OWNERS:

East Greta Coal Mining Company

REFERENCES MINES DEPARTMENT:

LOCATION:

(A) Portions 28, 30 and 31 Parishes of Maitland and Heddon, County of Northumberland

(B) Mining Lease No. 8

(C) Neighbouring mines:

(i) East Greta No. 1 Tunnel to the south-west.

(D) Site was on portion of Emmanuel Hungerford's Property "Lochdon Estate", and original grant of 2000 acres.

(E) This Tunnel was 566 yards closer towards West Maitland than the first Tunnel (East Greta No. 1). This second tunnel was very close to the later East Greta railway station.

DISTANCES:

(A) The colliery tunnel was south-west of Maitland, and it was three miles sixty-two chains (6.04 kms) distant by road from Maitland Post Office.

(B) It was five miles five chains (8.15 kms) distant by road from Kurri Post Office.

(C) It was two miles eight chains (3.27 kms) distant by rail from the junction with the NSW Government Railways at East Greta Junction.

AREA:

Part of 245 acres holding.

SEAM:

At this tunnel colliery, there were also two inclined seams. The top seam (Greta) was twenty-nine feet six inches (29 ft 6 ins) in thickness. The bottom seam (Homeville) was twelve feet (12 ft) thick. The two seams were separated by a fifty-eight feet (58 ft) band of conglomerate.

It was the Homeville or lower (bottom) seam that was mainly worked. The whole of the seam was removed, but it was taken in two operations. The bottom coal was won first.

The roof was conglomerate, with patches of mudstone. The floor was generally hard sandstone with fire-clay in some parts.

COMMENCED OPERATIONS:

The East Greta Coal Mining Company started to drive this second colliery tunnel early in 1894. However coal trade from 1893 to 1898 was depressed, and the mining operation efforts were not major. It was not until the end of 1896 that coal was produced in any quantity.

ENTRY:

The entrance at East Greta No. 2 Tunnel was 12 feet wide by 10 feet high. It ran down in a south-easterly direction towards Dagworth swamps on Wallis Creek. This tunnel had an incline varying between 40º and 44º, and it was driven to the full height to get sufficient head-room.

Round bush-trees ironbark timbers of not less than 8 inches diameter supported the entry. The timber legs were mortised into the cross head-timbers. These sets were placed 4 feet apart down the tunnel. The walls at the back of the sets were closely slabbed with 2 inch thick timber.

The main tunnel heading was 2000 feet in length, and at the bottom of this main heading, it had a cover depth of overburden of at least 1500 feet.

"Levels" were driven off from the main tunnel heading, both to the right and left every 160 yards.

METHODS OF WORKING:

Like the earlier East Greta No. 1 Tunnel a type of "bord and pillar" working was also utilised in the mining operations at East Greta No. 2 Tunnel.

Again similar to East Greta No. 1 Tunnel, jig haulage was utilised in the No. 2 Tunnel workings. Jig headings were driven parallel to the main tunnel heading, about every twenty chains (440 yards) along the levels. As indicated in the East Greta No. 1 Tunnel's "Method of Working" section, that at that period of time twenty chains was considered as being the maximum distance for "hand" or "shoulder" wheeling. However one essential difference was made at East Greta No. 2, in that jig headings were "driven down-hill" to connect to the next level. Perhaps experience had shown by that time that this down-hill was a safer method than the earlier "up-hill" jig-heading drivings. Coal won in the bords in the East Greta No. 2 Tunnel workings was also continued to be lowered down by the motion of gravity to the next lower level for horse-wheeling to the main tunnel cage haulage to the surface.

Bords were driven off from the jig-headings parallel to the levels. The bords were 8 yards wide, and in "first workings" generally to a height of 7 to 8 feet. Close to the surface, pillars were 8 yards wide by 50 yards long, but the pillar measurement widened to 15 yards at lower depths. Along the bords, "cut-throughs" 4 feet long by 4 feet wide, parallel to the jig-headings, were driven up-hill about every 50 yards. Like in East Greta No. 1 Tunnel, cut-throughs from one bord to the bord above were staggered, this was not only for improved ventilation but aided and assisted the miners' movements underground.

