Aberdare North Tunnel

(Note: First known as "Aberdare Tunnel", renamed by the company in February 1952)

(A) ORIGINAL	Caledonian Collieries Limited Paul's Chambers, Bolton Street, Newcastle.
(B)	Coal and Allied Limited Goldfields House, 1 Alfred Street, Sydney. Note: This company was formed on 2nd May 1960 to merge J. & A. Brown Abermain - Seaham Collieries Limited and Caledonian Collieries Limited. The Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery was part of the new company's assets.

(A) Record Tracing No.:	683.
(B) Northern Colliery Lease Books:	As part of the original Aberdare Shaft Colliery lease Book 1 - No. 32
(C) Papers:

(D) This tunnel colliery was on the northern side of the Kurri to Cessnock Main Road (Highway No. 132) just on the western side of the top of Neath Hill.

(A) Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery was 2 miles 10 chains (3.4 kms) distant by road from Cessnock Post Office.

(B) It was 15 miles 15 chains (24.3 kms) distant by road from Maitland Post Office

(C) Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery and the Aberdare Shaft Colliery were 3 miles 20 chains (5.2 kms) apart via Duffie Drive between Aberdare and Neath villages.

(D) It was 1 mile 14 chains (1.85 kms) distant from Neath Colliery pit-top via the private road across the adjoining leases.

This colliery workings was part of the 4611 acres of the original Aberdare Shaft lease land.

As this colliery was part of the original Aberdare Shaft Colliery, the details and description of the seam, as outlined on pages 436-437 equally apply here.

(A) During 1914 as an additional intake airway for the Aberdare Shaft Colliery, a tunnel was driven by that colliery's miners on the northern side of the Kurri to Cessnock Main Road (Highway No. 132) near the top of Neath Hill. The tunnel was completed in mid 1915.

(B) A new Company superintendent in Mr John D. Bowdler and a new Aberdare Shaft Colliery Manager in Mr Harry McKendry during 1950 devised a scheme to introduce coal mining by mechanisation methods into part of the Aberdare Shaft Colliery. Their plan envisaged three separate workings (or pits) on the previous Aberdare Shaft Colliery lease. Further that any such mechanisation would require a rubber belting conveyor haulage system.

During 1950 and 1951 Aberdare Shaft Colliery miners isolated and subdivided the area planned to be mechanised by the use of log and loam seals. Still allowing for access particularly for pit-horses by construction of door "locks". The drift tunnel of the earlier airway was "pick-widened" to allow the installation of the rubber belting conveyor haulage.

Aberdare Tunnel was officially recognised by the Mines Department as being a separate mine, as from February 1952.

The original drift tunnel made in 1914 was an opening 12 feet wide by 7 feet high. It ran in at a direct "South" direction on a grade of 1 foot in 5 feet. This drift tunnel was not on the actual outcrop, and in ran in some 648 feet before it reached the seam and intersected the then first workings.

In late 1951 an up-cast air shaft was sunk in the north west corner of the 10 acre area, fenced earlier as the "pit-horse" paddock. This shaft was quite close to Tunnel Street, East Cessnock Extended. It was said to have had a depth of 120 feet, but only of fairly small diameter.

In early 1954 directly at the rear of the brick colliery houses on the other side (south) of the Kurri to Cessnock main road, a drift tunnel was driven by Mr W. "Swampy" Gilmore and a gang of miners. This tunnel ran in at an easterly direction towards Neath village. It was said that the purpose of this drift was to work a solid block of coal, but no coal was ever winched out. Instead this drift tunnel became the new travelling road for the pit horses being placed underground, mainly for the old Aberdare Shaft workings. The earlier Aberdare North Drift Tunnel previously used for the "horse travelling" was then considered to be too narrow and dangerous, because of the rubber belt conveyor and its structures.

Because Aberdare West Colliery appeared in late 1964 to be reaching the end of its economical life, the Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery, which had been closed for some little period, was prepared to again re-open. The existing drift or portal was widened to allow easier access for mechanised mining equipment. The opening was increased to be 21 feet wide by 8 feet high. The first 300 feet received concrete side walls, floor and ceiling.

A return airway drift (or tunnel) was driven in late 1964. This drift ran parallel to the original drift tunnel in a direct "south" direction. It did not reach the surface but entered into the small air shaft. An electric "Aerex" exhaust fan was installed via the shaft to the new return airway drift. This fan had the capacity to provide 60,000 cubic feet of fresh air per minute into the workings, and greatly improved the ventilation.

Following the cessation of shaft haulage, the old Aberdare Shaft Colliery workings were added to the Aberdare North Tunnel territory. As its pillar extraction extended, particularly back into the early Aberdare Shaft Colliery's first workings, under Kearsley village, the original upcast air shaft and its electric exhaust fan at the Aberdare Shaft Colliery pit-top was again brought into use.

Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery was isolated and divided from the Aberdare Shaft Colliery lease-holding for the sole purpose to introduce "mechanised mining". This then for the whole of this mine's life was the method adopted, although the types and styles of machinery were progressively updated.

