D Lees 16s measured up gearhead in Workshops. JS discuss same and Loco doors, discuss MDC same and 35s. Incentive figures and progress, SWH Lindsay. Coloured 10 year plan. TJ Knott re 9s LG supports. G Ison brought underground stave. Architects G Walsh and G Hemmingway re info. Discuss P Noone laser. R Sneade re Pit bottom doors. J Lyons re 10 year plan. Plan and surface EMEB lines. Discuss MDC various. Phone Ian Orgill Blidworth re info. Phone JM Storr Thoresby re info. Phone G Austin Bilsthorpe re info. Discuss Benny Wells Admin Officer.

Tues 19 … Office … J Stewart and DR Mounsey DCME re 9s etc. Coloured 1/10000 10 year layout. Assisted M Hopkinson with info for haulage organisation. Phone V Williams Area HQ re various. Phone P Daffin re drain on No2 Dirt tip. E Hodgson re same. And proposed clean up and banks. Phone Brian Stones re Harry Coppell died on Sunday (ex U/m at Teversal) … BACM office inspection Boyd Headlong Admin Thoresby, Benny Wells plus one. O.k. Drawing of arches for TJK for 9s LG. R & FF amends. For Pit bottom and 16s with JK Hayter Fire Officer. Discuss JR Sneade. Discuss JT Knott.

Wed 20 … Ventilation negs. Updated Pit bottom Ventilation plan. Discuss KFG re Pit bottom plans. 3 plans of Pit bottom coloured. Discuss KFG, J Turner and Bernard Charles re Reg 10 reports. Hollybank reps F Gieves and David Brooke-Jackson (ex-Apprentice at Ollerton) re 4th drift. Tracing of Ventilation plans finished. Discuss PGS 16s LG. Discuss PN.
Paula L Lesh on holiday 5 days.

Thurs 21 … Office … Discuss IW Smith. Coloured Ventilation plans and check. Phone MD Clarke Planner. Discuss PN and JL Introduction of Elec to 16s. D Stones brought 16s development plan.

Fri 22 … Plan. Info to TJK. Discuss JS. Discuss B Wells. Colouring 16s Introduction of Electricity plans Correspondence. JS re 1s AW substation re-rip.

Sat 23 … 15448 tonnes

Sun 24 … Security duties. 6am – 12 noon with CW Standage, Brenda Davidson Sister, and Pete Longden … Discuss CW S and TJ Knott re 9s and 33s. KG F progress! Even on Security they still wanted info from me ….! (90 O/T shifts)
3,800 men back at work … Nottinghamshire miners took off the Overtime ban …
PL Lesh holiday 2 days.

Mon 25 … Office … Correspondence. Incentive figures and progress. KG F re 9s LG. Phone JRG re Dirt tip drains. Meeting Proposed new offices KG Fidler … P Downing, G Walsh and M Royston Elec Rep re office floor. Plan of 9s LG showing proposals. Discuss PN. Discuss MDC. Phone BW Stones request for plans for Worksop Technical College o.k.

Tues 26 … U/g … Theodolite survey and check on No! Pit bottom Connection Road and back into No1 Pit bottom via 150s ... line extensions and grade (12 angles) … 4 men (RB*, IWS, MC and CI) … Office … Phone JS re No1 Pit bottom Road. TJK re 33s sprocket and overtime. E Hodgson re Dirt tip drains … to wait until it rains to see if successful (as per JR Greasley)
PG Shaw off sick

Wed 27 … Office … Auxiliary fan rules finished for 16s LG. Plan of Booster fans for Sam Pepper, to change a fan at weekend. Plotting No1 Pit bottom. ART and GM re Ventilation Rules 16s LG also plan for 2 fans in one airstream. Meeting 3rd drift R Anderson. CW S signed 16s Auxiliary fan Rules. Discuss JS , A Liney and MD Clarke No1 Pit bottom head. History of Pit bottom development. Plan of Main Bright to A Liney.

Thurs 28 … Office … JS re grade down of arches at 11s LG to Hollybank arches. R & FF amends with ART and GM, neg and prints. Ventilation plans to date. Phone G Walsh Architect re new offices. Phone CJ Whyte! Phone G Ison re permission for Gyro underground.. CW S signed 16s Introduction of electricity. Meeting No2 Shaft Work Programme KG Fidler, Bert Grime and Ken Hartwell ATT, CIDS, MY, RD, RB. Phone BW Stones Worksop Tech re plans. Prints 9s LG proposals to KG F. CW S re-signing 2 fans in one airstream for 16s. and discuss Weekend work. Discuss MDC re No1 Pit bottom drift amended plan. Discuss.

