A History of the Greta Coal Measures - Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery

R.W. Miller and Company
19 Bridge Street, Sydney.
Trading as "Ayrfield Collieries Company".

(A) Record Tracing No.:	226
(B) Register:	Northern Collieries Lease Books (i) Book 4 No. 27 (ii) Transferred to loose leaf 26th May 1925.
(C) Papers:	1924/8423; 1925/M.S. 13048; corrected 1926/2349; 1926/3066; M 12900.
(D) Lands Boards Titles:	(i) Volume 2539 Folio 186 (ii) Volume 3731 Folio 213

(D) Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery had been operated on part of an unworked area (virgin coal) of the Heddon Greta Coal Mining Company lease. The tunnels and pit-top structures were located between the Stanford Railway and the South Maitland Railways main lines to Cessnock. A more easily recognised location identification is that the Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery screens and sidings had been situated directly opposite the Heddon Greta stock car racetrack across the Stanford Railway. The present stock car track was the site of the earlier Heddon Greta racecourse. The screens were in a direct line with the racecourse rail platform.

(A) Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery was approximately 50 chains (1.0 kms) distant from Ayrfield No. 1 Colliery pit-top

(B) The Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery pit-top was 6 miles 10 chains (9.8 kms) distant by road from Maitland Post Office.

(D) Its pit-top screens were located 4 miles 74 chains (7.9 kms) distant by rail from the junction with the NSW Government Railways at East Greta Junction.

Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery lease was part of the 640 acres original grant to John H. Garven.

Coal worked in the Ayrfield No. 2. Colliery lease was mainly the Greta "top" seam. This seam was 32 feet thick. It dipped from the outcrop in a little south of "east" direction, at an incline of 52º.

Mines Department Records show that Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery commenced mining operations during September 1924.

Three tunnels were driven in a westerly direction into the outcrop to make entry for Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery.

Mr Clarence Hawkins, a timber contractor then (1924) living on Majors Lane, Keinbah, was requested to supply "solid" timbers for these new headings. Mr Hawkins stated that these pit-entrances were 13 feet wide by 9 feet high. Mr Hawkins said that he cut good ironbark trees from Ayrfield Company's own property, mostly from towards Deep Creek and adjacent to South Maitland Railways. His instructions had been for "14 inches squared" legs (props) and round "cap" timbers 12 inches thick at the small end.

Mr C. Hawkins said that the logs were transported by his horse teams. At the new mine, the timbers were made into a "set", two legs topped with the cap timber. The sets were erected 4 feet apart in the tunnels, and the roof and sides were walled with slabs. Mr C. Hawkins was not able to state the exact distance for which the tunnel sets had been erected. However in his words "it was a long way".

Mr Hawkins also stated that he had provided the heavy timbers used in the pit-top at Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery, but he was unable to give details. Finally he said when he married in 1927, he moved home and resided in the Cliftleigh area. He supplied Ayrfield Colliery with pit-timbers, props, slabs, baulks, etc., until the late 1930's.

Other verbal information (unsupported) advised that the Ayrfield No. 2 tunnel headings ran in about 1600 feet.

From the main tunnel headings, bord levels were driven off on the level in both the north and south directions. Bord levels were made every 16 yards , thus making the pillars 16 yards in thickness.

Like its neighbouring steep seam mines, Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery operated on a type of bord and pillar system. Bord levels had been driven off from the main tunnel headings about every 16 yards. Bords were 8 yards wide and were worked to a height of 9 feet. Pillars were 16 yards in thickness.

Contract mining operated over the whole of the life of Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery. In the first 12 months, "hand-boring" was utilised. However in the latter part of 1925 compressed air powered boring machines were installed.

Some unsupported information advises that for most of its history, pit-horses were utilised for "wheeling" in the bord levels, particularly as the bords were lengthened.

In the first year (1924) "naked lights" were utilised. When some gas was found, the naked lights were replaced in 1925 by oil safety lamps. Perhaps the company considered the gas in Ayrfield No. 2 to be a serious problem, because in late 1926 even the oil safety lamps were replaced by electric safety lamps, 70 lamps in all. It seems unusual, in that the neighbouring Company mine Ayrfield No. 1 Colliery always used naked lights.

On the 7th March 1928, the Mines Department directed and instructed the R.W. Miller and Company that whilst it would allow a single manager to control both the Ayrfield Nos. 1 and 2 Collieries, it insisted that each colliery should have a separate under-manager.

Research has indicated that Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery used "Samsonite No. 3" explosives to shoot down coal.

Research has failed to reveal details of the type of steam haulage engine first utilised.