Perhaps it is appropriate to again outline the original methods and layouts at the Aberdare Shaft Colliery. Electric coal cutting machines, either "Sullivan" or "Jeffrey" were used by contract miners to drive the headings and bords, thus forming the pillars. First workings were generally made to a height of 8 feet 6 inches to a natural band parting some 2 inches thick, and which ran throughout the mine. Headings and bords were driven in at 8 yards width. Cut-throughs were 4 yards in width. The pillars formed measured 44 yards long by 22 yards wide. The pillars were worked in a "panel" a Ľ mile square. Each panel had solid coal barriers 22 yards wide on all sides. The panels were sealed off, when the first workings were complete.

At about the end of World War I, the "tops coals" in the headings, bords and cut-throughs within the panels, was progressively dropped by contract miners. During 1940 pillar coal extraction was commenced again by contract mining methods. Throughout some 40 years of the colliery life up to this date and stage all underground haulage had been made in skips, firstly moved in the bords by the pit-horses to the headings. Here endless rope haulage brought the skips to the pit shaft bottom to be raised in the cages to the surface.

In this new "conventional mechanised mining" system at the Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery, the miners first undercut the solid coal in the pillars by Joy electric coal cutters arching in some 6 to 8 feet. Electric boring machines made the holes for the explosives. Shots were then fired and the coal fell. The Joy loader had a 6 feet wide steel shovel, that could lift up and down. It had two gathering arms that dragged the coal and loaded it by a chain conveyor on the boom into the shuttle car. The loader was "flit" to another nearby loading place, whilst the process of cutting, boring and shooting was repeated. The scraper loader had always to be ahead of the cutter.

The shuttle car was battery powered. It usually had an average run of about 200 yards to place its load of coal production to the rubber belting conveyor. Its capacity was 3 to 5 tons. A large battery was positioned on either side of the shuttle car. The "power" life of the battery was about 4 hours. At the miners' crib-break a member of the mechanised unit team was paid an overtime penalty to take the shuttle car to one of the underground electric battery charger stations to exchange and replace the batteries. All miners enjoyed a "paid half-hour" meal break. The overtime penalty paid amounted to one hour additional payment for this "battery chore". During 1956 the electric cable shuttle car was introduced. Electric power points were installed about every 100 yards in the headings and bords.

The Joy 8BU scraper loader moved on caterpillar-tracks and it was operated by a trigger mechanism, which worked the tracks individually. A short time later the slightly larger type Joy 11BU scraper loader was introduced. This also moved on caterpillar tracks. It had a "joystick" steering rod similar to that in an aeroplane and could lock either or both tracks.

In September 1954 the Coal Industry Tribunal in Sydney made a momentous step to further encourage the introduction of machinery into pillar coal extraction. This encouragement was performed by the granting of a pay rise of Ł2-0-0 ($4.00) per week to all miners in a colliery provided "pillar extraction by machinery" was not obstructed. This approach was a far change from the restrictive Parliamentary legislation, that was introduced by Mr John M. Baddeley, Minister of Mines, in the early 1940's preventing this very mining method.

During 1957 another development of mechanised mining occurred in the Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery, when the earlier "conventional mechanised unit" was replaced by the "Joy continuous miner" machine. Whilst it was a big improvement on the conventional mechanisation system, the miners themselves in the mechanical unit teams did not consider it to be a good method. Like the electric cable shuttle car, the Joy continuous miner plugged into power boxes or "points", suitably located. This new Joy continuous miner machine did away with the arch-cutting machine, the boring machine and the need to shoot the coal down. It worked continuously, cutting ahead. It had a 4 feet wide cutting pick area, which cut upwards on the face to a height of 8 to 9 feet. The machine was slow and carried all the weight of the coal won. This coal dropped onto the spoon-like shovel, and the machine arms gathered this coal back to the shuttle car.

Mr W. "Bill" Smith of 3 Melbourne Street, Aberdare informs that when he was transferred from Aberdare Shaft Colliery to Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery in early 1958, he was directed to operate a Samson coal cutter machine, which moved on caterpillar tracks.

On page 443 in the Aberdare Shaft Colliery section a description was outlined of the method of pillar extraction by contract miners working. With the introduction of pillar extraction under mechanisation, a new system was adopted. The following is broadly and generally the various steps taken. In these steps, reference should be associated with the diagram on the following page.

From the bord side of the pillar and along its long side, at a point some 30 to 35 feet from its end, a cut-through split cut about 8 feet high and 16 feet wide was driven at right angles through the solid pillar coal to the goaf area. This is shown as "1A" on the diagram.

An angled split cut was made from this first "cut-through" to the end goaf area. This angled cut was also 8 feet high and usually 12 feet wide. This is shown as "2A" on the diagram.

All coal in the "stook" or piece of the pillar as indicated as "2B" on the diagram was completely removed from the floor to the ceiling of the seam.

Then another 8 feet high angled split-cut was made from the first "cut-through" to the end goaf area. This is shown as "3A" on the diagram. It was parallel to the angled cut "2A".

All coal in the "stook" or the piece of the pillar between the two angled split cuts, shown on the diagram as "2C", was completely removed from the floor to the ceiling of the seam.

The "tops coals" remaining in the first "angled split cut", shown on the diagram "2D", was dropped and removed.