NACODS refuse to supervise other than safety work
Terry Jones Dowty Rep transferred to Barnsley Area. Terry was another who joined our card games at lunch time quite often and he would miss it. So would Colin Wynne ICI explosives Rep who was transferred from the Mines to the Quarries Dept. Others at the pit who joined the exciting game of Black Maria included Brian Wormald (Training Officer), David Lawson (Safety Engineer). All my 6 Assistants in their turn included Phil Shaw, Eric Fretwell, Graham Hall, Neil Mason, Steve Barnes and Doug Stockham (Supervisor), plus 10 Apprentices in their turn … Steve Chapman, Jim Humphries, Ian Orgill, Chris Fegan, Gary Noble, Ken West, Ian Smith, Peter Williams and John Gillott played as well. Plus occasionally a Planner or visitor from HQ.

March 1985

Fri 1 … U/g … to 9s Retreat panel, measures etc. Set up measure points in LG for monitoring … 3 men (RB*, IWS DS) … Office … Meeting BACM Personnel re Weekend work and 4 shifts on Security CW S.

Sat 2 … 15269 tonnes
Sat / Sun 2 men on Security
NUM call off the Strike Peter Cocking started as PPM Clerk.

Mon 4 … Office … Incentive figures. Phone G Ison re various. KFG re temporary stable holes. Phone WEBB various and AP Garner holidays. Phone D Stone Meeting 3rd drift haulage KG F again abandoned! Phone JRG re volume of cutting? Phone MDC plan of 3rd drift. Phone to JRG 425,000 cu m in British Rail Cutting.

Tues 5 … Office … D Lees conveyors. Phone Stefan Pazura Deputy re 11s. Percy Cooper re No2 Pit bottom doors. Phone E Barton 16s LG grade … too steep. Phone G Ison re 1/10000, printed same, made up neg. Correspondence. LJ Lyons re Non-Certificated Appliances not necessary to inform HMI. Notice re accidents for KFG. CW S re 2s fault. Discuss G Ison and Pnoone re Gyro.
’Orderly’ !!! return to work by NUM …. Strike over except Scotland and Kent.

Wed 6 … Office … CW S re 16s. Discuss Russ Worsey Deputy Planning. To Area HQ …

Back row … Ian Burns, Environment. Norman Preater, Welbeck. Phillip Shaw, Deputy, Ollerton. Bill Fox, Creswell. John Grayson, Mansfield. Herbert Shaw, Sherwood. Tony Wright, Clipstone. Graham Hall, Bevercotes.
Middle row … Geoff Austin, Bilsthorpe. Peter Robinson, Rufford. Ray Greasley, Senior Surveyor. Trevor Speed, Blidworth. Garry Hall, Sutton.
Front row … Gordon Ison, Senior Surveyor. Jack Storr, Thoresby. Charles Whyte, Area Surveyor & Minerals Manager. Brian Barlow, Deputy Area Surveyor. Des Thompson, Harworth.

Bob Bradley on annual leave

CJ Whyte … Video film of Langwith shaft showing water issuing out of an inset.

Thurs 7 … U/g … Gyro theodolite observations at PG old No3 Conveyor S1 station …4 men … (GI, RB, IWS, DS) … Office … KG F and CW S re 16s. Amends to 9s LG end supports … new system re 2s at Bevercotes. HMI HC Evans amend 16s AW re-entry to 5m on all sketches. Plan TJK 2s AW end. Phone R Worsey re offices. Discuss A LIney.

Fri 8 … U/g … RB with HMI HC Evans, R Anderson Production Manager, J Lyons Elec Eng'r, CID Swinscoe Mech Engineer, TJ Knott U/m with plan of 9s layout and visit … conditions poor … Office … Copies of plans for HMI and RA and discuss RA and HMI. Drawing out Junction. F Gieves re 8” x 6” girders. Drawing shotfiring pattern for snicket. Phone D Brooke - Jackson Hollybank re girders. Plan of 9s for survey and Alan Ingram CME for change of plan with MD Clarke. KG F re various … several times. Discuss TJ Knott U/m. JS re PB doors earlier (725 + 11 u/g)

Sat 9 … 15643 tonnes
Sat 9 …. NACODS agreed to supervise overtime working. NUM working normally on overtime.
ATT took out some tubbing at No2 shaft fan drift. Also started work at Main Bright inset.

