YORKSHIRE MAIN COLLIERY

The following report was made for the owners of the colliery in 1942 prior to nationalisation and during the Second World War when greater production was needed for the war effort. 

VISIT PARTICULARS

1 Brief description of colliery surface.

The colliery is situation about 4 miles to the South West of Doncaster and near to the main Doncaster to Sheffield Road.  The L.M.S.R and L.N.E.R railways both served the colliery.  The surrounding country is flat.  The surface plant generally is of good design and in good order.

2 Screens

The capacity of the screens is 440 tons per hour.  Of this amount 200 tons goes to the washer, leaving 240 tons to be hand held on the screens.  The screens are in good order and the makers are Plowright & Co Ltd, Chesterfield.

3 Washery

The make of the washer is Simon Carves Baum Washer and is of good condition.

4 UNDERGROUND INFORMATION

Longwall Advancing.  All faces generally on half and half point.  Very few coal shots are fired.  Coal is cut only where necessary.  Connie roof except on 3 faces on South East side.  Connie coal 1 metre 3" to 1 metre 6" thick.  Generally, units are 150 yards each side of the loader gate.  All face machinery is compressed air driven.  South District, 3 units, due to finish June 1942.  These are on a 48 hours cycle.  These units are worked 1 on each shift to ensure continuity of running - the compressed air range is not of large enough diameter to allow, owing to its length, more than 1 units to run at one time.

5 Underground equipment

Well equipped and in good order. 

6 Output per man figures

The output per man is slightly above the country average. 

7 Mining Difficulties

Gassy seam requires large quantities of fresh air to dilute gas, hence large area roads have to be provided.  Rock temperature is 96 degrees fahrenheit - atmosphere dry. Patches of hard coal throughout the pit, and some interruption of the seam by rolls on the South East side of the pit.

8 Decline in output

There has been a decline in output.  Main reasons are as follows:-

Men joining H M Forces

Less number of men at work than formerly

Thus reduction of 153 men, of which a large proportion are coal face workers which has meant a reduced output per shift at the coal face.

There has been a decline of productivity in the South District.  In 1939 this face contributed 54% of the output of the mine, now 31%.  Other areas of the mine have not produced correspondingly well to maintain performance set up in 1939.

8 Housing for extra men asked for

Prospects very poor unless compulsion is applied.  To house voluntarily even 4 or 5 men is almost impossible under present conditions.  The Company owns 852 houses near the colliery, and in addition there a large number of Council and privately owned houses.

9 How could coal production be increased?

The output per man has fallen partly due to reduced to reduced effort and partially deterioration of conditions.  There is nothing to lead us to believe that there will be any increase in production.

Coal face absenteeism has risen from 15.34 in July 1939 to 18.60% for November 1941.  Possible causes:-

irregular working time and low wages, the only remedy is punishment for regular offenders.  The men are interviewed on their return to work.  The workmans side will not agree to fining the men.

The Management have been very fully occupied in developing fresh face room and making the necessary roads in order to replace faces which will finish in June 1942.

If the holiday week was given up there could be an increase of 350 tons per week. 

The Management wished to revise the existing price list, so far the men have not agreed to this.

The Company are hoping to introduce a scheme which will reduce home coals, this will save 40 tons per week

30 men can be taken off road repairs and put into coal production for a period of 6 months, this will produce 550 tons per week.

If 135 men were made available from invaded areas there could be an immediate weekly increase in output with the existing face room and equipment of 2200 tons per week.

The following are yorkshire main pit checks that were in use at the time of the report.