FabSwingers.com > Forums > The Lounge > Coal mining
Coal mining
Jump to: Newest in thread
 |
By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
|
Well it's my last day as a miner today
Well and truly gutted that this career has come to an end. Whatever you think about miners we are a special breed and would do absolutely anything for one another.
Met some great friends and people that I will hold and speak about in high regard for the rest of my days! Such a shame to see the industry finish..
It's been emotional   |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
Blimey a miner a rare breed these days. They're still a few freeminers in the Forest of Dean, they're reopening a drift mine.
We had the most efficient deep coal miners in the world. Used to work for Dowty mining making pit props, tragic all that skill be wasted. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
I come from a mining village myself so I know what it means to live in a mining community. The mine's just recently closed here. It's been sad to see the slow decline. Has helped to rip out the heart of the town over the last 30 years with the gradual decline. Good luck to ya! |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
Hi mate,
I used to work at Thoresby. What a great place to work that was a shining beacon of how good industrial relations in the coal industry should and could be achieved. I got to the dizzy heights of assistant undermanager there before they moved me to Rufford. My own list of pits reads like a Colliery closure program LOL.
Sad to see it go when I read it and Kellingley will close too but boy oh boy could they mine coal there. I worked on 147s back in the 80s which produced 61718 Tonnes of coal in 1 week, I still have the little statue that the manager commissioned to celebrate the acchivement which stood as a world record for a while until another Thoresby coal face bettered it after I left.
Happy days. I can empathise with your pain. It was a great place to work. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
|
I worked at welbeck and just finished at kellingley.
Such a sad time, we mined 3 million tonnes last year but been offered a job at a power station. Couldn't refuse
Love the pit and the life experience I have gained from it |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
Best wishes Ironman. I have lived all ny life in a mining area. My local pit employed 3000 men at one stage. The destruction of this industry by politicians, one especially, is one of the greatest acts of industrial treachery in modern times. Millions of tons of coal is still beneath our feet but it won't be mined as long as we have governments determined to prevent a large unionised workforce from being a threat to them.
Good luck mate. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"Blimey a miner a rare breed these days. They're still a few freeminers in the Forest of Dean, they're reopening a drift mine.
We had the most efficient deep coal miners in the world. Used to work for Dowty mining making pit props, tragic all that skill be wasted."
Well we didn't have the most efficient as they couldn't maintain a profitable mine unlike the rest of the world. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
|
"Blimey a miner a rare breed these days. They're still a few freeminers in the Forest of Dean, they're reopening a drift mine.
We had the most efficient deep coal miners in the world. Used to work for Dowty mining making pit props, tragic all that skill be wasted.
Well we didn't have the most efficient as they couldn't maintain a profitable mine unlike the rest of the world. "
Always one idiot that has no idea about mining or what happens at a mine. Keep ya comments to yourself |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"Blimey a miner a rare breed these days. They're still a few freeminers in the Forest of Dean, they're reopening a drift mine.
We had the most efficient deep coal miners in the world. Used to work for Dowty mining making pit props, tragic all that skill be wasted.
Well we didn't have the most efficient as they couldn't maintain a profitable mine unlike the rest of the world. "
Total rubbish, efficiency did not mean profitability in those days, virtually all mining was subsidised in every country usually much more than ours, except Columbian who used child and virtual slave labour. The bulk of our agreed moderately subsidised industry was replace with at the time heavily subsidised Australian open cast and was only slightly cheaper. How much subsidy has the financial industry had, more than anything else has had and still getting it, total waste of money.
The props we made were highly developed products the current generation now made in China (as everything is), the British Coal R&D dept invented fluid bed coal combustion now being used widely. That skill is hard to replace, I count become a banker tomorrow.
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"Blimey a miner a rare breed these days. They're still a few freeminers in the Forest of Dean, they're reopening a drift mine.
We had the most efficient deep coal miners in the world. Used to work for Dowty mining making pit props, tragic all that skill be wasted.
Well we didn't have the most efficient as they couldn't maintain a profitable mine unlike the rest of the world.
Always one idiot that has no idea about mining or what happens at a mine. Keep ya comments to yourself"
Sorry but if your business can't fund itself why should the tax payer pick up the bill?