Mon 11 … Office … Back Rip Support Rules plan for 9s LG. Discuss PGS re work. To University of Nottingham with G Ison … check on Gyro base. To Area HQ to take tackle. … Surface … To Rufford Lake with G Ison and Ray Fish to look at fissure caused by Bilsthorpe PG workings … Office … Check calculations with G Ison.

Tues 12 … U/g … Dial survey for new snicket and LG at 9s and face end for new panzer position … 3 men (RB*, PGS, IWS) … Office … Discuss G Weeks. Calculations. Discuss G Weeks again! Plotted 9s on 1/500. Discuss TJK re 9s. Discuss JS re 16s. Plan showing girders for snicket.

Wed 13 … Office … Phone KG F various. And pencils to KG F. Phone G Weeks 9s. R & FF plan check … info. Phone Architect re office heating. John Hayter re Hydrants and Valves check. J Gibbons Architects office re plan of office heating. Meeting 2pm 3rd drift haulage system KG Fidler (included Method Study) KG F re 9s fan amends also A Liney re same. Discuss JL and PN.

Thurs 14 … Office … CW S re-signing 9s LG Back rip plan. And with ART plan for 9s LG fan installation. Info to date for Risk Assessment. Also plan for Water Action re P Longden. 2 more Architects re levels and manholes etc. Meeting 9s New gate KG Fidler. Discuss 9s GW. 9s LG arch profiles. Discuss KFG. Plan work.

Fri 15 … U/g … to 14s AW bitting. 1s AW substation and grade. 16s AW centre line for small arches. 16s LG conveyor centre line. 11s LG measured Hollybanks and manholes etc. I informed GW re 9s legs and girders been re-set wrongly *** … Office … R & FF amends. Discuss E Hodgson re Architects and levels. KG F re new office plan amends. TJ Knott re overtime for D Stockham o.k. and Linesmen / KG F and JS re letter re meeting … non-attendance. I suggested changing time and day!

Sat 16 … 19003 tonnes
Sat 16 … Parade through Ollerton, in memory of David Jones, NUM Picket killed on Forest Road.
ATT took out more tubbing at new Fan drift inset in No2 shaft. Continued work at Main Bright horizon.

Mon 18 … Office … R & FF neg amends and checking. 2 new batteries for HP65 calculator. Incentive figures. Bert Grime re No2 shaft work. Phone G Ison various. New Wild T2 theodolite delivered G Ison took to AGA. Continued R & FF inking in,

Tues 19 … Office … 16s AW bored into 1s LG … spot on! Sketch for P Noone of cables near Loco shed. Fred Gieves and George Case re 18/19 arches. R & FF amends on negative.re 14s. G Weeks re 9s face end. CW S re 1s LG stopping. JS re 16s. JL and TJK re 2s LG centre line etc.
16s AW re-entry into 1s old LG.

Wed 20 … U/g … to 1s AW substation rip 5” x 4 ½” arches bending. 16s AW thirl to old 1s LG. Check measures in old 1s o.k. to 16s LG check. To 11s LG set out snicket measures. Discuss ART and A Liney ventilation … 2 men (RB*, PGS) (705) … Office … Phone KG F re 9s. Plotted 16s AW and 1s o.k. Discuss PN instruments. MDC I signed 9s new layout. Discuss MDC and JS. Searching for files.
Ian W Smith holiday 2 days

Thurs 21 … Office … Colouring R & FF plans. MDC re 9s new plan…. Amends. CW S query re 2s LG pack length … 5m. Phone WEBB re British Rail visit. John Leivers Medical Centre check on Ambulance tubes in the pit. Updating Working plans. G Ison various and tribrachs alterations for T2 instrument?

Fri 22 … U/g … Visit to No2 Pit bottom doors. Measurements and discuss for dint. Discuss TJ Knott re Boulby (RB*) … Office … Drew outdoors etc. as check. Discuss KFG. Working plans stippled. 

