Pelaw Main Colliery

(A) ORIGINAL	A group of West Maitland entrepreneurs, led by Henry Trenchard, with Samuel Clift, Henry J. Adams and others.
(B)	J. & A. Brown Limited Scott Street, Newcastle.
(C)	J. & Brown Abermain - Seaham Limited Street, Newcastle.
(D)	Coal and Allied Limited 14 Watt Street, Newcastle.

(A) Record Tracing No.:	217 674 Homeville "Bottom" Split.
(B) Register:	Northern Collieries Lease Books - Book No. 1 - No. 45.
(C) Papers:	1902/8476; Revised 1912/385 1929/2022; 1931/11538; M 19200.

(D) Pelaw Main Colliery was situated on the southern side and fairly close to Highway No. 135, the Kurri to Mulbring Road, (known as the Stanford Road). The mine is located on the western side of the present day village of Pelaw Main.

(A) Pelaw Main pit-top was 1 mile 30 chains (2.2 kms) distant by road from Kurri Post Office.

(B) It was 9 miles 45 chains (15.3 kms) distant by road from Cessnock Post Office.

(C) The facing point entry to the Pelaw Main Colliery sidings was 8 miles 36 chains (13.52 kms) distant by rail from the junction with the NSW Government Railways at East Greta Junction.

(D) These same facing entry points were 15 miles 77 chains (25.54 kms) distant by rail via the Richmond Vale Railway to the junction with the NSW Government Railways at Hexham.

3195 acres of coal mining leaseland. It is of interest that this lease from the Crown is in the names of J. & W. Brown, successors to the original J. & A. Brown Limited.

Both the Greta "Top" Seam and the "lower" seam (Homeville) underlay the Pelaw Main Colliery lease. However it was only the Homeville Seam that was worked. Whilst the Greta Top Seam varied in thickness from 7 feet 6 inches to 12 feet, it was because of its many bands, and its general deterioration in this lease, that the Greta Top Seam was considered for the most part, to be too inferior for working.

The conglomerate, a fine grained sandstone, was from 80 feet to 100 feet in thickness, separated the two seams. The Bottom (Homeville) Seam ranged in thickness from 15 feet to 18 feet six inches. The general dip of this seam was southerly at 6º, at an incline of one foot in twelve feet.

A number of branching sub-parallel faults trend generally north-west and south-east with down-throws ranging from a few feet to over 100 feet.

The roof was a conglomerate with patches of sandstone or mudstone. The floor was of sandstone.

Available coal in the seams in Pelaw Main Colliery was estimated at about 24,500 tons per acre. However by 1910 it was found that the actual coal production was averaging roughly half this estimate. Actual figures at 1910 was some 12,250 tons per acre in the 600 acres then worked.

Like its neighbour, Stanford Merthyr Colliery, Pelaw Main Colliery had commenced its first mining operations from the efforts of a group of West ;Maitland coal mining entrepreneurs led by Mr Henry Trenchard. The 1891 Mines Department Annual Report records Monday 27th July 1891. (See page 126), Mr Edwin (Ted) Pepper, a coal mining contractor is said to have driven prospecting tunnels during 1891, operations which were suspended during 1892.

Renewed interest commenced on 16th September 1898 at Stanford Greta Tunnels as recorded in the 1898 Annual Report of the Mines Department. It appears that the Maitland mining entrepreneurs were somewhat financially embarrassed at this time. On the 1st August 1900 two major coal companies of that period jointly made an offer to the shareholders of the Stanford Greta Tunnels to purchase their lease. The offer was accepted. The No. 1 Tunnel and the eastern part of the lease was purchased by the East Greta Coal Mining Company. The No. 2 Tunnel and the western part of the lease, an area of 3195 acres was taken over by J. & A. Brown Limited for a purchase price of £15,000-0-0 ($30,000.00).

On the 20th May 1901, Mr Richard Thomas, the new Pelaw Main mine manager, notified the Mines Department, that the recently acquired Stanford Greta No. 2 Tunnel had been renamed "Pelaw Main Colliery" by its owners J. & A. Brown. Following the completion and the opening of the Stanford Railway on Friday 6th September 1901, an extension link of 1 mile 26 chains (2.12 kms) connected the Pelaw Main Colliery. The agreement for this extension construction had been made by the parties on the 18th May 1901.

Coal was produced during November 1901. However it was not until January 1902 that the first full train of coal production was despatched from Pelaw Main Colliery on the new railway.

In its first days, entry to the Pelaw Main Colliery was made by two tunnels driven into the outcrop in a south-easterly direction. These two tunnels were about 100 feet apart. No. 1 Tunnel was 12 feet wide by 7 feet 6 inches high. The No. 2 Tunnel was 11 feet wide by 6 feet high. These two tunnels were later utilised purely for the haulage of skips. A further tunnel (the third) was driven between the two haulage tunnels for use as a travelling road for both the men and horses. This travelling road was 12 feet wide by 7 feet 6 inches high. By August 1911, the No. 1 Tunnel heading was about one mile in length, and the No. 2 Tunnel heading ran in 1¼ miles. Eventually these tunnels ran in for just over 2000 yards.

During early 1902 two shafts for furnaces were sunk to depth of 50 feet to remove the foul air. In late 1903 a 6 feet 6 inches diameter shaft was sunk to provide for the installation of a steam-driven "Shiel" fan to replace the furnace system.

Later one of the small disused furnace shafts was revitalised and was utilised to conduct an air-pipe from the Ingersoll-Sergeant compressor underground. As the workings extended below the surface, a "main and tail" rope haulage system, that had two branches, was added for the underground haulage in subsidiary tunnel headings. This "main and tail" haulage was steam-powered with the engine on the surface. The rope entered the mine through the previous furnace shaft. Yet still another chore for this old furnace shaft was to hold and convey a pipe, which provided steam to operate a "Blake" pump on the mine bottom.

An additional air shaft, 140 feet in depth, was completed on the 24th October 1910 for a new Sirrocco electrically-powered fan. This fan was situated on the surface at a distance of almost a mile from the Pelaw Main pit-top. A special rail track was also constructed to this fan site.

Pelaw Main Colliery was worked on the bord and pillar system. Because of a problem in holding roof coal, the bords broke away from the tunnel headings, not at the usual right angles, but at a slight angle.

In the upper level part of the mine, the bords and pillars were both 8 yards wide. As the cover increased, the bords were made 6 yards wide, and the pillars 10 yards wide. Later still pillar widths were made 20 yards. All pillars were 28 yards in length.

