Working in an 18 inch seam. · AditNow Community

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rikj
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

14 years ago

Looks to be about 18 inches or thereabouts.

[youtube]vWgEzYefFYI[/youtube]

Underground stuff starts properly at about 6 mins in for the impatient.

I suppose this is a glimpse of how coal mining was 300 years ago, before any mechanisation. Hand hauled corves on sleds, hand wound gin, only real difference is the cap lamps.

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jagman
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

14 years ago

300 years ago? Try 15 or 20 years ago in some areas of the UK 🙂

Alec
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

14 years ago

A colleague of mine from the 1970s was a Deputy at Langley Park Drift and took a number of us on an official visit to the face via an 18" crawl beside the moving belt taking hewn coal out. You couldn't lift your head and all you could see up front was the boots of the guy in front of you. The belt was to my right, and to my left was the coal seam vibrating as a result of the cutting machine. A one-off, unforgettable experience for me and daily work for Ron's 'marras'.

Regards, Alec

Buckhill
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

14 years ago

18 inch was about tops in Alston area. Tows Bank was usually 11-13 inch and one part was under 10 - but you could just get by if you lifted 3 inch of floor :lol: . That was less than 20 years ago.

oildrum
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

14 years ago

Had the "pleasure" of visiting a couple of thin seam faces up in the North East during the early 1980's.

Marley Hill was working a 21 inch seam with a plough, but due to floor lift & poor horizon control meant that clearance was some what limited!

Shilbottle was still using undercut, fire & hand loading onto a belt, and at Bear Park they had fitted 3 jib cutters together to cut & load onto face belt, with props & bars for support.

Happy days 🙂

'where's the shearer?'[center]

staffordshirechina
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

14 years ago

Been there, done that, got the scars. In the 1980's.

Les

Morrisey
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

14 years ago

Superb that Rik - thanks for sharing.

fred raynes
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

14 years ago

I thought I was having a tough time in 30 inches working the Beeston Bed seam at Birkenshaw colliery in 1945. Those guys are miners!