Sat 23 … 18330 tonnes
Sat 23 / Sun 24 … ATT at Main Bright horizon in No2 shaft.
TJ Knott holiday Mon 25 March – Sat 6 April. G Weeks Acting U/m. R Flint Days on special work

Mon 25 … Office … Plans to date. Incentive figures. WEBB and Gordon Bennett British Rail re updating their plans and discuss. 1/10560 and 1/10000. KG F re plan for HMI Tyrell re SF 6s elec. Phone Ken Hartwell ATT re update in No2 shaft. Discuss B wells. Discuss PGS. Correspondence. Phone CJ Whyte re my views on coal tipping for stock.
NUM voted on a 50p levy for sacked miners … defeated
Paula L Lesh on holiday 2 weeks Tues 26 March – Sat 6 April

Tues 26 … Office … Searching through old records with PGS for 1s swilley. ART re 16s and Pit bottom. Phone A Liney re 16s LG write up at Bilsthorpe. 16s LG grade? Linesmen discuss grade lines and importance of same, must be accurate. 1/250000 plan to date. Support tracing ozaloft 11s LG hollybanks and Titan E169 roadheader.

Wed 27 … Office … Made up 1/5000. Prints for 14s supports and Back rip. Phone Horace Marshall Deputy. … Surface … with JRG and plan of water route for Council catchment area in pit yard … Office … Phone K Hartwell ATT to leave sketch No2 shaft. J Lyons re 11s. Calculated and plotted 11s LG survey. Discuss MDC. KFG re 14s Support Rules. Discuss JS, KG F signed 11s LG snicket shotfiring pattern and sent. Phone A Liney re 16s LG re – entry.

Thurs 28 … Office … R & FF amends 16s AW / 1s LG stoppings, put on with Longstop. Schematic diagrams for Electrical plan. Discuss MDC. Continued with Electrical plans. Meeting Options A – H for 3rd drift haulage system. Phone Chris Boyles Hollybank.

Fri 29 … Office … Plan for 2s LG end pan change for GW. Also 14s AW machine change IWP. ART re drawings for 16s stoppings.
Fri 29 … U/g … Accident to D Duckmanton 14s LG dint measurements etc. (RB* with IWS, KFG, E Vallance and P Crawford NUM) (45) (730 + 11 u/g)
Fri 29 … Office … KG F re HMI visit 9.30am Mon for plan.

Sat 30 … 15859 tonnes
Sat 30 / Sun 31 … ATT working in No2 shaft
Output 1984 -1985 = 613,493 tonnes Profit £197,000

April 1985

Mon 1 … Office … Finishing off accident plan with IWS. HMI F Turton re accident plan, info KFG and KG F. Correspondence. Geology Book. To Power house with new books. Phone JS re 16s LG amends to write up. Discuss Jim Turner re Reg 10 Deputy’s Report. Discuss KG F various. CIDS re Haussherr and meeting. Coloured Risk Assessment plans to date and signed. Discuss Benny Wells re ‘Banked Leave’.

Tues 2 … Office … Scalings for 1984 / 1985 worked out. Confirmed by Steve WH Lindsay Cost Clerk. Calculations. Discuss C Boyles Hollybank calculations. Meeting 12.30pm General Development JS. Phone D Brooke - Jackson Hollybank. Discuss MDC. Discuss KFG and PGS re Deputy’s Districts. Prints for Time / Wages.

Wed 3 ... Holiday

Thurs 4 … Office … Contours to date for 14s and check through face. CW S re 16s LG re-entry into 1s LG to send to HMI. KG F re same. Discuss PGS work. Phone Ken Middleton and D Brooke - Jackson Hollybank re steel. Meeting 1pm 3rd drift Additional Airways R Anderson. Meeting 2pm Capital Investment, Manpower Savings and Development R Anderson. Discuss D Stone. Discuss KG F 9s and also Reg 10 Reports.

Fri 5 … Office … Colouring. Various points of 2s / 33s AW ends discuss. CIDS re change of system. KG F re Deputy’s dirt measures. R Anderson Production Manager re some graph paper o.k. Potential Deputy C Barker discuss general re Survey department involvement at the pit etc. Large sketch of pit for Deputies re KG F. Prints of Number sheets for P Warriner Time / Wages.

Sat 6 … 17146 tonnes
Sat 6 / Sun 7 … ATT working in No2 shaft

Mon 8 and Tues 9 … Annual Leave
PGS Holiday Wed 10 – Wed 17

Wed 10 … Office … Electrical negs to date. Phone Ken Hartwell re shaft info to date. Plans to date. Phone Area HQ. Discuss TJ Knott U/m re possible changes at 33s AW rip … to slushing. J Lyons re Titan E134 3rd drift … under water! Phone G Ison … DO NOT cut out tribrach for T2 theodolite. Discuss PN and R Flint.

