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Bobby Davies (1914-2011) - Mineworker, Pelton Colliery. Recorded 9 April 1990. Part 1/2.
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Summary424A Bobby Davies
Recorded 09 April 1990.
​Part 1 of 2.
0:33
Born 1914, Wallsend.
Moved to Cessnock in 1918.
0:48
Married for 50 years.
Father-in-law was local house painter.
Bill Brown.
1:43
Attended Bellbird Primary School.
First started work at Pelton, June 1930.
First worked as "chitter picker".
2:24
Used steam driven "endless rope".
Skips were tipped into side tumbler.
Endless rope was tensioned by weights.
4:27
Location of tension weights, pit top.
Location of tension weights, underground.
Thickness of tension ropes
5:49
Recalls tightening of tension ropes.
Wilfred Brown, weigh man.
Tim Thurlow, check-weigh man.
Skip tipped into tumbler.
Recalls process of tipping skips.
7:22
Description of steam-powered "creeper".
Width of "steel belt".
Reason for using two belts.
8:12
Double screen/Double shaker.
Length of "steel belt".
Belts were operated using steam engine.
Skips were brought up two at-a-time.
Capacity of skips, Pelton.
9:52
Capacity of steel skips, Pelton.
Number of miners (pairs) in main section.
Length of pit top building.
Width of pit top building.
Main engine drove endless rope.
Full skips were pulled up right-hand side.
The Main Tunnel, Pelton Colliery.
17:04
Distance between main and travelling tunnel.
Distance/depth of incline.
18:36
Location of return airway tunnel.
Depth of shaft, Pelton.
Distance between airway and main drift.
Width of main headings.
20:08
Width of boards.
Width of cut-throughs.
Dimension of pillars.
Ventilation fan was electrically driven.
21:52
Location of ventilation fan, Pelton.
Mick Davies (uncle).
Recalls thickness of coal seam.
Recalls working sections, Pelton.
Ran main & tail winch off heading.
Recalls using endless rope in "4 West".
26:31
Recalls wage rate of "wheelers".
"Sidlers" were located in differing sections.
Horses were stabled above ground.
Number of pit horses, Pelton.
27:41
Number of miners working on contract.
Recalls seeing remnants of furnace fan.
Scott Robinson.
Bill McDonald.
28:43
Distance between ventilation bars.
Distance furnace was above floor.
Mechanisation introduced in 1950's.
30:42
Number of "Sampson" cutters.
8BU "Joy" loaders.
Mine sections which were mechanised.
First heading was driven into board.
32:45
Loader filled coal into "pans".
Recalls driving of "new" tunnels.
Transport ran along right-hand side.
34:42
Capacity of trolleys, man transport.
Number/capacity of trolleys, Pelton.
Length of conveyer belt, Pelton.
38:43
Description of pillar extraction method.
Recalls alternative to pillar extraction.
Began pillar extraction in "6 East".
40:23
"Doughy" Gleghorn.
Mick Davis.
40:50
End (Tape 424/Side A) Part 1 of 2.
Davies, Robert Cecil, 1914-2011PersonJack DelaneyCollectionVoices of the HunterPlaceCessnock, NSWLocation[1] Pelton Colliery, NSWIdentifier424A
Recorded 09 April 1990.
​Part 1 of 2.
0:33
Born 1914, Wallsend.
Moved to Cessnock in 1918.
0:48
Married for 50 years.
Father-in-law was local house painter.
Bill Brown.
1:43
Attended Bellbird Primary School.
First started work at Pelton, June 1930.
First worked as "chitter picker".
2:24
Used steam driven "endless rope".
Skips were tipped into side tumbler.
Endless rope was tensioned by weights.
4:27
Location of tension weights, pit top.
Location of tension weights, underground.
Thickness of tension ropes
5:49
Recalls tightening of tension ropes.
Wilfred Brown, weigh man.
Tim Thurlow, check-weigh man.
Skip tipped into tumbler.
Recalls process of tipping skips.
7:22
Description of steam-powered "creeper".
Width of "steel belt".
Reason for using two belts.
8:12
Double screen/Double shaker.
Length of "steel belt".
Belts were operated using steam engine.
Skips were brought up two at-a-time.
Capacity of skips, Pelton.
9:52
Capacity of steel skips, Pelton.
Number of miners (pairs) in main section.
Length of pit top building.
Width of pit top building.
Main engine drove endless rope.
Full skips were pulled up right-hand side.
The Main Tunnel, Pelton Colliery.
17:04
Distance between main and travelling tunnel.
Distance/depth of incline.
18:36
Location of return airway tunnel.
Depth of shaft, Pelton.
Distance between airway and main drift.
Width of main headings.
20:08
Width of boards.
Width of cut-throughs.
Dimension of pillars.
Ventilation fan was electrically driven.
21:52
Location of ventilation fan, Pelton.
Mick Davies (uncle).
Recalls thickness of coal seam.
Recalls working sections, Pelton.
Ran main & tail winch off heading.
Recalls using endless rope in "4 West".
26:31
Recalls wage rate of "wheelers".
"Sidlers" were located in differing sections.
Horses were stabled above ground.
Number of pit horses, Pelton.
27:41
Number of miners working on contract.
Recalls seeing remnants of furnace fan.
Scott Robinson.
Bill McDonald.
28:43
Distance between ventilation bars.
Distance furnace was above floor.
Mechanisation introduced in 1950's.
30:42
Number of "Sampson" cutters.
8BU "Joy" loaders.
Mine sections which were mechanised.
First heading was driven into board.
32:45
Loader filled coal into "pans".
Recalls driving of "new" tunnels.
Transport ran along right-hand side.
34:42
Capacity of trolleys, man transport.
Number/capacity of trolleys, Pelton.
Length of conveyer belt, Pelton.
38:43
Description of pillar extraction method.
Recalls alternative to pillar extraction.
Began pillar extraction in "6 East".
40:23
"Doughy" Gleghorn.
Mick Davis.
40:50
End (Tape 424/Side A) Part 1 of 2.
Davies, Robert Cecil, 1914-2011PersonJack DelaneyCollectionVoices of the HunterPlaceCessnock, NSWLocation[1] Pelton Colliery, NSWIdentifier424Aloading google map....
Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010, Bobby Davies (1914-2011) - Mineworker, Pelton Colliery. Recorded 9 April 1990. Part 1/2., [424A]. Living Histories, accessed 05/12/2023, https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/56078