75 replies to this topic

[james seddon]

Hi there,
As there is a legnthy debate on th' old crank caverns which i started a few years back and a few old miners have popped in, i was wondering if anybody could help me with answering or providing as much info as possible on these questions. I was walking up op the site of Sutton Manor Colliery the other week and whilst i was there was taking a look at the concrete caps atop of the pit heads, now could somebody explain how capping of mineshafts work, the shafts are over 1,500 ft deep so obviously it would be too deep to fill in, are the mines simply covered with a concrete lid with nothng beneath?, how deep is the cap? or are they grouted at levels? its a topic that really interests me for some strange reason lol, also is anybody likely to know what the state the tunnels would be in down there nowadays. Im very interested in all this, i walked up to Bold colliery site, but i cant find any trace of the cap for that shaft even though i followed the map directions for it. Also, are there any air shafts for the Manor around the Sutton area that are either capped or grilled as i have been informed that in the fields near the M62 there is an air shaft that is still open but has a metal grill over it.

Hope people can help me,

Kind Regards,

James.

[kes]

James i purchased some land up billinge that had a shaft in it that had been capped,from memory the paper work stated that the shaft had been backfilled with hardcore ie stone, up to and not less than 10ft from the surface, then capped with rienforced concrete.Even though it had planning permission for a house the area around the shaft had to be grid drilled to make shure the workings had collapsed, i think this was the reason for the grid drilling! but that was the law before any building could go on it. Most pits when they close have salvedge teams drawing off the steel etc and any other stuff like cables and machinery, once roof supports are withdrawn roof collapse aint far behind...hope this explains a little bit for you james!.Found another snippet james, the shaft has to have at intervals compacted clay inserted to prevent gas flow, this on deep mines if no gas extaction pipe is fitted. I think most of the deep mines around here would have pipes fitted, if not it is a resourse going to waste .

[james seddon]

thanks kendy thats really interesting, i think however that it would be much harder to back fill shafts such as the Manor or Parkside as they were so deep, there must be a member on here who has experience of these mines and things.

James :~)

[kes]

Since found out james if my source is right, that lea green was filled with anything they could lay there hands on,but most pits aroun here would have filled with water, since this was a source of trouble when the pits were working.pumping was a 24..7 activity in a least three pits around here, groveses, lea green, clock face,these i know about.

[predator]

kendy, on Jul 23 2007, 10:47 PM, said:

Since found out james if my source is right, that lea green was filled with anything they could lay there hands on,but most pits aroun here would have filled with water, since this was a source of trouble when the pits were working.pumping was a 24..7 activity in a least three pits around here, groveses, lea green, clock face,these i know about.

I WAS TOLD IT WAS DEFFO BACK FILLED and took weeks to do it aswell

[kes]

SO WAS I.

[Betarev3]

The down cast and upcast shafts at Chisnall Hall Colliery are still open and full to the brim with water and until recently you could look into the water. They have since built walls around the shafts. .

A book that i have just read "The Orrell Coalfield" by Donald Anderson is an amazing read, unfortunatley it only covers Orrell, Billinge and Upholland area. All the same if you are interested in mining its a must, the book covers from the 1700's till early 1900's.

Another superb read, again from Donald Anderson, French and Lane is the "Standish Collieries" again an amazing read. Does anyone know of any decent books covering the St Helens area?

[kes]

Is that the anderson who invented the shearer loader?

[james seddon]

so in effect, collierys like Clock Face would simply have a lid put over them and the tunnels remain underneath, elbeit ful of water?

[kes]

The rivers that used to run down the roadways at clock yes it will be flooded, but the shafts would have been backfilled.

[james seddon]

thats interesting, i wonder how deep chisnall hall shafts are, ive just google earthed them and you can clearly make them out, it makes sense to build a wall around them, after all if anybody was to fall in it wouldnt be shallow!!

[Betarev3]

james seddon, on Jul 25 2007, 01:18 AM, said:

thats interesting, i wonder how deep chisnall hall shafts are, ive just google earthed them and you can clearly make them out, it makes sense to build a wall around them, after all if anybody was to fall in it wouldnt be shallow!!

The shafts were at least a couple of hundred yards deep. It really sends a shiver down your spine looking down them.

I was talking to an old bloke in Ashton to day and he mentioned a private drift mine near to Simms Cross. Cant remember the name though, sounded like Gaffer, Gafney!!!! Does anyone Know which i mean? He said it was on the left heading to Billinge, the only one i can think of down there is the one on Tatlocks Hillock.

[kes]

It was called the gafney, you can still see remnants of the place down the rd from simm lone to stork at billinge. The small s bend shows some brickwork, this is from the gafney as it was called.

[brunty]

i have all my late father in laws mining manuals dating back to 1915 all nicely preserved in leather it would be interesting to see the change in the workings of the mines.
kendy been down clock no 2 pit 740yds deep it was.

[kes]

Worst pit in the area it had been run down for years.