Thurs 11 … Office … Started seam section sheets. CW S re draw out 33s AW proposed ripping changes and discuss. J Lyons re amount of water in 3rd drift. KG F re same … 27,500 gals calculated and amount pumped out. Phone J Mc Mann Deputy 33s AW re rip sample. Discuss Potential Deputy P Hendry re Survey department etc. Phone Steve Lunnon Geologist re samples and came to fetch them and discuss. Phoned results. KG F re rock samples. Sam Dunlop Group Mech Engineer print Proposed new curved creeper for No2 Pit bottom.

Fri 12 … Office … Drawing out 33s AW FIDD arm change on machine for TJK. Discuss KG F re 33s. Discuss E Hodgson surface. Drawing out system for 33s, shotfiring pattern, packs etc. Meeting Proposed systems at 33s Aw CW S, KG F, Cyril Murphy Area Mech plus… Discuss Potential Deputy Mick Oates re Survey involvement at the Colliery. Phone G Ison … Parish figures. Discuss E Hodgson plan.

Sat 13 … 9973 tonnes

Mon 15 ... Office … Incentive figures … NO deputy’s sheets … discuss KG F, same TJK. Phone D Stone development. Phone G Ison. CW S re hand pack / slusher at 33s AW. GI brought a tribrach, now total of 2. Drawing out 33s. O.S. value of office to Environment office. Rep from AGA demo on Geodimeter instrument. Meeting 4pm 3rd drift haulage system KG Fidler. Progress. Manager’s Wall plan.

Tues 16 … Office … Pit head sketch plan neg to date. Drawing out 33s supports. Phone JS re 16s LG arches set wrong again … our fault! ... NO !!! Meeting 12 noon General Development JS. Peter Hall Mech re PG 1 and 2 Booster conveyor plan … 15m to do. Discuss T Brown Deputy, A Johnson, P Bolton. CW S re 33s AW systems.

Wed 17 … Office … Drawing 33s AW systems. CW S re same again. Discuss KFG and PN. Meeting 1pm Reg 10 Reporting System CW S. TJK re Deputy’s measurements. Discuss IWS work. D Stone re charts.
11s / 14s snicket thirled o.k.

Thurs 18 … Office … Discuss PGS up to date position

Annual Leave Thurs 18 Apr – Sat 11 May
16 days (plus including Mon 6, May Day Holiday)
- Gran Canaria -

Sat 20 … 18378 tonnes

Mon 22 April Reg 10 Deputy’s Reporting system started … Jim Turner Deputy and Ken Cross had all the books on the table in the Conference Room laid out open to be signed.

Sat 27 … 20114 tonnes

May 1985

KG Fidler holiday 1 week. J Stewart Acting Deputy Manager

Sat 4 … 20075 tonnes

Mon 6 … May Day Holiday

Sat 11 … 14302 tonnes

Mon 13 … Office … General. Correspondence. Phone JRG re Poplar Street coal stocking site … Stan Hacking Deputy Director Admin to visit. Phoned CJ Whyte re staff shortage etc. CW S re same and various. Phone Bert Grime re No2 shaft Main Bright repairs finished. Phone John Shone Thyssens. Letter to CJ Whyte re staff and CW S. Discuss JS. To Area HQ to see CJ Whyte discuss staff. Discuss JRG.

Tues 14 … Office … K Cross and AJ Turner discuss re Reg 10 system. Phone D Lees re PG 1 and 2 Booster conveyor prep. Discuss B Wormald. Discuss E Hodgson proposed surface operation. Meeting 12.30pm General Development R Flint. Cyril Murphy Area Mechanisation Engineer came and I lent him slides, photos and paper on Markham Shield. Meeting Statutory and Mandatory Requirements CW S re shaft inc Thoresby. Phone V Williams same re Printing machine. KFG to take it up with R Stubbs Area Safety Engineer.