The 1927 Mines Department Annual Report at page 89 informs that a new steam winding engine and haulage system had been installed during that year. Mr Bede Kelly, a later R.W. Miller and Company Mines Superintendent, stated that the drums from this haulage system were recovered in the latter half of the 1930's for use in R.W. miller and Company Maitland Extended Tunnels. Mr Kelly thought that it was the No. 5 Tunnel workings.

The Mines Department 1925 Annual Report at page 83 in recording the fatalities of that year, shows a death at Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery due to a fall from the "alligator" haulage. Two facts by inference can be obtained from this statement; firstly it indicates that the "alligator" method of haulage was utilised; secondly that the miners were transported on the "alligator".

Again by inference that steam power was used, Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery had a number of boilers.

Unsupported information advised that pit-horses were utilised for wheeling on the bord levels.

Mines Department records show that Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery in its first days of operation, ventilation was by natural means. During its first year (1925) a small underground furnace assisted the mine's ventilation.

Further, these records advise that on the 20th December 1925, a 55 inches diameter single-inlet steam driven Sirrocco fan was installed.

The 1927 Mines Department Annual Report shows that during that year a small 7 kW electricity generation unit producing direct current power at 230 pressure volts was installed. This plant was only used to light 14 surface lights.

It does appear that a 100 kW generation plant was operating at Ayrfield No. 1 Colliery in the late 1920's, (see page 104). Because these collieries were owned by the same company and in close proximity to each other, that if some electric additional power had been required at Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery, it seems reasonable to assume that it may have been transmitted the short distance from Ayrfield No. 1 Colliery.

Records at Maitland City Council, (Electricity Supply Department) show that an electricity power transmission line was erected during early 1930 to Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery via East Greta Village. This line was to meet the colliery's electrical requirements.

Research did not disclose pumps being used at Ayrfield No. 2. It would appear logical in view of the records of bailing at Ayrfield No. 1 Colliery by use of the "alligator", that this method was not also utilised at Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery.

A total of 250,000 gallons came through a bore-hole into Heddon Greta Colliery on the 9th April 1926, before the flow could be controlled. A further bore-hole, again made into Heddon Greta Colliery workings on the 18th July 1926, resulted in the lower half of Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery being flooded. As a result of this last flow, Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery was idle for a fortnight, presumably whilst the pit was bailed out. (See page No. 126 for history). Both these flooding incidents are recorded in the 1926 Mines Department Annual Report at page 70.

Hand-boring in Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery was replaced by compressed air driven machines. The steam engine driving the compressed air unit had a single 6 inches diameter. The unit was on the surface, and the compressed air was piped underground.

Ayrfield Collieries had their own fleet of rail wooden coal hopper wagons, that were utilised at all collieries belonging to R.W. Miller and Company.

Entry to the Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery sidings was made from the Stanford Railway by a "facing-point" movement for "down" trains. The Mackenzie-Holland Annette-locked lever frame operated both the facing points and the colliery-yard safety-catch-points and was released by a key on the safe-working section staff used on the Stanford Railway.

The short running road entry track and the colliery yard sidings were constructed by Messrs Arthur and Don McGlashen, contractors of Bulwer Street, Maitland. These tracks ran up on a slight rising grade in a north-westerly direction. The slight rise allowed the gravitation of vehicles under the screens to be loaded.

In its 1924 layout, the Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery sidings provided two standage holding for both loaded and empty vehicles. Capacity was for about 30 loaded and 30 empty wagons in each of the large and small coal sidings. The running road entry track ran on the west side up into a shunting neck. A small loop again on the outside of the running road siding just past the pit-top screens, allowed the locomotive to "run-around" about 22 vehicles.

"Down Inward" trains were limited to 41 colliery wagon vehicles. As standage permitted these vehicles were shunted into the empty vehicle area, or were "run-around" and propelled into the shunting neck to be gravitated back into the sidings later by the colliery employees.

By the beginning of 1927, two additional loading sidings had been constructed on the eastern side of the original sidings. The "run-around" loop was deleted and all four loading sidings were extended. The running-road shunting neck was extended to accommodate the inwards train of 41 vehicles. It was found in practice, by the sidings extension, plus the new sidings eliminated the need for the earlier lengthy and inefficient shunting. An important cost factor, when all collieries were charged by the railway company for all time in excess of the "free allowance of 45 minutes per train shunting time". A short "cross-over" track from the running road to the loaded vehicles sidings placed at an appropriate location allowed the brake-van to be placed for easy pick up at the rear of the "up" train by a gravitational movement. This also lessened the train shunting time.

Quite a number of underground falls had resulted in some surface depressions and subsidences on the Ayrfield Collieries Nos. 1 and 2 leases, following the heavy floods of the late 1920's. These concerned the railway company when they neared the rail tracks. Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery had ceased mining operations during the early part of 1931, and its yard sidings lay idle. A large depression said to have been originally caused by the 1930 and 1931 floods, forced in early 1932 a deviation of some 20 chains to the Stanford Railway.