After the first workings, "tops" and pillar-coal was removed in such manner that the coal shot down in the solid slid or slipped down to the bord floor below to be filled into the skips there. The second workings, dropping the "tops", particularly in this Homeville seam, released the "brassy coals", which had a history of heatings and fires. Mines Department inspector William Humble during 1921 made a report to his Department on this aspect. Mr Humble considered that up to that date, more than half the available coal tonnage in the East Greta Tunnels lease had been sealed off because of heatings and fires.

East Greta No. 2 Tunnel was also a "naked light pit".

The underground workings of East Greta No. 2 Tunnel were connected to those of East Greta No. 1 Tunnel. When the pit-top at East Greta No. 1 caught fire on the 25th January 1914, all these underground connections were sealed off. Six weeks later when it was found that coal production would never be able to be lifted again via the East Greta No. 1 Tunnel, and further that then there was no danger underground from this fire, the East Greta Coal Mining Company decided that it would continue to operate East Greta No. 1 Tunnel workings, but that all its coal production would be lifted to the surface via No. 5 Level and East Greta No. 2 main tunnel heading.

MINE HAULAGE:

The steam haulage winding engine utilised at East Greta No. 2 Tunnel's main heading was supplied by Morrison and Bearby of Newcastle. This engine had a 22 inch diameter duplex cylinder with a 4 feet 6 inches stroke.

First steam needs came from two Lancashire boilers, each 30 feet long with 7 feet diameter. As steam needs grew, additional boilers were added. Research has shown that two more Lancashire Boilers were installed at East Greta No. 2 Boiler house during 1907. When the East Greta No. 1 pit-top and its main tunnel haulage system was destroyed in January 1914, it does seem reasonable to assume that its boilers were relocated at the No. 2 boiler house. Mr William Humble, a Government Mines Department inspector in an article or paper written in March 1922 records that there were 7 Lancashire and 2 Cornish boilers operating at the East Greta Tunnels. Whilst W. Humble's paper does not specifically indicate that all these were at East Greta No. 2 Tunnel, but from the general trend in his other information, that this would appear to be the case. (Author's note: My memory of this boiler house in the latter part of the 1920's, does not allow me to state an exact number of boilers. I do think that the number of boiler "fire" stoke-holes were at least six).

Both the boiler house and the winding engine house were located on the west side of the first main railway line, the boiler house in an excavated area of the cutting at rail level. The winding engine house on a flat portion of the elevated side of the cutting. The haulage rope passed high over across the rail tracks.

In the mine, all coal production was transported along the bord floor in skips, which were "hand" or "shoulder" wheeled.

Jig transport within the East Greta No. 2 Tunnel was similar to that operating at the East Greta No. 1 Tunnel, and as outlined in the "Mine-Haulage" section at page 25 in that mine's description.

Due to the steepness of the tunnel heading, and to increase the volume and speed of haulage, special haulage methods were made to bring skips up the East Greta No. 2 Tunnel. Skips were lifted in a "double-deck" tunnel cage, except for the size, similar in type and style to that at East Greta No. 1 Tunnel. This cage also resembled a halved diagonal-cut cube. It was 20 feet long by 4 feet 9 inches wide, and at the tall end 10 feet high. Two skips on two parallel skip-rail-tracks travelled side by side on each of the 2 decks, totalling 4 skips on each "lift".

Miners were transported up and down in the mine in the tunnel-cage. Miners were required to ride on the upper deck of the cage, and they were limited in number to ten at a time. Pit-horses were also transported singly in the tunnel-cage to the various levels. Wooden sides were attached when conveying the horses.

VENTILATION:

In this new infant second tunnel fresh air was provided by natural ventilation. Later and up until 1905 an underground furnace removed foul air when required.

When some connection was made underground to the East Greta No. 1 workings, the 9 feet diameter steam-driven Waddle fan located at the East Greta no. 1 Tunnel gave some assistance to the circulating air. Its capacity for the circulation was 27,000 cubic feet or air per minute.