Wed 15 … Office … General. Phone G Ison. Discuss R Flint. Drawing 9s on 1/500 scale. Discuss D Lees conveyors PG 1 and 2 Booster. CW S phone re-route of telephone cables … no plan kept o.k. Plotted levels for 16s and swilley etc. Discuss A Liney re pressure diff underground etc. for AGA Geodimeter EDM …

Thurs 16 … U/g … Visit to 9s LG face end snicket … diabolically bad! Measured up small cabins at 10s Aw and No2 Pit Bottom Road dint through done (RB*) … Office … HMI HC Evans and CW S re 11s LG Support Rules Titan E169 (exemption) new schedule of arches. ART re plan. Discuss re geology and distances and vertical angles in book (2s). PGS and IWS. CW S discuss plan.
NACODS voted 3:2 for immediate overtime ban

Fri 17 … Office … General. Discuss JS, PN. Discuss CIDS distances for 16s AW haulage calculations. Plan and schedule for 9s new LG head … copy to R Flint. Wall plans. Potential Deputy Bryn? Query 2s Support Rules. Meeting re NACODS Overtime ban … Roster for weekend CW S.

Sat 18 … 20097 tonnes

Sun 19 … NACODS Overtime ban started …
Sun 19 … U/g … Fan examinations … with Willie McGranahan 3rd drift, 9s, 11s, 14s, 16s and Booster fans check for any variation heat or vibration etc.

Mon 20 … Office … Contour plan to date. Calculated and plotted 33s survey. Phone G Ison, Phone Des Thompson Harworth. CIDS re various. Meeting 2pm Linesmen various. Phone JRG re Services plan for 200m outside Dirt tipping areas reqd.

Tues 21 … Office … A Liney re various. CW S and A Liney re 9s / 14s ventilation and also NACODS Overtime ban. Plan of depths below barometer for A Liney re Geodimeter instrument. Phone MDC. Plan to Area HQ for Dirt tips re services.

Wed 22 … Office … Discuss TJK re Pit Bottom and template for16s chock.
Wed 22 … U/g … RB with Glynn Rose O/m and Roy (Snowy) Evans Deputy re measures for dinting round 400s Back Road for 16s chocks … Office … Meeting 12.15pm 16s LG Re-entry into 1s LG JS. Plan of 35s substation entry to George Case Materials Officer. Dirt figures for 3 months to CW S. Drawing of 9s snicket for KG F.

Thurs 23 … U/g … Check measures and centre line at 9s outbye new head and snicket for thirling position … 2 men (RB*, IWS) … Office … Discuss R Matthews. Drawing for Pit bottom work to be done for transporting 16s chocks started. Discuss JS. Drawing of 9s snicket for W McG. Title on SK 6868 PG plan.

Fri 24 … Office … Sorted out Development plans drawer and folders. Discuss AJ Turner, K Cross NACODS and KG Fidler re Dispute. Phone JRG various. Info to date ie Shafts. Folder for Severn Trent Water option. Correspondence. Discuss KFG, AL. ART re 16s LG / 1s LG borehole … not quite through into 1s but showing 34% methane at 1s AW end.

Sat 25 … 17517 tonnes
NACODS Overtime Ban
Sat 25 … U/g with KF Greaves Fan exams at 3rd drift, 9s, 11s, 16s and Booster fans 2pm – 6pm (735 + 11 u/g)

Pit Holidays Third Week Mon 27 – Fri 31
KG Fidler Holiday 1 week.
PG Shaw Holiday 1 Week.

Mon 27 … May Day Spring Bank holiday … Office … Discuss ART and AL … plotted 9s and 16s LG. Discuss IWS work. Discuss W McG re 9s.

Tues 28 … Office … Sorting out … Surface … Survey of No9 Lagoon using T2 Geodimeter 220 … 2 men (RB*, IWS). Phone P Rees re 16s AW samples. JRG re possibility of NO Aerial photos. Phone MDC. Discuss AL and ART ventilation.
9s second snicket thirled o.k. 16s LG development re–entry into old 1s LG

Wed 29 … Surface … Check on rail tracks, fences etc. and No2 Dirt tip additional tipping … 2 men (RB*, IWS). Info re 9s. Coloured Pit bottom Ventilation plan and AL and ART same.

Thurs 30 … Surface … Tacheo survey of No2 Dirt tip … 2 men (RB*, IWS)                                 

Fri 31 … Office … Discuss Ken Cross NACODS Sec and CID Swinscoe. Plan. ART re ventilation again.
Robbie Dickson transferred to Thoresby and Peter Butts started as Deputy Mechanical Engineer

June 1985

John Higginbotham transferred from Manager at Sutton to Manager at Rufford. (Bobby) RC Watson promoted from Deputy Manager Thoresby to Manager Sutton.