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
|
"Blimey a miner a rare breed these days. They're still a few freeminers in the Forest of Dean, they're reopening a drift mine.
We had the most efficient deep coal miners in the world. Used to work for Dowty mining making pit props, tragic all that skill be wasted.
Well we didn't have the most efficient as they couldn't maintain a profitable mine unlike the rest of the world.
Always one idiot that has no idea about mining or what happens at a mine. Keep ya comments to yourself
Sorry but if your business can't fund itself why should the tax payer pick up the bill?
"
Why should the government spend 100s of millions to foreign countries? Look at all the old mining villages. All the businesses are ruined! Every man at the mine will pay over 10k in tax per year. Every man will put over 30k per year into the community and local businesses. It's not just about the mines, if they had stepped in when first asked the bill was 30 million not 300 million |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
Wow,
3 Million tonnes. The Big K eh. I went down that pit many years ago. Was very modern and efficient. Sunk in the late 50s. Was one of the first to use freezing technique to sink the shafts. they literally froze the ground through the water bearing strata. What engineering feat that must have been. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"Blimey a miner a rare breed these days. They're still a few freeminers in the Forest of Dean, they're reopening a drift mine.
We had the most efficient deep coal miners in the world. Used to work for Dowty mining making pit props, tragic all that skill be wasted.
Well we didn't have the most efficient as they couldn't maintain a profitable mine unlike the rest of the world.
Always one idiot that has no idea about mining or what happens at a mine. Keep ya comments to yourself
Sorry but if your business can't fund itself why should the tax payer pick up the bill?
"
It couldn't fund itself, because other countries were subsidised, they had to deal with globalisation before the word was even invented.
You don't need to subsidise a estate agent or burger bar to protect against foreign subsidised competition.
Our trade gap for one month now would get a government thrown out if it was for two years then, its all funded by cheap mainly Chinese credit, one thing for sure they'll want paying. you might wish we had some coal to sell them then. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
Unfortunately mining became political rather than just an economic discussion
The problem hit a new low when hesletine tried to sell the coal industry to the Saudis
At the moment our coal is seen as a dirty fuel. That will change but our industry will be destroyed by then |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
I think all the guy wanted to do was just lament the passing of a era. I feel his pain having worked in the industry and having come from a completely non mining background when I joined it. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
I'll describe a coal face to you so you can imagine being there. Sorry OP if I hi-jack your thread but perhaps some people need help to imagine what we have been through and why we loved it. I don't want to talk about the politics. I find that all very boring. It's the engineering that got my heart pumping.
There is this huge 500 MW monster riding an armoured face conveyor. This is basically a huge double chain going round a sprocket. another 500 MW of juice at each end pulling the chain round and the coal on it as the Shearer munches away at the coal.
As the shearer moves along the armoured face conveyor is pushed forward with huge rams behind it. The whole face is held up behind the machine with these things called shield supports. Usually 4 big powered props which sit in a base and reach up to the underside of a massive beam. Each support can weight 15 to 20 tonnes so they are massive. After the shearer has moved on and the conveyor is rammed forward the legs of the powered support lower with a whoosh and slowly but surely are pulled in behind the conveyor again, ready for the next strip of coal to be taken when the machine passes through the next time.
As the face moves forward the ground behind the face is allowed to collapse. Often it does it with a huge rumble and clouds of dust so as you can imagine the environment is a melee' of noise and motion. It's very exciting truth be known. I loved being on the face, especially if it was a 2m thick or more seam as you could walk up and down.
If it was was a thing seam you spent hours and hours on your knees and by the end of it your knees were crying out for stretching out.
There are other jobs which I loved doing. I worked in a time when the industry was going through transition from fairly mechanised to heavily mechanised and there are some jobs which our OP may not recognise such as filling out a stable hole ready for the trepanner coal face machine to arrive.
I was also a haulage lad. All the different ways in which things were transported around the mine.
Rope haulage was the main way at the pits I worked at, though by the time I left, most was locomotive haulage with powered monorails to get things up to the last bit of the coal face.
