Deep Navigation Colliery: Difference between revisions
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Due to its depth, Deep Navigation suffered various fatalities from its start of costruction, with seven men dying in the six years from 1873 to 1879.<ref name=TreDist/> But these were just 7 out of over 110 miners, who died in accidents underground at Deep Navigation between 1873 and the start of [[World War 1]] in 1914.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://treharrisdistrict.tech-hosts.co.uk/datesinhistory.php|title=Dates in Treharris History|publisher=Treharris District|accessdate=16 September 2011}}</ref> |
Due to its depth, Deep Navigation suffered various fatalities from its start of costruction, with seven men dying in the six years from 1873 to 1879.<ref name=TreDist/> But these were just 7 out of over 110 miners, who died in accidents underground at Deep Navigation between 1873 and the start of [[World War 1]] in 1914.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://treharrisdistrict.tech-hosts.co.uk/datesinhistory.php|title=Dates in Treharris History|publisher=Treharris District|accessdate=16 September 2011}}</ref> |
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On 12 December 1884, five men descended the No.2 South shaft in a [[Bucket (machine part)|bowk]] to replace some [[Safety harness|byats]]. Just after the winding engine commenced, the {{convert|3.5|inch}} wide braided steel flat rope broke, sending four to their deaths at the bottom of the shaft {{convert|700|yard}} below.<ref name=WCM/> Thomas John Dobbs, who had been guiding the bowk down a guide rope, managed to slowly lowered himself to within hailing distance of pit bottom, and was rescued with nothing more than cuts and bruises.<ref name=WCM/> Following an accident investigation by [[HM Inspectorate of Mines]], it was found that the rope had corroded, where it had been in contact with the [[ |
On 12 December 1884, five men descended the No.2 South shaft in a [[Bucket (machine part)|bowk]] to replace some [[Safety harness|byats]]. Just after the winding engine commenced, the {{convert|3.5|inch}} wide braided steel flat rope broke, sending four to their deaths at the bottom of the shaft {{convert|700|yard}} below.<ref name=WCM/> Thomas John Dobbs, who had been guiding the bowk down a guide rope, managed to slowly lowered himself to within hailing distance of pit bottom, and was rescued with nothing more than cuts and bruises.<ref name=WCM/> Following an accident investigation by [[HM Inspectorate of Mines]], it was found that the rope had corroded, where it had been in contact with the [[Headframe]] [[Sheave|sheave wheel]]. But as the rope was covered with a protective coating of [[tar]], the corrosion had gone undetected.<ref name=WCM/> The sheave wheels on both the No.1 and No.2 shafts at Deep Navigation were unusual, in that they were constructed of different parts that had been [[riveted]] together, not a singular wheel that had been cast. The sheaves were not replaced at Deep Navigation until 1961 (No.2 South), and 1963 (No.1, North). |
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The four men killed were : |
The four men killed were : |
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Revision as of 17:03, 16 September 2011
Deep Navigation Colliery in Treharris
In the early 1800s, a mineral lease was granted over 3,000 acres (1,200 ha) of land, owned by three farms: Twyn-y Garreg; Pantanas; Cefn Forest. A group of businessmen, lead by Frederick W. Harris, began negotiations for the rights to the mineral lease, which was eventually acquired in 1872. Nothing existed in the area at the time, except for the three farms and their outbuildings, plus the quiet River Taff Bargeod and a small forest on the slopes above the valley.[1]
With a proposed name of Harris Navigation Steam Coal Company, development commenced with the construction a row of temporary small houses, built for the families and men who were to be employed to sink the pit. Named the Twyn-y-Garreg huts, they all had wooden frames covered by whitewashed hessian for walls. House No.1 was specially created for the Minnett family of two adults and ten children, and had four bedrooms. The remainder were classical 2up/2down room formation terraced-style houses, with a kitchen and parlour on the ground floor, and two bedrooms upstairs. Heating came from a coal fire placed under a stone or brick chimney stack, and the huts were completed with slate roofs. All materials for the huts contruction came from locally obtained resources within the bounds of the mineral lease, including the development of a firestone quarry to the north of the colliery site. The new development was called Harris Town in Welsh, or Treharris.[1]
Construction of the main shafts began in October 1872, with sinking commencing in February 1873. Due to the required depth of the shafts to access the coal seams, the operation would prove to be both expensive and dangerous, and create the life long operational need to continually extract water due to high levels of ingress. The 167 men of the construction crew were not paid on time on a number of occassions, with final construction costs in 1879 running to over £300,000 and seven men having lost their lives. The two shafts were built 180 feet (55 m) apart: North to a depth of 649 yards (593 m); South to 760 yards (690 m).[2][1] This was 200 yards (180 m) deeper than any other colliery in the South Wales Coalfield at the time, to allow access the Nine Feet Seam.[3]
Before coal could be extracted commercially, surface buildings were required to be completed, and the forest fully cleared, with wood stored for pit props. Finally the River Taff Bargeod was enclosed in a 0.3 miles (0.48 km) tunnel constructed of bricks made from the collieries quarry, enabling water ingress to the mine to be significantly reduced, and slag heaps to be placed on the resultant new land.[1]
The first commercial coal was raised at North pit from 1879, and by 1881 both shafts were raising coal.[2] But by this point the colliery was deep in debt. The only reason that funding had been forth coming from the shareholders, commercial backers and banks was due to the potential high quality of the coal that would be extracted, and so it proved. The depth of the shafts and the quality of the steam coal extracted hence earned the colliery two nicknames in the South Wales coalfield: "Deep Navigation" and "Ocean Colliery."