In 1905 a second 9 feet diameter steam-driven Waddle fan was installed at East Greta No. 2 Tunnel. It sat on a shaft, which had a surface opening 8 feet by 6 feet. Research has not shown the depth of the shaft. The Waddle fan was located in a square brick-construction fan-house, northwards towards East Greta Junction in the adjoining paddock about a quarter of a mile in the direction of the "signal-tree".

The sealing of the East Greta No. 1 Tunnel pit-top in January 1914 had not impaired air movement for its later working. However the 1918 Annual Report of the Mines Department, states that during that year an electrically driven forcing fan had been installed underground to assist the air current along in both tunnels. In further efforts to improve air flows regulator doors were constructed on some bord entrances. The Mines Department 1923 Annual Report shows by that year, four underground electrically driven fans had been installed.

During 1927 the Waddle fan at East Greta No. 2 Tunnel was withdrawn, and in its place and on its site an electrically driven 12 feet diameter Sirocco fan was installed.

PUMPS:

Research has shown little information on the type of pumps utilised or date of installation in the East Greta No. 2 Tunnel Workings. The Mines Department 1927 Annual Report informs that during that year four electric pumps were in use underground.

ELECTRICITY GENERATION:

Information generally concerning the East Greta Tunnels appears to describe both workings jointly, perhaps more so from 1914 because the No. 1 Tunnel's production was raised at No. 2 Tunnel's pit-top. This is one of the reasons it has been most difficult to locate the site (or sites) of the electricity generation units.

It does seem to me, that because in the East Greta Coal Mining Company's latter history that all the company's local collieries administration from a brick office building situated on the "swamp" side of the East Greta rail platform and adjacent to the East Greta No. 2 Tunnel pit-top, that this phase of its operations (electricity generation), was also carried out adjacent to the No. 2 Tunnel boiler house. Whilst the "Railway Section" of the company transferred in 1904 the "locomotive depot" to East Greta Junction, and erected its carriage sheds also at East Greta Junction, for some ten years all locomotives', or carriages', or coal wagons', repairs, maintenance and overhauls were still made in the workshops at East Great No. 1 Tunnel Colliery. In 1914 a large brand new workshops was constructed near the locomotive depot at East Greta Junction. Some early East Greta Coal Mining Company's reports inform that the company's buildings, station, signal-box and sidings at East Greta Junction were serviced with electricity from the company's own generators, which was transmitted from East Greta to East Greta Junction. (Author's Note: I have never heard ever, any reference to electricity generation on South Maitland Railway's land at East Greta Junction).

Mr William Humble, Government Mines Department inspector, in his 1922 paper in a general reference to electricity generation at the East Greta Tunnels, states:

"... two steam engines driving the electricity generators. The alternating current producing unit by a 176 horse power engine; the direct current producing unit by a 75 horse power engine. The electricity plant consists of a 120 kW set producing alternating current at 2200 pressure volts, and one 45 kW set producing direct current at 250 pressure volts."

It is of special attention that the 45 kW direct current unit was not installed at the East Greta Tunnels until 1918. At this time the East Greta No. pit-top was not functioning, which greatly supports the assumption that the electricity generation was made at East Greta No. 2 Tunnel pit-top. One of the remaining features in the area of the now extinct East Greta No. 2 Tunnel is a large circular concrete tank, which possibly could have been a cooling dam for an electricity power generation unit.

PIT-HORSES:

Pit-horses were utilised in the skip-wheeling on the various "levels" at East Greta No. 2 Tunnel. The horses were brought back to the surface each day. Horses were lifted singly in the tunnel-cage, on which wooden sides had been attached.

COAL WAGONS:

East Greta No. 2 Tunnel shared the use of the wagons of the fleet belonging to the East Greta Coal Mining Company. These wagons have been fully described on page 41.