All coal in the "stook" or piece of the pillar between the second "angled split cut" and the goaf area, shown on the diagram as "3B", was completely removed from the floor to the ceiling of the seam.

The "tops coals" remaining in the second "angled split cut", shown on the diagram as "3C", was dropped and removed.

The "tops coals" remaining in the first cut through, shown on the diagram as "1B" was dropped and removed.

Again about 30 to 35 feet along the long side of the pillar a second cut-through about 8 feet high and 16 feet wide was driven at right angles through the solid pillar coal to the goaf area. This is shown on the diagram as "4A" and it lay parallel to the first cut-through (No. "1A" on the diagram).

A similar angled split-cut to that shown as "2A" on the diagram, was driven from the second cut-through to the first cut-through. This angled split cut was about 8 feet high and 12 feet wide. This particular step is shown as No. "5A" on the diagram.

All coal in the "stook" or piece of the pillar, indicated as "5B" on the diagram was completely removed from the floor to the ceiling of the seam.

Another angled split-cut 8 feet high and 12 feet wide was driven parallel to angled split-cut shown as "5A" on the diagram. This particular step is shown as "6A" on the diagram.

All coal in the "stook" or piece of the pillar between the two angled split-cuts shown as "5A" and "6A" on the diagram and itself is shown as "5C" was completely removed from the floor to the ceiling of the seam.

The "tops coals" shown as "5D" on the diagram, and remaining in the angled split-cut (shown as "5A") was dropped and removed.

All coal in the "stook" or piece of the pillar, shown on the diagram as "6B" was completely removed from the floor to the ceiling of the seam.

This was followed by dropping the "tops coals" shown as "6C" on the diagram in the angle split-cut (No. "6A" on the diagram).

This was followed by dropping and removing the "tops coals" in cut-through No. "4A" on the diagram. This step was shown as "4B".

Another angled split-cut similar to those shown for "2A" and "5A" on the diagram. This split-cut again was about 8 feet high and 12 feet wide. This particular step is shown as No. "7A".

All coal in the "stook" or the piece of the pillar shown as "7B" on the diagram was completely removed from the floor to the ceiling of the seam.

A final angled split-cut about 8 feet high and 12 feet wide was made across the remaining portion of the pillar, parallel to the angle split-cut No. "7A" on the diagram. This final split-cut is shown as "8A".

All coal in the "stook" or the piece of the pillar shown as "7C" on the diagram was completely removed from the floor to the ceiling of the seam.

This was followed by dropping and removing the "tops coals" in the angled split-cut (shown as "7A"). This step was shown as "7D" on the diagram.

This was followed by dropping and removing the "tops coals" in the angled split cut, (shown as "8A"). This step was shown as "8B" on the diagram.

Usually the hatched "stook" area shown on the diagram was allowed to remain standing as protection and some assistance for the extraction of the next solid pillar.

Aberdare Shaft Colliery over its colliery life had experienced considerable numbers of heatings and many underground fires. These had resulted in large quantities of coal being sealed off and lost forever from production. This spontaneous combustion so prevalent in the Greta Seams on the South Maitland coalfields and thought to be the causes of the "heatings and fires", also continued with the mechanised mining methods operating at Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery. This mine was almost plagued by such problems. The following is a short list of some areas of Aberdare North Colliery territory, that were required to be sealed for the preservation of the mine.

Area Sealed	Quantity of Coal tons lost
1. 45 Gannon, 15 Panel	133,716 tons
2, Third L.H. North, 1st Panel	174,257 tons
3. 21 Gannon, R.L.H. North	528,406 tons
4. 3 Main Dip	355,474 tons
5. 25 Gannon	380,742 tons

In the mid 1950's the Northern Collieries Proprietors Association made a large grant to the University of Sydney so that research could be carried out to find uses of the high sulphur coal from the Greta Seams of the South Maitland field. As has already been mentioned heatings and fires caused continuing concern for the operation of Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery. In a climate of dwindling sales, a surplus of mining employees, Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery was closed on the 13th March 1959. This was said to have been due to a high content of sulphur in the coal. An internal Coal and Allied Company letter dated 10th January 1964 states that the reason for Aberdare North Tunnel's closure in March 1959 was due to a contraction of markets for that type of coals produced.

When Aberdare West Colliery coal reserves appeared to be near depletion during early 1964, steps were taken to re-open Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery. The previous "North" Tunnel opening was enlarged to be 21 feet in width and 8 feet in height. A skip rail track was laid to transport pit-timbers (props) into the tunnel mine, as well as to handle the "man-rider" transport. Additional underground rubber belting conveyors were installed to feed onto the main conveyor out of the pit. When Aberdare West Colliery closed on the 10th February 1965 all mechanised units, both men and machinery, were transferred to the Aberdare North Tunnel. The Mines Department described the proposed Aberdare North Tunnel to be an efficient highly mechanised operation.

