YORKSHIRE MAIN COLLIERY

The picture below shows the start of it all at yorkshire main.Taken in 1909 it shows the shaft sinkers in a kibble which lowerd the men up and down the shaft as it was sunk.

 

Taken in 1910 the next picture shows the new head gear just after completion of the shafts.

The colliery in around 1920

Part of the colliery washiery complex

Another view of the washery

sideings and part of coal preparation plant

Taken from behind the new winding towers in the 80s

The sideings, again in the 80s

The picture below shows the winding engine of no1 shaft, this was the new engine installed in 1979 and was the main man riding engine.

After spending millions on the 2 new winding towers the N.C.B closed the mine just 7 years after they where installed.

Engine no2, the coal winding shaft engine located at the top of the large tower.

The no1 man riding cage pictured in the pit bottom, this had 2 decks and held 36 men on each deck.

 

This picture is taken out side the box hole, the doorway can be seen on the right, this was a underground office where the pit bottom overmen or deputies would be stationed, from there they would run the pit bottom area.

The roadway to the left of the picture was the long way to the shaft side where most of the men would go at the end of the shift but if you where luckey and had a water note you could go straight on and get out of the pit a bit earlier, these where given out to men who had been working in wet conditions or stone dusting etc.

There was no way you where geting throw without one as many a young lad as found out to his peril after being confrunted by the likes of Kipper lynch or Roy smith(overmen)and left shaking in his boots, that is of course unless you had a chew of tobacco or pinch of snuff for them.

 

A special thankyou to Frank arrowsmith and Harry kipling for supplying the pictures and information for this page, both ex yorkshire main workers.