I know what you meant, but thats easily controlled as the machine is on tracks, it can only throw the rock directly behind itself, if the cordons 15m behind its not going to put anyone at risk, assuming poeple stay behind the cordon of course!

When you were at CSM did greater Condurrow have the Steel Ladder Road in the shaft? If not that would explain it.

Condurrow did have the steel ladder road in those days, yes. But you would get one up under the skip in pieces, no problem. Be a right old job, but nothing impossible about it.

here's a thing...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jy_xOQhDZig 

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I really find it rather disturbing that some well-meaning soul has got one of these things in his shed, and brings it out to frighten kids and pensioners at steam rallies....

The Eimco concerned does belong to the Shropshire Mines Trust and forms part of their rock crushing display (seen here at the Onslow Park Steam rally, Shrewsbury). The Hudson wagon is loaded (lightly), hauled up on to a low-loader, the load tipped, crushed in a jaw crusher, then shovelled by hand into another wagon and pulled by an electric loco to another part of the area and tipped.

You can sleep easy in your bed, only one person (an experienced plant operator) is allowed to operate the Eimco, no-one else is anywhere near it when it's working and the public are well away to the left of the picture - but most importantly, they have not seen anything like this before and find it fascinating, particularly when it's explained to them how they are normally used underground.

Cheers, Kelvin

I've seen a video of it now and somehow, it's rather ... tame? docile? I suppose not having the wall behind your back makes a difference.... that and the noise being dispersed, I suppose

but it's a very interesting idea, demonstrating something which most people have no idea of, and you really can't explain to anyone who hasn't seen it

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HI AR. yep they used one in Florence until the mine flooded, its still underground,with the loco and tubs, dam shame.

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Theres a whle fleet of the things underwater at crofty, I gess they may see the light of day one day. All the Clayton Locos found their way to Mexico

http://www.geocities.com/cedric_paterson/flooding.htm 

Theres a whle fleet of the things underwater at crofty, I gess they may see the light of day one day. All the Clayton Locos found their way to Mexico

http://www.geocities.com/cedric_paterson/flooding.htm 

Cheers for that site, some great pictures on there!

Sadly people even on this forum are quick to criticise but slow to offer help. We are always looking for ideas to enhance the displays and change it around a bit so don't be shy to offer.

I must admit I hadn't seen the criticisms when inviting forum members to come and have a look. You note my invite was for rock shovelling and crushing - the Eimco is used by a trained Plant Operator only.

Mike :guns:

since you mention it, I can't claim to have made any great efforts to interpret mining for the public, seeing as I don't actually meet them all that much in my professional role.

I have been guilty of telling people that the 1000's of m3 of clay from the London Water Ring Main project were disposed of by digging a hole and burying it ::)

sorry an' all that :surrender:


as for having no idea of the eimco at work ... I've re-railed one with a length of scaffold pole kept for the purpose, burst the airbag by driving over it, and cut the front of my wellies open with the footplate at one time or another, so I remain of the opinion that they are dangerous bl**dy things in their own little way.....

regarding the demonstration, I would suggest that a few frames of steel arch support would be a useful addition to the display. There is no sense of the confined environment in which they normally work; steel arch setts would provide this without significantly obstructing the view.

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I really find it rather disturbing that some well-meaning soul has got one of these things in his shed, and brings it out to frighten kids and pensioners at steam rallies.

It never ceases to amaze me that there are such ignorant a""*holes out there who have no clue what they are talking about. He may be terrified of eimcos himself but in skilled hands they are perfectly safe. I presume he is alluding to the Shropshire Mines Trust display we take to steam rallies where there is a working eimco.

http://shropshiremines.org.uk/smt/smtdisp/smtdisp.htm 

The safety rules for steam rallies are far more onerous than underground since we are talking about members of the public not miners. If there was any slim chance of danger then we would not be allowed to use it. We have just spent the weekend at Onslow steam rally and guess what? Not a single member of the public was frightened or chopped up!

Rather than be a pig in the manger (or is it dog? I doubt there is much difference) he should reflect on what he personally has done to interpret mining for the public who cannot get underground.

I shall treat him with the contempt he deserves.

It never ceases to amaze me that some people out there have nothing better to do with their time than hurl abuse at other forum members for no reason whatsoever, four months after an interesting discussion about eimcos. :curse:

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It never ceases to amaze me that some people out there have nothing better to do with their time than hurl abuse at other forum members for no reason whatsoever, four months after an interesting discussion about eimcos. :curse:

The delay is simply due to the fact we were too busy doing what we do best trying to conserve buildings and sites as volunteers. We have tried our best to demonstrate mining techniques to the wider public rather than sitting in an armchair having a go at others efforts.

The comments we only drawn to our attention over the weekend - hence wanting to put the record straight

Mike



:guns:

I suggest shovelling up coloured plastic playballs (such as are used in playpens) with it rather than nasty heavy rocks to make it safe and entertaining for the little children. 😉

Thats not such a bad idea we wouldn't need as many volunteers to help then :angel:

the original comment wasn't meant particularly seriously.

However I do know from experience of the vintage circuit, that there are some people on it who manage the curious feat of spending half their lives in a field, while still giving the impression of needing to get out in the fresh air occasionally.... ::)

anyway, I'm a hard man to offend or annoy, and that won't do it.

I did actually try to make a sensible suggestion ( about the arch setts ) but that appears to have passed unremarked, oh well...


I don't like the playballs idea, by the way. There's bound to be an 'Elf'n'safety problem somewhere about someone tripping over one.....

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The driver could wear a clown suit.

The driver could wear a clown suit.

no, no good

his toes would be about a foot behind the toe-caps in his boots....

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A blue Emico 21 Rocker Shovel has a special place in memory, as the beast that nearly ended my mining career (and life) before it had started. As it has been stated, they can be dangerous (see previous line), and they can be quite fun to use. The 21 is the bigger brother of the 12B. However for real fun you can't beat a Atlas Copco 36 or 56 like they used in South Crofty. With the right amount of air - rocks would fly ..

I can see why people might not like them, noisy, moving parts, getting ones hands dirty (jumpers for goal posts .. oops). However people at shows are generally interested in how they operate - we've had ex-miners tell all sorts of stories about using them, might make a good book :blink:

If it weren't for the weight limit, I wanted to use one in RobotWars ... :)

They should be part of any Explorers digging kit 😉 along with the compressor !

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I can see why people might not like them, noisy, moving parts, getting ones hands dirty (jumpers for goal posts .. oops). However people at shows are generally interested in how they operate - we've had ex-miners tell all sorts of stories about using them, might make a good book :blink:

If it weren't for the weight limit, I wanted to use one in RobotWars ... :)

They should be part of any Explorers digging kit 😉 along with the compressor !

Nar - I want a Dosco! :devil:

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they are rather fun, in a loopy sort of way.

I have seen rocks thrown surprising distances by them! They can also derail themselves in a surprising variety of ways... and the comment about direction supposes that you have in fact got it straight on the chassis ( see derailing, above.. )

Atlas ones are much more gung-ho than the Eimco sort, that's true.

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I did actually try to make a sensible suggestion ( about the arch setts ) but that appears to have passed unremarked, oh well...

I don't like the playballs idea, by the way. There's bound to be an 'Elf'n'safety problem somewhere about someone tripping over one.....

Arch supports noted - how practical this would be and how easy to erect and support is of course another matter.

Your original rant was about H&S so don't criticise that
Mike