"Cut-throughs" or "slants" were driven at a greater angle than that of the bords. The cut-throughs were 4 yards in width. The cut-throughs or slants were driven every 60 yards. If a fault occurred, this was used as a natural barrier. Otherwise a coal barrier was left every 300 yards. At each fourth bord, the far end of the bord was narrowed, and a brick stopping was made. The colliery was laid out on the "panel" principle, and it was such that in the event of a fire, it could be confined to a particular district.

Bricks and mortar were kept at the "intake" and the "return" of each district, so that that portion could be quickly sealed off, if a fire should take place. Timbers or "props" were kept on the "flats", so that it was no further than 2 to 15 chains from the face. These timbers were brought to the face by the wheelers.

Coal was taken out in two "workings". The first workings were made from 7 feet 6 inches to 10 feet high. The second working was made from that height to the roof. In the first workings 13 deputies were employed, each supervised 18 pairs of miners. The deputy was required to make two inspections daily of each working place.

The coal in Pelaw Main Colliery was very hard for hand-picking, so under-cutting was made by compressed air driven "Ingersoll" coal punchers. This under-cutting was followed by the drilling of the holes for the explosives by the "borer" employee using a No. 2 "Little Grant" compressed air driven drills. Such holes could be placed 6 feet into solid coal in 2 minutes. A "shot-firer" dropped the coal. He used "Monobel" explosives in normal faces, and "Saxonite" in wet places. "Arkite" was a third type of explosive used.

The first compressed air coal-cutting machines arrived at Pelaw Main Colliery on the 2nd June 1902. By the end of 1903 two Jeffrey chain-driven breast type coal-cutters, and 12 Ingersoll-Sergeant coal-punches operated. 35 Ingersoll punches were in use by mid 1912. A Sullivan air-driven coal cutter was introduced in 1923 to augment the 50 Ingersoll-Rand percussion air-driven machines and the 29 small rotary shot-hole boring machines. Compressed air coal cutters were continued to be used at Pelaw Main Colliery up until the end of the 1940's.

The removal of pillar coal when it was first worked was all performed by contract hand mining.

Mine deputies inspected "old workings" weekly, and reported their findings direct to the manager.

Many older miners who had worked in Pelaw Main Colliery in the 1950's inform that there had been little mechanisation at their colliery. Even the manager and company policy and administration had been restricted and restrained by John Marcus Baddeley's (Minister of Mines) 1941 State Government legislation, which had prevented the use of machinery in the "removal of pillars". This Act was repealed in the late 1950's and resulted in some increase in mechanisation. A change of personnel for the Company's Superintendent position in January 1957 and a new company's policy and influence, saw support for this step towards increased mechanisation.

It has been suggested that Mr Edward Warren, Chairman and Managing Director of the J.A.B.A.S. group accompanied with other high-placed company executive officers visited America to inspect mining mechanisation equipment. It would seem that Mr E. Warren, either was ill-advised or made an unwise choice and unpractical, because ten rubber-tyred "Jeffrey 61 units" were purchased for immediate use at J. & A. Brown Abermain - Seaham Collieries Limited, (J.A.B.A.S. group) mines. Four of these went to Richmond Main Colliery and were never un-crated. Six units were sent to Pelaw Main Colliery. Of this six, two were never uncrated, and the other four were placed underground at Pelaw Main Colliery. These machines and their mining were never a success. All ten "Jeffrey 61" units were sold as scrap. A "costly expensive" experiment.

Some "L400's" (a mechanical loader) were utilised as mechanisation in the last two years of Pelaw Main Colliery's mining operation. However being an older mine, costly in operation, plus the slackening of coal trade in the early 1960's, it was obvious that Pelaw Main Colliery might be a "target" for closure.

In its first days of mining operation and in the driving out of the headings and bords, coal won at the new Pelaw Main Colliery was pulled out by direct haulage. In October 1902 Messrs Morrison and Bearby of Newcastle installed an endless rope system at each tunnel. These endless ropes were driven by 80 horse-powered steam engines.

The steam was provided by a number of large Lancashire boilers, which had also been supplied by Messrs Morrison and Bearby. The Lancashire Boilers were fitted with "Triumph" automatic stokers which worked on the "worm" principle. By this method the fire-box doors were kept closed. Coal was brought from the mine by a scraper conveyor and fed slowly in, and was pushed forward by a movement of the fire-bars. By the beginning of 1917 most steam-driven equipment at Pelaw Main Colliery was replaced by electric motors. Richmond Main Colliery power house supplied alternating current at 3300 volts. All boilers except four were withdrawn.

The brick colliery chimney stack was of a square design that tapered in at the top.

The endless rope in the two haulage tunnels by 1912 had been lengthened to make a total distance of four miles. Two other underground branch haulage tunnels feeding to the main tunnels utilised "main and tail" haulage. This "main and tail" was steam powered from an engine on the surface. Its rope entered the mine through an early furnace shaft.

John Brown, managing director of J. & A. Brown Limited had shown his determined policy of utilising electricity where-ever possible in all his collieries. The fine electricity generation plant he had arranged to be constructed at Richmond Vale Colliery, was intended to supply all his company's collieries. The Mines Department 1913 Annual Report shows that in that year Pelaw Main Colliery had installed 4 electric haulage motors. This number had been increased to 8 haulage systems by 1918; and further to 11 motors by 1927.

Following John Brown's death in March 1930, and in preparation of details for the proposed companies' amalgamation, the following information was supplied by the colliery manager on part of Pelaw Main Colliery haulages:

Pit-horses were employed to convey the coal in bords from the working faces. On a few occasions when the grade became too steep, winches operated by compressed air hauled the skips to a more convenient level.

Pelaw Main Colliery utilised pit-horse to move skips to and from the bords and working faces to the haulage ropes. Pit-horses came to the surface at the end of the shift.

At Pelaw Main Colliery the early ventilation was by natural means. In mid 1902 two furnace shafts were sunk into the pit workings to a depth of 50 feet to provide clean air. In 1903 work was commenced for the installation of 15 feet diameter "Shiel" fan. This was a unit steam driven by a steam engine. A spare steam engine was arranged "end-on" to the other engine to cater for possible breakdowns. This "Shiel" fan was brought into operation on the 14th February 1904.

On Friday 5th July 1907, Robert Arbuckle, Pelaw Main Colliery Manager notified the Mines Department that the sinking of an air shaft had commenced at his mine. This shaft was located about one mile towards the south-west from the pit-top. This additional air shaft was 14 feet in diameter and was sunk to a depth of 140 feet, and was completed on 24th October 1910. A new double-inlet "Sirrocco" fan, 15 feet in diameter was installed. This particular type of Sirrocco had numerous shallow blades in relation to the diameter. It was driven at 200 revolutions per minute and was capable of circulating 395,000 cubic feet of clean air per minute with a 5½ inches water gauge. The Sirrocco fan was driven by 12 manila ropes from a 500 horse-powered, 3 phase, 50 cycles, 3300 volts electric motor, which operated at 300 revolutions per minute. Electricity was supplied from the new Richmond Main power house, but research has failed to reveal the actual date of supply and operation. Certainly by 1912.