No sooner than Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery had commenced operations than it was again plagued by fire and heatings. A more serious fire at Aberdare "North" in mid 1965, again threatened its closure. This particular heating occurred in No. 7 Panel. Efforts were made by the mine management to localise and control this heating. Three 44 gallons capacity steel drums, with their ends removed, were cut down the middle lengthways to make a long trough. A steel pipe, fitted with paddles, and driven by an electric motor was used to mix and make a "goo" of stonedust and marcasite. The resultant mixture was transported on skip rails to the "heating area". Holes, 3 inches in diameter and from 14 to 16 feet in length were made into the seam's roof. The "goo" was forced into the holes by hydraulic hoses. This method proved to be unsuccessful. Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery closed temporarily to allow the panel to be sealed off and the mine to close. During this closure and as a result of the heating, another cavil took place and some miners were displaced and lost their jobs.

The problems of fires and heatings continued. On the 2nd March 1966 another serious underground fire threatened the complete loss of the colliery. The mine was closed and sealed off by a loamy type filling at the "Tunnel" drift. Sir Edward Warren, Chief General Manager of Coal and Allied Limited obtained special authority from the Mines Department and Joint Coal Board to re-open Aberdare West Colliery. This colliery had been closed on the 10th February 1965 because there had been insufficient cover or overburden over the actual mining operations to meet the Mines Department's mining regulation requirements. On the 22nd March 1966, representatives of Coal and Allied Limited, the Mines Department and the Joint Coal Board met on site to inspect the Aberdare West Colliery area. The company proposed that, because of the displaced and unemployed miners, it should mechanise and mine an area which was well under the 100 feet minimum depth cover required. The company informed that it would utilise:

The representatives reached agreement and approval was given. Aberdare West Colliery re-opened on the 4th April 1966.

Meanwhile an air-lock had been constructed in the loamy fill at Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery's drift. Inspections into the mine were made under "proto" conditions. The inspections found that the "March 1966" fire had been subdued. Three pillars, with an estimated loss of 12,000 tons, were permanently sealed off by concrete brick stoppings. The inspecting party had found that the following machinery and equipment had been completely destroyed:

Other areas underground in Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery had received little damage, nor was the machinery and equipment in these areas involved or damaged. On the 25th May 1966 the loamy fill "seal" was removed. Normal working resumed on the 15th June 1966. Despite Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery's resumption under normal conditions, the Aberdare West Colliery continued to operate until the 5th March 1968 under the special authority and the agreed conditions.

Between July 1967 and June 1969, almost $1,000,000 was spent on Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery in updating its equipment and machinery. This expenditure had included this list:

	Cost $c
A new 36 inches wide rubber belting conveyor and its supporting structure	55,000.00
A new drive-head - "Fox T.B 80" for the conveyor	60,000.00
Additional underground belting conveyors	70,000.00
Improvements to fan and ventilation	10,000.00
Surge bins on the pit-top surface	75,000.00
Man-riding transport cars	40,000.00
Le Norce miners machines	100,000.00
Timbering and roof-bolting machine	45,000.00
Refurbishing washery plant at Neath pit-top	150,000.00
New crusher plant at Neath pit-top	10,000.00
Repairs and renewals to the rail sidings at Neath pit-top	10,000.00
Construction of new office building and workshops building at the Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery pit-top	83,000.00

The electric Le Norce Miner machine had a cutting-head boom which could reach a height of 10 to 12 feet. This machine had 8 cutting wheels, 4 on each side. The two outside wheels could be turned to trim the coal face sides. It had 48 cutter picks, which cut down on to a steel shovel. The two scraper arms were 5 feet long and brought the coal onto a belt and thence to the shuttle cars.

Another serious underground fire threatened to close Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery working on the 11th November 1975. By this date Aberdare North Tunnel was involved in pillar extraction in the older part of the Aberdare Shaft Colliery coal lease. Great difficulty was found in controlling this fire. A number of bore-holes were made from the surface. Fly ash from the Wangi Powerhouse was transported by road. This material was forced down the bore-holes, compacted to smother the underground fire. A system not unlike the conservation test trials at Abermain No. 3 Colliery in the early 1950's. Two of these boreholes were located in close proximity to the South Maitland Railways main lines. Both bores were on the southern side of the tracks. One near Kearsley Road (Highway No. 82) level crossing. The second bore was directly opposite the entrance to the Aberdare Cemetery.

After Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery had become a separate mine for the purpose of introducing the "mechanisation method", one of its basic requirements was for the installation of a rubber belting conveyor structure down the tunnel drift. This conveyor belt ran down the main heading which continued onwards from the drift tunnel southwards towards the Aberdare Shaft Colliery pit bottom. This first conveyor had been driven by a 60 hose-powered electric motor. Research has failed to supply much details, such as its make, etc.

The news-sheet, the "Coal Miner" in its 1954 February issue, informs that up to that date, three subsidiary rubber belt conveyors were feeding onto the main conveyor. Further, that in all, a total length of 2,200 yards of conveyor belting was being utilised.

Some other headings diverting from this main heading were also equipped with conveyor belting to feed onto the "belt" to the surface. As in most mechanised mines, shuttle cars transported the coal production from the face in the bords to the minor belts. As has been described on page No. 498 in this first Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery's "conventional mechanised mining", the coal production was transported in battery-powered shuttle cars. The batteries were changed midway during the shift at "battery changing" electric power stations underground.

