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Aub Vernon (1918-1996) - Clipper & wheeler, Bellbird. Recorded 15 October 1990. Part 1/2
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SummaryTAPE 449A AUB VERNON
Recorded on 5th October 1990.
Part 1/2
00:16
Recalls using timber in pits at Bellbird.
00:43
Location of travelling road, Bellbird down 25 metres for the fan shaft.
1:12
Location of haulage road, Bellbird about 100 yards. Travelling roads. Fan shift.
2:17
Description of skips used at Bellbird went down the left side.
2:31
Description of No.2 surface haulage – Aub draws the plan which includes a bridge about 10ft high above the top of the mine. On the pit top No1 the coal came up to one tumbler and then the skips went back down. No 2 was the same. Pit top at No.2 Two separate tumblers..
7:03
Recollection of electric shakers – “chitter pickers” – underneath the coal fell into bins – a rubber belt went up over and dropped the coal into bins or hoppers.
8:50
Bond Bros., wagon packers. They look over a rough plan, a proposal of Bellbird in 1906. A haulage tunnel called Tunnel No 2 was to be Kalingo Railway. It never worked though.
10:55
Ned Pepper – bought the bores to prove the coal. He had the pub in town (Cessnock?).
11:15
Cessnock No. 2 Two pickers on each belt.
12:21
Andy Rae, pit top boss.
12:31
Harold Davis, coal clipper at No. 1.
12:45
Sam Tattersall coal clipper at No 2.
12:51
Recollection of weighbridge, No.2 and No. 1 .
14:31
Electric haulage system, No.1 tunnel driven by Arthur Threadgate. Recalls electric motor driven.
14:49
Bob Santry electrician.
15:16
Jack Tolfrey, electrical engineer.
15:42
Lyle Allan used to drive both engines for No. 2 and Overland.
16:23
Lowcock clipped and weighed at No 3. Jack Carmichael, winch driver.
17:31
Description of tension trollies – the empties went down the right and up the left hand side. One skip in.
22:52
Began work as a "clipper" in 1934 at No. 2. There was only one winch down the bottom to the Stone Drift. Direct haulage.
18:52
Recalls being deputy of Maitland Main in 1947. Recalls working at Maitland Main in 1937.
19:19
Returned working at Bellbird in 1966 at No 1,2 &3.
21:45
Bellbird No.3 was reclaimed c.1970.
21:55
Recalls working 5 day/fortnight, c. 1934 No 1 & 3 had stopped working. They were only supplying the gas works in Newcastle. It was The Depression. He was paid 6/10 a day. He was left with 25/- a fortnight after deductions. Bellbird supplied gas factory with electricity.
22:20
Cec Goodwin, Reg Goodwin drove the tunnel at No 3. in 1938.
23:34
4 Long trolleys took men down to No. 1. There was never transport in Bellbird No. 2.
24:06
Retired in 1977 – Jack and Aub look at the haulage tunnel on a map. A fellow called Tommy Dodd, the turner used to sit with an iron bar to stop the rope crossing over. Overland haulage.
25:47
Bellbird Powerhouse, location of. The Workshop, the Store Room and the Repair Area.
27:03
Fan/air shaft built in Bellbird No. 1 and 2 – No. 1 ventilated No. 3. To improve ventilation in No. 3 they put another fan shaft over No. 3 in 1968-69. It was the size of an aeroplane propeller. (Similar to No 1 built in the 60s). The Haulage Road. Belt Road and Travelling Road.
31:02
Location of "jig", Bellbird Colliery No. 3.
31:41
Location of coal seam "fault", Bellbird at No. 3.
32:16
"4 West", "5 West", "6 West" Bellbird No.1. Malcolm Bailey 1963 – explosion took place at “8 & 9 West”.
34:57
Kalingo barrier. Aberdare Extended.
36:30
Location of "jig", Bellbird.
37:22
Location of fault between Bellbird tunnels.
38:42
Tape duration
Vernon, Aubrey Frederick, 1918-1996PersonJack DelaneyDepicts or Relates ToLyall AllanCollectionVoices of the HunterLocation[1] Maitland Main Colliery, NSW[2] Bellbird Colliery, NSWIdentifier449A
Recorded on 5th October 1990.