Ropes were considered to be much safer on fans than belts. If a rope broke, the other ropes would drive the fan until the miners underground could be withdrawn from the pit, to allow repairs to the fan rope to be effected.

In mid 1953, "Wirraway aeroplane propellers" replaced the early Sirrocco fan. The practice of using aeroplane propellers in the air shafts for ventilation at coal mines was not unusual. The Ayrfield Collieries Company in particular greatly utilised this custom.

Following the installation in late 1903 of the "Shiel" ventilation air fan, the furnace method was withdrawn. Later one of the small disused furnace shafts was revitalised and was utilised to conduct compressed air-pipes underground. Some years later when the workings had extended, a "main and tail" haulage, that serviced two lower branch headings, was introduced. This haulage was steam powered with the engine on the surface. The rope for this system also entered the mine through the previous furnace shaft. Yet another chore for the old furnace shaft was to convey a steam pipe, which provided steam to operate a "Blake" pump on pit bottom.

A small electricity generation plant was installed at Pelaw Main Colliery prior to January 1903. This was a 6 kW unit producing direct current electricity, which was only used at that time to light 110 lamps on the surface. Research has failed to reveal the manufacturer's name of this unit. The unit is omitted from the "List of Colliery Generation Plants" on and from the 1913 Mines Department Annual Report.

This would seem to support the assumption that all Pelaw Main Colliery's electrical needs were supplied from Richmond Main power house from 1912. Unsupported information advises that a 3300 volt transmission line was erected at the end of 1912 from Richmond Main power house to Pelaw Main Colliery. A change of colliery policy and the company's administration thinking appears to have been made in 1913 when electric lighting was also introduced underground at Pelaw Main. Steam power appears to have been totally removed by 1916. A later company schedule of plant, machinery and equipment shows this transmission line as costing £8,000-0-0 ($16,000.00) when it was erected.

Research has failed to reveal much information on pumps utilised underground at Pelaw Main Colliery.

It is known that a "Blake" steam pump operated on the pit-bottom possibly from 1904. The steam was piped from the surface via an earlier furnace shaft.

Some pumps driven by compressed air appear to have been used underground during the period 1905 to 1916. A number of these were Tangye-Snow pumps.

The Mines Department 1917 Annual Report indicates that Pelaw Main Colliery was using 3 electric pumps underground. Brand names have not been found. The 1927 Annual Report shows the electric pump numbers had increased to four.

Use of compressed air at Pelaw Main Colliery appears to have been made from at least June 1902, with the introduction of the under-cutting coal machines. This under-cutter coal machine could cut three 8 yards wide bords per shift, and required 100 cubic feet of compressed air per minute. This under-cutting coal process was followed by the hand-borers using "No. 2 Little Grant air drills", which required 15 cubic-feet of compressed air per minute. By this use of compressed air, the borer was able to sink a 6 feet deep hole in two minutes.

The compressed air at this period of time was supplied by an Ingersoll-Sergeant single cylinder compressor, which was steam operated. The compressed air was placed down the mine via a pipe running down the previous furnace shaft. To increase the volume of compressed air, a second single cylinder Ingersoll-Sergeant compressor was added in 1907 alongside the first compressor.

Increased extension of the workings, and also from the added output required more coal-cutting machines, etc. To meet this demand, in 1910 a Norwalk tandem compound compressor with mechanical inlet and outlet Corliss pattern valves, was installed in a newly built combined fan/compressor house erected about one mile south-west of the pit-top. Here the main compressed air pipe to the underground workings was of 6 inches diameter and entered the mine via a bore-hole.

Each district had its own air receiver. 3 inches diameter compressed air pipe ran down the cut-throughs, and 1½ diameter compressed air pipes were used in each bord. By 1923 there were 9 underground air-receivers with a total capacity of 1400 cubic feet. This total allowed a working pressure of 55 lbs, when the working face was in a distance of one mile.

Pelaw Main Colliery had its own fleet of coal wooden hopper rail wagons. Research in records have not shown the total number of wagons in the fleet. A Newcastle Morning Herald newspaper article in its issue dated 4th October 1902 informed that at the Pelaw Main Colliery, the wagon holding sidings for both loaded and empty vehicles had a capacity for 1000 vehicles in each, a total of 2000 wagons. Other sources do not confirm that the colliery had 2000 wagons.

Mr Gifford Eardley, a coalfields railways historian, who specialised as a student in J. & A. Brown history, writes that in late 1902, wagon accommodation at Pelaw Main sidings had been lengthened to hold a further 400 vehicles.

Pelaw Main Colliery coal rail wagon was very similar in type and style to other collieries' wagons. An early photograph shows the name - "Pelaw Main", was painted across on the two hopper side boards, and in letters 1 foot high and 2 inches in width. The date of the photograph is unknown, but it is of special interest, that this photograph recorded that this vehicle's identification number was "3212". Thus, it shows at that "unknown" date the fleet exceeded 3000 wagons.

NSW Government Railway archives supplied the following details of the average Pelaw Main Colliery rail wagon were:

The lift-out hopper tapered in both on the side and ends, like an inverted pyramid.

Whilst Pelaw Main Colliery had belonged to J. & A. Brown Limited Company, and its wagon fleet had been branded "Pelaw Main", it would appear that it was not until after 1931, that a change to the "brand-name" was made. After the formation of the J. & A. Brown Abermain - Seaham Company, all wagons of all collieries under this new ownership, were progressively repaired, re-painted and re-numbered. All wagons were re-branded "B" the standard branding for the J.A.B.A.S. group.

J. & A. Brown Limited, one of the early coal producers on the Newcastle Coalfields, first made its entry into the Greta Coal Seam on the South Maitland field, by John Brown's purchase of the Richmond Vale lease at an auction sale held on the 15th July 1897. (See "Brief History" section page 173).

One of the problems found by the Melbourne group of entrepreneurs, who had commenced mining operations in October 1888, was the lack of suitable transport for its coal production. Having proved the seam by boring the Melbourne group, through its manager John Riggs, notified the Mines Department that on Friday 10th January 1890 it had begun to sink a shaft. During 1891, 2500 tons of coal was raised to the surface.