Coal production in this first mechanisation on reaching the surface poured from the "belt" into a 400 tons capacity elevated steel bin. From the bin a number of motor lorries transported this coal to the "reception bin" (or box) constructed midway alongside No. 5 Siding in the Aberdare Shaft Colliery rail yard. This plant of screens and picking belt had been utilised for the loading of coal production from the Caledon Open-cut Colliery. The open-cut contractor, the firm of Goodsir and Cooper, also transported the new nearby Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery's production. When this production commenced in February 1952, it intermingled with the Caledon Open-cut production, until the open-cut ceased production on the 30th May 1952. The motor lorry route from Aberdare North Tunnel was via the Kurri to Cessnock Main Road, Duffie Drive, Cessnock Street, Aberdare to enter the Aberdare Shaft Colliery property by crossing the Mulbring Street Aberdare level crossing.

During mid 1957 the coal production from Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery instead of being unloaded into the "reception" bin (or box) at No. 5 Siding was unloaded into a special reception bin (or box) adjacent to the new Aberdare Shaft Colliery washery plant. This bin had been constructed in the area between the "earlier brick small coal holding box", the new washery unit and the loaded wagons rail sidings. From this bin, the coal was raised by a series of conveyor belting up to the top of the Lamex Launderer in the washery building. Through this same intricate system of conveyors, coal previously stored for later washing was also brought from the small coal holding brick box.

The Neath Colliery open-cut operations ceased in May 1959. The coal production from this "cut" had been treated in a washery at Neath Colliery pit-top. This washery had used the "Diester Tables" method. On the 13th August 1959 Caledonian Collieries Limited had acquired the assets of Cessnock Collieries Limited. These assets included the Neath Colliery pit-top washery plant. During the following month (October 1959), Mr George Walker, a fairly new Aberdare North Tunnel Manager arranged the construction of a private road across the adjoining coal leases of Neath Colliery and Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery. From the date of this private road's construction, all coal production from the Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery was transported to Neath Colliery plant to be washed.

During 1964 Aberdare West Colliery was winding down due to a depletion of coal reserves. It finally closed on 10th February 1965. In the latter part of 1964 the tunnel drift entrance at Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery was widened to allow for better operation. When Aberdare North Tunnel re-opened in early 1965 it utilised the "mechanised units", both the machinery and manpower from Aberdare West Colliery. A heating in 1966 closed Aberdare North for only a short period. Normal working resumed on the 15th June 1966.

Between July 1967 and June 1969 considerable improvements were made to Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery. These had included the replacement of the rubber belting conveyor and its structure by a new 36 inches wide belt. This had cost $55,000.00 for the new belt and it supporting structures. The new conveyor was driven by a new "Fox TB 80" electric motor. The motor was an 80 horse-powered unit, which ran at 650 feet per minute, and had a capacity to handle 500 tons per hour. On the surface 3 large elevated steel holding bins were constructed. These stood in tandem in a line to the easterly direction. The bins held 500 tons, 400 tons and 300 tons respectively. Underground a large 400 tons capacity steel bin was erected near the "4 Main Dips" to take up the surge. This was at the junction of two main headings, one which ran south towards the Kearsley Hotel. the other ran east towards Neath Hunter District Water Board Pumping Station. This underground bin was some two-thirds of the distance from the "North Tunnel's" surface and the bottom of the "Aberdare Shaft".

Some "timber moving" skips had been reconstructed in the mid 1950's to provide a primitive form of transport for the miners. This was replaced in late 1967 by a set on "man-riding transport cars" at a cost of some $40,000.00.

With the Aberdare North Tunnel's division in the 1950's, a few pit-horses had been retained at that point for "snigging" pit-timbers (props) underground. In 1965 the previous Aberdare West Colliery's battery operated shuttle cars were redesigned as supply vehicles for timber, etc. These altered cars were not a success.

On 3rd December 1981, Coal and Allied Limited received the Mines Department approval to install a diesel powered "mans transport" vehicle.

In the actual "mechanised" working of Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery pit-horses played a very minor role. No horses were used for any coal haulage. Only a few were retained for use in "snigging" timbers (pit-props).

However the pit-horses still involved in the operation of the Aberdare Shaft Colliery were taken in daily from the stables and horse paddock adjacent to the "North" Tunnel. From the surface, down the Aberdare North Tunnel Drift, through the "door-locks" into the Aberdare Shaft Colliery working and returned the reverse manner. This system continued right up until November 1960 when the Aberdare Shaft Colliery ceased the raising of the coal up in the cages. From that date, Aberdare Shaft Colliery workings had been added to the Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery's territory, and use of pit-horse haulage also ceased.

Because the movement of the pit-horses up and down the "North Tunnel" drift was considered to be both hazardous and dangerous after the installation of the rubber belt conveyor and its support structure, a new drift tunnel entry for horses was made during 1954. This entry was said to have been an opening 7 feet by 7 feet and had a sharp grade into the workings. Mr W. "Swampy" Gilmore and a gang of miners hand-picked the drift. This tunnel ran in an easterly direction. It was located behind the colliery houses on the south side of the Kurri to Cessnock Main Road opposite to the Aberdare North Tunnel. In November 1960 its use was discontinued. The entry tunnel was demolished and removed between October 1969 and June 1970, when a small open cut area was worked.