RAIL CONNECTION:

The colliery rail sidings for the East Greta No. 2 Tunnel were located in a small cutting that had been made for the original railway to the East Greta No. 1 Tunnel. For these new sidings, this cutting had been widened particularly on the lower "swamp" side. The screening area and loading facilities had been constructed over two sidings, one for large coal and one for small coal. These sidings could each accommodate standage for 40 empty rail coal wagons and 40 loaded rail wagons.

On the East Greta Junction side of the cutting, beyond the loaded wagon sidings and from the track linking these to the main railway, a dead end spur siding turned off, and ran around the hill in an arc in an easterly direction. This siding held the wagons loaded with chitter and pit rubbish until they were unloaded.

All inwards coal trains for both the East Greta Tunnels were shunted at East Greta No. 1 Tunnel rail sidings. The "run-around" loop siding there was used to reverse the locomotive. All outward trains were also marshalled at the East Greta No. 1 sidings, frequently with combined loads from both Tunnels. After the 1914 fire and the destruction of the East Greta No. 1 pit-top, which resulted in the lifting of the coal production from No. 1 Tunnel's workings via the No. 2 Tunnel's pit-top, all rail sidings previously used at East Greta No. 1 were still required for holding standage and for marshalling trains (see page 41 - East Greta No. 1 Tunnel).

A rare type of "road" rail-crossing was made at East Greta when the rail track between East Greta and East Greta Junction was duplicated in August 1903. Previously when the East Greta No. 2 Tunnel was commenced in 1894, in order to service the colliery facilities then being erected on the west (or "swamp") side of the new colliery workings and the "single-main-rail-line" an overhead road bridge was constructed over the original cutting. The cutting had been dug to ease the grade for the "down" direction trains. When the rail track was duplicated in 1903, to avoid disrupting the No. 2 Tunnel arrangements, and altering or re-siting other pit-top facilities, the new "Up Main Line" (or the track on the west side) was surveyed and planned to deviate and move away to the west from the original railway. The new track was to run almost on the "level" around a land island to return again to the east to travel parallel to the original track at a point further down the slope towards East Greta Junction.

The road crossing in the true rail practices of the time continued at right-angles to the railway from the overhead bridge above the original rail track to cross the new rail line on the level. This road crossing of an overhead bridge above the "Down Main" and a level-crossing at the "Up Main" continued until the mid 1930's. With the duplication of the rail track, a new island platform had been constructed at East Greta at the East Greta No. 1 Tunnel end or apex of the land island.

Following the closure of East Greta No. 2 Tunnel in 1929 and subsequent demolition of its pit-top, screening and loading structures, plus (and possibly because of) the change in ownership to the J.A.B.A.S. Group (see page 50), the railway main lines at the East Greta platform were again straightened and brought together so that both tracks ran parallel in accordance with normal railway clearances and practices. Part of the East Greta No. 2 sidings area was utilised to effect this alteration.

SPECIAL PLANT OR EQUIPMENT:

(A) PIT-TOP:

Research has failed to give a great amount of information, (or details), on the East Greta No. 2 Tunnel pit-top. Relevant information as to its sizes or measurements, types of materials, or details of construction, is almost non-existent. A "snippet" advises that the screening gear was of a good type.

The pit-top structure was on the eastern side of the railway cutting and partially within the cutting itself and adjacent to the East Greta station platform.

(B) WINDING ENGINE HOUSE:

Again like the pit-top structure, information is practically non-existent.

The pit-top structure was on the west side of the cutting, and appears to have been on level ground, and on the latter land island formed by the rail tracks.

The winding engine itself was steam driven. This had been supplied by Morrison and Bearby, a Newcastle firm. It had a 22 inches diameter duplex cylinder with a 4 feet 6 inches stroke.

The haulage rope ran high above the original railway track to the tunnel cage.

(C) BOILER HOUSE:

Again, like the pit-top building and the winding engine house, details of the building, the construction materials, size, etc., of the boiler house in non-existent.

As recorded earlier in these notes, Mr William Humble, a Government Mines Department inspector, in a paper in March 1922, recorded that there were 7 Lancashire and 2 Cornish boilers at the East Greta Tunnels, (see page 55).