The difficulty of coal transport from this new mine had presented a major puzzle. The Melbourne group examined the possibility of laying a railway to West Wallsend. As an alternative to join the NSW Government Railways at either East Maitland or West Maitland. In both schemes there were great topographic problems, which in turn caused financial concern. The Sugarloaf Mountain Range in one direction, the Wallis Creek, flood plains and swamps in the other. Add to this, the depth of coal and the consequent machinery needs and equipment requirements increased the group's financial problems. On 25th January 1892 Mr John R. Riggs notified the Mines Department that the mining operations at the Richmond Vale Estate property were suspended.

Thus when John Brown made his purchase of the Richmond Vale property, consideration was required to be given to the question of coal transport. During early 1900, an application was made to the NSW Parliament in the names of John, William and Stephen Brown for permission to construct a railway to join the Richmond Vale Colliery to the J. & A. Brown's Minmi Railway. Authority was given by the Richmond Vale Railway Act dated 21st October 1900.

Meanwhile a group of Maitland entrepreneurs, who had in 1891 commenced coal mining operations at the Stanford Great Tunnels, temporarily suspended their efforts in 1892, to renew their interest on the 16th September 1898. (See pages 125 and 143). Following this revived attention, the Maitland group were granted permission by the NSW Parliament by the Stanford Railway Act dated 25th July 1900 to construct the Stanford Railway.

Perhaps it was considered that the cost of this railway construction, added to mining development expenses, would strain their finances, because a number of the Stanford Greta Tunnels group were also involved with both the East Greta Coal Mining Company and the Heddon Greta Coal Mining Company. Possibly this was the reason that on Wednesday 1st August 1900, that two major coal companies operating at that time made an offer to purchase the Stanford Greta Tunnels lease.

This group accepted the offer. The East Greta Coal Mining Company bought the No. 1 Tunnel and the eastern part of the lease. J. & A. Brown purchased the No. 2 Tunnel and the western section of the lease.

With its purchase, the East Greta Coal Mining Company acquired the right to construct the Stanford Railway under the Parliament's Act of 25th July 1900. Construction was commenced early in 1901. The railway was completed and opened on the 6th September 1901. The Stanford Railway was later continued on beyond the Stanford Merthyr Colliery to provide a rail link to the new Pelaw Main Colliery, (Stanford Greta No. 2 Tunnel). This branch link reached Pelaw Main Colliery on the 17th November 1901. The first full train of coal was despatched from Pelaw Main Colliery during January 1902.

The early Pelaw Main Colliery sidings provided for two fairly long parallel converging loops at the colliery end of the branch link, running on the north side of the pit-top structure. These loops allowed the locomotive to reverse to the other end of its inwards train of empty vehicles, and to propel these vehicles into a long shunting neck. From this shunting neck, empty wagons were gravitated back to the screen sidings for loading. In the original lay-out, there appears to have been four sidings for coal loading. In this first layout, it appears that the empty wagon standage was smaller than the loaded vehicles area. It would seem that good use was made of the reception loops and the long shunting neck for empty wagon standage.

The number of sidings, their length, additional wagon holding areas, yard arrangements, and other modifications were all carried out piecemeal over the years to meet particular needs.

There is evidence that John Brown in mid-1903, transferred one of his small Hexham-Minmi Railway locomotives to be utilised at Pelaw Main Colliery. This locomotive was a "0-4-2" wheeled side tank engine built by Messrs Hawthorne. This move by John Brown was made to lessen the shunting charges imposed by the East Greta Coal Mining Company and to partly reduce that company's freight haulage charges. The locomotive placed and distributed the inwards empty wagons and prepared the outwards train loads.

With Parliament's permission by the Richmond Vale Railway Act (21st October 1900) to construct a railway from the Hexham-Minmi Railway to the Richmond Vale Colliery, J. & A. Brown Limited commenced the construction in February 1901. (See Richmond Main Colliery "Railway Section" at page 201). The Richmond Vale Railway Act did not expressly give permission for the linking of Pelaw Main Colliery to the new railway being constructed. John Brown always adopted policies of prudent economy, and as far as possible arranged that his company's operations should be self-contained. A flow-on from his uncle, Alexander Brown, plus the example and training Alexander passed on to John Brown. John Brown was aware that a small branch spur railway, only 2 miles 25 chains (3.7 kms) in length would give Pelaw Main Colliery coal transportation over J. & A. Brown's own railway service. When the Richmond Vale Railway construction had reached a point 13 miles 51 chains (21.82 kms) from the junction with the NSW Government Railways at Hexham, the work towards the Richmond Vale lease was temporarily suspended. Instead the branch spur rail track was constructed to Pelaw Main Colliery. This track was completed and brought into use for coal rail haulage on Monday 26th June 1905. The construction team immediately resumed the laying of the railway towards Richmond Vale Colliery. The Richmond Vale Railway was completed on the 29th March 1906.

The spur-link from the Richmond Vale Railway to the Pelaw Main Colliery had joined the earlier Stanford link-line just prior to the Pelaw Main Colliery entry points.

A short "dead-end" spur siding which ran in a southerly direction diverted from the "shunting neck" just prior to the empty vehicles standage sidings was constructed in 1903 as the locomotive standage siding. In late 1905 this "dead-end" siding was extended back to the final locomotive shed site. This "loco" depot and engine shed received facelifts, refurbishments, many extensive increases and additions over the years. Side extensions to the locomotive shed and additional sidings made quite a large engine house and accommodated a good sized fleet. By the mid 1940's there were 12 engine sidings under cover in the large galvanised corrugated iron "loco-shed".

When the brick fan/compressed air powerhouse was constructed in October 1910 at about one mile south-west of the Pelaw Main Colliery pit-top, a rail track diverting to the south from the "loco" siding was constructed in early 1911 to connect this fan/compressed air power house complex. On the 8th May 1922 this rail track was extended to make a direct rail connection between Pelaw Main and Richmond Main Collieries. As well as the direct rail connection for the normal company requirements, this rail track was utilised to convey the miners' workers passenger train from Pelaw Main Colliery to Richmond Main Colliery. Platform accommodation was provided at both collieries. (Author's note: It was rumoured that the J. & A. Brown Company had a policy, that if the Richmond Main Colliery miners, who had travelled by the miners' transport train from Pelaw Main, joined a pre-work pit-top meeting, which decided to withdraw the miners' labour on that day, in a "one-day-stoppage", the company did not provide a return miners' passenger train back to Pelaw Main on that day).

Research has failed to reveal the date of the construction of the various additional sidings constructed at Pelaw Main Colliery. It is a fact that in the late 1930's, Pelaw Main Colliery had six sidings for rail loading, plus an additional standage loop parallel to the first two reception sidings.

