Back in the distant past I worked on the re-sinking of a coal shaft at the Black Country Museum which became Racecourse Colliery No.1. Although I had a couple of sessions sinking in the pit bottom at 56 feet depth, I preferred being winding engineman.
As the Museum was open to visitors the activity at the shaft caused many people to hang around watching events helped by talkative mining enthusiasts. A windy pick was brought up from the shaft and as it was landed out fell the drill tool which fell back down the shaft but landed neatly in the kibble (bowk) causing a mass of sparks. It also provoked significant exclamations from the two guys at the pit bottom and very quickly the visitors departed.
Very fortunately no one was hurt, but the vocabulary of the two sinkers was certainly impressive!
:oops:
Yes, I'll have it - what is it?