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Kevin Simpson - Waste examiner, Pelton Colliery. Recorded 18 January 1991. Part 1/2.

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SummaryKEVIN SIMPSON
Recorded 18 January 1991
Part 1/2

Began working at Pelton c.1940 working underground. Previously worked at Millfield

00:27
Born Cessnock – at Matthew and Wade Streets.

1:15
Recalls working as second-class shiftman

1:20
Worked at Millfield prior c.1938. Worked on Millfield pit top with the carpenters.

1:33
Worked as skip loader, Millfield when they first put in mechanisation in 1938

2:28
Description of Millfield pit top

3:00
Steam-driven endless rope haulage, Millfield – one deck. Timber building.

3:42
Shaker screens were steam powered. Described dimensions of slack box, Millfield wagons and slack boxes (40 ft high) 50 feet long. Number of slack boxes, Millfield – 40ft long x 20ft wide There were about 4 or 5 of them.

5:30
Dick Phillips who lives Aberdare way. Separated coal into boxes, in a creeper. Describes separating coal in boxes – graded over steel plates. Description of how coal was graded.

7:01
Description of "coal tumbler" which goes right around in a circle and it tipped the coal on the screens. Single tumbler that went in complete circle and tip onto screens. Describes the tumbler and skips, shaker. Skips came up on an endless rope.

8:15
Location of weigh bridge. Loaded from left side going up.

9:06
Full skips travelled on left side of track

9:15
Location of separate road crossings – one at Greta Main and one at Millfield.

9:30
Location of Millfield Colliery on the same side as Maitland Main. Kevin was there when it started at Millfield. Dave Crow – drummer now snow white. “a pair of white crows”. A wheeler who used to ride the rails.

11:45
Number of miners. Davey Crowe’s horse "Prince" (name of Davey the wheeler's horse)

11:30
Approx. number of miners (20 pairs), Millfield

12:59
Steepness (grade) of Millfield Colliery (1 in 8).

12:45
Depth of workings, Millfield ( a mile down and then curved to the wine shop because of a big fault)

13:02
Description of bathroom, Millfield Colliery – Galvanised iron with a concrete floor and shower cubicles – the miners had baskets for their clothes.

13:25
Recalls using 44D "Jeffrey" loaders

13:40
Don King – the fabricator

14:20
Bede Kelly passed away 4 years previous.

15:05
Geordie Stevens, Jimmy McPherson, Tommy Guthrie, Dick Beckett – the wheeler.

15:45
Recalls skips being hauled by an electric winch. Billy Farmer, Jock Hobman

16:20
Worked on mechanised unit at Millfield – McPherson’s Dip

17:10
Recalls having opportunity to change jobs. Stanford Main No.2 (Paxton). Alec Wardrop – job uncertainty.

18:50
Bill Hamilton, Pelton undermanager. Was offered afternoon shift, then later offered work at Pelton in 1938 Kevin was studying for his Deputy’s ticket. Lack of experienced miners.

20:40
Jim Ingram travelled to UK in 1949. Bert Cochrane found out his real age and that put Kevin in permanent employment.

21:27
George Wilde casual in Ingram’s position. Kevin was Deputy.

21:58
Jack Dougherty, John Oates

22:15
Describes when Haldane was there.

22:50
Kevin was a waste examiner at Pelton. Recalls Pelton being mined in section – the mine was sealed off because of falls. ”Did they pull up skip tracks?” Was No. 2 tunnel working when you were there.”

24:16
Used Pelton No.3 tunnel for horse transport

24:28
Overland skip rope, Pelton No.2 tunnel. The track was there but it was finished by the stage Kevin was working there.

24:40
Steam driven endless rope haulage, Pelton

24:50
Reason for ceasing haulage rope

25:15
Pelton No.3 tunnel connected later underground. Two different levels.

25:45
Recalls displacement occurring b/t No.2 & 3 – there were a series of faults. Recalls driving of air shaft – down 300ft.

26:20
Allied Construction drove air shaft – Kevin was there as the company rep.

27:10
Location of stone drive, Pelton between 1 and 3.

28:10
Purpose of stone drive (air shaft) It was about 8ft high and 10ft wide – used for ventilation.

29:05
George Collins

29:30
Geoff Parker – Underground foreman handling the shaft driven part of it for Allied Construction.

29:45
Eight men working on stone drive

29:50
"Jigger" Hanson – winch driver. “Stacey”, “Lomas”

30:40
It is a dangerous procedure loading mullock.

31:15
Recalls being foreman of works

32:32
Recalls keeping daily diary of work progress. Michael Symes.

33:15
Peter Harrington, David Haldane

33:52
Recollection of sinking drive – compressed air.

34:30
Recollection of riding on "bucket" – sometimes riding on the rim of the bucket

35:15
Recalls method of concreting shaft, steel forms,

36:05
Used quick drying ready-mix – sometimes two pourings. Put down using “an octopus”

37:17
Kevin Price, surveyor

37:45
Recalls how shaft was surveyed (down 1300 ft., they were 7” out)

40:31
Recalls sinking of new drift

42:05
Distance between No.2 shaft towards Greta Main and horse transport

42:57
Pelton No.2 tunnel was driven in the 1920's

43:20
Recalls sealing-off of Pelton No.2 tunnel

Tape duration: 43:47 Last edited by: Dave Trimble

SubjectWaste examinersPelton Colliery (N.S.W.)Coal mines and mining -- New South Wales -- Cessnock regionMillfield Colliery (N.S.W.)Simpson, Kevin Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

PersonJack Delaney Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Depicts or Relates ToBede Kelly Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Don King

CreatorSimpson, KevinDelaney, Jack, 1919-2010CollectionVoices of the Hunter Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

PlaceCessnock, NSW Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Date Created18th January 1991Location^[1]Pelton Colliery, NSW Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

^[2]Millfield Colliery, NSW Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Identifier437A Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

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