OWNERS:

REFERENCES MINES DEPARTMENT:

LOCATION:

(A) Portion No. 15, Parish of Heddon, County of Northumberland.

(B) Mining Lease No.?

(C) Neighbouring mines:

(i)  Neath Colliery to the west.
(ii) Abermain No. 1 Colliery to the south-west.
(iii) Hebburn No. 1 Colliery to the south-east.
(iv) Hebburn No. 2 Colliery to the south.

(D) Greta Main Colliery was located in a paddock to the north side of Harle Street, Abermain, and on a line direct compass north of the Denman Hotel, Abermain, back on the main Cessnock to Kurri Road (Highway No. 132).

DISTANCES:

(A) Greta Main Colliery was west of Weston village and was 3 miles 45 chains (5.7 kms) distant by road from Kurri Post Office.

(B) It was 5 miles 75 chains (9.5 kms) distant by road from Cessnock Post Office.

(C) Greta main Colliery never had direct railway connection. A short dead-end siding was constructed by South Maitland Railways Limited to accommodate coal wooden hopper rail wagons to be loaded with Greta main Colliery coal production.

This dead-end siding was adjacent to the "Up Main" rail track, and lay parallel to it on its northern side. The reverse movement entry points to the siding was at 9 miles 13 chains (14.66 kms) distant by rail from the junction with the NSW Government Railways at East Greta Junction.

A skip rail track approximately one mile (1.6 kms) in length ran from the Greta Main Colliery Tunnel to the loading gantry adjoining the dead-end siding. This skip rail track crossed Maitland Road, Abermain, (Highway No. 132) at right angles between housing allotments Nos. 105 and 109 Maitland Road, Abermain.

This main road is of concrete construction. A close inspection of this nominated "crossing" area, reveals a slight difference in the texture of the concrete at that point. When the skip rail track was removed in the late 1930's, the gap made by the previous skip track was re-concreted.

AREA:

52 acres.

SEAM:

The Greta "Lower" Seam (Homeville bottom split) outcropped on this lease, and for the larger portion of the area under-laid it. The Greta "Top" Seam did not show on the lease.

The bottom split of this Homeville Seam was 7 feet in thickness. It had a conglomerate roof and a sandstone floor.

This seam had a strike South 75º East, and it had a dip south of one foot in 20 feet.

COMMENCED OPERATIONS:

The 1921 Mines Department Annual Report informs that Greta Main Colliery had commenced operations early in that year. In another section of this report it advises that 7 men were employed.

An early South Maitland Railway record tells that the first coal production from Greta Main Colliery was carted by horse and dray to be loaded into coal wooden hopper rail wagons standing in the goods siding at Abermain Station. The first rail despatch of this coal was made on Wednesday 8th June 1921.

ENTRY:

Greta Main Colliery workings were entered by two tunnels running in due south. These tunnels were about 30 yards apart. Their entry was on a very slight downwards incline, appearing almost level. This was also assisted by the local topography with the nearby low hillock on which the Denman Hotel, Abermain is located.

One tunnel was used as the haulage entry. The other was utilised in the "furnace" ventilation.

METHOD OF WORKING:

Greta Main Colliery was always a small mine, not only in area (52 acres) but also in the total of employees engaged. Mines Department records show the peak year for numbers was only 15 miners in 1929.

The pit was operated on the bord and pillar method. Research has not revealed the size of bords or pillars.

Some old Abermain miner residents say that whilst it worked, Greta Main Colliery produced by sheer hard work. Always by hand boring and hand filing of skips.

The 1927 Mines Department Annual Report tells that Greta Main Colliery used "naked pit-lights".

MINE HAULAGE:

Research to date has not confirmed with certainty the type of haulage used.

"Unsupported advices" seem to indicate that in the first two years of operation at Greta Main Colliery, pit-horses pulled the skips out of the mine, and hauled them per the surface skip rail track to a loading siding adjacent to south Maitland Railways. Pit-horses are said to have hauled these skips, at that time, in sets of 3 skips.

A very old miner from Abermain, Mr Alan Musgrove, said a steam engine and a wire rope were utilised in the main tunnel heading, and the pit-horses were then used elsewhere underground. This information has not yet been supported.