Other "unsupported" information, (apart from the Author's boyhood memory), was that the boilers at East Greta No. 2 stood in an excavation level with the rail tracks.

A very tall red brick colliery chimney stack stood on the west side of the boiler house. This is supported by a photograph from a collection of various collieries' machinery and equipment, belonging to Mr Burt Lovett, of 2 Barker Street, Newcastle. This East Greta No. 2 Tunnel colliery stack was of an octagonal shape, tapering in towards the top from a square brick base.

(D) COLLIERY OFFICE:

A brick cottage style office building was utilised for the early local administration of both the East Greta Tunnels and the railway. From its site in relation to the Up Main rail-line (swamp side), it would appear that this building was constructed after 1904.

(E) MANAGER'S HOME:

A brick cottage still stands on the road side for which the level crossing had been made. It was on the Maitland side of this road at a point almost opposite the colliery office building. This is considered to have been the Manager's of the East Greta Tunnels home.

It is of interest that in 1900 Mr Azariah Thomas became the General Manager of the East Greta Coal Mining Company. A fine two-storey building, a mansion for the period was constructed on the rise on the Telarah side of the Government Railways. This was the Thomas home.

(F) AMBULANCE:

As shown on page 39 of these notes, the 1907 Annual Report of the Mines Department records that a horse-drawn vehicle was stationed in the neighbourhood of the East Greta No. 1 Tunnel.

It does seem reasonable to assume, that after the closure of the No. 1 Tunnel pit-top in 1914, that this vehicle would have been relocated at No. 2 Tunnel pit-top.

(G) DAMS:

The East Greta Coal Mining Company's shareholders were advised at the 1897 Annual Meeting that during that year a large dam had been completed. This dam was located on the north-east side of the East Greta No. 2 Tunnel between the "old main road" and the railway, not far from the present Gillieston Public School site.

This dam together with the two dams built previously for the East Greta No. 1 Tunnel, gave the company a total water-storage capacity of 15,000,000 gallons. Water from this dam was brought to East Greta No. 2 Tunnel by use of a steam pump.

During 1908 the Hunter District Water Board mains were connected via Heddon Greta to both the East Greta Tunnels as well as to East Greta village.

A large circular tank still remains on the eastern side of the cutting, adjacent to the No. 2 Tunnel entrance. This circular tank had been constructed on the "Monier" method, and had a capacity of 30,000 gallons.

(H) COAL BRIQUETTES:

In the present world coal sales market, coal from whatever type of mining, underground or open-cut is usually sold as a cleaned, regular sized product. In these days most coals are crushed and washed. It can be blended with coals from other areas to produce a consistent material that can meet the standards and specifications nominated by the customer as to volatile matter, ash and sulphur content, etc., etc.

So very different from the early days of the South Maitland Coalfield's mining, when it was then the large coal only, that was in popular demand. The trade found it difficult to sell small coals. Fines and duff coal sales were almost impossible, and like chitter, these classes of coal were frequently stacked in heaps around the pit-top area. However such coal types did find ready sales from these long-time standing heaps during the coal shortage era of World War II.

At the East Greta No. 2 Tunnel on the 24th July 1907 an attempt was made to market this almost refuse coal of that period by the utilisation of a special processing method. Not only was the East Greta Coal Mining Company the pioneer coal mine on the South Maitland Coalfields, and the pioneer of rail transport in the same area, but now it was to become the pioneer in the Australian Commonwealth in the manufacture of coal briquettes. Mr Azariah Thomas, General Manager of the East Greta Coal Mining Company, designed the layout and the program for a factory, and Mr St Vincent Heyes, the company's engineer, supervised its erection.

A short dead-end rail siding at the East Greta No. 2 Tunnel ran in an easterly arc from the rail track linking the "Down Main" railway to the loaded coal standage sidings. Originally this particular short siding was utilised to stand and hold rail wagons of chitter and pit-top rubbish, before it was dumped nearby. A factory for briquette manufacture was constructed adjacent to this siding between the pit tunnel entrance and the air fan house. This building was a substantial structure with a floor area 50 feet by 30 feet with walls 25 feet high. The walls were of brick construction, 18 inches in thickness to accommodate the intense vibration of the machinery. The plant machinery had been supplied by Messrs H. Berry and Company of Leeds, England. The machinery weighed 30 tons and was set in concrete and brick.