Also I remember we had to manhandle enormous 16 x 12 RSJs which came in 3 sections, and were bolted together as the face advanced. Often they had to be manhandled the last 200 M or so because of floor lift behind the face. This is where the ground literally behaves like plastic behind the coal face because of ground pressure. I'm sure this is how I fucked my back up 
Hope I'm not boring you LOL. Just reminiscing on my time down't pit Lad.
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"Blimey a miner a rare breed these days. They're still a few freeminers in the Forest of Dean, they're reopening a drift mine.
We had the most efficient deep coal miners in the world. Used to work for Dowty mining making pit props, tragic all that skill be wasted.
Well we didn't have the most efficient as they couldn't maintain a profitable mine unlike the rest of the world. "
.
Efficiency and profit are two completely different things! |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"Blimey a miner a rare breed these days. They're still a few freeminers in the Forest of Dean, they're reopening a drift mine.
We had the most efficient deep coal miners in the world. Used to work for Dowty mining making pit props, tragic all that skill be wasted.
Well we didn't have the most efficient as they couldn't maintain a profitable mine unlike the rest of the world.
Always one idiot that has no idea about mining or what happens at a mine. Keep ya comments to yourself
Sorry but if your business can't fund itself why should the tax payer pick up the bill?
"
.
Brilliant I presume your for closing nuclear power, the banking industry, car industry and farming then!. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
|
"Blimey a miner a rare breed these days. They're still a few freeminers in the Forest of Dean, they're reopening a drift mine.
We had the most efficient deep coal miners in the world. Used to work for Dowty mining making pit props, tragic all that skill be wasted.
Well we didn't have the most efficient as they couldn't maintain a profitable mine unlike the rest of the world.
Always one idiot that has no idea about mining or what happens at a mine. Keep ya comments to yourself
Sorry but if your business can't fund itself why should the tax payer pick up the bill?
.
Brilliant I presume your for closing nuclear power, the banking industry, car industry and farming then!."
Exactly  |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
|
"My local pits were Lea Hall, Littleton, West Cannock 5. Proud collieries employing decent men. The area has never really recovered from their closure."
And a dares bet that ours won't either |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
And then there was the heat. Some coal faces were a 1000 metres + below ground. The heat from the fans and coal face machinery and the fact that every 150 metres deeper you go makes it 1 degree centrigrade hotter. Often the roadway would be collapsing in behind you, restricting the air flow so that on the face itself you were in stifling 100F heat. Hard to imagine isn't it.
After you'd been boiled alive you'd come outbye to the downcast shaft to go home at the end of your shift. Here it would be absolutely freezing as the Shrill night air was sucked down into the pit by the ventilation fan at the other end of the upcast shaft. Bear in mind you were still in your vest and pants because it had been so hot inbye.
Another Pit I worked at was comparatively near the surface. Here you'd have to wear the much prized NCB donkey jacket all shift to stay warm.
What did NCB stand for LOL. We thought it was "nice comfy boots". Other more cynical people said it meant "no cunts bothered".
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"Well it's my last day as a miner today
Well and truly gutted that this career has come to an end. Whatever you think about miners we are a special breed and would do absolutely anything for one another.
Met some great friends and people that I will hold and speak about in high regard for the rest of my days! Such a shame to see the industry finish..
It's been emotional "
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"Well it's my last day as a miner today
Well and truly gutted that this career has come to an end. Whatever you think about miners we are a special breed and would do absolutely anything for one another.
From one miner ti another all the best mate
Met some great friends and people that I will hold and speak about in high regard for the rest of my days! Such a shame to see the industry finish..
It's been emotional "
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
|
"And then there was the heat. Some coal faces were a 1000 metres + below ground. The heat from the fans and coal face machinery and the fact that every 150 metres deeper you go makes it 1 degree centrigrade hotter. Often the roadway would be collapsing in behind you, restricting the air flow so that on the face itself you were in stifling 100F heat. Hard to imagine isn't it.
After you'd been boiled alive you'd come outbye to the downcast shaft to go home at the end of your shift. Here it would be absolutely freezing as the Shrill night air was sucked down into the pit by the ventilation fan at the other end of the upcast shaft. Bear in mind you were still in your vest and pants because it had been so hot inbye.
Another Pit I worked at was comparatively near the surface. Here you'd have to wear the much prized NCB donkey jacket all shift to stay warm.
What did NCB stand for LOL. We thought it was "nice comfy boots". Other more cynical people said it meant "no cunts bothered".
"
37degrees. Not be missing that for sure!! |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"Well it's my last day as a miner today
Well and truly gutted that this career has come to an end. Whatever you think about miners we are a special breed and would do absolutely anything for one another.
Met some great friends and people that I will hold and speak about in high regard for the rest of my days! Such a shame to see the industry finish..
It's been emotional "
You were well and truly fucked over by Thatcher and rest of tories and her private army aks known as police a very shameful period in our history.
As for the scabs involved shame on anyone involved. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
Good luck with your new job. In jobs where you're in physical danger, people do really take care of each other, I'm not sure it was just exclusive to mining (but that had the community aspect in that all the people who worked there tended to live in the same area). |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
|
"Good luck with your new job. In jobs where you're in physical danger, people do really take care of each other, I'm not sure it was just exclusive to mining (but that had the community aspect in that all the people who worked there tended to live in the same area). "
Thank you cannot wait to start
Still working with coal lol |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
|
" Poser :
If the rampant feminists had campaigned for more women miners*, would more pits still be open today?
* anyone ever aware that they did so? "
Iv worked with female miners |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
There was a time when you could walk about in Mansfield and half the blokes there had the most gorgeous black eyeliner you women could ever wish to possess. It depended what seam you worked in. Deep soft was the best as the name suggests because it must have been a black dark coal. High Hazles and top hard not so good as they were very hard steam coal suitable for railway steam engines and much prized for that.
I looked like I'd just come out of a new romantic band LOL.
What seam did you work in Iron man. Was it the Barnsley seam or was that finished a while back ? |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
Where did you work . I used to have a mate that worked at Bettshanger colliery in Kent. Bet many people don't even remember they used to mine coal in Kent LOL. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
"Well it's my last day as a miner today
Well and truly gutted that this career has come to an end. Whatever you think about miners we are a special breed and would do absolutely anything for one another.
Met some great friends and people that I will hold and speak about in high regard for the rest of my days! Such a shame to see the industry finish..
It's been emotional "
totally agree with these sentiments grandfathers on both sides were miners x GILLY x from a small northern ex mining town x |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
|
"Thank you very much!! Looking forward to it
Best of luck. The decimation of the mines has hit local areas so badly - a disgrace what has happened"
Couldn't agree more with you. Seems crazy the government have funded Drax with 700 million for carbon capture yet close the pit 3 miles from it lol idiots |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"Well it's my last day as a miner today
Well and truly gutted that this career has come to an end. Whatever you think about miners we are a special breed and would do absolutely anything for one another.
Met some great friends and people that I will hold and speak about in high regard for the rest of my days! Such a shame to see the industry finish..
It's been emotional "
my dad was a miner till Maggie the bitch shut the pit, he's still proud of being a miner as I'm of him , good luck x |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
|
"Well it's my last day as a miner today
Well and truly gutted that this career has come to an end. Whatever you think about miners we are a special breed and would do absolutely anything for one another.
Met some great friends and people that I will hold and speak about in high regard for the rest of my days! Such a shame to see the industry finish..
It's been emotional my dad was a miner till Maggie the bitch shut the pit, he's still proud of being a miner as I'm of him , good luck x"
Will always be proud and thankful of being a miner
Been the best experience x |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
|
"Best of luck 
Cheers babbi u upto much tonight x
I'm in the attic for a big party for Gemma Jay
Thanks for invite like 
Feel free to come along  "
Let me know next time! Only just got in x |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *inaTitzTV/TS
over a year ago
Titz Towers, North Notts |
"Best of luck
Cheers babbi u upto much tonight x
I'm in the attic for a big party for Gemma Jay
Thanks for invite like
Feel free to come along
Let me know next time! Only just got in x"
No worries
On a side note, has anyone ever heard MC Pitman doing It takes tea? |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *igeiaWoman
over a year ago
Bristol |
"Best of luck
Cheers babbi u upto much tonight x
I'm in the attic for a big party for Gemma Jay
Thanks for invite like
Feel free to come along
Let me know next time! Only just got in x
No worries
On a side note, has anyone ever heard MC Pitman doing It takes tea? "
Yep. I always liked Twat Farm as well. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By *inaTitzTV/TS
over a year ago
Titz Towers, North Notts |
"
On a side note, has anyone ever heard MC Pitman doing It takes tea?
Yep. I always liked Twat Farm as well. "
]
Forsooth! I thought I was the only fan
We should have a secret hand shake. Bump boobies or something  |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
Peeps, please bear in mind that whilst Maggie did decimate the coal industry, much of the current change is driven by the EU.
Losses of jobs such as those due at Longgannet are due ENTIRELY to changes brought about by European regulations.
Given that Labour last represnted the working man sometime back in the 60's, could the anti EU party UKIP be at least a hope.
Not saying they'' ever bring back coal mining at scale again but it won't happen under the traditional lot, nor that gobby Sturgeon's party either. For all she talks abut helping the "ordinary working man or woman". |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"
Peeps, please bear in mind that whilst Maggie did decimate the coal industry, much of the current change is driven by the EU.
Losses of jobs such as those due at Longgannet are due ENTIRELY to changes brought about by European regulations.
Given that Labour last represnted the working man sometime back in the 60's, could the anti EU party UKIP be at least a hope.
Not saying they'' ever bring back coal mining at scale again but it won't happen under the traditional lot, nor that gobby Sturgeon's party either. For all she talks abut helping the "ordinary working man or woman". "
.
Were here |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
"
Peeps, please bear in mind that whilst Maggie did decimate the coal industry, much of the current change is driven by the EU.
Losses of jobs such as those due at Longgannet are due ENTIRELY to changes brought about by European regulations.
Given that Labour last represnted the working man sometime back in the 60's, could the anti EU party UKIP be at least a hope.
Not saying they'' ever bring back coal mining at scale again but it won't happen under the traditional lot, nor that gobby Sturgeon's party either. For all she talks abut helping the "ordinary working man or woman". .
Were here "
thought you were a 'green'..? |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"
Peeps, please bear in mind that whilst Maggie did decimate the coal industry, much of the current change is driven by the EU.
Losses of jobs such as those due at Longgannet are due ENTIRELY to changes brought about by European regulations.
Given that Labour last represnted the working man sometime back in the 60's, could the anti EU party UKIP be at least a hope.
Not saying they'' ever bring back coal mining at scale again but it won't happen under the traditional lot, nor that gobby Sturgeon's party either. For all she talks abut helping the "ordinary working man or woman". .
Were here
thought you were a 'green'..?"
.
Yep I was responding to his last line..... Or an elephant if your Oliver reed |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
"
Peeps, please bear in mind that whilst Maggie did decimate the coal industry, much of the current change is driven by the EU.
Losses of jobs such as those due at Longgannet are due ENTIRELY to changes brought about by European regulations.
Given that Labour last represnted the working man sometime back in the 60's, could the anti EU party UKIP be at least a hope.
Not saying they'' ever bring back coal mining at scale again but it won't happen under the traditional lot, nor that gobby Sturgeon's party either. For all she talks abut helping the "ordinary working man or woman". .
Were here
thought you were a 'green'..?.
Yep I was responding to his last line..... Or an elephant if your Oliver reed"
oops
|
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"
Aren't the Republican Party the Elephants.
Still, the others are Donkeys. "
.
Theres room at the top they are telling you still
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill
If you want to be like the folks on the hill
A working class hero is something to be |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"
Aren't the Republican Party the Elephants.
Still, the others are Donkeys. .
Theres room at the top they are telling you still
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill
If you want to be like the folks on the hill
A working class hero is something to be"
I have have that, one of Dr Winston O'Boogies finest. |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
|
By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"
Aren't the Republican Party the Elephants.
Still, the others are Donkeys. .
Theres room at the top they are telling you still
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill
If you want to be like the folks on the hill
A working class hero is something to be
I have have that, one of Dr Winston O'Boogies finest. "
.
Heresy |
Reply privately, Reply in forum +quote
or View forums list | |
» Add a new message to this topic