This alteration moved the branch track westwards from a point some 8 chains prior to the entry to Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery. This new track made a curve or arc to cross the path-line of the Ayrfield No. 2 "running-road entry" branch, clear of the colliery loaded standage sidings, to rejoin the original Stanford Railway track about 7 chains past the entry points. The points themselves and portion of the Ayrfield No. 2 entry branch line were removed and were not replaced.

All coal beneath any main line railway was and is supposed to remain and to be left as a barrier or solid coal strip at least 22 yards wide. It would appear that this was not carried out on the Ayrfield Collieries leases in relation to the Stanford Railway. On the 27th July 1934 a huge subsidence occurred quite near to where the new deviation had rejoined the Stanford Railway, and right at the edge of the rails and sleepers of the track.

Despite the efforts to protect the rails from this huge crater-like hole, (see "Brief History" section on page 126 for this description), the subsidence continued to spread. The Newcastle Morning Herald newspaper in its issue on the 10th August 1934 described the situation as hopeless. The hole had widened to be 45 yards long running with the rail track, to about 30 yards across, and at least 30 feet deep. Eventually both the Ayrfield Collieries Company and the Miners Federation agreed that the subsidence could not be sealed to the surface for the safe passage of trains on the Stanford Railway. The Stanford Railway was closed for all rail traffic from a point just past the entry into Ayrfield No. 1 Colliery.

Research has failed to locate information as to the description, type, size, etc., etc., on these essential ingredients of coal mining operations.

Following the Mines Department's direction and instruction on 7th March 1928, Mr J. McDonald was appointed under-manager at Ayrfield No. 2 Mine on 19th May 1928.

Robert W. Miller must have been impressed with his South Maitland Coalfields Greta seam mine at Ayrfield No. 1 Colliery, because on the 29th November 1923, he obtained a 10 years lease from the East Greta Coal Mining Company for part of the Heddon Greta Coal Mining Company's coal lease holding. On the 28th July 1915, the East Greta Coal Mining Company had acquired the assets of the Heddon Greta Coal Mining Company including the mine, the pit-top, freehold lands, the wagons, etc. Robert Miller also purchased 8 acres 2 roods 2 perches of freehold land, part of Portion 10, Parish of Heddon. The conveyance was made on 26th May 1925, and it is recorded in Volume 3731, Folio 213 of the Registrar-General's Department.

The 1924 Mines Department Annual Report shows that Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery had commenced its mine workings operations during August 1924.

During an inspection at Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery in August 1925, the Mines Department Inspector J. Jack found water was seeping freely in the bords on the south side. The Heddon Greta Colliery plans had indicated that a 9 chains barrier of coal existed between Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery and Heddon Greta Colliery. Inspector J. Jack considered that these plans may not have been as accurate as they should have been. Mr Jack recommended to Ayrfield Colliery management that bore-holes should be made running in at least 100 feet into the coal-face towards the abandoned Heddon Greta Colliery workings.

However it was not until 1926 that a small steam engine, with a 6 inches diameter cylinder, provided compressed air to bore holes into the solid coal area. Bore holes were 3 inches in diameter. All bore holes were made on the afternoon and night shifts when the pit was not producing.

Conditions remained normal until the 9th April 1926, when the bore struck water. As a result 250,000 gallons poured into Ayrfield No. 2 mine before the bore-hole could be plugged. On the 18th July 1926 another bore-hole in the No. 3 bord at a depth of 62 feet again struck water. The rush and pressure of this water enlarged the bore-hole to such an extent that the flow could not be controlled. As a result the lower half of Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery was flooded and the mine was laid idle for a fortnight, this time was presumably to allow the bailing-out of the water by the "alligator".

A passage was tunnelled and timbered from No. 1 bord level at Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery to the No. 2 bord level in Heddon Greta Colliery. On Sunday 8th August 1926 an exploratory party entered the old Heddon Greta workings. Two attempts failed to cover any appreciable distance because of the foul atmosphere and very bad roof conditions. A third attempt finally reached the top level of the Heddon Greta "jig". From this search it was found that 3 bords and the "bottom" level flat in the Heddon Greta Colliery were under water. A system was devised by the Mines Department and the Colliery management whereby the bore-hole was made into the Heddon Greta bord below the Ayrfield bord level, and by these means the immediate head of water was siphoned away and controlled. This scheme allowed Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery to be operated freely.

On the 7th March 1928, the Mines Department directed and instructed R.W. Miller and Company that whilst it would allow a single manager to control Ayrfield Nos. 1 and 2 Collieries, but it insisted that each colliery should have a separate under-manager.