The merger of J. & A. Brown Limited and the Abermain - Seaham Company in January 1931 to form the J.A.B.A.S. Group soon showed benefits. The Group's immediate take-over of the East Greta Coal Mining Company and its assets including both the mining and railway interests also added to the Group's flexibility. By this take-over both Stanford Merthyr No. 1 and Stanford Merthyr No. 2 (Paxton) became part of the J.A.B.A.S. Group. The Group renamed the two - "Stanford Main No. 1 Colliery" and "Stanford Main No. 2 Colliery" on. On the 27th July 1934 a huge crater like subsidence on the Ayrfield Collieries Company's lease adjoining the rail track, resulted in the closure of the Stanford Railway beyond the entry to Ayrfield No. 1 Colliery. From that date all Stanford Main No. 1 Colliery (previously Stanford Merthyr) coal production was despatched via Pelaw Main Colliery and the Richmond Vale Railway - a reverse use of the intention of the original Pelaw Main Colliery link. This new haulage practice for Stanford Main No. 1 Colliery coal production continued until the mine closed on the 24th May 1957.

Perhaps John Brown's previous thinking, traditions and influences caused the directors of the J.A.B.A.S. Group to give consideration to the linking of the South Maitland Railways at Weston to the Richmond Vale Railway at Pelaw Main Colliery. A plan that would enable savings to be made in handling costs and freight charges for the coal production from the Abermain Collieries and Stanford Main No. 2 Colliery. After some heavy politics and strong opposition to the J.A.B.A.S. Group's planning from its competitive coal producers, the Pelaw Main - Weston rail link line, a distance of 1 mile 78 chains (3.16 kms) was constructed and opened on the 16th November 1936.

By the early 1940's a parallel track on the southern side of the new Weston - Pelaw Main link line converged to make a loop about a train-load of 50 vehicles in length. This loop was just prior to the junction to the Richmond Vale Railway. Just past this loop at the Weston end, a set of facing points to "down trains" and a short rail track joined the Weston - Pelaw Main link line to the earlier Pelaw Main Colliery reception loops. A few years later, another long parallel rail track, again on the south side, converging at the ends, and divided in the centre by a "right-running" crossover set of points, to make four more separate "train length" loops. These loops were appropriately named, "bottom", "middle" and "top" loops in order from Weston. Where possible, train-loads of loaded vehicles, or train-loads of empty vehicles were stored or held on the north side track.

The Weston - Pelaw link line was used to very good effect in 1949. During this year a miners' strike had caused a large loss of coal production on the South Maitland field. On 27th July 1949, a flood marooned all South Maitland Railway locomotives at the depot at East Greta Junction, except one. The exception had been caught in traffic and had been unable to return to the depot. Prolonged rains kept the back-water flood levels at a high peak at Fishery Creek. When the South Maitland Railways Company made application to the Industrial Court for the right to "stand-down with pay all employees", your author (John W. Delaney) , Union Secretary of the South Maitland Railways Salaried Officers Association, proposed a scheme at the Industrial Court Hearing in Sydney on Friday 7th August, 1949 that could overcome the need for a stand-down order. At the Court's direction, my suggestion was referred to Mr John Bowdler, Chairman of the Joint Coal Board, for his investigation, and if satisfactory for its implementation.

My suggestion was that a conference should be held of representatives of all connected operating unions, (coal mining, Government Railway and the private railway unions). In addition at this conference there should be representatives of the coal mining companies, NSW Government Railways, South Maitland Railways, Richmond Vale Railways, the Newcastle shipping and sales officers, to hear and discuss my proposal. My scheme required a single authority to control "all" for the period of emergency, and I suggested the Joint Coal Board to fill this role. Further, my scheme required the loan of some ten Government Railway locomotives to operate from Hexham to all the mines on the South Maitland coalfields. Such locomotives to be manned by the then idle South Maitland Railways locomotive crews. In addition Richmond Vale Railways coal trains should be hauled by their own locomotives manned by their own union crews, and operating within the overall timetable. All existing signal-boxes, and the usually un-manned "staff instrument cabins on the Richmond Vale Railway should be utilised and manned by the trained South Maitland Railway signalmen. Finally and most importantly, that all colliery wooden-hopper rail wagons, irrespective of owners, should be pooled, and placed at the various collieries in a priority according to the shipping requirements.

The conference was held at Pelaw Main Colliery office on the next day, Saturday morning 8th August 1949, under the chairmanship of Mr John Bowdler. All the above unions, coal companies, railways and shipping offices representatives suggested attended except South Maitland Railways Pty. Ltd., who elected to boycott the discussions. All representatives at this conference unanimously agreed that the proposals suggested should be implemented. Mr J. Bowdler as Chairman of the Joint Coal Board with the powers bestowed on him by the NSW Government directed South Maitland Railways Pty. Ltd. and all other bodies, corporations and persons connected with coal rail transportation that this "agreed scheme" should commence at midnight Sunday, the following day.

Working a 24 hour day, and 7 days a week, this "agreed scheme" very successfully maintained the transport of all collieries' coal production with a minimum of delays or problems. The scheme allowed all collieries to operate despite the flooded South Maitland Railways main lines in the East Greta Junction region. A train control office and a staff placement office was set up in the normal Richmond Vale Railway traffic office at the Pelaw Main Colliery sidings area, from which engines, wagons and men were allocated to meet these special rail transport needs. The locomotives loaned by the NSW Government Railways were serviced, oiled, maintained and prepared at the Pelaw Main "loco" depot. The scheme operated for almost 7 weeks.

During the huge 1955 Hunter River flood, which caused so much damage to the NSW Government Railway tracks at Maitland and also such havoc and large "wash-aways" to the South Maitland Railways' sidings and main lines at East Greta Junction, the methods and principles of the 1949 "agreed scheme" were again put into effect. This emergency working again operated successfully for the long 7 weeks period of repairs.

With the closure of Pelaw Main Colliery on the 17th February 1961, the Pelaw Main link line to Weston was also closed. The special "K" crossing points at the Weston end on South Maitland Railway main lines were removed on the 7th August 1964 and the main line again "straight-railed". These "K" points were stored in an area adjacent to their original track location, and could have been reasonably quickly restored if the need arose, (i.e. a flood emergency). The closure and removal of the Richmond Vale Railway track in June 1972 withdrew any possibility of such future re-use.

The original pit-top structure at Pelaw Main Colliery was constructed from tall heavy rough-squared timbers with rough sawn work-floor decking. Because of its topography the whole, roofed by corrugated galvanised iron presented an uneven shape.

