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Russell Watson - Mine worker. Recorded 4 March 1988. Part 1/1.

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Summary383A Russell Watson
Recorded 04 March 1988.
Part 1 of 1.

0:40
Began working at Ayrfield in 1938
Worked on pit top at Ayrfield
Ayrfield coal came from No. 2 and No. 3 tunnels

2:13
Cwmdu Colliery, location of
Depth of Cwmdu tunnel (10 "boards")

3:03
Cwmdu Colliery was steam-powered
Recollection of boiler, Cwmdu

3:36
Recollection of "alligator", Cwmdu
Coal was brought to Rothbury by lorry
Maitland Extended No. 1

4:16
Depth of Maitland Extended No. 1 tunnel
Maitland Extended No. 2

4:51
Depth of Maitland Extended No. 2 tunnel
Recollection of "hand wheeling"

5:04
Number of miners, Maitland Extended No. 1
Number of miners, Maitland Extended No. 2
Recalls introduction of mechanisation, 1945

6:09
Recollection of bath house, Maitland No. 2
Depth of Maitland Extended tunnels
Number of miners, Maitland Extended No. 3

7:29
Maitland Extended pits electrified in 1945
Number of miners, Maitland Extended No. 6

8:16
Recollection of transport to Maitland Extended
Recollection of battery operated lamps

8:54
Description of coal haulage method
Maitland Extended used 1 tonne wooden skips

11:46
Recalls emptying of steel skips
Difference in height between "levels"
Width of boards across "cut-troughs"
Recalls "driving" uphill to mine coal

13:17
Recalls using "scraper-loader" to fill skips

13:30
Recollection of using "scraper-loader"
Direction of Maitland Extended tunnel
Description of how coal was worked

18:21
Maitland Extended No. 2 closed, c. 1952
Maitland Extended No. 3 closed, c. 1958
Maitland Extended No. 4/5 closed, c. 1965
Cwmdu Colliery re-opened, c. 1950
Reason for closure of Cwmdu Colliery
Started mining "Old" Rothbury Colliery, c. 1960
Ayrfield Colliery stopped working, c. 1973
Recollection of working temporary tunnel
Number of miners working in temporary tunnel
Recalls how coal was worked at Rothbury

23:13
Recalls pit horses used at "Old" Rothbury
Recalls pit horses used at Maitland Extended
Used propellor for ventilation at Rothbury
Number of tunnels, Rothbury
Distance between tunnels at Rothbury
Number of miners, Rothbury section
Arthur Goodwin
Recollection of coal washery at Rothbury
Recovery of equipment from tunnels
Dick Thomas, manager
Athol Lightfoot, manager
Reason Rothbury tunnels were not joined

30:39
Austin Greener
Cec Morgan

31:41
Recalls being given gold watch on retirement
Recalls inscription on gold watch

33:00
R.W. Miller donated land for Miller Park
Description of working with "pillars"

35:52
Used brattice when "driving in"
Recalls stone fall-in at Maitland Extended

37:32
Dimension of timber boards
Recollection of using timber "baulks"

38:38
Method of removing pillars
Recalls how coal was loaded into skips

41:08
Born 1916, Branxton

41:42
End (Tape 383/Side A) Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au