Part 1/2
00:16
Recalls using timber in pits at Bellbird.
00:43
Location of travelling road, Bellbird down 25 metres for the fan shaft.
1:12
Location of haulage road, Bellbird about 100 yards. Travelling roads. Fan shift.
2:17
Description of skips used at Bellbird went down the left side.
2:31
Description of No.2 surface haulage – Aub draws the plan which includes a bridge about 10ft high above the top of the mine. On the pit top No1 the coal came up to one tumbler and then the skips went back down. No 2 was the same. Pit top at No.2 Two separate tumblers..
7:03
Recollection of electric shakers – “chitter pickers” – underneath the coal fell into bins – a rubber belt went up over and dropped the coal into bins or hoppers.
8:50
Bond Bros., wagon packers. They look over a rough plan, a proposal of Bellbird in 1906. A haulage tunnel called Tunnel No 2 was to be Kalingo Railway. It never worked though.
10:55
Ned Pepper – bought the bores to prove the coal. He had the pub in town (Cessnock?).
11:15
Cessnock No. 2 Two pickers on each belt.
12:21
Andy Rae, pit top boss.
12:31
Harold Davis, coal clipper at No. 1.
12:45
Sam Tattersall coal clipper at No 2.
12:51
Recollection of weighbridge, No.2 and No. 1 .
14:31
Electric haulage system, No.1 tunnel driven by Arthur Threadgate. Recalls electric motor driven.
14:49
Bob Santry electrician.
15:16
Jack Tolfrey, electrical engineer.
15:42
Lyle Allan used to drive both engines for No. 2 and Overland.
16:23
Lowcock clipped and weighed at No 3. Jack Carmichael, winch driver.
17:31
Description of tension trollies – the empties went down the right and up the left hand side. One skip in.
22:52
Began work as a "clipper" in 1934 at No. 2. There was only one winch down the bottom to the Stone Drift. Direct haulage.
18:52
Recalls being deputy of Maitland Main in 1947. Recalls working at Maitland Main in 1937.
19:19
Returned working at Bellbird in 1966 at No 1,2 &3.
21:45
Bellbird No.3 was reclaimed c.1970.
21:55
Recalls working 5 day/fortnight, c. 1934 No 1 & 3 had stopped working. They were only supplying the gas works in Newcastle. It was The Depression. He was paid 6/10 a day. He was left with 25/- a fortnight after deductions. Bellbird supplied gas factory with electricity.
22:20
Cec Goodwin, Reg Goodwin drove the tunnel at No 3. in 1938.
23:34
4 Long trolleys took men down to No. 1. There was never transport in Bellbird No. 2.
24:06
Retired in 1977 – Jack and Aub look at the haulage tunnel on a map. A fellow called Tommy Dodd, the turner used to sit with an iron bar to stop the rope crossing over. Overland haulage.
25:47
Bellbird Powerhouse, location of. The Workshop, the Store Room and the Repair Area.
27:03
Fan/air shaft built in Bellbird No. 1 and 2 – No. 1 ventilated No. 3. To improve ventilation in No. 3 they put another fan shaft over No. 3 in 1968-69. It was the size of an aeroplane propeller. (Similar to No 1 built in the 60s). The Haulage Road. Belt Road and Travelling Road.
31:02
Location of "jig", Bellbird Colliery No. 3.
31:41
Location of coal seam "fault", Bellbird at No. 3.
32:16
"4 West", "5 West", "6 West" Bellbird No.1. Malcolm Bailey 1963 – explosion took place at “8 & 9 West”.
34:57
Kalingo barrier. Aberdare Extended.
36:30
Location of "jig", Bellbird.
37:22
Location of fault between Bellbird tunnels.
38:42
Tape duration
Vernon, Aubrey Frederick, 1918-1996PersonJack DelaneyDepicts or Relates ToLyall AllanCollectionVoices of the HunterLocation[1] Maitland Main Colliery, NSW[2] Bellbird Colliery, NSWIdentifier449Aloading google map....
Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010, Aub Vernon (1918-1996) - Clipper & wheeler, Bellbird. Recorded 15 October 1990. Part 1/2, [449A]. Living Histories, accessed 07/12/2023, https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/56121