On arrival at the gantry to tip skip loads into rail wagons, the loaded skip was hand-winched to the top of the gantry skip rail track.

In mid 1929 a 100 horse powered diesel locomotive replaced pit-horses in the skip-haulage on the surface skip rail track from the pit to the loading gantry. Skips were then hauled in sets of 4 skips.

PIT-HORSES:

Pit-horses were utilised in Greta Main Colliery.

VENTILATION:

When working first commenced in 1921 at Greta Main Colliery, ventilation was made by natural means.

The 1923 Mines Department Annual Report informs that during that year, a furnace had been constructed underground to provide ventilation at Greta Main Colliery. The 1925 Annual Report advises that steam jets had been added to assist the furnace ventilation. This situation still applied in 1928 according to that year's Annual Report. (Author's note: This Mines Department information gives some indirect support to the steam haulage advice, in that steam was being manufactured at the pit).

ELECTRICITY POWER GENERATION:

No plant for the generation of electricity was ever constructed at Greta Main Colliery.

In fact, research to date appears to indicate that electricity was never used at the mine, not even for lighting.

PUMPS:

Research has revealed no information.

AIR COMPRESSORS:

Research has revealed no information.

RAIL CONNECTION:

As has been outlined earlier, Greta Main Colliery did not ever have a direct rail connection to its tunnel workings. South Maitland Railways Ltd in early 1922, constructed a dead-end siding 128 yards in length, laid parallel to the "Up Main" line. This siding's length was sufficient accommodation to stand just over 20 coal rail wagons. The loading gantry was approximately at the centre of the siding. South Maitland Railways' "Traffic Working" circular No. 62 stated that the siding was brought into operation on Friday 28th July 1922.

This siding had a reverse movement points entry situated at 9 miles 13 chains (14.66 kms) from the junction with the NSW Government Railways at East Greta Junction. These points were unlocked and freed for operation by an Annette Key. When this Annette Key was removed from the interlocking frame at Abermain signal-box, as a very safe traffic precaution, it automatically locked the Abermain Up Starting signal in the "stop" position. A following train could not be despatched into the Abermain - Weston section until the Annette Key was returned to its place in the Abermain interlocking frame. A very good and safe device.

South Maitland Railways' goods train was usually utilised to perform the shunting at the Greta Main Colliery coal loading siding. This goods train usually only hauled a small tonnage train. In this operation in addition to its Up goods train, 10 empty coal wooden hopper rail wagons were conveyed to be exchanged with the loaded vehicles at the Greta Main Colliery siding. The Abermain station safe-working porter carrying the Annette Key rode on the goods train locomotive, and the driver, having "sighted" the key, passed the Abermain Up Starting Signal in the "stop" position on the key's authority.

On arrival at the siding points, the porter unlocked and operated the points for the shunting movements required. After the loaded wagons were lifted, and the empty vehicles placed for future loading, the goods train departed to continue its up journey to East Greta Junction. The porter then "walked" the key back to Abermain signal-box, a distance of 0 miles 59 chains (1.18 kms).

It is of interest that the owners, Mr & Mrs C. Jeffries, paid the total cost of £494-17-1 ($989.71) for the construction of the spur Greta Main loading siding adjacent to the South Maitland Railways by a self-imposed levy of one shilling, ($0.10) per ton royalty, until the account had been met.

This siding was closed and the "Up Main" line straight-railed on 3rd April 1935.

RAIL WAGONS:

Greta Main Colliery never owned any coal wooden hopper rail wagons. Through its shipping and handling agent, the firm of A.B. Hough, it hired this type of vehicle to meet its requirements. The firm of A.B. Hough itself owned a fair-sized fleet of wagons.

SPECIAL PLANT AND EQUIPMENT:

(A) SURFACE SKIP RAIL TRACK:

A skip rail track almost 80 chains (1.6 kms) in length was constructed to connect overland the Greta Main colliery with the rail loading siding adjacent to the South Maitland Railway's Up Main line. This skip rail track ran behind the houses on the northern side of Harle Street, Abermain. Then through the present house allotment No. 107, across Harle Street at right angles, through the area that is now a park, and through house allotment No. 107 Maitland Road, Abermain to cross Highway No. 132. Thence in a south-easterly diagonal direction to the South Maitland Railway's rail siding.