The original purpose of the drift tunnel which became the Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery's entrance was to provide an additional intake airway for the Aberdare Shaft Colliery. When the new Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery was isolated and divided from the earlier Aberdare Shaft Colliery by the use of log and loam seals placed in the headings, bords and cut-throughs, access to the Shaft was still available by "door-locks" into the Aberdare Shaft Colliery. Thus the intake airway for the new Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery still continued to be the drift tunnels. The log and loam seals were strengthened later by concrete brick walls at each end.

In late 1951 an up-cast air shaft was sunk in the north-west corner of the 10 acres area fenced earlier as the pit-horse paddock. This shaft was quite close to Tunnel Street, East Cessnock Extended. It was said to have had a depth of 120 feet. An electrically driven "Aerex" exhaust fan was installed on top of this shaft. When Aberdare North Tunnel closed this fan was transferred to the company's Liddell Colliery.

A return up-cast airway drift or tunnel was driven during late 1964. This drift was parallel to the original intake drift tunnel. This up-cast drift also ran in at a direct south direction. It did not reach the surface, but entered into the small air shaft. Altogether this 1964 improvement cost $10,000.00. The unit then provided 60,000 cubic feet of fresh air per minute.

Because all the first workings in the Aberdare "North" Territory were made by electric coal-cutting machines, it had a great deal of underground power lines from the Aberdare Shaft Colliery powerhouse. The electric power it required after the separation appears to have continued to be provided underground from the Aberdare Shaft Colliery electricity sub-station.

Domestic electricity requirements and the street lighting to both Neath Village and Abermain township was provided in the early 1920's by Caledonian Collieries Limited from a 660 KVA transmission power line along Duffie Drive from the Aberdare Shaft Colliery electricity generation plant. Mr Jack Rumford (Senior) and Mr James Durie with their team of workmen are said to have erected this powerline.

It does seem reasonable to assume that these tradesmen would also have connected the "Aberdare Tunnel" surface facilities with electricity in the short distance required.

It does seem that all the potential electric power requirements was available at the Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery when the division from the "Shaft" was made.

Because the workings at Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery ran back towards the Aberdare Shaft Colliery in the main, that all underground water would flow in that direction. Therefore it seems reasonable to assume that all pumping requirements would have been made via the original colliery.

Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery was never connected direct to the railway. All its coal production from February 1952 to November 1959 was loaded at the Aberdare Shaft Colliery rail sidings. From November 1959 all Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery's coal production was treated at Neath Colliery Washery and loaded into rail wagons at that point.

Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery's coal production was loaded into the company's fleet of wooden hopper rail coal wagons up until June 1973, at which time the New South Wales Government Railways disbarred the haulage of the wooden hopper vehicles into Port Waratah. Between 1973 and 1978 coal required to be hauled from the Neath Colliery Sidings (Aberdare North Tunnel coal) to the Hexham Preparation Plant for storage or blending purposes continued to be transported in the wooden hopper vehicles. The last train of hoppers were hauled on 8th February 1978 from Neath Sidings.

Coal for the shipment at Port Waratah after June 1973 from the Neath Colliery Sidings (Aberdare North Coal) was conveyed in a variety of N.S.W. Government Railway Vehicle Types, namely "U", "G", "L.C.H." and "H.C.H.". These were hauled on South Maitland Railways in sets of 22 vehicles.

After February 1978 all Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery's Coal Production Ex-The Neath Colliery Sidings was hauled in the N.S.W. Government Railway Vehicle Types "B.C.H." or "C.H.", regardless of the destination. South Maitland Railways hauled these vehicles with a single locomotive in sets of 11 vehicles.

With the cessation of mining operations of Aberdare East Colliery on the 24th September 1982 and the loss of the haulage of it's production from the Aberdare Shaft Colliery, the running of South Maitland Railways came under the review of coal and Allied Limited as to the haulage of coal by steam locomotion being a viable and economic proposition. Coal production from Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery Ex Neath Sidings by a single locomotive in trains of 11 or 12 vehicles together with the coal production from Ellalong Colliery Ex Pelton Sidings utilising two locomotives in tandem to haul 22 or 23 vehicles was the railways complete business. Trains were not run every day but only as shipping requirements demanded. Coal and Allied Limited negotiated with the N.S.W. Government Railways Department (State Rail) that the latter with it's diesel locomotives should take over the haulage on the South Maitland Railways, and who provided the signalling staff and maintained the rail tracks. The two still operating collieries were charged a contract rail freight. South Maitland Railways received a handsome "Way-leave" charge.

The first Pit-Top buildings at the Aberdare "Tunnel" were erected about 1915, where the tunnels adit was protected by a flimsy bush timbered frame, roofed with corrugated galvanised iron.

During 1950 and 1951 when steps were taken to implement the decision to mechanise the isolated and separated portion of the Aberdare Shaft Colliery Lease, the new workings became known as Aberdare North Tunnel. The old weather protection was demolished. The rubber belting conveyor and it's support structure was installed on the left hand side of the drift as one looked down the mine. On the surface, this conveyor, it's support structure and an inspection platform were raised and continued on at the same slope to allow the coal on the conveyor to be place by pouring into a heavy timbered framed box (or bin). Above this extension from the mouth of the tunnel to the top of the holding box (or bin), the rubber belt was weather protected by a corrugated galvanised iron roof. The roof supports on the extension were timber uprights, 4 inches by 4 inches, and spaces 8 feet apart. The heavy timbered holding box (or bin) was elevated sufficiently high to allow motor lorries to pass underneath for loading through a chute by gravity feed. The box (or bin) was said to have had a capacity of 400 tons.

