O/T Ex miners.

[Brin]

The low height comes from the height of the m/c which was about 1.5m considerably less then the mk2a which was over 2m ,you could set 16ft rings because the boom was massive and this could be extended or reduced to suit any job ......a brilliant m/c

You can say that again! As for the heat it gave out...strewth as the Aussies say. Usually just wore my Helmet, undies, socks and boots when operating one, it was that hot! Loved it though and can honestly say I truly miss working down t'pit.

VM, the memory fades, were you at Silverwood or Maltby?

[Lolmorgan]

You can say that again! As for the heat it gave out...strewth as the Aussies say. Usually just wore my Helmet, undies, socks and boots when operating one, it was that hot! Loved it though and can honestly say I truly miss working down t'pit.

VM, the memory fades, were you at Silverwood or Maltby?

Probably laid at side of stage loader or in a man hole

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

Oh, I understand the pictures now.

I thought that machine was a type of giant forklift that miners used to take their pay packets home.

[villamiller]

You can say that again! As for the heat it gave out...strewth as the Aussies say. Usually just wore my Helmet, undies, socks and boots when operating one, it was that hot! Loved it though and can honestly say I truly miss working down t'pit.

VM, the memory fades, were you at Silverwood or Maltby?

I was at maltby pit mate

[BigLadonOS]

Worked at Silverwood pit. Started ont pit top then went down and sat on a button before going in to 12's heading then on to supplies. Had a stint on the flight deck where I closed down 10's face lol (long story) then did some back ripping for a couple of months before leaving to go to steel works.

Riding the belt for the first time was scary as feck as was riding the up to the top on a coiler bin. My forst day backripping was the scariest thing I have done in my life.

It was fecking hard work but I had some great times down the pit, the crack was special and I have some great story's to tell anyone who wants to listen to them.

[Brin]

Oh, I understand the pictures now.

I thought that machine was a type of giant forklift that miners used to take their pay packets home.

....Grist, at the time, a dangerous job with a disabling effect on the lungs in later life, deserved a good wage. must admit though, sometimes I had more money than i could spend. That's thanks to the brothers who fought for a better wage in 74.

[Brin]

I was at maltby pit mate

Did maltby 78-79. I moved to Silverwood Sept 79.

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

....Grist, at the time, a dangerous job with a disabling effect on the lungs in later life, deserved a good wage. must admit though, sometimes I had more money than i could spend. That's thanks to the brothers who fought for a better wage in 74.

Yes, I wouldn’t have fancied the job, but the pay was one of the eventual nails in the coffin of the industry (amongst many others)

[Brin]

Worked at Silverwood pit. Started ont pit top then went down and sat on a button before going in to 12's heading then on to supplies. Had a stint on the flight deck where I closed down 10's face lol (long story) then did some back ripping for a couple of months before leaving to go to steel works.

Riding the belt for the first time was scary as feck as was riding the up to the top on a coiler bin. My forst day backripping was the scariest thing I have done in my life.

It was fecking hard work but I had some great times down the pit, the crack was special and I have some great story's to tell anyone who wants to listen to them.

First day at Silverwood, sent to back o' 48'' as a button lad. Had that lonely lousy job for about 3 month, then I asked to go on supplies. Ended up on 9's tail gate, material runs and ran the engine, warm as toast in that tail gate. Then went onto 7's on supplies but asked to be nearer the 'job' so, got the flight deck job. Cracking set of lads on my shift, Stan Parker was our 'leader' so to speak. Mick Hope was our Overman, a Sunderland bloke. Sadly, a lot of them have passed on including Stan and Mick. Started my face training on the loader gate rip still on 7's.

Remember taking it in turns with our lot going across to 10's and taking a few strips off there before they finally closed it.
Continued my training on 7's tail gate and then face trainee for 3 months. I worked with a right lazy fecker on the face, left me to get all chocks o'er while he pissed off the face towards the end of the shift. Boy was that ferkin dusty as hell!

Ended up as a market man and sent all o'er place to fill in, be it on face, headings and even supplies! Felt like a backward step going back on supplies. Finally ended up in headings helping to drive 12's tail gate then finally 14's. That was a massive task and anyone who ever went on 14's would have had to go through the huge Becorit garage that we first dug out for and built. We then veered left to drive 14's tail gate.

Set a pit record one night shift by cutting out and setting 8 girders!
Deputy Manager thought our deputy had fiddled the stats and had him and me in to discuss what went off. Simply told him Mother earth just gave up so easy and we ripped out and set in double quick time, to say he was impressed was an understatement.

After 14's and splitting from my team, I ended up back as a Market man, boring being sent all o'er place not knowing what district you'd be on. Finally got a perm job on 25's Loader gate, a brand new district. This is where I first came across the awesome LH1300, the rest is history. Other stories to mention about 25's but that's another time.

[BigLadonOS]

First day at Silverwood, sent to back o' 48'' as a button lad. Had that lonely lousy job for about 3 month, then I asked to go on supplies. Ended up on 9's tail gate, material runs and ran the engine, warm as toast in that tail gate. Then went onto 7's on supplies but asked to be nearer the 'job' so, got the flight deck job. Cracking set of lads on my shift, Stan Parker was our 'leader' so to speak. Mick Hope was our Overman, a Sunderland bloke. Sadly, a lot of them have passed on including Stan and Mick. Started my face training on the loader gate rip still on 7's.

Remember taking it in turns with our lot going across to 10's and taking a few strips off there before they finally closed it.
Continued my training on 7's tail gate and then face trainee for 3 months. I worked with a right lazy fecker on the face, left me to get all chocks o'er while he pissed off the face towards the end of the shift. Boy was that ferkin dusty as hell!

Ended up as a market man and sent all o'er place to fill in, be it on face, headings and even supplies! Felt like a backward step going back on supplies. Finally ended up in headings helping to drive 12's tail gate then finally 14's. That was a massive task and anyone who ever went on 14's would have had to go through the huge Becorit garage that we first dug out for and built. We then veered left to drive 14's tail gate.

Set a pit record one night shift by cutting out and setting 8 girders!
Deputy Manager thought our deputy had fiddled the stats and had him and me in to discuss what went off. Simply told him Mother earth just gave up so easy and we ripped out and set in double quick time, to say he was impressed was an understatement.

After 14's and splitting from my team, I ended up back as a Market man, boring being sent all o'er place not knowing what district you'd be on. Finally got a perm job on 25's Loader gate, a brand new district. This is where I first came across the awesome LH1300, the rest is history. Other stories to mention about 25's but that's another time.

As with most people going down pit for first time it was always a fecking button you were on to start with and like you say it was lonley as **** most of the time, infact the only thing you had to look forward too was seeing a shining lamp coming down the belt so you could at least press the button when you were on a transfer belt lol.

I met some right characters down the pit and the things that went off at times were really ****ing stupid lol.

Great times when you look back at it through those glasses but not so great when you look back at wading in neck deep water when you could only crawl on the face because it was only 3 feet high and flooded lol. Worst job I did was the stables I fecking hated that job.