Sat 1 …
Sat 1 … U/g … with Ken F Greaves fan examinations at 3rd drift, 11s, 16s and Booster fans 2pm – 5pm.

Sun 2 … U/g … with Gordon Weeks and Andy Liney and S Wild E.T. … fan examinations at 11s and 16s .. Conveyor examinations Bunker to PG 1, 2 and 3 and 14s district.
CW Standage holiday … Mon 3 - Wed 26. KG Fidler Acting Manager Mon 3 – Tues 11 then off sick with back problem 10 weeks to Mon 9 Sep. W McGranahan Development on Days

Mon 3 … Office … Discuss PGS. Also DS. IWS re Dirt tip survey. Amend to 9s plan for W McG. Discuss JL. Meeting Additional Airways R Anderson. Discuss D Stone and A Liney. Notice re conveyors. Discuss CIDS. Phone Matt Munro 16s AW Deputy.

Tues 4 … Office … Title block SK 6868 and surface features. Contour plan. Discuss Ted Hodgson re new Reg 12 Report for Dirt tips and also re new Lagoon 11. Meeting General Development J Stewart. Phone Andy Wells Rufford re Tiatn Roadheader plans (re J Higginbotham Manager). Phone Des Thompson Harworth … re BACM Voc 5 NEC member.

Wed 5 … Office … Plotted Dirt tip contours and inked in on neg. J Howarth Rep from Dowty discuss re 16s. Fred Gieves Rep Hollybank re various. Discuss W McG Discuss 16s face … J Daubney, Rep R Matthews and Derek Hunter, PG Shaw re number of chocks. Discuss JT Knott U/m.

Thurs 6 … Office … M Young and Ian Truswell. Books re Dirt tips tonnages etc. from Ted Hodgson. KGF re 16s face. Phone Jack Storr Thoresby diff. Phone D Stone. Discuss JS re 16s face layout … Surface with PGS and IWS, measured up 33s AW tackle and 16s chocks in pit yard … Office … Meeting 3rd drift Haulage R Anderson. JS re 16s AW … coal in floor. Discuss Pit bottom drivages with PGS and IWS.

Fri 7 … Office … Phone R Dickson Thoresby re Load Haul Dump concrete plinth. Calculations for 16s face line chocks etc. … Surface with PGS, JS, JTK and D Hunter to see new pan sides and chainless haulage and discuss … Office … J Daubney and Rep from Pitcraft same. Info to KW. Discuss NUM Reps. Check with PGS re 16s AW coal in floor. R & FF plans updated. Told W McGranaghan to inform us earlier re 9s snickets etc!

Sat 8 … Office … 12 Retirement certificates finished. 17063 tonnes

Mon 10 … Office ... Discuss TJK. A further 9 Retirement certificates. Correspondence. Incentive figures. Progress. Phone Ken Cross re ‘rope broke’ in PG Intake. Phone R Matthews re 16s pans etc.

Tues 11 … International Mining Exhibition at NEC Birmingham … by bus RB with CJ Whyte, WEB Barlow and G Ison.
J Stewart Acting Manager from Wed 12. KG Fidler off, bad back.

Wed 12 … Office … Freddie Parr Crane driver re electric cables near new Car Park extension … shown. E Hodgson same and Weighbridge. Plan for KG F re Transfer points. Correspondence. Discuss JS. Discuss EH.

Thurs 13 … U/g 9s snicket survey with dial (lying on conveyor to turn out angle, crushed gate)… 4 men (RB*, PGS< MC and R Brocklehurst) … JS re JE Wood Director retiring. Also re 16s AW. Meeting 2pm Capital Investment, Manpower Savings and Development R Anderson. Discuss R Anderson and J Stewart re 16s AW. Discuss D Stone and MD Clarke. Plotted 9s. Updated Colliery History.

Fri 14 … Office … Calculation of Dirt tip tonnages Discuss Ted Hodgson… totalling up his book records. KFG re Titan Support Rules. Phone CJ Whyte re amount of staff at pits in South Notts., compared to us … me in particular with work load! HMI HC Evans and JS re Titan Roadheader plans and discuss. Amends to negative and discuss KFG. Water sample details for Laboratory for 33s LG. To Mansfield Woodhouse Laboratory with water sample. Phoned the results to J Stewart.