Water ingress
Due to shaft depth, the major problem with the mine throughout its life was water ingress, with a reported maximum ingress during its operational life of 1,000 imperial gallons (4,500 L; 1,200 US gal) entering the pit every minute.[1]
After the first commercial coal was extracted, the colliery started construction of Cornish Beam engine, capable of extracting over 200 imperial gallons (910 L; 240 US gal) a stroke. Water was lifted in stages to different levels, until it reached the surface and was dispersed into pit pond located north of the colliery.[1]
Later, mine engineer Castell created the famous Deep Navigation “Castle.” A made-made cavern hewn by hand from solid rock, it was built to store water for removal. Located adjacent to the North pit shaft, it was 70 yards (64 m) long, 30 yards (27 m) wide and 5 yards (4.6 m) high. Inside was installed an electric sump pump, which conected to a surface pipe that spilled into the same pit pond as the beam engine.[1]
Ocean Colliery: 1893-1947
Ownership transferred to the Ocean Coal Co. Ltd. in 1893 - so called because the pit supplied the coal for the transatlantic ocean liners, including the Cunard Line.
In 1913 the colliery was owned by the Ocean Company employing 1,880 men and the steam coal produced was used by the Cunard Company steamers Mauretania and Lusitania in their record for the most rapid Atlantic passage.[2]
The first head pit baths in the South Wales Coalfield were constructed here in 1916 and by 1935 the colliery employed 363 men on the surface and 1,875 underground.[2]
Sunk in 1873, and first known as Harris Navigation, the pit became the deepest mine in the coalfield at 2,280 feet, with 10 miles (16 km) of underground railways.[4] Producing a high quality Steam Coal. It was bought by David Davies of Llandinam, who named it Ocean Colliery.
Deep Navigation was well equipped using the latest mining machinery.
In 1908 there were 1,767 men employed and 1,600 in 1918.
From a report 1923, there were 2,328 men employed, working the Seven Feet, Yard and Nine Feet seams.
At its peak over 100 horses were employed.
By 1945 there were 1,826 men working at the complex.[2] After nationalisation in 1947, the colliery was finally named Deep Navigation by the National Coal Board.[4]
Remarkably these huts survived until the 1950’s when they were finally demolished. A new street is built on the site now, it is called Navigation close.[1]
Last pit pony raised in 1973.[4]
During the 1980's its average output reached 375,000 tons per year.
Deep Navigation closed in 1991.
The colliery continued through the troubled 1980s until March 1991 when British Coal closed Deep Navigation with 766 men on the books.[2] The site was cleared from 1993 onwards, and in 1995 it took a week, working 12 hours a day, to fill the three shafts.[4]
Transport
Located adjacent to Quakers Yard railway station, the colliery resultantly had access to Cardiff Docks via both the Great Western's Taff Vale Railway, and the Midland Railway's Rhymney Railway. The Rhymney Railway also gave access north to Brecon via the Brecon and Merthyr Railway, and onwards to the Midlands via the Mid Wales Railway.
Harris had a series of private owner wagons built by the Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company, which considerably reduced transport costs. In later years, British Railways Class 37 locomotives rostered from Cardiff Canton and Barry depots, were placed in charge of coal hoppers on a Merry-go-round train, to transport coal to Aberthaw power station.
Disasters
Due to its depth, Deep Navigation suffered various fatalities from its start of costruction, with seven men dying in the six years from 1873 to 1879.[1] But these were just 7 out of over 110 miners, who died in accidents underground at Deep Navigation between 1873 and the start of World War 1 in 1914.[5]
On 12 December 1884, five men descended the No.2 South shaft in a bowk to replace some byats. Just after the winding engine commenced, the 3.5 inches (89 mm) wide braided steel flat rope broke, sending four to their deaths at the bottom of the shaft 700 yards (640 m) below.[2] Thomas John Dobbs, who had been guiding the bowk down a guide rope, managed to slowly lowered himself to within hailing distance of pit bottom, and was rescued with nothing more than cuts and bruises.[2] Following an accident investigation by HM Inspectorate of Mines, it was found that the rope had corroded, where it had been in contact with the Headframe sheave wheel. But as the rope was covered with a protective coating of tar, the corrosion had gone undetected.[2] The sheave wheels on both the No.1 and No.2 shafts at Deep Navigation were unusual, in that they were constructed of different parts that had been riveted together, not a singular wheel that had been cast. The sheaves were not replaced at Deep Navigation until 1961 (No.2 South), and 1963 (No.1, North).
The four men killed were : Evan James Evan Hughes Thomas Sheen Frank Wright
From the Inspector of mines list 1896 it was then owned by Ocean Coal Co. Ltd and it was called Deep Navigation, employing 1,846 men and boys.
On the 11th of November 1902 five men lost their lives and two others were injured in the accident which occurred in the South Pit, when a pipe in the shaft fell away and crashed onto the ascending double-decker cage, which was carrying 32 men. The dead and injured were travelling in the upper deck of the cage. The dead were- J. E. Davies aged 34 years collier Llewellyn Davies aged 20 years haulier Cyrus Jones aged 20 years haulier D.J. Hughes aged 20 years haulier Owen Griffith aged 23 years repairer
Today
After both colleries closed, the combined ssite were extensively redeveloped, with the former slag heaps removed. As a result, the brick tunnel in which the River Taff Bargoed had been redirected in 1873 was removed, and a landscaped parkland created either side of two new lakes. Opened in time for the Millenium, the park was named Parc Taff Bargoed, now home to many local rugby and football teams.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Deep Navigation Colliery". Treharris District. Retrieved 16 Septeber 2011.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ a b c d e f g h i "Deep Navigation Colliery". BBC Wales. 15 September 2011.
- ^ Thomas (1979), pg 27.
- ^ a b c d "Deep Navigation Colliery". Alan George. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
- ^ "Dates in Treharris History". Treharris District. Retrieved 16 September 2011.