OWNERS:

REFERENCES - MINES DEPARTMENT:

LOCATION:

(A) Portion 1 and part of Portion 2, Parish of Cessnock, County of Northumberland.

(B) Mining Lease No.

(C) Relation to neighbouring mines:

(i) South-West of Aberdare Extended Colliery.
(ii) South-West of Caldare Open-Cut Colliery.
(iii) West of Aberdare Seven Colliery.
(iv) North-East of Bellbird Colliery.

(D) Cessnock No. 2 Colliery was in a south-westerly direction from the shopping centre of Cessnock. It was generally considered in mining circles as being "small". It was south of Bellbird Heights residential area.

DISTANCES:

(A) Cessnock No. 2 Colliery was 2 miles 5 chains (3.3 km) distant by road from Cessnock Post Office via Wollombi Road, Francis Street, Margaret Street, and Lang Street, West Cessnock.

(B) Cessnock No. 2 Colliery's screens and pit-top was 16 miles 57 chains (26.74 km) distant by rail from the junction with the NSW Government Railways at East Greta Junction.

(C) The distance of the Cessnock Collieries Limited own Kalingo Railway between Bellbird Junction signal box and Cessnock No. 2 pit-top was 1 mile 61 chains (2.82 km).

AREA:

390 acres 0 roods 20 perches.

Although considered small for coal mining, this area was a large "L" shape, in which the base was formed by Portion 1, Parish of Cessnock, a rectangular section, known locally as "Styles" 100 acres. The side of the "L" was formed by a triangular area of 290 acres 0 roods 20 perches, which was that part of Portion 2, Parish of Cessnock, laying on the south-eastern side of the Cessnock to Wollombi Road.

This area was all freehold land.

SEAM:

All the expert coal authorities describe the Cessnock No. 2 Colliery coal lease as being a unique area. Professor T.W. Edgeworth David in his classic works on the Hunter River basin coalfields described prehistoric fires along the outcrop line. In his writings, Professor David tells that heat of these great fires was so intense, that it actually smelted large areas of sandstone and shale to form a rock resembling a volcanic lava. Whilst Professor David nominated several such areas, none more accurately demonstrated this phenomena, than on the Cessnock No. 2 coal lease.

Mr William Humble, an early Mines Department inspector published an article in the "Chemical, Engineering and Mining Review" in its issue dated 5th October 1921, covering the Cessnock No. 2 Colliery. Mr W. Humble informs that in the establishment of the mine on the outcrop and in the sinking of the small shallow air shaft, the Company had found areas of the seam to be entirely burnt, and the overlying strata "calcined" to a brick red colour. In his explanation of this uncommon happening, Mr W. Humble considered that this was either from spontaneous combustion occurring in situ, or the exposed outcrop had been ignited by a bush fire. Mr Humble favoured the latter interpretation. (Author's note: "Calcined" means "reduced to a friable ash substance by burning").

Mr Ted Hayler, who had been associated with Cessnock Colliery (No. 2) from 1919: then in 1924 became the colliery under-manager, and in November 1942 the colliery manager, told me over several long conversations that the Cessnock No. 2 Colliery coal seam was generally 25 feet to 30 feet thick. Mr Hayler said that a small fault exists right at the pit-top. Further the colliery had two tunnel haulage entries, and from each two different types of coal came, almost as if from two dissimilar seams. The coal seam in the "No. 1 Workings", (Author's note: The tunnel heading running towards Bellbird), had some shaley coal bands throughout its 30 feet depth. The first workings in this area was generally made to the 8 feet parting, where there was a 9 inches band. In the "No. 2 Workings", (Author's note: This tunnel heading running towards Aberdare Extended), the coal appeared to change its nature. This coal was very hard, and the seam had few bands. The first workings in this area was generally made to the 17 feet parting. Mr T. Hayler informed that in the No. 1 Workings the seam ran South 58º East, and dipped 1 foot in 7 feet. In the No. 2 Workings the seam ran South 37º East and dipped 1 foot in 8 feet. Further Mr Hayler stated that the deepest overburden was 200 feet, and mostly averaged 150 feet. This factor had meant much less roof pressure. Towards the outcrop line, red ash was down to a depth of 70 feet.

Mr Wilson Barrett followed Mr T. Hayler as the Cessnock No. 2 Colliery manager. He described the seam as being usually 30 feet thick, of good quality coal, very hard and with practically no bands.

In his booklet report to the NSW Mines Department entitled "Mineral Resources No. 37 - Maitland - Cessnock - Greta Coal District, Mr Leo J. Jones states that only the Greta Top Seam is known to occur in the Cessnock No. 2 Colliery. Further this seam ranges from 27 feet to 30 feet in thickness within this colliery holding, and it is free of "pronounced splitting". In his booklet on page 112 in "Figure No. 30", he shows a diagram of the Greta Top Seam at the Cessnock No. 2 Colliery, thus:

The Joint Coal Board in its 1957 Annual Report in outlining its proposals for "stowage test trials" at some South Maitland coalfield mines indicated that part of the materials to be used would be "red ash" quarried on Cessnock No. 2 Colliery property. In its description of this ash, the report stated that "prehistoric firing" had resulted in baking and induration of the clay shale. (Author's note: "Induration" means baked hard).

Both the management and mine workers at Cessnock No. 2 Colliery state that at their mine, the seam had a sandstone roof and a sandstone floor.

COMMENCED OPERATIONS:

Although a number of persons in the first decade of the 1900's had shown interest in the coal seams under the area that later became Cessnock No. 2 Colliery, no real development work was attempted. On 1st February 1908 the Great Northern Coal Company purchased part (290 acres) of Portion 2, Parish of Cessnock that later formed an area of Cessnock No. 2 Colliery. On 4th July 1910, the Great Northern Coal Company acquired by purchase Portion 1, Parish of Cessnock, (known locally as "Styles 100 acres"). Although it had purchased the land, the Great Northern Coal Company made no actual effort to establish a coal mine on this particular land.

On 15th March 1916, the Great Northern Coal Company agreed to lease to Messrs James Taylor and Clem Jones, for a period of 30 years, the coal mining rights on the company's freehold lands being Portion 1 and part Portion 2, Parish of Cessnock. Whilst James Taylor was the Wickham and Bullock Island Company's auditor and Clem Jones the same company's Neath Colliery mine manager, it would appear that they did not actually commence any mining operations on this land. On 1st August 1916, Wickham and Bullock Island Company purchased the coal lease mining rights on this land, then held by Messrs Taylor and Jones.

The NSW Mines Department 1917 Annual Report records that the Wickham and Bullock Island Company had notified that it had commenced mining operation at Portion 1 and Portion 2, Parish of Cessnock on the 24th January 1917. The Wickham and Bullock Island Company reported to its shareholders at the Company's half yearly meeting held on 30th April 1917 that the development work at the Cessnock mine was proceeding satisfactorily, and that the Company expected to be producing coal by the end of 1917. At the next half-yearly shareholders' meeting held on the 31st October 1917, the Company's directors reported that whilst one tunnel had reached the coal seam, further development had been delayed due to the "1917 State Railway Strike" and the coal miners supportive industrial action. On the 17th April 1918 the directors of the Wickham and Bullock Island Company told the shareholders that coal was being produced at their new "Cessnock Colliery" mine.

Meanwhile the Great Northern Coal Company which had received permission to build by the "Kalingo Railway Act of 1908", had belatedly continued its construction of this railway. Part of the route of this rail track had been across Portion 1 and Portion 2, Parish of Cessnock. By late 1916 the Kalingo Railway had been laid by the Great Northern Coal Company to its main mining centre near Ellalong. The Aberdare Railway Board of Control meeting minutes show that the first train of coal from Cessnock No. 2 Colliery was despatched and hauled in late May 1918. This was performed even though the correct safe-working signalling and interlocking installations had not then been fully completed at the junction link to the Aberdare Railway.

ENTRY:

Cessnock No. 2 Colliery had 3 entry tunnels and a short shallow air shaft. The two haulage tunnels were almost at the southern junction of Portion 1 and Portion 2, Parish of Cessnock. These two entry tunnels were 330 feet apart and directly opposite each other. The tunnel entry to the No. 1 Workings ran down in a westerly direction, but almost immediately made a turn in a fairly obtuse angle, so that the heading ran on in at south-westerly direction parallel to the eastern side of Portion 2, Parish of Cessnock, and some 30 yards from that boundary. The area between the haulage heading and the boundary was mainly solid coal, because the Kalingo Railway ran above it.

The tunnel entry to the No. 2 Workings ran down in an easterly direction, and this haulage heading proceeded in a direct line parallel to the southern side of Portion 1, Parish of Cessnock (Styles 100 acres). This heading too was some 30 yards from the boundary, and it too was mainly solid coal, because of the Kalingo rail track. On the surface prior to this section, the Kalingo Railway ran on Mining Lease 55 from Aberdare Extended direction, thence on the freehold land till it made a gentle radius curve on Mining Lease 54 (3 acres 0 roods 26 perches) on Mining Portion 70 to again return to the freehold land, and later to continue on Mining Lease 49 towards Kalingo Colliery.

Both the tunnel entries to the No. 1 Workings and No. 2 Workings were 11 feet 6 inches wide by 7 feet high. The main heading in the No. 1 Workings had a total length of ¾ mile (1.2 km) to the southern boundary towards Bellbird Colliery. The main heading in the No. 2 Workings had a total length of 5/8 mile (1.0 km) to the eastern boundary towards Aberdare Extended pit-top. Both the haulage headings tunnel entries ran down at grades or inclines of 1 foot in 8 feet. The main heading in the No. 1 Workings at a distance of about 350 yards from the surface levelled out to a dip of 1 foot in 20 feet. The main heading in the No. 2 Workings at a distance in of about 300 yards from the surface levelled out to a dip of 1 foot in 12 feet.

All the underground workings were connected by the "travelling road" headings, which were utilised as the return airway. The tunnel mouth to the travelling road headings was located 132 feet distant from the tunnel haulage entry to the No. 2 Workings in a north of north-west direction. This travelling road entry was used by both the miners and the pit-horses to descend into the colliery. This opening was 10 feet wide by 7 feet high. This tunnel heading ran down in a westerly direction, but it soon curved so that the travelling road to the No. 1 Workings ran in parallel to the main haulage heading. Just prior to the return drift to the bottom of the air shaft, there was a junction heading that turned gently towards the east to run underneath the pit-top. This travelling road heading continued on to the No. 2 Workings, running in parallel on the southern side of the main haulage heading from the No. 2 Workings.

During World War II, an air raid shelter was dug underground just before the travelling road to the No. 2 Workings reached the seam floor level. This room was some 18 feet square by 9 feet high. Over the room's entrance there was a sign designating "Air Raid Shelter". The room and sign remained for the life of the pit. During the war years, it had contained very little equipment other than a few stretchers and some basic first aid kits.

World War II also had an influence in the naming of two side headings diverting from the main haulage heading in the No. 1 Workings. The first was some 250 yards from the surface, and it was nicknamed "Tobruk". The second about 400 yards from the surface was known as "Bardia". Evidently a tribute to the servicemen of the North African campaigns. These two particular headings had been driven off at these positions, because "in-bye" there were several areas where spontaneous heatings frequently occurred. The headings were only worked casually. The coal here was a very hard type.

In the travelling road entry tunnel at about 75 feet from the surface, a double set of doors 15 feet apart had been erected. These doors provided an air lock. This established the circuit necessary to remove the mine of its foul air. On the surface side of the air lock doors was the area known as "Eyesight". This place "Eyesight" was common to all tunnel mines, and was where the miners adjusted their sight to the surface daylight.