Sat 15 … 20277 tonnes
Began interviewing at Area HQ Planners above 55 and down to 53 re redundancy …

Mon 17 … Office … Incentive figures. Copied up survey. Progress Area HQ etc. Discuss D Stockham work load etc. Plan. JS re Titan exemption, sent a letter to Fred Turton Principal HMI … Surface … to Workshops to check overhead Crane ‘line’ in new extension … Office … Discuss 9s with PGS. To Area HQ with Progress folder.

Tues 18 … Office … Wall plans to date. … Surface to Joiners … Office … Discuss JS re 16s face entry … I sent a plan into the pit … Surface … T Coupe re overhead crane in old Workshop … Office … Phone HMI F Turton re Titan plans … amends. Meeting General Development W McGranahan. R & FF plans amends and Ventilation plan to date. Letter to HMI F Turton. Discuss EW Fretwell re to borrow Geodimeter o.k. Manager’s Wall plan and JS discuss 33s fault etc.

Wed 19 … Office … Plans for Titan Roadheader in file.1/5000 base plan neg to date. R & FF amends with John Hayter Fire Office. Discuss KM Willings Methane drainage. R & FF neg to date. Phone Peter Daffin Estates re message for E Hodgson. Phone TJ Knott re 33s fault at LG. Discuss same P Rees Geologist. JS re same. Discuss 9s with PGS and IWS. (George Edwards Senior Mining Engineer visit to 3rd drift and info)

Thurs 20 … Office … General. Peter Butts Deputy Mech Engineer re plans. Info from RC 33s re faults. Plotted same and tracing. Phone E Barton O/m re 16s AW. Saw George Case re order ordinary 2 feet extensions to arch legs … Surface … Continued survey of No2 Dirt tip … 3 men (RB*, PGS, IWF) … Office … Calculating same.

Fri 21 … Office … Ken Willings. Samples of sandstone from 14s Methane borehole and log. P Rees tested same. Plotted Dirt tip surveys. Contours. Phone D Raisbeck 1/10000 plan to date for BP. HMI F Turton 2 more prints for Titan and discuss. TJ Knott re Intake Booster c/v xx Discuss D Stone. Discuss EWF Subsidence dept. Prints.

Sat 22 … 19431 tonnes

Mon 24 … Office … General. R & FF amends after on neg. After all my asking for extra staff ... CJ Whyte came with 2 schoolboys J Gill and D Hibbert. His excuse was that although I was busy and short staffed he knew that I always took interest in students and made time for them and after discussions, explanations and regarding surveying at a mine, plus a surface and underground visit and a bit of office work such as colouring plans etc I always got good reviews back from the students and the school teachers as well as Royal School of Mines students. I never did find out whether schoolboys were sent to other pits.  I had a schoolgirl once. I always seemed to get landed with potential Deputies and foreign visitors from Germany, China and India plus interviews for radio etc and local press.… Surface … General round pit top with J Gill … Office … Meeting Proposed Booster Conveyor PG Intake drift JS. Discuss same.
New triangular Car Park area opened near Cooling Tower Ponds. Schoolboy for work experience J Gill.

Tues 25 … Office … Info. Correspondence. John Gretton welder info. David Phillips Rep Meco re conveyor
Tues 25 … U/g … Offset survey of PG 1 and 2 conveyors … 3 men (RB*, PGS, IWS) ... Office … Plotted same. Phone G Ison T16 convert for AGA EDM. Meeting Proposed Booster conveyor PG Intake drift JS.
CW Standage back from holiday. J Stewart from Acting Manager to Acting Deputy Manager. Ray Flint Development Day shift

Wed 26 … U/g … RB Visit with J Gill schoolboy from Dukeries to 33s panel … Office … Phone D Raisbeck re 33s fault and proposed seismic survey. Correspondence. Notice for Lamp Room Bill Lacey. Discuss P Noone re power cables over Dirt tipping area. Phone Ventilation dept. (740 + 11 u/g)

Thurs 27 … Office … Discuss J Gill schoolboy various. Phone R Matthews re 9s chocks Discuss CW Standage re up to date of the pit. Phone A Liney 35s. Discuss and info to R Matthews Meco and an Indian Engineer re 16s and 33s. Discuss PN. Phone P Rees 2s and 33s.

Fri 28 … Office … General. Report. Discuss J Gretton weld some arches.
To Winchester for Karen’s Nurse Presentation.

Sat 29 … 20245 tonnes  
J Stewart Acting Deputy Manager. R Flint on Nights. G Weeks Development on Days