Alongside the rubber belt conveyor support structure a skip rail track was laid on the right hand side of the drift as one looked down into the mine. The purpose of the skip-rail track was to allow pit-timbers (props) and other materials to be put into the pit. The skip rail rack on the surface ran from the varying length "prop" racks as well as into the workshops building.

The first office was a small two-roomed building on the left hand side and just inside the main road entrance gate.

In late 1967 a new air-conditioned office building was constructed on the right side of the main gate, back almost level with drift entrance and on it's eastern side rooms or offices were provided for the manager, under-manager, colliery engineer and the clerical staff. Two large "walk-in" safes were installed for the safe-keeping of the colliery records.

The first office building was demolished and removed to provide better parking facilities for car-parking for employees' vehicles.

First colliery workshops at the Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery appears as though they had possibly been converted stables structures. The first workshop had been 30 yards long by 15 yards wide by 15 feet high, and was "flat-roofed" with galvanised corrugated iron. With the refurbishing in the 1967-1968 period a fine new steel-framed building was constructed. This was further from the main road on a specially levelled area, quite close to the steel coal holding bins on their western side. This new structure was 40 yards long by 30 yards wide. It had a hip-roof 25 feet high. The walls and roof were clad with galvanised corrugated iron. All tradesmen shared this building in their various sections. A large portion of the building doubled as a "stores department".

The cost of the new office building together with the new works-shops structure was shown in the company's records as costing $83,000-00.

During the 1967 re-furbishing a series of coal-holding steel bins were erected on the surface at Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery in a line running eastwards.

These steel bins were elevated to enable motor lorries to be loaded underneath by gravity feed. These bins had the following capacities, 500 tons, 400 tons and 300 tons. A cross belt facility was erected to feed from the main conveyor into the bin required.

When Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery opened as a separate identity mine, an industrial agreement between Aberdare shaft colliery lodge of the Miners Federation and the Caledonian Collieries Limited ensured that the lodge's proposal that all former employees of the earlier Aberdare Shaft Colliery were to be considered as being members of the one lodge, despite the company's intended division of the Aberdare Shaft Colliery lease into three workings. Miners transferred to the New Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery into the mechanised unit had been offered such moves in the order of the lodge's seniority.

No production bonus was paid when the new mine (Aberdare North) commenced in February 1952. However as an incentive, each Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery miner received one additional hour's pay to compensate for the travelling time to Aberdare North Tunnel from and to the bath-house at the Aberdare Shaft Colliery. The mining employees were transferred to and from by Batteram company's buses. By early 1954 a new bath-house had been constructed at the Aberdare North Tunnel Pit-top.

This brick bath-house building as in keeping with all the mining industry bath-houses was a fine structure. It was divided into three sections,-clean clothes, showers and toilets, work clothes area. The building was 30 yards long by 15 yards wide with a 22 feet high hip roof. The roof was clad with galvanised corrugated iron.

A separate concrete brick small room was set up as a mine's ambulance room and equipped with new up-to-date facilities.

Three large Everlast concrete tanks were placed at Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery Pit-top for use as fire fighting purposes. Each tank had a capacity of 5000 gallons.

The early histories of Caledonial Coal Company, Caledonian Collieries Limited and Coal and Allied Limited have been dealt with previously, commencing on page 402 under Aberdare South Colliery, and at page 478 under the Aberdare Shaft Colliery section.

As has been indicated earlier in this record, the drift tunnel driven into the Aberdare shaft Colliery's first workings was principally made to improve the intake ventilation. It was soon found that the drift tunnel provided easy daily access for both the miners and the pit-horses into Aberdare Shaft Colliery.

The late 1940's had proved a testing time for Caledonian Collieries Limited. World War II had finished and difficulties were being experienced generally. Industrially the Miners Federation were forever seeking a bigger bite of the cherry for it's members. Confrontations before the Industrial Coal Tribunals were vigorous and costly. Numerous strikes escalated the company's costs. Legislatively there were other charges that added to it's costs operations. The Joint Coal Board had been formed. Coal conservation tests and trials, all were an expenditure and a burden on coal prices. The company sought means of improving it's coal out-put. An estimate in 1949 evaluated the costs for The Attendance Bonus, Annual Leave, Sick Leave, Long Service Leave, Public Holidays, Payroll Tax, Workers Compensation Insuring Premiums, Miners Pension Fund Contributions. This amounted to Ł5-0-0 ($10.00) per shift per man (Author's comment: A tremendous high figure, based on average wages of that time).