Skips in sets of three came out of the incline tunnel entry on the outside skip rail track in each tunnel. After being hauled up a gantry to the work-floor level, the skips from the No. 1 Tunnel were unclipped and moved by a cog conveyor on the "high level" track to cross by a bridge, passing over the "low level" tracks taking the empty skips underground. Having passed the bridge, the "sets" from the No. 1 Tunnel joined the "sets" from the No. 2 tunnel onto a single skip track to pass over the "Pooley" skip weighbridge. From the "Pooley" weighbridge, the skips were moved to the rotary tumblers, which side-tipped the skips. After being emptied the skips ran down on the "low level" skip track to await placing underground.

After the coal production was tipped, it ran on four steel shakers and four travelling belts all electrically driven. Large coal was loaded direct into coal wooden hopper rail wagons. Depending on demand and coal, sales could also be loaded direct to the wagons, or if not immediately required slack or small coal could be conveyed by two specially designed skips and tracks to the large elevated timber coal holding box.

At 8 pm Sunday 17th August 1931 a fire destroyed the entire pit-top, plant and screens. The partly loaded coal holding box was saved only by the valiant efforts of Kurri Fire Brigade and some Pelaw Main mine employees. The damage was estimated at £25,000-0-0 ($50,000.00). Pelaw Main Colliery was idle as a result of this fire for over six months. Tenders for the re-construction were called on Tuesday 14th June 1932.

Messrs Baker and Lamb, building contractors of Maryville, Newcastle won the contract to re-construct a new pit-top with their quote of £20,000-0-0 ($40,000.00) The building contractors were also required to demolish old retaining and remove the burnt out debris. New concrete foundations were laid. New Richmond Main red brick retaining walls were constructed where necessary. Steel beams, etc., were supplied by BHP Limited, and the fabrication requirements were made by the boilermakers of the J.A.B.A.S. Group's Hexham Engineering Workshops. The cavilled-out and idle Pelaw Main miners were employed in setting up the new pit-top machinery. Two new picking belts plus two shaker-screens were installed. New tipplers provided that skips mounted on a slight grade, were tipped and emptied. The following skip automatically bumped the empty skip onto the ready for re-entry into the mine. New skylights in the galvanised corrugated iron roof greatly improved the previous lighting on pit-top. An excellent building for its purposes.

Each incline tunnel had its own 80 horse-power haulage engine. Originally these were steam driven. In 1913 the haulage motors were changed to electric power.

The original timber engine house was destroyed by the 1931 pit-top fire. It was replaced by a Richmond Main red brick building.

Pelaw Main Colliery in its early days is said to have had "many" boilers. The original Lancashire boilers were supplied by Morrison and Bearby of Newcastle. The boiler house appears to have been an open structure more like a skillion-roof frame over the boilers.

In 1913 with the J.& A. Brown Company's new policy at Pelaw Main Colliery for electric power to take over from steam, the number of boilers was reduced to four. By the early 1920's even these 4 boilers were only used one at a time on a 6 months stint. The steam then mainly used to drive the engine operating the skip haulage above the coal holding box, and to supply hot water for the bath house.

Pelaw Main Colliery appears to have had only one dam. This was constructed on a depression in a northerly direction from the later fan/compressed air powerhouse, which was located one mile south-west of Pelaw Main mine pit-top. Some of the area had been "scooped out" using horses.

Today the area is dry due to subsidences' drainage. The only evidence remaining is the concrete faced earth wall with the Pelaw Main brick capping.

The Hunter District Water Board in its 1902 Annual Report informs that the new South Maitland coalfields mines were seeking water mains supply from the Board's scheme. The Hunter District Water Board laid a 6 inches diameter main to the new Kurri town in December 1903 via Heddon Greta. This main was extended to Pelaw Main Colliery.

Pelaw Main Colliery had a great need of a permanent supply of good, clean water. As well as the colliery requirements, the locomotive boiler supply had also commenced in the latter half of 1903 with the arrival of the first Pelaw Main locomotive. The completion of the Pelaw Main link to the Richmond Vale Railway in June 1905 meant an increase to the locomotive fleet with a depot at Pelaw Main Colliery and consequent increase in locomotive water demands.

In 1903 Pelaw Main Colliery had produced 229,722 tons of coal. Production in 1908 had doubled to over half a million tons (551,021 tons). Not only did this mean a doubling of steam needs for the underground haulage, but similarly the doubling of locomotive steam requirements for the surface transport on the Richmond Vale Railway.

This dramatic increase of steam needs for the Pelaw Main Colliery over a 4 years period was matched by the increase in domestic water requirements plus further new collieries, was an ever increasing demand. In February 1908 the Hunter District Water Board answered this demand, by the construction of a large elevated reservoir (501,531 gallons) on the slight hill adjoining Pelaw Main colliery, to ensure a supply on hand. This is located on Lot No. 76 Parish of Stanford.

Perhaps this obvious shortage of an abundant water supply and a costly dependency on the Hunter District Water Board mains for the Pelaw Main Colliery needs may have been a strong influence on John Brown's decision to use his own company's Richmond Main powerhouse's electrical power at Pelaw Main Colliery in lieu of this restricted steam power.

Further research has shown that in late 1914, a four inches diameter cast iron water main pipeline was laid across country from the Richmond Main Colliery to Pelaw Main Colliery. This water was from the lagoon, and its purpose was to help meet the need of the ever increasing fleet. A centrifugal pump costing £400-0-0 ($800.00) was housed in a special brick pump house constructed at Richmond Main Colliery. This brick pump house was erected at a cost of £110-0-0 ($220.00).

Like most other South Maitland Coalfields collieries, Pelaw Main Colliery had a large elevated heavy timbered "slack" coal holding box. This box was situated on the Stanford Merthyr side of Pelaw Main Colliery pit-top, and sat over 3 loading sidings. It was said to have been 150 feet long by 30 feet wide and by 25 feet high, and to have a capacity of 3000 tons.

Slack or small coal not required for rail wagon loading was conveyed by two special type skips on two parallel inclined skip tracks. These tracks ran over the box from the low end to the high end, and which allowed even distribution of the stored coal. These special type skips were raised up either of the inclined skip tracks by a steam driven steel rope winch. This steam haulage method was continued long after all other Pelaw Main haulage were converted to electric motors.

The reloading of the slack or small coal into coal wooden hopper rail wagons was achieved by gravity feed, through bottom discharge doors beneath the holding box.

The slack box was more than half full when the pit-top caught alight on Sunday 17th August 1931. Strong winds had carried the flames which threatened the holding box structure. When it was found that the main pit-top could not be saved, all efforts were concentrated on the slack box. Several times the structure and the stored coal caught alight, but each time the Kurri Fire Brigade was able to suppress the flames. Firemen were hampered by poor water pressure, and that they had only been able to use 3 hoses. The box was finally saved.