Small coal from both East Greta Tunnels was conveyed to the briquette factory in the company's coal rail wagons, and was bottom discharged into the "boot" of the elevator at the end of the building structure. The coal was then transported in the buckets on the revolving belt of the elevator, and tipped into a chute to be directed into the mixer.

Overseas, briquettes were manufactured form waste coal in conjunction with pitch, and by using great pressure resulted in a solid article. However in Australia due to the prohibitive price of pitch at that period, a substitute had to be found. Meal from cereals, such as damaged wheat, rice, oats, etc., mixed with lime was planned as the alternative binder. A smaller bucket elevator system, similar in style as that used to handle the small coal, moved the binding material to the mixer. This mixture, binding materials and the small coal, were ground to powder, and then heated to 700º.. The heated mass was placed into a die, and compressed by rams at a pressure of 3 tons per cubic inch, or an equivalent of 156 tons on each briquette.

Briquettes measured 9 inches long by 6 inches wide and 5½ inches in thickness, and each weighed 12 pounds. The machine suppliers, Messrs H. Berry and Company had guaranteed their plant would turn out 5 tons of briquettes per hour or 40 tons a day.

Although the briquette manufacturing plant and factory operated until the 11th October 1918, the whole project did not turn out a commercial success. Possibly its main problems may have been that the right ingredients were not used. Its purpose was to use up the small coal profitably. Records do not show to what extent the total tonnage reached. At a maximum capacity annually of 10,000 tons it did appear to have prospects.

Shortly after its closure on 11th October 1918, the briquette factory, building and plant, were demolished and removed.

FIRST MANAGER:

Mr Azariah Thomas.

During 1900 Mr Azariah Thomas became General Manager of the East Greta Coal Mining Company. Following the company's expansion to the Stanford Merthyr Colliery, and the anticipated growth of its railway, late in 1900 Mr Henry M. Williams was appointed manager of the two East Greta Tunnels Nos. 1 and 2.

COMPANY'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

At the time (late 1896) East Greta No. 2 Tunnel had reached the stage of significant production, the directors of the East Greta Coal Mining Company were:

Oliver K. Young (chairman), George F. Earp, Henry J. Adams, Ted Guest, Edward Fanning and Job Smith.

COMPANY SECRETARY (1896):

Mr Alfred Beckett.

COMPANY'S REGISTERED OFFICE:

Earps Building, Bond Street, Newcastle.

COMPANY'S SELLING AND SHIPPING AGENT:

Earp, Gillam and Company Limited of Newcastle, Sydney, Melbourne and London.

BRIEF HISTORY:

The history of the East Greta Coal Mining Company has been fully outlined in these notes (see page 42 to page 51). The details apply equally to the East Greta No. 2 Tunnel.

Perhaps it should be recorded here that Mr Henry Cartwright, the original miner was accidentally killed by a runaway skip in a jig heading on 28th May 1924.

See page 63 re demolition by Frank Fearon in 1939.

CLOSURE:

With the cessation of work on the 24th September 1929 by the members of the Miners Federation in the 1929 strike and subsequent lockout, East Greta No. 2 Tunnel ceased production, and it never re-opened.

The very high flood-waters in the Hunter Valley in June 1930, caused inrushes of water into both the East Greta Tunnels workings, through a number of subsidences and weakened surface areas. This flooding did great damage by scouring.

ABANDONMENT:

This mining lease was completely abandoned in 1963 by its then owners, Coal and Allied Limited. See Mines Department File Papers R.T. 422.

PRESENT POSITION:

Today only the remains of brick footings of various structures indicate the site of the East Greta No. 2 Tunnel. A concrete circular tank still stands near the location of the Tunnel entrance.

A brick cottage, said to have been at one time the manager's home, stands in fair condition.

Little to show where a progressive colliery once operated.

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