"Eyesight" area at Cessnock No. 2 Colliery had another interesting aspect. In the 1920's, 1930's and 1940's during periods when the pit was closed during prolonged district strikes, Cessnock No. 2 Colliery was sealed off by brick walls erected for this purpose. Seal walls were constructed in both No. 1 and No. 2 haulage entry tunnels some 60 feet from the surface. A third seal wall was erected at "Eyesight" in the travelling road entry tunnel.

There has been some difficulty in obtaining documentary information on the actual sinking or driving of the original entry tunnels. Research has failed to reveal if a contracting firm had been engaged. At all South Maitland mines, there appears to have been a tendency for particular family names to continue generation after generation at the same colliery or with the same company. Thus it was at Cessnock No. 2 Colliery. Names like Wiles, Gehrig, Ackroyd, etc., constantly appear. From such old families some traditions and history has been obtained. Mr Jack Gehrig, now deceased, a very old miner then residing at 306 Maitland Road, Cessnock, told me his father, Mr Caspar "Capper" Gehrig had been one of the team of original sinkers working at contract rates. Mr Harry Wiles, of 88 Northcote Street, Cessnock, advised that his father Mr George Wiles also had been a member of the sinking team. Mr H. Wiles said the early tunnel mouths had been commenced by the use of a horse and scoop. Mr Wilson Barrett, the last manager at the mine, said that in his early days surveying at Cessnock No. 2 Colliery, there had been a number of diagrams at that colliery, which by coloured markings had demonstrated the progress made. These diagrams had also shown the various contract rates that had applied.

Each of the two haulage entry tunnels had carried a single 2 feet 2 inches gauge skip rail track. Contrary to the practices used generally in the driving of the early tunnels on the South Maitland field, very little support timber appears to have been utilised in both the Cessnock No. 2 Colliery haulage tunnels. It is difficult to determine if this practice had been due to the hard nature of the sandstone traversed or because of the low overburden on the colliery coal lease holding. An early bore on this particular land made by Mr Edwin Pepper for the then owner, Mr John Scholey, reached a 28 feet seam of coal at a depth of 78 feet.

A fourth point of entry at Cessnock No. 2 Colliery was the shallow air shaft. This was 9 feet in diameter and 54 feet in depth. A rising drift or heading connected the travelling road to the bottom of this shaft. The travelling road headings in both No. 1 and No. 2 Workings were utilised as the return airways. The rising drift to the air shaft bottom completed the circuit for the disposal of the mine's foul air.

METHOD OF WORKING:

As indicated in the earlier sections, Cessnock No. 2 was a unique mine. Whilst one pit with two haulage entry tunnels, it was looked on and described as two workings. Even the nature of the seam seemed to emphasise this approach. In the No. 1 Workings, the headings, bords and cut-throughs were first worked to an 8 feet height, where there was a 9 inch band parting. In the No. 2 Workings, generally the coal in the headings and bords was first worked to a 17 feet height.

The first colliery manager, Mr Clem Jones, planned Cessnock No. 2 Colliery to be worked under the "Staffordshire" or Welsh Bord System. Under this system, small panels were made containing 5 to 10 pillars. These pillars were also small and were formed 5 to 8 yards square, to allow the maximum volume of coal to be removed. In the general outlook, this was achieved and up to 85% of the coal available was extracted.

After the main heading reached the Bellbird boundary in the No. 1 Workings, side headings were made towards the west. All headings, bords and cut-throughs were made 18 feet wide. First workings in No. 1 were made to an 8 feet height to a 9 inches wide band parting. Consideration was given to panel sizes, so that wheeling distances did not exceed 12 chains. Having made the panel, "tops coal" was taken in the side headings, bords and cut-throughs, to the full height of the 30 feet thick seam. Then starting from the boundary, and by "skirting" work, as much pillar coal, as was safe, was removed to leave only small stooks standing. A simple clean arrangement that won about 85% of the coal in the seam. In this colliery's early days, outstanding figures in production were attained from the very high seam. (Author's note: (A) "Skirting work" is the practice of taking coal by circling the pillar, gradually whittling and paring the coal away. (B) "Stook" is a thin or narrow column that was left).

Having completed the removal of that first panel, coal remaining between the removed panel (or goaf) and the main haulage heading, was formed into the required number of panels in turn, and again being worked in turn similar as to in the first panel. When the main haulage heading was reached, after the panel forming and pillar removal work was completed, other side headings were made, driving towards the western boundary, and again breaking off into fresh little panels. Most side headings were driven slightly uphill to assist the wheeling haulage. The whole operation was repeated again and again, resulting in the end, to numerous side headings.

In the No. 2 Workings similar practices and principles of development were followed, except that the first workings was made to the 17 feet parting.

All work was by hand-mining under contract conditions. Because there was no electricity carried below, nor was compressed air utilised, all boring was also made by hand. All coal was won by grunching, hand boring, explosives and the shovel. Cessnock No. 2 for its first 25 years life was considered as a naked light pit. In 1944 after some 25 years operation, two very significant changes were made at Cessnock No. 2 Colliery. Electricity was run underground, and this allowed the introduction of electrical boring machines. In this same year, the miners' naked lights were replaced by "Nife" battery lamps.

Whilst generally in the colliery, the trend towards small pillars was maintained, in some areas due to the pit conditions, pillar sizes were increased even up to the customary 40 yards long by 22 yards wide pillar. In such cases when the pillars were being extracted on the retreat, these pillars were "quartered" to form the normal Cessnock No. 2 pillar. It would appear that Cessnock No. 2 colliery over its life mainly "formed" small pillars.

The development of Cessnock No. 2 Colliery basically conformed to the original design planned by the colliery's first manager, Mr Clem Jones, who later became the Company's superintendent. Two main headings, haulage and travelling ran parallel to a boundary in each of the two workings. Skip movement to the surface was by direct haulage, powered by a steam engine. Empty skips returning below was mainly by gravity power using the steam engine to brake and control. A number of "flats" existed along the main haulage tunnels to allow skips to be attached or detached to service the side headings. Only one clipper worked in each tunnel. At Cessnock No. 2 Colliery this classification was called the "flatter". This employee was demanded to be in attendance at the first flat, and accompanied the "skips set" to attach or detach the appropriate number of skips required. If necessary the flatter accompanied the set to the end of the rope run. The last loading skip on a rising set dragged a "bull-bar". This was constructed from heavy steel. It was used as an emergency device in case of a breakaway.

Cessnock No. 2 Colliery was always run economically. Early contract wheeling rates were based on the fact, that 12 chains was the maximum distance wheeled before a higher wheeling rate was paid. Mr Clem Jones, the original designer had arranged that a "sidler" and his pit-horse was utilised to move the skips from the end of the haulage rope flat to and from an in-bye flat, usually on either the main or side heading, to be transported by the wheeler and his pit horse to the coal face working place. Records show the maximum number of sidlers employed at one time was two in each of the No. 1 and No. 2 Workings. The employment of the sidlers appears to have finished by early 1944 as the mine working came back towards the surface on the retreat operation.

As stated earlier, side headings and bords were driven slightly up-hill, partly to assist the wheeler and his pit-horse returning with the loaded skips, and partly to handle drainage. Whilst Cessnock No. 2 colliery did not have great underground water problems, there were a few fairly bad wet spots. Cessnock No. 2 Colliery did not ever have underground pumps. In these particular wet spots where seals or brick stoppings were erected, such seals or stoppings were fitted with "water traps". This was a device which allowed water flow, if necessary, whilst preventing an incorrect air flow.

As described earlier, no support timbers were erected in the entry tunnels. This was a departure from the usual customs and practices of that coal mining period. This seems to have been the philosophy of the Cessnock Colliery Company to use a minimum of timber. Only pit props and legs were used, never baulks. Because of the "retreat-working" operation, the mine management considered little timber was required. As well as erecting the pit props, the shiftmen were utilised to recover pit props wherever possible from areas that had just been worked. The pit prop timbers were used again, over and over and over. In reality, such pit props were only "token timbers". The shiftmen were paid a half shift per week additional money for recovering such timbers. One old "shiftman" miner, from the Cessnock No. 2 Colliery, described many areas he had seen underground in this mine, and which were up to 100 yards long by 40 yards wide, 30 feet high, with no props, no support, nothing. Just standing waiting for the strata roof to give way. What a frightening sight it must have been to look into such goaf areas. Some other early Cessnock No. 2 Colliery miners have said jestingly that the Company obtained "a truckload of timber every 12 months, whether it needed it or not".

This same old shiftman recounted the traditional garb worn by a shiftman miner underground. It too is worthy of a mention here. Hob-nailed boots, knitted woollen socks, trousers, black singlet, waist-coat and cloth cap. Waist-coat pockets were most useful to carry nails, chalk, etc.

Another of the shiftman's duties was to break away the tops coal in a heading or bord to give the contract miner a start. A "tops" hole drill was used to "vee" into the coal roof. A drill stand was tightened and firmed by screwing into the roof, the floor and the rib. The drill with its extensions made sufficient holes to use only a minimum of explosives. The tops coal was dropped to make a heap for the contract miners to work on. The winning of tops coal was all hard work. Hand boring, no watering, very dusty conditions and in obtaining and shovelling coal from up on the heaps or "stepped" coal. A lot of this coal was won with a loose end under a dangerous lip. Cessnock No. 2 Colliery appears to have had more than its share of mining fatalities in proportion to the numbers employed.

There was a fair sized fault about the middle of the No. 1 Workings, and a surface creek about the centre of the No. 2 Workings added to the hazards, and consequently some tops coal was left along these increased difficulty areas. In some small locations within the colliery, coal was high in sulphur content in the top portion of the seam, and again this coal was allowed to remain. Mr Ted Hayler, an early under-manager at Cessnock No. 2 Colliery, informs that due to the low overburden cover, the small sized pillars and the fairly high percentage of extraction, underground fall-ins and surface subsidences at the Cessnock No. 2 Colliery were almost continuous. Part of the surface area above the No. 2 Workings was rented to the Cessnock Golf Club by the Cessnock No. 2 Colliery for use as that Club's links. (See history section page 736). The Colliery's fall-ins became golfing hazards in more ways than the usual meaning. A number of Cessnock No. 2 Colliery miners have told of their experiences in foolishly and unsafely scrambling up heaps of fallen rocks and strata in these fall-ins and subsidences to reach the surface.

Ventilation was affected by these fall-ins and subsidences. Whilst areas in the normal colliery working were required to be sealed by brick or concrete stoppings, fall-ins and subsidences added to the needs and problems, especially because of the nature of South Maitland Coalfields towards spontaneous combustion in the coal seams in disturbed surface areas. Brattice was also used extensively.

At the Cessnock No. 2 colliery two underground mining employees were engaged as clippers, (or "flatters"), one in each haulage heading. The Colliery paid each flatter a half shift additional money each week for cleaning up the "flats" along the haulage rope run. The spilt coal recovered usually amounted to about two skips of coal. Thus this chore became a very economic proposition to the company. The line of promotion at Cessnock No. 2 Colliery was to commence as a surface pit-boy, perhaps working on the picking belt, or as the "token-boy", or in marshalling the empty skips into sets for the return underground, then to progress in becoming the clipper (or flatter), in the haulage headings. The seniority line appears to have been thus:

Surface pit-boy
Clipper (Flatter)
Spare wheeler
Sidler
Permanent contract wheeler
Shiftman
Skip track road layer
Contract miner.