A fairly large cottage-style building, of brick construction, situated just near the entrance to the Pelaw Main Colliery, served as the manager's office, engineer's office, surveyor's facilities, and the colliery clerk's rooms. The building was about midway between the tunnel entrances and the locomotives depot.

After Pelaw Main Colliery ceased mining operations in February 1961, the previous colliery office building was converted to become the "Stores Department" purchasing office centre for the whole of the Coal and Allied Limited Company. The magnitude of this activity, soon required some building extension to accommodate the various facets of the Stores Section.

Quite a large part of the old office building was later set aside as the Coal and Allied printing office. Here with several printing plants including an off-set unit, plus a number of duplicators catered for all the forms and returns required by such a large company.

This Stores Department set-up is still in operation as at Thursday 20th October, 1988.

Like most early South Maitland Coalfield collieries, Pelaw Main Colliery had its own brickworks and kilns. The old office building, some pit-top buildings, retaining walls and culverts with their deep red hue and very solid nature bear evidence of the good clay available, and the expertise of the early brick-maker, Tom Clark. (Author's note: Although it has nothing to do with mining history, it is of interest that Mrs Tom Clark was the new Kurri town's first mid-wife, a chore she carried out for a number of years).

Pelaw Main Colliery brickyard was located adjacent to Mulbring Street, Kurri, at the colliery end of Gillies Street, Kurri. The area was also near where the Pelaw Main link line "middle" loop was later constructed.

When Richmond Main Colliery became the "pet hobby", plaything and showpiece of John Brown, he arranged for a large brickyard to be built near the Richmond Vale Railway on the Richmond Main side of the junction to the Pelaw Main Colliery. These bricks, too, were of very good colour and strength, very similar to the Pelaw Main Colliery manufactured bricks. With the opening of this Richmond Main brickyards, which were in keeping with John Brown's showpiece colliery, Richmond Main modern in design for that era, the kilns at Pelaw Main Colliery were demolished.

The Richmond Main brickyards were utilised to supply all the J. & A. Brown Company's collieries.

As recorded in the "Rail Connection" section at pages 161 and 162, the first Pelaw Main locomotive arrived during August 1903. A short dead end spur siding running in a southerly direction diverted from the "shunting neck" was utilised for locomotive standage.

After the completion of the Pelaw Main link line to the Richmond Vale Railway on the 26th June 1905, more locomotives were added to the fleet. The previous locomotive dead end spur siding was extended back to the final loco shed site.

Over a few years with Pelaw Main becoming the operational centre for both Pelaw Main and Richmond Main Colliery transport work, a brick traffic office building was erected near the entry to the reception loops. From this office all the traffic and train arrangements, allocation of engine duty, manning by locomotive crews including the guard, were made.

As the coal rail traffic increased, so did the size of the loco depot, with added engine shed cover with suitable sidings, etc., etc. By mid 1940's there were 12 engine sidings under cover. Over the years, the whole loco depot and engine shed received numerous face-lifts, extensions and refurbishment.

Whilst both Pelaw Main Colliery and Richmond Main Colliery had efficient colliery workshops, it appeared that all repairs, locomotive overhauls, parts replacements, re-tyreing, etc., etc. were carried out in the Hexham Engineering workshops.

The removal of the Pelaw Main loco depot rail sidings and the demolition of the extensive engine shed was carried out during the mid to late 1980’s.

James and Alexander Brown, as quite young lads in January 1842 had migrated to Australia with their father, a Scottish weaver. The family first worked at a tweed mill at Stockton (Newcastle), which belonged to Messrs Donaldson. Margaret Brown, sister of James and Alexander, married John Hill Garven. John H. Garven had received a grant of 640 acres, Parish of Heddon, which later became the Heddon Greta Coal Mining Company's coal lease.

It would seem that Alexander Brown, even as a youth, was a "live-wire" and saw many business opportunities. Alexander moved from the weaving trade to become a carrier. It was as such, Alexander saw the possibilities in supplying coal for use in the new steam boats.

Coal in Newcastle at this time was in the control of the monopoly firm, the Australian Agricultural Company. J. & A. Brown opened a "rat-hole" colliery at Four Mile Creek, Maitland, and engaged in black-marketing their coal production to the steamers at Morpeth. Much friction was built up between J. & A. Brown and the "A.A. Company". Finally this powerful vested interest requested the Government to protect the monopoly it had issued to the Australian Agricultural Company in return for its operation of the Newcastle Coal Mines.

The Government finally sued J. & A. Brown on the 25th August 1845 for a breach of breaking a State regulation in obtaining Crown coal without authority. The brothers' partnership was found guilty by Judge Dickerson and a jury, and a verdict given for one shilling damages. An appeal upheld the original verdict. Sir Alfred Stephen, Chief Justice in this judgement added another condition in that the brothers, James and Alexander Brown were not to participate in the coal industry for a period of three years. Before the matter reached the Privy Council, the Australian Agricultural Company voluntarily relinquished its monopoly, and opened the way for private persons to enter the coal trade.

Some years later James and Alexander Brown commenced working with John Eales in his mine at Minmi Creek. On the application and petition of George Wright, NSW Parliament by its Hexham to Minmi Railway Franchise Act, dated 1854 (amended 1861), authorised the construction of rail transport to the mine on Minmi Creek.

Railways were quite new in Australia in the 1850's. The first railway in New South Wales was constructed by a private company, and it ran from Sydney to Parramatta. It was completed and opened on the 26th September 1855. The second railway constructed in New Siuth Wales was also built by a private company venture. It ran from Honeysuckle Point, Newcastle, (Note: Now known as Wickham), to Elgin Street West Maitland. This was completed and opened on Saturday 27th December 1856.

The Hexham to Minmi Coal Transport Railway was to cross the Hunter Valley Company Railway at right angles at Hexham. The Hunter Valley Company raised no objection provided the coal railway crossing was constructed under the direct supervision of the Hunter Valley Company Engineer. The Hexham to Minmi Coal Railway was completed and opened on the 10th December 1856.

Following some differences on administration, John Eales sold his mining asset to the partners, James and Alexander Brown. The "Northern Times" newspaper in its issue, dated the 13th March 1859 states that Messrs J. and A. Brown had purchased the whole of Mr J. Eales' interest at Minmi for the sum of £60,000-0-0 ($120,000.00). This included the Minmi Mine, the Hexham-Minmi Railway, its rolling stock, etc., etc.