On the 14th January 1931 at the first directors' meeting of the new J. & A. Brown Abermain-Seaham Limited Company, (J.A.B.A.S.), overtures were commenced to acquire the East Greta Coal Mining Company. The East Greta Company shareholders in March 1931 approved the take-over in January 1934, after it had acquired the East Greta Company, J.A.B.A.S. withdrew the Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery lease rights to work part of the Heddon Greta Coal Mining Company's lease.

Unsupported information advised that Ayrfield Collieries Company were not displeased with this action because the company was having great difficulty in holding the roof in the deeper working areas. To me this appears incorrect, because the R.W. Miller and Company "walked away" from Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery, and left all its structures and machinery intact. The R.W. Miller and Company's attitude and behaviour appears to me more to have been a case of pique and resentment. One also wonders, what was the background to J.A.B.A.S.'s withdrawal of the Heddon Greta lease. Could it have been just to cause a competitor problems?

My research into records of both companies shows that the original lease of portion of Heddon Greta Colliery lease was arranged by R.W. Miller in a lease dated 24th September 1924 to become operative on 29th November 1923. One of the conditions of this agreement was that R.W. Miller and Company were given the right to purchase 8 acres of freehold land on Portion 10, Parish of Heddon, on which to erect its pit-top and buildings. (This purchase was made - see Registrar-General's records Volume 3731 Folio 23). A second condition was that an application for the renewal of the lease was to be made in writing, six months before the expiration of the lease. J.A.B.A.S. group considered that date to be 29th May 1933. On 10th January 1934 R.W. Miller and Company had made application for the renewal of its Heddon Greta Mine lease. In this Company's opinion this was well ahead of the 6 months notice period calculated from the date of the original execution, namely 24th September 1924. J.A.B.A.S. group decided not to renew the lease.

Underground falls with the resultant subsidences and surface depressions over both its collieries' leases had been a bane and concern to the Ayrfield Collieries Company, particularly following the 1927 Hunter River flood. These subsidences were aggravated by the large flood in June 1930, that did such destruction to the neighbouring Glen Ayr Colliery. South Maitland Railways also kept a careful watch over these subsidences particularly when they neared rail track areas. The rail company was always prepared to safeguard the passage of their locomotives and its trains.

A huge subsidence occurred on the 27th July 1934 adjacent to the Stanford Railway, near the entrance to Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery. In its endeavour to fill in this large crater-like hole at least 30 feet deep, an unusual method was adopted. A great basket in its planning somewhat similar to a hanging plant-pot was manufactured from 12 lengths of 1½ inches diameter steel cables, ex-haulage ropes. This steel rope basket was intended to provide a false bottom for the cavity. The five men engaged in the construction used four horses to drag the contraption across the subsidence. Trees at least 20 feet in length were placed and laced across the wire basket. It was intended by this company to scoop earth over the 'laced trees to make a substantial seal and subsidence re-fill. However the cavity continued to fret and fall-in, and after a fortnight the opening was nearly double the original subsidence area.

The Newcastle Morning Herald newspaper in its issue on the 10th August 1934 described the restoration work as "hopeless". It said that the hole at that date was 45 yards long by 30 yards wide and about 30 feet deep. Finally both the Ayrfield Collieries Company and the Miners Federation officials agreed that the subsidence could not be restored to the surface for the safe passage of trains on the Stanford Railway.

Mr Bede Kelly later became the Superintendent of R.W. Miller and Company, informs that the drums used in the haulage at Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery, were recovered by the company in the latter part of the 1930's to be reused in R.W. Miller and Company's Maitland Extended No. 5 Tunnel.

A bush fire on the 26th January 1940 destroyed the unattended Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery pit-top building. During September 1947 the rails utilised in the colliery yard sidings and yard were recovered. Whilst this operation was being accomplished, the burnt out shell of Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery pit-top and buildings were bulldozed flat.

Subsidences on both the previous Ayrfield Collieries Company leases over a lengthy period required attention from the company in re-filling depressions and smothering heatings. The Mines Department has listed these occasions when it notified the R.W. miller and Company to take appropriate action. The dates shown were:

As outlined on page 117 in the "Brief History" section of the Ayrfield No. 1 Colliery part, a similar activity of re-sealing Ayrfield No. 2 Colliery was carried out during 1960 by a team of Ayrfield No. 3 Colliery employees under the supervision of Mr Kevin Lane, the company's engineer. This activity entailed the pushing of old bus and lorry frames into the Ayrfield No. 2 tunnel headings to make a more permanent seal.

Except for now grassed or tree-clad subsidences the area has returned to its natural bush topography. The land is now owned by Alcan Industries of Kurri Kurri.

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