There were some 66 men employed as contract miners, 18 pairs in the No. 1 Workings, 15 pairs in the No. 2 Workings, 11 men worked as contract wheelers, 4 sidlers, 4 shiftmen (two in each working), 2 deputies, (one in each working). The mine employed about 100 persons for all these classifications.

18 skips were transported in a set up or down the haulage headings. Having arrived onto the surface and whilst still in motion, the set was detached from the haulage rope by the pit-top boy. Both the haulage headings skip tracks then made a sweep turn to be fed onto the creeper chain by Mr Alfred Ackroyd. An occupation this man performed for many years. The creeper chain raised the skips some 8 feet in height along the 40 feet long gantry to the work level decking. Here, almost immediately, the skip ran onto the weighbridge. Then it gravitated around a sharp left-hand to run into a single side tipping tumbler tippler. This tumbler did not turn right around. It returned back to the upright position, when a lever released the pawl. Coal from the tumbler tipped onto a 60 feet long "Marcus" shaker screen. The next loaded skip pushed the emptied skip forward to allow it to gravitate ahead. The emptied skip track made a sharp left-hand turn, followed quickly by a further sharp left-hand turn.

Empty skips planned to be placed below in the No. 1 Workings continued to run down the skip track underneath the rising creeper chain gantry on to a skip shunt track on the southern side and parallel to the rising skips main haulage tunnel track. In this shunt the skips were clipped together by the pit-top boy into a set of 18 skips, preparatory to gravitating below. Empty skips planned to be placed below in the No. 2 Workings, diverted from the empty skip circuit just prior to the rising creeper gantry. These particular skips made a sharp right-hand sweep turn continuing into a skip shunt, also on the southern side and parallel to the No. 2 Workings rising skips main haulage tunnel track. Again the pit-top boy prepared a set of 18 skips to be gravitated below.

After consultation with the winding engine driver, Mr Dick Drinkwater, the pit-boy clipped the returning set to the haulage rope. The boy then held a set of catch-points on the skip track shunt to allow the set to run towards the tunnel mouth. A second set of throw-over catch-points just prior to the tunnel mouth and just before the main haulage tunnel skip track gave added protection. Finally the pit-boy with a special designed pulled the slack haulage rope over to the main track in readiness to be gravitated below. The engine driver controlled and braked the set where necessary. Similar operations took place on the other side of the pit-top to allow entry to the other tunnel.

Coal tipped from the tumbler ran onto the 60 feet long Marcus shaker screen. The creeper chain and the shaker screen were operated by a steam engine, located on a concrete base foundation on the ground surface level below the weighman's cabin. With the start of the mine day, the colliery fireman, Mr Len Ryan turned the steam from the boilers to the winding engine and to this screens auxiliary engine. Mr ? Nickerson started the ground level engine, which by a number of governors regulated the speed for the various operations. Once started the creeper and shaker actions were more or less automatic.

The 4 feet wide shaker screen was also the picking belt, where pit-top boys removed stone, shale, chitter or pit-rubbish. It had a slight incline and had a one foot movement back and forward caused by an eccentric construction. The eccentric construction only worked in one direction, the engine piston returning jabbed the "eccentric" back the other way. Plates on the screens were changeable, and these had varying sized holes to suit the coal orders. Small coal was caught in a timber box (or bin) to be held for later loading, into the wooden hopper rail coal wagons. Different to the other coal mines on the field, Cessnock No. 2 Colliery never had a large timber small coal holding box (or bin), but utilised this small box under the screens at the pit-top and the rail wagons.

Another small timber box underneath the screens had a chute to allow coal loading into a horse tip dray. Similar to the other coal mines, all employees were allowed one ton a month of free household coal. Cessnock Collieries Company did not allow outside coal carters to operate from its Cessnock No. 2 Colliery mine. Instead the Company employed two brothers, Messrs Ted and ? "Curly" Goodwin as their in-house colliery coal carters. Both did home deliveries. In addition "Curly" Goodwin performed local pit cartage work including transporting coal to the boilers.

Heavy rains during 1930 caused a series of underground falls in Cessnock No. 2 Colliery plus a number of subsidences, one of which extended to the surface on 10th November 1930. Over the next decade, the Mines Department in its Annual Reports record continuing areas of subsidence at Cessnock No. 2 Colliery.

Mr Ted Hayler, an early under-manager at Cessnock No. 2 Colliery and a nephew of Mr Clem Jones, the first Cessnock No. 2 Colliery manager, informs that Jones' overall plan and design for Cessnock No. 2 Colliery, was that this colliery was to be financed from the profits of Neath Colliery. In the then short term future, both Cessnock No. 2 and Neath Collieries were to finance the development of Kalingo Colliery from their profits. In these early days of Cessnock No. 2 Colliery, the general opinion of the company directors and their mining administration was that Cessnock No. 2 Colliery would only have a life expectancy of 5 years. Over the years, the Cessnock Collieries Company's Board of Directors on a number of occasions had seriously examined the prospects of closing Cessnock No. 2 mine. More especially in the late 1930's, as their Cessnock No. 1 (Kalingo) Colliery edged towards production time. However whilst coal was still being won freely and economically, the operation of Cessnock No. 2 Colliery continued.

Cessnock No. 2 Colliery never had electricity below in its first 20 years. Nor did the mine have compressed air piped down. Thus at no stage of its history were coal cutting machines utilised. Coal production was made always from hard work by contract miners in dusty conditions, with hand boring and shovel filling. Wheeling transport too was always performed by the reliable pit-horses. When an older Cessnock No. 2 miner was questioned about mining mechanisation at the pit, he humorously replied, – "The only mechanisation at Cessnock No. 2 Colliery had been a No. 8 shovel".

Yet the relationship between the management, the mine employees and the colliery lodge officials was always on a good footing. A personal sound basis. So much so that the Cessnock Collieries Company Board of Directors arranged a fine 1940 Xmas party in Peden's Hall, Cumberland Street, Cessnock to mark and recognise that the mine had worked 1000 consecutive days without a petty stoppage. A fine record in any industry.

Another of Mr Clem Jones' original plans and designs for Cessnock No. 2 Colliery was that he had reserved an area for later open-cut mining operations. This particular location had only some 50 feet of overburden above a 30 feet thick magnificent coal seam. During World War II the NSW Government had prevailed on the Cessnock Colliery Company to work this "reserved" area by underground mining methods. Firstly to meet the country's need for this top quality coal, but secondly as a show of the Company's war effort. In reserving the area for open-cut mining, Mr Clem Jones had forecast that underground mining methods there, would cause falls to the surface, heatings and fires. Perhaps the later subsidences and the spectacular fire at the Cessnock No. 2 Colliery in April 1946 (Easter holiday weekend), bore strong evidence of Mr Jones' wisdom and appreciation of the area.

The dramatic impressive fire mentioned in the previous paragraph was caused by a huge subsidence in the old "golf links" area (No. 2 Workings). Black smoke belched and blackened the nearby residential streets of West Cessnock. Sydney newspapers at the time likened the Cessnock No. 2 Colliery fire to a volcano. Some fire and flames up to 30 feet high did reach the surface. Fumes caused some unpleasantness in the neighbouring region.

The practical method to deal with a mine fire is to blanket the outbreak to prevent the intake of air to feed the flames. Many schemes, some of a fantastic nature, were suggested to combat the menace. One was that a 500 pounds bomb should be dropped by the Royal Australian Air Force. The local citizens protested that such "pin-point" bombing could cause destruction to homes, and even loss of life if it was not accurate. A street meeting voiced their concern and sought assurance for compensation. Neighbouring collieries added their objections. For even though there were barriers of up to 48 yards width, mistakes could vitally affect the safety and security of the mines.

Other weird proposals offered was that the military should be brought in from the nearby Greta Camp to pound with 60 pounds howitzer shells to smother the fire. Some objections raised were that further crevices opened could cause more fire outbreaks.

Mr William May, the Miners Federation Check Inspector, urged the flooding of the mine. This method, Mr May said, he had seen used in Yorkshire, England.

In this particular instance, the fire had been very rapid. Within a few hours, other subsidences had taken place and dozens of small craters honeycombed the area. Finally the fire was controlled by blowing in the sides of the various craters with explosives. Then dumping in soil. This effort was planned and carried out under the supervision of the colliery manager, Mr Wilson Barrett. A gradual dampening down of the fire with earth and water reduced the smoke nuisance. On Monday 29th April 1946 a proto-team from the Abermain Rescue Station led by the Station Superintendent, Mr G. Emery, erected a brick seal in both the haulage and travelling tunnel headings to isolate the No. 2 Workings. The No. 2 Workings section of the mine appears to have been abandoned from this date.

It should also be placed on record and a tribute made to the mine workers living in Cessnock and their efforts in the fight against this mishap. As in many other mining tragedies (i.e. the Bellbird Colliery disaster) mine workers from other collieries and companies, cancelled their Easter holidays to assist in the endeavours to smother and control this fire. Many took abnormal risks and were in very perilous positions, working attached to ropes. Others volunteering to go into the fume choked colliery to effect rescue work. A quality ever present in this breed of men, particularly where lives are in danger, they are always ready to take risks to assist.

Towards the mid 1940's, and particularly following the disastrous subsidence fire in April 1946, the available coal to be worked on the retreat in Cessnock No. 2 Colliery was becoming less and less. The Cessnock Collieries Company Board of Directors considered the mine's prospects and their choices of operation. The neighbouring open-cut Caldare Colliery on the Aberdare Extended Colliery lease had proved to be profitable and successful. The Minutes of the Company's Directors' meeting held on 30th October 1947 records that the Joint Coal Board had approved the opening of an open-cut mining operation on Cessnock No. 2 Colliery property. In February 1948 Cessnock Collieries Company called tenders to carry out this activity. In early 1948 Caldare No. 1 Open-Cut Colliery was reaching the end of the area designated to be worked. This contractor, Mr P.A. Yeomans, made a tender to work the Cessnock No. 2 Colliery Open-Cut. His proposal was to clear some 100,000 tons of overburden before any coal was extracted. Yeomans' quote was at eleven shillings and ninepence ($1.19) per cubic yard, with a progress payment of three shillings and sixpence ($0.36) per cubic yard as the earth was cleared.

The area to be open-cut was in the Cessnock No. 2 Colliery's No. 2 Workings, parallel to the Kalingo Railway. South Maitland Railways Pty. Ltd. insisted that a strip 78 feet in width from the centre of the main Kalingo Branch track should be retained. Mr P.A. Yeomans commenced his clearing in March 1948. The underground mining at Cessnock No. 2 Colliery No. 1 Workings appears to have continued in a restricted style in conjunction with this first open-cut mining. The Mines Inspectors' records held at the Department's Newcastle Office shows that underground mining at Cessnock No. 2 Colliery ceased in November 1948.

As the clearing work continued, Mr P.A. Yeomans on 22nd June 1948 sought an increase in the price rate from 11/9 ($1.19) to 16/- ($1.60) per ton. Mr Yeomans had found that the overburden had consisted of hard sandstone, which was materially different to what he had believed, when he tendered for the contract. The Cessnock Collieries Company Board of Directors were concerned that if another contractor was to be engaged, the Joint Coal Board would force a lower profit rate than the 9/- ($0.90) per ton being earned under Yeomans' contract. The Company finally settled with Mr P.A. Yeomans for an increase to 14/- ($1.40) per ton.