It was with this background and climate, that a new company superintendent, Mr. John Bowdler, and a new Aberdare Shaft Colliery Manager, Mr. Harry McKendry, in early 1950 proposed a scheme to implement coal-mining mechanisation into the workings of this old coal-pit, Aberdare Shaft Colliery. Their scheme envisaged the separation and isolation into three areas. The older Aberdare Shaft Colliery section to continue to operate under Contract Miners Method and with the haulage of this coal production to the surface by the cages in the shaft. Aberdare Tunnel (later known as Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery) was to be made a separate identity by cutting off this portion of the lease with Log and Loam seals. This newly named workings was to be operated under conventional mechanisation methods, and it's coal production to be brought to the surface by rubber belting conveyors. A third portion of the lease, a much smaller area (to be known as Aberdare West Colliery) was also to be mined under conventional mechanisation methods, with a separate drift and conveyor system to bring the coal production to the surface.

By mid 1956, the same two company administrators,(Bowdler and McKendry), foresaw the need for a washery unit plant to be constructed at Aberdare Shaft Colliery to handle the various nearby coal productions of the neighbouring Caledonian Collieries Company's pits.

Strong competition from the oil section of the Australian fuel suppliers whittled away the traditional markets of the coal industry. Shrinking trade had meant that the coal industry had to present a cleaner commodity to win any share at the market.

By 1958 Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery was finding serious problems because of the sulphur content in the top part of the Greta Seam, (especially in this area). In 1959 the issue became so vital that Aberdare North was closed temporarily.

The late 1950's and the early 1960's saw the markets ever continuing to diminish. Take-overs, mergers, etc., of the larger coal companies failed to halt this trend. Between 1958 and 1964 ten major South Maitland Greta Seam coal mines ceased production forever. During the mid 1960's the number of N.S.W. state electricity generation stations increased. However these plants were intended to handle and use the poorer quality cheaper coals of the Newcastle and the Muswellbrook fields. In addition these new plants required cheap water for cooling facilities. Lake Macquarie and the Hunter River (via Glenbawn Dam) were locations of new power-houses. The South Maitland Greta Seam collieries were at a disadvantage because of their geographical situation. Still some coals from this field were in some slight demand.

When Aberdare West Colliery found it's coal reserves depleted, a greater intensity of coal development and improved mechanisation methods was made at Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery. In late 1964 the drift tunnel and portal was widened to allow the direct lowering of new continuous mining machinery. In 1967 a more powerful drive-head and a larger rubber belting conveyor and structure was installed to replace the previous conveyor system. The latest designed Le Norce mining machines and more efficient electric-powered shuttle cars were introduced to obtain maximum production.

Like it's parent, the early Aberdare Shaft Colliery, the Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery had a history of numerous sections of the mine being closed due to heatings and fires from spontaneous combustion. Two serious fires, one on the 2nd of March 1966 and the other on the 11th November 1975, threatened the closure of the pit. Great efforts by the mining employees, working under proto conditions, controlled these fires. On both these occasions, large areas of possible coal were sealed off and lost forever.

The early 1970's saw another significant change to the coal trade. Whilst shipping had always played an important role, newly acquired overseas markets, particularly in Japan, saw larger, and larger, and larger coal bulk carriers. Such large ship tonnages, had forced the New South Wales Government Railways to smarten it's act in the handling and loading of coal. Large diesel locomotives hauled bigger, and bigger, and bigger train loads, which with a balloon loop siding, bottom discharge vehicles and efficient stock-piling at port Waratah to meet the large ship loadings, all greatly affected and altered the company's policy to it's present and future mining developments.

New discoveries of very suitable types of coals in the Singleton-Muswellbrook area and their subsequent development provided a new approach to coal-mining. This shallow overburden, large quantities of easy available coal, large train loads transport saw the final demise of most of the South Maitland field mines. Coal and Allied Limited as a leading coal company were one of the first to take up new leases in the Singleton area. Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery's production served a special purpose in that it was utilised to blend with the company's other coals to enrich with those, so well known qualities of the South Maitland Greta Seam.

Similar to other early Caledonian Collieries Limited Company's mines, Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery reached the end of it's economic operation. Much of the pillars of the Aberdare Shaft Colliery had been extracted. Even those at the base of the original shaft had been won on the retreat back towards the surface at the Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery's drift tunnel.

However as an outside observer, I feel that company politics played the greater role in the closure of Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery. Howard Smith Limited company owned 50% of the Coal and Allied Limited company and a 67% of the R.W. Miller Holding company. In 1983 Howard Smith company initiated a rationalisation policy. This involved a voluntary retirement scheme to employees of both their subsidiary companies to eliminate the duplication of duties. In April 1988 a further rationalisation by the Howard Smith Limited company saw a further group closed in their operation. Among this group was Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery.

Between April and November 1988, most of the Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery's pit-top structures had been demolished and removed. The belting conveyors, it's support structures and the drive-head were recovered and transferred to the company's other mining projects. The steel coal holding bins as well as all recoverable skip track rails were sold as scrap. The Aerex fan was recovered and transferred elsewhere. The drift tunnel entry and the fan air shaft opening were flattened, levelled and concrete sealed over. The fine steel-framed corrugated galvanised iron clad (roof and walls) workshops was left standing. The only two other buildings to remain were the office building and the bath-house.

The city of Cessnock Municipal council advises that at December 1988, the area was still owned by Coal and Allied Limited. Buildings standing at this date were: