YORKSHIRE MAIN COLLIERY

A typical view of a shower block which tended to be the same at most N.C.B collieries, it doesn`t quite look the same without the snuff and the phlegm running down the walls.

Again the lockers tended to be standard in design, the lucky miners had the bottom lockers while the not so lucky had to stand on the seat below to use there lockers.

 

 

 

Steam winding engine, installed at caphouse colliery in 1876 and still in working order today, although they now use an electric winder at the colliery, it was built by the Davy brothers of the park ironworks at sheffield.

 

 

 

This is a picture of a ventilation fan which would have been at the top of the upcast shaft, pulling air out of the mine, this one was installed at Hope pit. 

 

 

The head gear at caphouse colliery, erected around 1876.

 

 

 

Dosco road header.This machine was used for driving long underground roadways like those connecting the pits of the modern selby complex under miles of north yorkshire countryside. The small cutting head is mounted on a long arm so that it can cut arched roadways. It has an apron on the front with a built-in chain conveyor to shovel up the spoil as the machine crawls forward on its caterpillar tracks. The chain conveyor carries the spoil to the back of the machine where it is off - loaded onto conveyors for transport to the surface or for use in packs for supporting the roof.

 

The following picture is of the various colliery checks that were used throw out the years, these were handed in to the banksman on the pit top on going down the mine and a different shaped one was handed in on your return to the surface.

 

Mining checks from other local collierys.

The following is a map of yorkshire main pit bottom area in 1914, During my time at the mine this was known as the old pit bottom, The workings had then moved up to the new pit bottom some 40 yards above,although the old pit bottom was still accessible it was a very lonely place to be.In it can clearly be seen broomhouse lane on the surface.

The next picture is of the Yorkshire Main mines rescue team taken in 1969.

Maltby main winding tower under construction in 1982.

Old screens water tower in 1952, Maltby main. Thanks George.