As a result of the Joint Coal Board's interest in this open-cut, and the Board's policy and endeavours to increase the country's coal production generally, it would appear that Mr P.A. Yeomans and Mr Watts, Joint Coal Board engineer, made a joint physical inspection of the area and Yeomans' plant. The two men agreed that Yeomans' plant was definitely not suitable for the purpose required. It was evident that this particular open-cut work required careful planning, more powerful machinery, with bigger drills and shovels to replace the rippers and drag-line. By August 1948, the Joint Coal Board had provided Mr P.A. Yeomans with new plant to change the method of operation. In addition the Joint Coal Board gave expert engineering advice.

On 12th October 1948 Mr P.A. Yeomans informed Cessnock Collieries Company that his firm had been divided into a number of proprietary companies, and requested the transfer of his (Yeomans) contract for the Cessnock No. 2 Colliery open-cut mining operations to his subsidiary, Northern Open-Cut Pty. Ltd". Up to this date, some 47,476 cubic yards of overburden had been removed at a cost of £8,595-15-3 ($17,193.06). By 30th June 1949 some 4,625 tons of coal had been won by the open-cut mining operation.

During March 1949 the Joint Coal Board purchased all the shares of the P.A. Yeomans' firm and his subsidiary open-cut companies, Northern Open-Cut Pty. Ltd. and Western Open-Cut Pty. Ltd.

In November 1949 the Joint Coal Board formed a subsidiary, NSW Mining Company Pty. Ltd., to take over all the Joint Coal Board's open-cut mining operations. As part of this set-up, the Joint Coal Board took over the rights and obligations under Yeomans' contract for the extraction and delivery of coal from the Cessnock No. 2 Colliery Open-Cut.

The Board of Directors of Cessnock Collieries Company on 15th April 1952 decided to extend the extraction of coal by open-cut mining methods from under the old Golf Links area. The open-cut mining operations at Cessnock No. 2 Colliery terminated on 14th November 1955.

In November 1957 Caledonian Collieries commenced to drive a tunnel heading through the barrier dividing Aberdare Extended and Cessnock No. 2 Collieries for the purpose of opening a new mine to work coal on the Aberdare Extended lease. Caledonian Collieries Limited had arranged with the Cessnock Collieries Limited for the new mine, (Aberdare Seven Colliery) to use the then idle Cessnock No. 2 Colliery's pit-top, screens and sidings to load and treat this new pit's coal production. Caledonian Collieries also had obtained permission to connect and use the Cessnock No. 2 air shaft to ventilate its new mine.

The Joint Coal Board on 12th March 1953 had arranged with Cessnock Collieries Limited that in consideration of a payment of £1,000-0-0 ($2,000.00) per annum that the Joint Coal Board's Coal Conservation Committee should take annually 200,000 cubic yards of red ash shale from the Cessnock No. 2 Colliery property for use in its Stowage Test trials. (See page 738 for a more complete record of this Stowage Test trials).

Underground mining production at Aberdare Seven Colliery ceased on 4th December 1968. The need for the Cessnock No. 2 pit-top facilities were no longer required. A vigorous program of open-cut mining operations were introduced. The Cessnock No. 2 Colliery pit-top, air shaft and surface buildings were demolished and the rail sidings yard lifted. The whole outcrop area at Cessnock No. 2 still remaining, together with the Aberdare Seven pit-top area , were worked as an open-cut. Coal and Allied Limited directed that the Kalingo Railway main line was to be closed temporarily, whilst the solid coal under the railway, where it ran on the Cessnock Colliery's property, was recovered by open-cut mining. In just over a 12 months period (1970-1971) the railway was relaid to service the collieries previously using the track. Alternative loading facilities had been provided at Aberdare Extended Colliery sidings, during the Kalingo Railway closed period to handle the Maitland Main Colliery production. Mines Department records show this open-cut to have been 900 metres long by 100 metres wide.

The coal produced from this particular open-cut mining operation was treated and loaded at Aberdare Shaft washery plant. This open-cut coal mining operation on the Cessnock No. 2 and Aberdare Seven Collieries workings ceased on 19th April 1972.

MINE HAULAGE:

Cessnock No. 2 Colliery haulage was operated by a very old steam engine. Research has failed to reveal the brand or manufacturer of this engine. All the persons contacted, who had been involved with this colliery from its infancy, believe this steam engine was a second-hand unit obtained by Mr Clem Jones at a very low price. Despite this background, this old steam engine operated very efficiently over the whole life of Cessnock No. 2 Colliery.

This haulage engine had two 18 inches diameter cylinders. These operated two large cable rope drums, each about 7 feet in diameter. The engine "direct" hauled out of one tunnel heading at a time from either of the two workings. The winding engine driver, Mr Dick Drinkwater, used a large clutch handle to engage the drum required for the particular tunnel haulage. Each drum had a one inch diameter steel rope, which was about a half mile in length. Two large grooved wheels laying on their side directly opposite the winding engine house guided the rope to run on rollers between the skip track rails. 18 loaded skips in a set were raised by the direct haulage. Empty skips connected to the haulage rope were returned underground, again in a set of 18. These utilised gravity power, with the winding engine driver using his steam engine to brake and control.

The skips utilised in the Cessnock No. 2 Colliery working, were always the small wooden skips, which ran on a two feet two inches gauge skip rail track. An early road layer employed at Cessnock No. 2 Colliery informed me that the under-manager, Mr Ted Hayler had been most frugal with his issue of "dog spikes" for use on the maintenance or extensions of the track. He was given only a "handful of dog spikes at a time". In keeping with the careful economy policy of the mine, the road layer was expected to recover rails, track and spikes, wherever possible from worked out areas.

In each of the tunnel headings in both No. 1 and No. 2 Workings, a clipper, (known in Cessnock No. 2 Colliery as a "flatter") handled the set of skips. The flatter met the incoming set of 18 empty skips at the first flat in the tunnel heading. Here if required, a number of skips were detached to meet the needs of the miners working in places diverting in side headings. Similar operations were performed at various flats, where side headings diverted. If necessary, the flatter accompanied the remainder of the set to the last flat at the end of the rope run.

In the very early days of the mine development, "sidlers" and their pit-horses were used to move the skips to an in-bye flat either on the main haulage heading or on an appropriate side-heading. From here a wheeler and his horse transported the empty skip to the work face. Award provisions allowed for a wheeler to haul for a distance of 12 chains (about 264 metres) without incurring a penalty payment. In these early days, it appears that side-headings and bords were inclined slightly up-hill towards the work places, firstly to assist the return wheeling of the loaded skips, and secondly to ensure good drainage. The wheeler's loaded skips were usually exchanged for the empty skips, and the sidler returned these loaded skips to the haulage rope. The employment of the classification of sidlers appears to have ceased in Cessnock No. 2 Colliery by early 1944.

Back at the haulage rope, commencing at the end of the rope flat, the flatter coupled the loaded skips, where available in sets of 18. The last skip in the set dragged a "bull-bar". This was a heavy steel safety device used to slow and brake the set in case of a breakaway. The flatter communicated from the various flats with the winding engine driver by a system of bell signals, similar to the codes at other mines. Rapping wires connected to wet-cell batteries ran along the side of the heading past the flats. The flatter was supplied with a metal rapper set. Each flatter usually carried a broken hacksaw blade to clean the corroded wires to obtain the best signal.

At the surface, whilst the skips were still in motion, the set was detached by the "pit-top boy" from the haulage rope. As the set continued to move forward, the loaded skips were fed onto a creeper chain to be raised up a gantry towards the pit-top work decking, (see page 697). Having been emptied, the skips gravitated back to a skip shunt to be marshalled in a set of 18, for return underground as directed by the winding engine driver.

Steam for all operations was provided from three egg-end boilers, one Cornish and two Lancashire. One boiler was always on standby. The colliery brick chimney stack for the boiler fires was reasonably short, only some 70 feet in height. It was of a tapering square design, being 12 feet square at its base, and 6 feet square at its top. Best use was made of the steam. Steam from the ground level engine used to drive the shaker screens, etc., when the need arose, was utilised via a pipeline to warm and heat the weighman's cabin. Exhaust and excess steam from this engine was also piped back to link with excess steam from the main winding engine. A further pipe returned excess steam from the fan engine. All this surplus excess steam heated the water used for the miners' showers. This bath-house water was held in a disused boiler, that stood on the eastern side of the bath-house, some 10 of 12 yards from the building. Steam pipes also warmed the interior of the bath-house. All steam pipes finally fed back to pre-heat the water, waiting in the settling tanks to enter the boilers. All this planning certainly credits the ingenuity of the original Cessnock No. 2 pit-top designer, Mr Clem Jones.

Cessnock No. 2 mine never had a colliery dam. Water used in the boilers, was provided from the Hunter District Water Board mains, which was piped off from near Francis Street, Cessnock, across country over the "Styles 100 acres" section of the property. About 1940 when the Colliery management had some concern about fall-ins and subsidences in this region, a new alternative mains connection was made from Bellbird Heights from near the Bellbird Reservoir. Water for use in the boiler was placed in settling tanks near the pit-top. This water was pre-heated before being gravity fed to the boilers. It is of interest that when an area of the "Styles" section was leased to form Cessnock Golf Club Links, Cessnock Collieries Limited Company generously surveyed appropriate lines for the Golf Club to use to water its greens and fairways.

Pit-horses also played their usual but very important role in the haulage activities at Cessnock No. 2 Colliery. The creeper chain belt was utilised on Cessnock No. 2 Colliery pit-top to haul loaded skips up a gantry from the surface level to the work decking.

PIT-HORSES:

As a coal mine Cessnock No. 2 Colliery really only covered a smallish area. Its "direct" haulage was restricted to the main headings in both the No. 1 and No. 2 Workings. The rope haulage only ran in about half a mile in each tunnel. Pit-horses worked by either the sidler or the wheel transported the skips to and from the coal face.

Cessnock No. 2 Colliery had a total of some 25 horses. These were:

11 wheeling horses,
5 sidling horses,
4 snigging horses,
5 spare horses.

Pit-horses, like the miners, used the travelling tunnel to enter and leave the mine, and surfaced every day. Once clear of the tunnel, the horses immediately entered the large pit-horse paddock, which ran alongside the northern side of the colliery rail sidings. A large stable building had been erected at the Aberdare Extended end of the paddock. It stood close to the college sidings, and at right angles to them. The section of this structure closest to the rail tracks, an area some 30 feet by 30 feet, was utilised as a feed storage shed. The balance of the timber framed building was used as the stable. This was roofed and clad with corrugated galvanised iron. Each horse had its own individual stall, and entered the stable area freely through the open wooden gates. The horses were fed in the open paddock using old skips and wooden feed troughs.

VENTILATION:

The first ventilation, whilst the headings were being driven, appears to have been by natural means. The 1918 Mines Department Annual Report in a section on "Coal Mines Ventilation" states that the ventilation at the new Cessnock (No. 2) Colliery was being assisted by "steam jets". The same section informs that a new "Capelle" fan was on the pit property, ready for installation when the up-cast air shaft had been widened. This fan was placed in position in early in 1919.

The Capelle fan was steam driven. It was a single inlet type, 8 feet in diameter and 4 feet 6 inches deep. It stood over an air shaft, which was 9 feet in diameter, and 54 feet deep. A rising drift or heading connected the travelling road heading to the bottom of this shaft.