The replaced skip rail track through the concreted main road is very evident by the different texture of the restored concrete.

In the first years, sets of 3 skips were hauled. In mid 1929 a 100 horse powered diesel locomotive replaced the pit-horse haulage. Skips were then hauled in sets of four.

Adjacent to South Maitland Railway loading siding, Greta Main Colliery constructed an earth and stone gantry to raise the skips above the height of coal wagons standing in the siding. Skips were hand winched singly to the top of the gantry, where the skip was side-tipped by hand. The coal ran into a wooden chute, thence into the coal rail wagon. Having been emptied, the skip was gravitated back onto the other loaded skips, and then "coped-over" to allow the following loaded skips to pass. The process was the repeated. A very slow and tedious method.

To remove a little of the inefficiency a small skip rail track loop siding was constructed just beyond the bottom of the gantry. This small loop siding could accommodate 6 skips. After the skips were unloaded, pit-horses returned the empty skips to the tunnel for re-loading.

When the diesel locomotive working was introduced, the skips were "pulled" by the locomotive. This small "loco" on arrival at the gantry, ran around the skips utilising the small loop. The loaded skips were then propelled by the loco to the top of the gantry for the side-tipping process. This eliminated the very heavy work of hand-winching. The skips were either propelled or hauled back to the Greta Main Colliery, depending on the need and situation at the tunnel mouth.

FIRST COLLIERY MANAGER:

The owner - Charles Jeffries.

FIRST SHIPPING AGENT:

Firm of A.B. Hough
Street, Newcastle.

FIRST SHIPPING OFFICERS:

Norm Brien and Jack Tonkins.

BRIEF HISTORY:

The owner and manager of Greta Main Colliery, Charles Jeffries was a brother to Joshua and John Jeffries, both so well known in mining circles, particularly in association with Abermain Collieries Company.

When production first commenced at Greta Main Colliery in early 1921, the coal was transported by horse and dray to be loaded into coal wooden hopper rail wagons standing in Abermain Railway Station goods traffic siding. First such coal was loaded on Wednesday 8th June 1921. Immediately this was found to be slow, cumbersome, costly and very inefficient.

On the 14th December 1921 Mr Charles Jeffries requested Hebburn Limited for permission to use the surface of Hebburn Mining Lease, "M.L.3", for the purpose of constructing a spur branch railway to his tunnels, the Greta Main Colliery. Permission was given. In the negotiations re the "spur branch railway" construction, it was considered that the topography did not suit such a rail connection. It was also thought, that even if a rail track was possible it might require Parliament's authority by an Act, plus local government's permission and approval, etc. Seemingly endless obstacles. Finally, South Maitland Railway agreed to construct a dead-end siding laid parallel to its Up Main track on Mining Lease No. 3 at 9 miles 13 chains (14.66 kms). This siding was short, only 128 yards in length. It was completed on 28th July 1922.

Due to the depressed coal trade following the "lockout" period, Greta Main Colliery ceased production on the 23rd December 1930. The mine resumed production on 30th September 1931.

The mine was finally closed permanently on the 7th January 1935. The NSW Mines Department was notified of its abandonment on the 13th January 1935.

Information from local residents advises that the few remaining pit-top buildings and structures were gradually vandalised and demolished. Research has failed to reveal the date of the skip track removal. Mr Charlie Williams, South Maitland Railways Per-way Executive Officer, supervised the removal of the rails and track of the Greta Main Colliery loading siding, plus the "straight-railing" of the Up Main line at this location during March 1935. South Maitland Railways Company circular No. 290 dated 3rd April 1935 announced the closure of Jeffrey's Greta Main siding and the "straight-railing" of the Up Main.

MINE CLOSURE:

7th January 1935.

MINE ABANDONED:

13th January 1935.

PRESENT POSITION:

An inspection of the area shows that the 52 acres has again re-grassed and some small scrub growth. There is no sign of any previous mine structures or mine debris. A number of scattered holes and subsidences gives some evidence of the efforts of the miners of long ago.

The City of Cessnock Municipal Council advises that the current owners of the 52 acres are:

Mr and Mrs A. Elias
Harle Street
Abermain.

 

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