The main haulage headings in both the No. 1 and No. 2 Workings were the in-take airways. The travelling road headings in both the No. 1 and No. 2 Workings were the return airways. The travelling road entry tunnel heading made a junction close to the rising air shaft drift. Its left-hand heading ran underneath the pit-top structures to enter the No. 2 Workings. Cut-throughs between the bords and the extensive use of brattice gave the Cessnock No. 2 Colliery good ventilation.

The steam engine driving the Capelle fan was located in a small fan house, close by to the air shaft and near the main engine house and boilers. In mid 1935 subsequent to the town supply electricity being connected to Cessnock No. 2 Colliery, an electric motor and switch board was installed in the rear part of the large winding engine house building. This was near the area in that structure, that was designated the "fitters' shop". The electric motor was able to be run at varying speeds by changing belts and pulley sizes to suit. The speed of the fan during the daily full coal production altered from that used for other shift's requirements, or for what met the minimal needs of weekends.

In the travelling road entry tunnel at about 75 feet from the surface, a double set of doors 15 feet apart were erected. These doors provided an air lock and established the circuit necessary to remove the mine of its foul air. On the surface side of the air lock doors was the area known as "Eyesight". "Eyesight" area is common to all tunnel coal mines, and was where the miners adjusted their sight to the surface daylight conditions.

When Cessnock No. 2 Colliery mine was closed during the miners' annual leave periods and prolonged strikes or stoppages periods, the pit was sealed by the erection of concrete brick walls in the two haulage tunnels and the travelling road entry tunnel. These seal walls were easily demolished when the pit resumed normal working. Such an economy saved the colliery the cost of the wages of the deputies needed to inspect the pit or the boilermen to maintain steam for the fan, etc.

ELECTRICITY:

Despite the progressive ideas shown in the design and planned working of Cessnock No. 2 Colliery, one area in which it lagged was in the field of electricity. No generation plant was ever constructed at this colliery. Consequently there were no powered coal cutting machines or compressed air units. All mining was strictly by hand effort, and all equipment used was steam driven.

Even the surface pit-top did not have electric lights until electricity mains were run to the Cessnock No. 2 Colliery from Aberdare Extended Colliery sub-station during 1934. It is said that even the under-manager's home on the mine property was lit by kerosene lights right up to that period.

Cessnock No. 2 Colliery was recognised as a "naked light" pit. Certainly the early mining employees' only illumination underground was that given by the tallow wick light that he wore on his miner's cloth cap. It was not until 1944 that Cessnock Collieries Limited supplied electric battery "Nife" brand lamps to replace the tallow cap light. A lamp cabin was constructed in part of the colliery fitter's shop adjacent to the bath house. It was here that the miner left his lamp to be recharged for his following shift.

Perhaps this is an appropriate place to describe the early miner's "naked light". The light was usually of a galvanised flat tin construction, with the joints braised by a local plumber. It was a cylinder or container shape about 2 inches deep, with a round bottom of about 1½ inches diameter, the round wall tapering up and inwards, and a round attached lid of about 1 inch diameter. On the back of the container, was a strong but thin hook which was used to attach the lamp to the miner's cap. On the lamp container's front was a spout neck which held the wick. There were at least two different styles of spout, that depended on the location where the underground employee worked. The first spout style was about 2½ inches long with about ¼ inch diameter at the top of the spout. This gave a much better light, when used in the headings or airways. It did not blow out easily, nor did it flare and tend to singe the miner's cap or hair. The second style had a shorter 2 inches long spout with about ½ inch diameter at the top of the spout neck. This type gave a stronger and better light at the miner's work face. Generally the light is said to have lit an area of about 12 feet radius. Walking and working with the "naked light" was said to have been easy and comfortable.

The wick ran down the spout neck and curled along inside the container cylinder. The lamp flame was provided by tallow, which the flame's heat melted. Miners supplied their own tallow. This was purchased in a 10 inches cube block. Several brands were available, with the most popular being "Kampion". The local Cessnock Co-operative Society made a tallow block as a by-product of its abattoir. Some miners made their own tallow from butcher's lard blended with kerosene. A block of tallow lasted roughly a fortnight. The miner carried his daily tallow supply in a tin hip canister on his belt. The contract miners and most wheelers working at a regular location left their tallow block at the work face.

The miner put tallow in his lamp; when full he lit the wick, and turned his lamp upside down to melt the tallow. The tallow in the container lasted roughly forty minutes. The lamp was refilled, whilst it was still alight. It was quite an art and skill to replace the lighted lamp back onto the cap without a singe or a burn.

PUMPS:

Cessnock No. 2 Colliery never used underground pumps. The layout of the mine, the slight incline of the headings and bords towards the outcrop, and the pit's natural drainage through the strata, all combined to give a minimal underground water problem.

In the one or two bad "wet" spots, when a seal was required to be erected, a water trap was inserted in the seal to provide for and allow drainage to continue. Such water traps did not interfere with the continuity of the good air supply.

COMPRESSED AIR:

Cessnock No. 2 Colliery never utilised compressed air underground.

RAIL CONNECTION:

In giving evidence before the Parliamentary Select Committee prior to the passing of the Kalingo Railway Act of 1908, Mr Alfred Francis Hall stated that he had surveyed the route for this railway. It was proposed that the track should be of the standard gauge, 4 feet 8½ inches, constructed from steel rails weighing 75 pounds to the yard. It would be practically up to the Government Railways standards, with a ruling grade of 1 foot in 75 feet against the load, and 1 foot in 62 feet with empty wagons. As at this hearing date (24th September 1908), the proposed railway had three choices of route. One passed quite close to the Hetton Company's new mine, (later named Bellbird) entry tunnels. The second, by using a greater radius curve, which unfortunately required a deviation of the then Cessnock to Wollombi Main Road (Highway No. 218), but which would still be in close proximity to the Hetton Company's new tunnels. The third route would require a crossing or a bridge over the Bellbird Railway then being constructed.

Originally Mr A.F. Hall's planned route diverted from the Aberdare Railway near the present Cessnock High School, thence along Quorrobolong Street, South Cessnock through the middle of Mining Portion 20, curving north west to run along the northern boundary of Mining Portion 70, and about to the middle of the northern boundary of Henry Styles 100 acres. From this point it cut diagonally through this 100 acres, again edging the tip of Mining Portion 70 to pass into part of Portion 2, Parish of Cessnock. At about the 3¼ mile point in its length it passed between Hetton Company's new tunnel entry and the main road to Wollombi. Thence through M.L. 2 and M.L. 3 to Portion 67, Parish of Ellalong onto the Great Northern Coal Company's land of its new colliery, "Kalingo".

To overcome any opposition to the new Kalingo Railway Act, and to allow the Hetton Company to proceed with its own Bellbird railway track, on the 2nd October 1908, an agreement was made between the parties. Under the conditions of this agreement, the two companies would jointly purchase land; jointly lay the tracks to junction with the Aberdare Railway; both would be jointly responsible for this area's track maintenance. In addition that at some time in the future, the Great Northern Coal Company would have the right to cross or pass over the Bellbird Railway. The new route designed, following this agreement, meant that the Great Northern Coal Company's Kalingo Railway, instead of curving north-west to run along the northern boundary of Mining Portion 70, ran direct west to run inside and parallel to the southern boundary of "Styles 100 acres". Then curving south through the tip of Mining Portion 70 to be on part of Portion 2, Parish of Cessnock running inside and parallel to its eastern boundary. Thence to cross the Bellbird Railway and the colliery sidings (M.L. 16 and M.L. 35) and across the Bellbird Colliery mining leases Nos. 39 and 40 to continue onto the Kalingo mine.

The right to cross the Bellbird railway and sidings agreed and conceded on 2nd October 1908 was formally taken up in a lease from Hetton Bellbird Company to the Great Northern Coal Company dated 8th September 1915. This lease is recorded in the Registrar-General's Book 1247 No. 618. This was for an area of 4 acres 3 roods 14 perches, and was to be held for the period up until 31st March 1928 at an annual rental of £9-10-0 ($19.00). At this last date, the lease was renewed for a further period of 20 years. On 1st August 1950 Cessnock Collieries Limited belatedly again renewed the right to cross the Bellbird Railway at the cutting and on through the Bellbird coal leases for a further ten years period, back-dated to commence on the 1st July 1948.

It does appear that despite the NSW Parliament's permission by the Kalingo Railway Act of 1908, the construction of the railway did not commence for some years. Mr Ernest Lambert, an interested amateur coal industry historian, who resided at 80 Seaham Street, Estelville, records in his notes that the actual commencement date of the construction of the Kalingo Railway was on the 24th January 1914. The Cessnock Eagle newspaper in a 1922 issue records that this railway had been laid by Mr R.A. Wilson, a railways construction contractor. The total length of the Kalingo Railway was almost 6 miles. The railway is shown in the Mines Department's records as having been laid on a strip varying from 33 yards to 44 yards in width on mining leases, M.L. 55, 54, 53 and 49. These were not all granted until 15th February 1916, and they covered a total area of some 54 acres.

The over head railway bridge constructed across the Bellbird cutting, permitted under the agreement of 8th September 1915, was erected some 660 yards (0.6 km) from the Bellbird Colliery pit-top. It was based on two solid brick columns placed on each side of the cutting, about some 30 feet apart. These columns were 14 feet wide by 4 feet thick and 20 feet high. The type and sizes of the original cross girders to carry the sleepers and Kalingo Railway track is not known. Today (1990) a prefabricated structure of heavy large RSJ steel carries a vehicle roadway. This bridge could easily be converted back to carry a rail track if required. Currently the large lorries of the firm H. and G.D. Tatana use this bridge as part of a private road in the cartage of refuse from Pelton Washery to be dumped in the old open-cuts at Cessnock No. 2 Colliery.

When the Wickham and Bullock Island Company on the 6th December 1917 purchased the Kalingo Railway from the Great Northern Coal Company, together with the coal mining leases rights held by that Company, the Registrar-General's transfer indenture, Book 1127, No. 347, states the railway at that date was not yet completely laid, but was nearing Portion 67, Parish of Ellalong. It is said that the railway track to the Kalingo mine was completed in late August 1919. This information is supported by a letter dated 3rd September 1919 from the Wickham and Bullock Island Company to South Maitland Railways in which the Company offered for purchase its newly completed railway.

The East Greta Coal Mining Company, (which in November 1918 became South Maitland Railways), on 2nd May 1918 commenced the installation of temporary points and signalling arrangements to allow some coal trains to be run to the Wickham and Bullock Island Company's new mine, Cessnock Colliery. The first train of coal was hauled from that colliery in late May 1918. First coal train freight haulage account submitted was for an amount of £6-8-10 ($12.90). The next fortnightly coal haulage freight account ending on 16th June 1918 totalled £27-10-1 ($55.01). It is of interest that the Neath Colliery coal haulage freight account for the same fortnight amounted to £124-11-9 ($249.19).

On 6th November 1918, the new South Maitland Railways Company commenced the permanent installation of signalling and interlocking for Cessnock Colliery trains at Bellbird Junction Signal Box, (adjacent to the present Cessnock High School). The new Kalingo Railway was officially declared open for traffic by South Maitland Railways by its Circular No. 11 to its employees dated 2nd April 1919. In this circular, South Maitland Railways directed that rail traffic worked over this section of railway would be on the authority of a "single line ordinary staff". The staff used was an Annette key that released the lock on the catch points at Cessnock Colliery.

In the early 1920's other South Maitland mines on the western part of the Greta Seam field were making quick development towards coal production. Stanford Merthyr No. 2 (Paxton) Colliery had commenced operations in February 1922; Greta Main (later Maitland Main) Colliery also commenced the same year; some small start had also been made at Millfield Greta Colliery in early 1922; and Kalingo Colliery itself made a serious start in February 1923. The first three named eventually had a rail connection to the Kalingo Railway at Kalingo Junction. The movements of the construction locomotive on these new track required South Maitland Railways Limited to issue a "general order" dated 24th August 1922 to all its employees, advising that the Kalingo Railway at that date was not open for rail traffic beyond a point one train length past the entry to Cessnock No. 2 Colliery. The first train of coal was despatched in February 1923. A branch rail track from the Paxton line was completed to Maitland Main Colliery in August 1923. First coal from that colliery was despatched in mid November 1923. In the remaining weeks of 1923, Maitland Main Colliery sent 1979 tons of coal over the Kalingo Railway. Mr R.W. Miller on 12th August 1925 made a submission to South Maitland Railways, in which he proposed to connect his new mine, Millfield Greta to the Maitland Main Colliery Branch. However coal at the Millfield Greta Colliery was not produced ready for rail transport until 15th May 1929. This coal was loaded in wagons at Cessnock No. 2 Colliery sidings. The rail connection to the Millfield Colliery was completed on 24th July 1929, and coal was hauled from these sidings on that day. Meanwhile Kalingo Colliery was still in the process of shaft sinking.

With all these new collieries coming on stream, and some 120,000 tons of coal hauled in 1924, South Maitland Railways considered its possible traffic working needs in the light of further steadily increasing production. In a letter to the Wickham and Bullock Island Company dated 22nd April 1925, South Maitland Railways, requested the Company, the owner of the Kalingo Railway, that it should introduce a system of "electric staff working" over the single tracked Kalingo Railway. South Maitland Railways suggested that the major part of the Kalingo Railway should be divided into sections:

1. Bellbird Junction to Cessnock (No. 2) Colliery.

2. Cessnock (No. 2) Colliery to Kalingo Junction.

Further that in such a method of working, it would require long crossing loops at both Cessnock Colliery and Kalingo Junction, together with adequate signalling and interlocking practices. In addition, Wickham and Bullock Island Company under the conditions of the 1908 Kalingo Railway Act should ensure safe-working methods of the subsidiary branch tracks to Stanford Merthyr No. 2 (Paxton) and Maitland Main collieries by requiring "Annette" locks on the catch points at both these collieries. Whilst the Wickham and Bullock Island Company supported these proposals in principle, it considered that it was too expensive and uneconomic for the company to install electric staff working at that point of time. Its own coal mine, Kalingo Colliery, was still far from producing. It did however insist that Stanford Merthyr No. 2 and Maitland Main Collieries should equip Annette key locking on their catch point entry. The Annette key was similar in design throughout the Kalingo Railway, and the safe-working system of "single line working by an ordinary staff", was maintained with the common Annette key as the staff.

In early 1918 after its purchase of the Kalingo Railway, Wickham and Bullock Island Company had purchased a small "Hudswell, Clark and Company" of Leeds locomotive from the Fassifern - Toronto Railway Company for £20-0-0 ($40.00). This was an "0-6-0" wheeled locomotive bearing a name-plate "Pigmy" on its side water tanks. In 1923 to assist in the rail sidings construction at the Kalingo mine, and to convey bunker coal in rail wagons from Cessnock No. 2 Colliery for use in the boilers at the Kalingo shaft sinking work, Wickham and Bullock Island Company bought a locomotive from A. Goninan, Newcastle. This small "0-4-0" wheeled side tank locomotive had been built by Andrew Barclay and company. This locomotive was also housed at Cessnock (No. 2) Colliery.

In its forward thinking at that period, Wickham and Bullock Island Company suggested that it would haul any coal it produced at Kalingo Colliery to Cessnock (No. 2) Colliery to amalgamate with that mine's trains. At South Maitland Railways Limited's request, this decision was withdrawn until such time as Kalingo Colliery was in full production.

Meanwhile during 1926 in keeping with the South Maitland Railways suggested program of electric staff working, Wickham and Bullock Island Company commenced the laying of a crossing loop at Kalingo Junction. Rails costing £950-0-0 ($1,900.00) were laid. (Author's note: This loop was positioned on the south-eastern side of the later Company Kalingo Junction signal box). At a Directors' meeting of Cessnock Collieries Limited held in 1937, the then Chairman, Mr D. Stewart, complained bitterly about the Company being "pushed" by South Maitland Railways into the construction of a crossing loop siding, that had never been used, and which had been a heavy expense on the Company.

Kalingo Colliery commenced some limited coal production in December 1937, and which soon increased in volume. By 1941 the mechanisation of this mine, plus the war effort of increased coal production in coal mines generally, saw the growing coal haulage tonnage for South Maitland Railways. This rail company again sought Cessnock Collieries Limited Company's consideration of an electric staff system of safe-working on the Kalingo Railway. Cessnock Collieries Limited agreed. A new lay-out for a crossing loop, signal box, signals and interlocking at Kalingo Junction was prepared. Cessnock Collieries Limited dismantled the earlier unused crossing loop, moving the materials, and re-laid the rails and sleepers on the northern side of the Kalingo Railway. Entry to the crossing loop from the western end was not available to Cessnock No. 1 (Kalingo) trains, because the facing points were on the Paxton branch track, just past the entry points to the Cessnock No. 1 branch.

A fine honey coloured brick signal box was erected to house the interlocking frame. This frame was a 16 levers unit, which had previously been utilised at the Stanford Merthyr signal box, providing train entry to Kurri Kurri rail station. Windows on all sides gave the signalman a good view of his rail traffic. A large open fireplace kept the box warm in winter. The signal box skillion roof was clad with corrugated galvanised iron. (Author's comment: During the war years, employees were hard to find. When Kalingo Junction Signal box opened in 1942, another young man and myself were transferred to work the 24 hour day in two shifts, handing over from one to the other after 12 hours duty, 6 days a week, changing shifts weekly. It was almost 6 months before 3 suitable employees could be found and trained, and I was able to return to my normal position. I must say that the signal box was located at a very quiet spot, far out in the bush. Plenty of wildlife wherever one looked, snakes, wallabies, Kookaburras, birds, etc.).

The previous Kalingo Railway safe-working method of handling trains over a single line on the authority of an "ordinary staff" was cancelled. On 20th July 1942 by Circular No. 417, the new system of an "intermediate electric staff working" over the single track railway was introduced. New instruments were installed in Bellbird Junction and Kalingo Junction signal boxes. A small new cabin was constructed on the north side and adjacent to the catch points entry to Cessnock No. 2 Colliery. an intermediate staff instrument was placed in this cabin. The staffs were "Type G".

The key staffs were numbered "1 to 6"; the ordinary staffs were numbered "7 to 12". The normal section was Bellbird Junction - Kalingo Junction.

It was essential that coal trains diverting from the section at Cessnock No. 2 Colliery must be given a "key staff". Once this train was clear of the Main Branch line, the guard placed the key staff in the "intermediate instrument" to free the section. In normal traffic working through the section, the signalman in advance, held the key of his instrument so that the signalman in the rear could obtain the staff from the instrument to authorise the passage of the train. When the Up Cessnock No. 2 Colliery train was ready to re-enter the section, both signalmen depressed their instrument keys down, in order that the guard could obtain the key staff from the intermediate staff instrument. The key on the staff itself was necessary to operate the Annette lock to free the catch points to allow the safe passage of the train. The guard then walked the key staff to the driver for his authority to proceed. (Author's comment: In the mid 1950's when I became the South Maitland Railways Traffic Manager, I arranged for the railway electrician to transport a key staff to remain in the intermediate instrument, in case a signalman inadvertently gave a train an "ordinary staff" in lieu of a key staff for a train requiring to divert at Cessnock No. 2 Colliery. Then to correct this misadventure it was a simple changeover of the staff in the intermediate instrument to allow the desired working to take place).

On 21st December 1957, (see South Maitland Railways Circular No. 725), following a marked drop in the number of coal trains being hauled on the Kalingo Railway, the manning of the Kalingo Junction signal box was deleted. In place of the previous "intermediate electric staff" working over the Kalingo Railway track, a semi-automatic system of intermediate electric staff working was introduced. In this new method, the signalman at Bellbird Junction signal box, on depressing and holding down his instrument key for 5 seconds, created a circuit, and if the section was clear the signalman could obtain a staff from the instrument at Bellbird Junction. In this method, the train crew operated the interlocking and worked the train through the Kalingo signal box to the appropriate advance branch track. On the return, the guard of the Up train went to the Kalingo Junction signal box, and whilst the signalman at Bellbird Junction held down the key of his instrument, the guard obtained his "authority staff" from the Kalingo signal box instrument, similar to the method performed by the earlier Kalingo Junction signalman. The interlocking was operated by the guard for the train to re-enter the section. The guard then walked the staff to the driver. By this period, Aberdare Seven Colliery had just commenced the use of the Cessnock No. 2 Colliery pit-top's screens and sidings to load its coal production. The semi automatic intermediate electric staff working allowed the train working operation at Cessnock No. 2 Colliery, similar to that as when the Kalingo Junction signal box was manned.

South Maitland Railways on 24th April 1969 by its Circular No. 950, informed its employees that the Kalingo Railway was to be closed to allow an open-cut working under portion of that track. Circular No. 963 dated 30th September 1970 informed that the Kalingo Railway was again ready to be re-opened. The previous safe working method of semi automatic electric intermediate staff over the single track Kalingo Railway was cancelled, and rail traffic safe-working reverted to ordinary staff authority over the Kalingo Railway. The ordinary staff was to be a small Annette key which could operate the locks on the various catch points. This key staff bore an identification of a "red diamond".

Maitland Main Colliery was the last operating mine using the Kalingo Railway to close. This occurred on the 22nd December 1972. Bellbird Junction signal box was the diverting point for the Bellbird Railway Branch and the Kalingo Railway Branch from the Cessnock Main Line. Bellbird Junction signal box was closed and un-manned from 4th December 1973. The Up Main Line and interlocking at Bellbird Junction signal box was set for direct running to the Bellbird Railway Branch. The electric staff instrument for the section Bellbird Junction - Pelton Junction was transferred to Caledonia. This in effect made the section Caledonia - Pelton Junction utilising the Bellbird Branch Railway, and the Up Main Bellbird Junction - Caledonia. South Maitland Railways Limited had considered the possibility of Stanford Main No. 2 (Paxton) Colliery re-opening, and had retained the Kalingo Railway track, the junction points at Bellbird Junction, etc. However in April 1976 in order to improve and present a better running track, all the points and interlocking at Bellbird Junction to the South Maitland Railways main line were deleted and removed. Circular No. 1030 dated 23rd April 1976 issued by South Maitland Railways advised all concerned that this action had taken place, and that as from that date the main line was "straight railed" to the Bellbird Railway Branch. This then in effect completed the life of the Kalingo Railway. Some portions of this railway track since then have been cannibalised, removed or scrapped. The Parliamentary Act authority for this railway over this area still exists, and it could be restored if the necessity arose. (Author's comment: It is of interest that the points at Bellbird Colliery and Pelton Junction were removed on 28th July 1976 and the track there was straight railed. As from this date by South Maitland Railways Circular No. 1037, the electric staff authority for the Bellbird Railway was extended for the section to be from Caledonia - Pelton Colliery).

Whilst Messrs J. Taylor and C. Jones acquired the coal mining rights of the Cessnock (No. 2) Colliery area in March 1916, they do not appear to have actually commenced mining operations immediately. However they did make some plans to mine. Within a month of obtaining the lease, Mr Clem Jones had applied to the Mines Department for an area of 4 acres 3 roods 20 perches, right at the corner of the junction of Portion 1 and part of Portion 2, Parish of Cessnock and the newly laid Kalingo Railway, which was within Mining Portion 70. The purpose of this application was part of Jones' layout for his future colliery rail sidings. This application was granted by the Mining Warden at East Maitland Court on 1st April 1916, and became portion M.L. 59. The Cessnock (No. 2) Colliery sidings appear to have been laid by the Wickham and Bullock Island Company during 1917.

From the entrance points on the Kalingo Railway and which were a facing points movement for Down trains the colliery running road siding ran in a huge arc on the northern side and parallel to the Kalingo Railway, continuing on into a long dead-end siding. Again on the northern side of the first portion of the running road siding, there was a long run-around loop to allow a locomotive to reverse around its inwards train. Not far beyond the western end of the run-around loop a reverse movement throw-over lever set of points gave access from the dead-end siding to 3 empty wagons standage sidings. After an inwards train had come to a stand in the running road, clear of both ends of the run-around loop, the locomotive was detached and returned to the rear of the train via the run-around loop, to propel the inwards train into the dead-end siding shunting neck, for later gravitation by the colliery shunter into the empty wagons standage sidings. Depending on the number and position of wagons in the standage sidings, it was possible for the inwards train, after having detached the brake-van in the running road to draw forward into the dead-end siding neck, and under the colliery shunter's supervision to propel the empty wagons from the inwards train direct into the standage siding as instructed.

From the 3 empty wagons standage sidings, the wooden hopper rail coal wagons were gravitated under the pit-top and screens for loading. These vehicles having been loaded, gravitated into 3 loaded wagons standing sidings to await marshalling into the outward Up trains. At various times and for varying periods both Wickham and Bullock Island Company and Cessnock Collieries Limited utilised a colliery locomotive in shunting operations.

On the rail track running towards the 3 empty wagons standage nest of sidings, another short dead-end siding with a facing movement entry throw-over set of points diverted towards the north. On this short siding a locomotive shed was constructed during 1920. Following its purchase of the incomplete Kalingo Railway, the Wickham and Bullock Island Company in early 1918 had transferred a locomotive to assist in the railway construction. When the railway was completed in September 1919, the locomotive "Pygmy" returned to Cessnock (No. 2) Colliery, and was utilised to shunt wagons and marshal outward trains. In February 1923, the sinking of Kalingo Colliery shaft was commenced. At first coal for the boiler at the new Kalingo shaft working was taken from Cessnock (No. 2) Colliery by horse and dray. This was found to be long and tedious. The locomotive Pygmy was co-opted for this duty, and the run was made at weekends.

The now almost worn-out Pygmy locomotive was finding much difficulty in hauling two wagons up the grade to Kalingo. In late 1923 Wickham and Bullock Island Company purchased a second-hand locomotive from A. Goninan Ltd., Newcastle. This "0-4-0" wheeled, side tanks locomotive had been built by Andrew Barclay and Company. This locomotive replaced Pygmy in the weekend coal wagon haulage from Cessnock (No. 2) Colliery to Kalingo. In December 1932 another locomotive was purchased by Wickham and Bullock Island Company, and this was sent to Kalingo Colliery. This engine was an "0-6-0" wheeled, saddle tank locomotive, built by Vulcan Engine Works of England. These last two locomotives appear to have ended their days at Kalingo Colliery, because some frame parts, wheels, cylinders, etc., stood in a siding at this pit for many years.

The locomotive Pygmy had a resurrection. During the early 1930's, Mr Otto Olsen, the Cessnock (No. 2) Colliery engineer converted at the pit the old derelict from a steam-powered to a petrol powered locomotive. He discarded the cylinders, and installed a Daimler motor car motor. Mr Olsen organised the gear box to use its four speeds in either running direction. This Daimler motor is said to have come from the Chairman's (Mr D.F. Stewart) old car. In the mid 1940's, the new Cessnock No. 1 Colliery manager, Mr Ted Hayler requested Mr Olsen, that his (Hayler) earlier locomotive of Ted's Cessnock No. 2 Colliery days be refitted at Kalingo Colliery for use in the sidings. Mr Olsen replaced the Daimler with a "V8" motor with side valves. However it was found in practice, that the re-hashed locomotive was under powered. It had little traction and had a tendency to rear or tip-up. Pygmy was again pensioned off. Subsequently in late 1959, when Caledonian Collieries Limited took over Cessnock Collieries Limited, Pygmy had yet another spate of work. It received a refurbish and was transferred to Aberdare Shaft Colliery to be utilised n some shunting activities at that point. It was not very successful or useful, and was soon grounded. Eventually it was sold as scrap.

Cessnock No. 2 Colliery sidings were demolished and removed about 1969, when a large area of that pit property and portion of the Kalingo Railway track adjacent, was worked as an open-cut mining operation.

RAIL WAGONS:

Cessnock (No. 2) Colliery in its first days of coal production used for its rail transportation, both the Wickham and Bullock Island Company and Neath Colliery wooden hopper rail coal wagons. Descriptions of these wagons appears on page 371 in the Neath Colliery section. In 1919 there were only a few Wickham and bullock Island Company wagons in traffic. These were all very crude vehicles. At the Cessnock (No. 2) Colliery, Neath Colliery wagons were the major brand utilised.

In 1928 with the voluntary liquidation of the Wickham and Bullock Island Company, and the formation of a new company, Cessnock Collieries Limited, a new "vehicle" policy was introduced. This was that over a period of years, all the wooden hopper rail coal wagons should be repainted in a dark sunburnt red colour, and overpainting in white, the brand "C.C." and the wagon number. When this policy was finally carried out, the whole wagon fleet had been progressively re-numbered. The brand "C.C." and the wagon number appeared on both sides of the hopper and on the frame's sole-bars.

Over the years, Cessnock Collieries Limited purchased very few rail wagons, most were second-hand. Towards the end of the 1930's, when Kalingo Colliery was coming on stream, some fifty (50) of the larger "L.L." capacity coal hopper wagons were manufactured by A. Goninan and Company, Newcastle, for Cessnock Collieries Limited. About the same period, the earlier locomotive shed at Cessnock No. 2 colliery was converted to a wagon repair shop. Neath Colliery wagon repair shop had always handled the major jobs. It was equipped with a wheel lathe, lathes, forges, etc. It had a bearing castings forge, and could handle repairs to axles and axle-boxes.

The Cessnock No. 2 Colliery locomotive shed had been constructed from heavy Oregon timbers. Its walls were some 20 feet high. This allowed an internal crane to move on rollers on timber tracks. The crane was hand operated and it was sufficiently high to allow the hopper to be lifted out of the frame.

After Caledonian Collieries Limited took over Cessnock Collieries Limited, and the Aberdare Extended Workshop was utilised more and more on repairs to underground mechanised mining equipment, the Cessnock No. 2 Colliery wagon repair shop took over most minor rail coal wagon repairs. This applied particularly to the Aberdare Seven Colliery production and loading.

SPECIAL PLANT AND EQUIPMENT:

PIT-TOP AND SURFACE BUILDINGS:

The Wickham and Bullock Island Company's carpenter, Mr Bob Muirhead and his sons, Alec, Hughie and Ernie, are credited with having erected the pit-top and the various pit structures at Cessnock No. 2 Colliery. All this family worked at Neath Colliery. The father, Mr Bob Muirhead, had been involved with the construction of the pit-top at Neath Colliery. When the Cessnock (No. 2) Colliery development had commenced in January 1917, the Wickham and Bullock Island Company had its own sawmill at Neath Colliery. Most of the timber used at this new mine had been from logs obtained on the Neath Colliery property. This presented a great economic advantage to the Company.

The pit-top building itself at Cessnock (No. 2) Colliery was an unusual shaped structure. The front part faced the south and housed the "Marcus" conveyor screen. This part of the pit-top was some 70 feet long by 20 feet wide by 30 feet high. The area adjoining it on the north-west corner was about 50 feet wide by 30 feet long. It held the weighbridge and the tippler tumbler. All this structure including the Marcus screen, the weighbridge and the tumbler was under the one roof. A small one room alongside the weighbridge, gave the weighmen weather protection.

On the north side of the pit-top, there were two parallel skip tracks. One was the main haulage tracks from the two Workings. The other (that on the southern side) were the two shunts, where the sets were marshalled just prior to the entry to the two Workings haulage headings. Both the skip shunts and the haulage tracks on either side of the haulage ropes guide wheels were covered with a weather protection roof. This was one long structure, about 125 feet long by 25 feet wide. It had been erected on bush poles, bush timber rafters and purlins, and roofed over with corrugated galvanised iron. There was no roofing over the creeper chain or the gantry which raised the skips some 8 feet high up along a 40 feet long gantry, from the haulage road to the weighbridge level and work deck.

The winding engine house was a large ramshackle building shaped something like an off-balance "T", with the right-hand end of the top of the "T" being at right angles to the skip tracks. This end was about 25 feet wide and had a gable shape roof. The west side of this building was about 70 feet long. The front section to the skip tracks held the winding engine and drums. The rear part of the winding engine house in the colliery's early days was used as the fitters' shop. A number of lathes, vices and benches were installed. In the mid 1930's when the fan engine was changed from steam power to electric, the electrical motor, apparatus and switch board were placed in the north-western corner of the winding engine house. All of the building of the winding engine house was roofed and clad with corrugated galvanised iron.

The bottom part of the "T" shaped building formed the Colliery bath-house. It too was a timber framed structure. It was 60 feet long by 40 feet wide. It had a gable roof and was roofed with corrugated galvanised iron. The inside walls of the bath-house were lined with flat sheets galvanised iron. The bare wall studs showed outside, and were never clad. This bath-house section was partitioned to provide a men's area and a boys' area. In its early days the bath-house had large wooden tubs, in which the mining employees bathed. Later showers were erected along both outside walls. Long strong timber stool seats ran down the centre. The bath-house had the miners' customary wire clothes baskets swung and hanging from pulleys in the roof. The bath-house was warmed by steam pipes. Water for the showers came from a disused boiler standing some 10 or 12 yards from the north east corner of the bath-house. The water in this boiler was heated by excess steam piped from the various engines. It would appear that no major alterations to this structure were made until the old Cessnock No. 2 Colliery bath-house was demolished about mid 1959 to make way for a new bath-house for the Aberdare Seven mine employees.

The boilerhouse was erected partly in the south-east corner of the "T" shape of the winding engine house and bath-house. This structure was some 50 feet long by 30 feet wide, with the narrow side facing towards the south and the colliery rail sidings. This was a roofed open area with a low 3 feet high 14 inches thick brick barrier wall. A 5 feet wide pathway on the west and north sides separated the boilerhouse from the combined building of the winding engine house and bath-house. The colliery brick chimney stack stood on the eastern side of the boilerhouse. It was of a tapering square design some 70 feet high. It was 12 feet square at its base and 6 feet square at its top.

The fan shaft stack stood a little distance from the north-eastern corner of the winding engine house. Alongside the fan shaft, a small building had been erected to house the fan's steam engine.

A small building west of the winding engine house had been erected for the carpenter's shop and the skip repair shop. A short skip rail track diverged from the haulage entry heading skip track to this building to allow skip repairs to be effected. It is also of interest, that the first colliery clerk's office was located in this building.

The permanent colliery office building was like a four roomed house. It had a hip roof, clad with galvanised corrugated iron. The outside walls were clad with weather-boards, and the inside walls were lined with pine boards. The office had been sited alongside the colliery entry road, uphill on the northern side of "Styles 100 acres". In 1957, when part of the "Styles 100 acres" was being quarried to provide red shale material for the stowage trial tests, and Caledonian Collieries commenced its mining operations in its new Aberdare Seven Colliery, this colliery office building was moved to a location closer to the earlier Cessnock No. 2 Colliery pit-top. The Company's carpenter, Mr Bob Muirhead, using greasy poles and hauling with a bullock team "skidded" the timber framed structure.

When Cessnock No. 2 Colliery no longer needed its locomotive for shunting and hauling the boiler coal, the shed which had housed this locomotive, and which stood in a short dead-end siding diverting to the north from the empty vehicles standage siding was converted to become a wagon repair shop. This was some 50 feet long by 30 feet wide with 20 feet high side wall posts supporting a hip roof. This structure was roofed with corrugated galvanised iron. Only the top half of the side walls were clad with corrugated galvanised iron to give some weather protection. The building had been constructed from strong heavy Oregon. Because of its height an internal crane mounted on rollers on timber tracks allowed the colliery carpenters to lift the hopper out of the frame for overall repairs. At first only minor repairs were carried out, the major jobs being made at Neath Colliery wagon repair shop. The Neath shop had wheel lathes, lathes, forges, etc. Later at the Cessnock No. 2 colliery wagon repair shop, some lean-to rooms were erected, attached to this shop. The fitters and turners moved from their earlier location to this shed. In another lean-to, the blacksmith had a small forge. The colliery's first blacksmith is said to have been Mr Perce Drinkwater. One of the lean-to rooms became the electrician's shop.

As has been mentioned earlier (see page 705), a large pit-horse paddock ran from the pit-top towards the Aberdare Extended Colliery. At the south-east corner of this paddock, a timber framed building had been erected for use as the stables. This was some 90 feet long by 30 feet wide, with the narrow side at right angles to the colliery sidings. A section of the stables, some 30 feet by 30 feet was utilised as the feed storage shed. Rail vehicles carrying various feeds, i.e. chaff, were unloaded whilst standing nearby to the stables in the colliery sidings. The stables building was roofed and clad with corrugated galvanised iron. Each horse had its own individual stall, and could enter the stable freely. The pit-horses were fed in the open paddock.

Adjacent to the colliery entry road from Francis Street, Cessnock, on the northern side of "Styles 100 acres" and almost in line with the stables, the Colliery Manager's home had been erected. This was a fine timber framed dwelling constructed by Mr Bob Muirhead and his sons. It was some 50 feet by 50 feet square. It had a corrugated galvanised iron roof, and the building was clad with weather-boards. Three bedrooms, a lounge and dining room divided by an archway; an internal bathroom and toilet; a kitchen and a laundry; a large sunroom doubled as a billiard room; the home had a large garage, and its own tennis court alongside. This fine big house was mysteriously destroyed by fire in the early 1960's, whilst unoccupied.

FIRST COLLIERY MANAGER:

Mr Clem Jones.

FIRST COLLIERY UNDER-MANAGER:

Mr Alexander Greig.

COAL SHIPPING AND HANDLING OFFICERS:

1st - Mr W.E. "Bill" Alexander,

2nd - Mr W. "Bill" Young,

3rd and final - Mr K.J. "Ken" Williams.

BRIEF HISTORY:

In tracing the history of Cessnock No. 2 Colliery, some considerable confusion flowed from the duplication of early company names at the end of last century. Various Government records, i.e. - Registrar-General's Department, Corporate Affairs, Lands Board, Mines Department, show that an early entrepreneurial firm holding coal bearing lands that were to become Cessnock No. 2 Colliery and Kalingo Colliery was the Great Northern Coal Company. My research has shown that there were three separate coal mining companies bearing this title.

The first Great Northern Coal Company resulted from a prospectus appearing in the Newcastle Morning Herald newspaper in its issue dated 25th July 1885. This firm was proposed to be registered under the NSW Companies Act. The prospectus sought a capital of £60,000-0-0 ($120,000.00). Some two years later, on Saturday 23rd July 1887, this new company opened a coal mine at Teralba. The inauguration and opening was carried out with some pomp and ceremony at a special luncheon. In 1888 this company employed 160 miners. However by the end of that year, the Great Northern Coal Company had run into bad financial difficulties. The position deteriorated during 1889, and the mine closed on 13th December 1889.

The second Great Northern Coal Company is shown in the NSW Corporate Affairs records as having submitted a Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 28th March 1890. It was prepared by Stephen, Jaques and Stephen, solicitors of Sydney. The objects and purpose appear to have been to take over and continue operations of the Teralba mine. After some 6 years the NSW Companies Office sought advice from the subscribers named in the Memorandum and Articles as to the existence of this company. Finally a letter from the "liquidator" of the first Great Northern Coal Company, Mr Benjamin Chadwick of 91 Pitt Street, Sydney in September 1896 (96/1857) informed the NSW Companies Registrar, that this second company was not active. In his letter, Mr B. Chadwick had stated that there had been insufficient applications for shares; no Board of Directors nor manager had been appointed.

A third Great Northern Coal Company was incorporated in London on the 16th December 1907. This company's registered address was shown as being at:

"Crown Court",
3-5 Old Broad Street,
London.

The company secretary was Mr Horace Bower Clark. In my opinion it is this third Great Northern Coal Company that is significant in this history. Agents for this company appear to have been investigating opportunities in the Australian Coal Industry from about 1906 onwards. These agents' interest seemed to have been generally directed towards the fairly new Greta Coal Measures on the South Maitland field. This followed the pattern of quite a number of coal entrepreneurs.

With the success of the East Greta Coal Mining Company, the first coal company to actually commence winning coal in the South Maitland "Greta Coal Seam Measures" proven by Professor T.W. Edgeworth David in 1886, many coal lands and leases were taken up by eager investors. Some of the early speculators acquiring land had been involved with the Silkstone Coal Company. Others had become linked with the Aberdare Collieries of NSW Company, which made quite good profits from its some 12,000 acres taken up in 1900. The entry of some Newcastle field major companies, like the Australian Agricultural Company, Caledonian Coal Company, J. & A. Brown, etc., into this new field has been outlined in other sections of this history.

In addition, there were a number of independent "coal lands" entrepreneurs like John Scholey, Alexander Shedden, etc., who sought coal leases with a view to speculation and profit. John Scholey in particular had invested in many large tracts from near Kurri through Cessnock to Ellalong. Henry Trenchard in his map, dated February 1902, showing the "Mining Properties on the Greta Coal Measures within the Maitland District", lists John Scholey as having four separate areas. These are shown thus:

i. Parish of Teralba, Portions 39 and 40 = 194 acres

ii. Parish of Stanford, Portion 72 "Fairsdale" = 640 acres

iii. Parish of Stanford, Portions 3, 39, 104, 93 to 96 inclusive, totalling = 640 acres

iv. Parish of Stanford, Portion 73 = 640 acres.

Alfred Francis Hall in his 1904 map of the South Maitland coalfields, indicated that by that date John Scholey held six separate pieces of land. The four areas shown on Henry Trenchard's 1902 map had been increased in size by the acquisition of adjoining portions. In addition John Scholey had purchased two further areas. A.F. Hall's 1904 map shows these areas as:

A. 388 acres 2 roods 0 perches - doubling "i" on Trenchard's map.

B. 640 acres - identical to "ii".

C. 803 acres 3 roods 0 perches - increasing "iii" by 163 acres 3 roods 2 perches.

D. 1075 acres 3 roods 0 perches - increasing "iv" by 435 acres 3 roods.

E. 290 acres 0 roods 20 perches - new land area.

F. 779 acres 3 roods - new land area.

No. E on the above list, 290 acres 0 roods 20 perches, was the south-eastern part of Andrew Sparke's original 640 acres grant on 5th July 1839. Sparke's land was split by the Cessnock to Wollombi Road, (Highway No. 218), and this part was the smaller sub-division. Sparke's total grant of 640 acres formed Portion 2, Parish of Cessnock. John Cruikshank had acquired the total original "A. Sparke's 640 acres" grant. On 7th July 1903, John Scholey purchased the 290 acres 20 perches split from John Cruikshank for £891-7-6 ($1,783.50). This transaction is shown in the Registrar-General's records in Book 739 No. 690. Subsequently during 1907 a small group consisting of Richard Barry, George Moore Rouse and Henry Crossing purchased this same split, 290 acres 20 perches, from John Scholey for £2,733-6-8 ($5,466.68). This small group had a "divided" holding, Richard Barry had a 4/9 share; George M. Rouse and Henry Crossing each had a 5/18 share. This transaction appears in the Registrar-General's records in Book 830 No. 871. (Author's note: Quite a tidy gain in less than 4 years in that economic climate for one John Scholey).

After the group above mentioned had held ownership of this land for just under 12 months, on 1st February 1908 Mr James R.M. Robertson bought this "split" area, 290 acres 20 perches, from the group R. Barry, G.M. Rouse and H. Crossing for £8,400-0-0 ($16,800.00). See Registrar-General's Book 848 No. 372. (Author's comment: Good quick profits again). In late 1908, a transaction is recorded in Book 867 No. 845 showing that the Great Northern Coal Company paid ten shillings ($1.00) to James R.M. Robertson for this same land. No doubt this was purely as a token payment as the "legal consideration" in this contract. It is of interest that in some of this company's later legal documentations, on a number of occasions, Mr James R.M. Robertson of 28 Pitt Street, Sydney had been given a Power of Attorney by the Great Northern Coal Company to act on its behalf. First mention that such authority was made was on 26th may 1908. Subsequently in Registrar-General's Book 1088 No. 469 dated 24th November 1915, the Great Northern Coal Company renewed the right to Mr James R.M. Robertson to act for it, under its Power of Attorney. This particular permission had been authorised by a Board of Directors' meeting held at the Great Northern Coal Company's office at "Crown Court", 3-5 Old Broad Street, London. The Directors attesting to the notice of this minute were:

Charles Williamson Milne,
Donald McLean, M.P.
Horace Bower Clark (Company Secretary).

Portion 1, Parish of Cessnock was a grant of land to Henry Styles on 13th November 1841. It was more commonly known locally as "Styles 100 acres". By 1910 ownership of "Styles 100 acres" rested with an estate, which included Abraham Blanch, Thomas Mawhinney and William Andrews. On 21st June 1910, Richard Daniel Barry of Sydney purchased this land, 100 acres, for £1,000-0-0 ($2,000.00) from the estate. This transaction is recorded in the Registrar-General's office in Book 910 Folio 96. This particular land had been leased by the estate to Peter Roderick Smith and George Joseph Smith. Also on 21st June 1910 Richard D. Barry purchased their lease rights from the Smith Brothers for £150-0-0 ($300.00). This transaction is recorded in Book 910 Folio 97. Just 13 days later on 4th July 1910, the Great Northern Coal Company purchased the "Styles 100 acres" for £4,000-0-0 ($8,000.00) from Richard D. Barry. The Registrar-General's Book 912 Folio 772 records this transaction. (Author's comment: Another good quick financial profit). It is of interest, that on 1st September 1908 Richard Daniel Barry made a petition to the NSW Parliament for an Act to be passed to permit the Great Northern Coal Company to construct a railway. On 24th September 1908 when before the NSW Parliamentary Committee Inquiry on the Kalingo Railway