One of the first moves made by Messrs J. and A. Brown, after their purchase of John Eales' assets, was to have their railway connected to the Great Northern Railway. The previous Hunter Valley Company Railway had been purchased by the Government, and renamed the Great Northern Railway. This new junction at Hexham by the Hexham to Minmi Coal Railway also incorporated an exchange loop. The work was completed by the end of May 1859. The "Maitland Mercury" Newspaper in its issue on Thursday 16th June 1859, reported the first arrival of a J. & A. Brown Minmi coal train at the staiths at the Newcastle Harbour.

By June 1887 John Brown, son of James Brown had succeeded his uncle, Alexander Brown, as the managing partner. He had the same type of character as his uncle, and he, too, carved a meteoric career in the mining industry. A personality, who exerted his great influence right up until his death in March 1930.

Following the discovery in January 1856 of 5 seams of coal in 3 creeks close to Mr Knox-Child's property at Mount Vincent by Mr William Keene, the Government Geologist, little was done to further this knowledge. After Mr T.W. Edgeworth David had published in the 1887 Mines Department Annual Report, details of his proving of the Greta Coal Seam in Swamp Creek, near what is now known as Abermain, interest by investors was stirred in the development of coal mines in the region.

A Melbourne syndicate purchased Richmond Vale Estate in mid 1888, and by October the same year commenced to prove "by boring" the existence of the coal seams on their property. Having proved the seam on Friday 10th January 1890 the syndicate, with John Riggs as manager, started to sink a shaft. During 1891 2500 tons of coal were raised. Transport of coal production seems to have caused problems. One member of this Melbourne syndicate, Mr John Lamont Dow, at his own case for insolvence and bankruptcy in 1895, had stated that he held an eighth interest in the Richmond Vale Estate, which he valued at £250,000-0-0 ($500,000.00). Perhaps John Brown saw the same kind of value. When the Melbourne branch of the Standard Bank of Australia on the 15th July 1897, sold up the Richmond Vale Estate, to recover its mortgage, John Brown for his J. & A. Brown Company was the successful bidder. John Brown paid £39,500-0-0 ($79,000.00) for the 4,524 acres of freehold lands. Later history of the Richmond Vale Estate showed a much more appreciable value than the purchase price paid.

A group of mining investors in 1891 led by Mr Henry Trenchard had been involved in proving coal on land in the Parish of Stanford. The group had engaged Mr Edwin Pepper to drive two tunnels on the lease to prove the coal. Work was suspended during 1892. Interest was renewed in September 1898 by this group in the Stanford Tunnels. Results must have been encouraging, and the group saw a need for a transport to the markets. They applied to the NSW Parliament for authority to construct a railway to link up the Stanford Greta Tunnels. The Stanford Railway Act, dated 25th July 1900 gave this permission.

The Stanford Greta Tunnels group appear to have had some financial problems. On Wednesday 1st August 1900 two large coal companies jointly made an offer to purchase the Stanford Greta Tunnels lease. The offer was accepted. The East Greta Coal Mining Company purchased the Stanford Greta No. 1 Tunnel and the eastern part of the lease. J. & A. Brown Company purchased the Stanford Greta No. 2 Tunnel and western part of the lease for a price of £15,300-0-0 ($30,600.00).

The purchase of this particular portion was for a period of 21 years, with the right of renewal. The East Greta Coal Mining Company by the purchase of its section of the Stanford Greta lease acquired the right to construct the Stanford Railway under the Parliament's Act of 25th July 1900. This railway was built and opened 6th September 1901.

Stanford Greta No. 2 Tunnel was renamed Pelaw Main Colliery by John Brown. It commenced mining operations on Friday 28th December 1900 with Richard Thomas as manager. Mr R. Thomas resided in the Richmond Vale homestead. A short rail link was constructed to join the new Pelaw Main Colliery to the Stanford Railway. This was completed on the 17th November 1901. The first full train of coal was despatched from Pelaw Main Colliery via the Stanford Railway during January 1902.

A problem for the Richmond Vale Colliery had been the question of transport of its coal production. During early 1900 an application was made to the NSW Parliament in the names of John, William and Stephen Brown for authority to build a railway from the Richmond Vale Colliery to the J. & A. Brown Hexham to Minmi Railway. Parliament's permission was granted by the Richmond Vale Railway Act dated 21st October 1900. In their application, the Brown brothers had submitted that the estimated cost of the railway construction to be £60,000-0-0 ($120,000.00).

Construction of the Richmond Vale Railway was commenced in February 1901. The Newcastle Morning Herald newspaper in its issue dated 13th June 1902 reported that one mile of the new railway had been completed past Duckenfield at that date. The report stated further than tenders were being called for the construction for the balance of the railway.

The East Greta Coal Mining Company had had a steady increase with its rail traffic growth. Each new colliery added tonnage to be hauled. The new mining villages at Kurri, Stanford Merthyr, Pelaw Main, Heddon Greta and East Greta had all demanded passenger train service. At first, the trains had been a combination of passenger and coal vehicles. From August 1903, the passenger train service of just passenger vehicles ran direct to West Maitland. This new system plus increased colliery numbers and coal production caused frequent delays and inconvenience in the coal train supply. John Brown was not very happy with the East Greta Coal Mining Company's methods. To overcome the rail company's shunting charges, to remove some of the inconvenience, and to reduce a part of the freight haulage charges, John Brown transferred one of his Hexham-Minmi Railway locomotives to Pelaw Main Colliery. This locomotive was an "0-4-2" wheeled, side-tank engine built by Messrs Hawthorne of England. It was used for Pelaw Main Colliery shunting and the marshalling of the outwards train loads.

John Brown was still irked by seemingly unnecessary delays to his Pelaw Main Colliery rail traffic, that frequently added to his mine's operating costs. In late 1903, John Brown instructed his Pelaw Main mining administration to "push-on" in the driving of the main tunnel heading towards Richmond Vale Colliery. At this time, this heading was almost a half mile in length, and John Brown was requiring a further 1¼ miles, so that Pelaw Main coal production might be drawn up via the Richmond Vale shaft for hauling on his new railway. A striking change in policy, and one that did not eventuate.

The Newcastle Morning Herald newspaper in its issue dated 24th March 1904 informs that Mr J.S. Simpson, the new railway construction engineer, stated that at that date he had 250 men engaged on the railway project. By the end of June 1904, this work force number had trebled to 750 men. An unsupported item of information advises that about this period John Brown had purchased a new collier in England, and he had loaded this ship with Russian workers, giving them free passage to Australia, for employment on his railway. Some local Russian family names are said to have come from this era, these were Besoff, Govoronsky, Maskey.

There had been a good deal of controversy in and out of Parliament, and some bitter debate whilst the Richmond Vale Railway Act had been discussed. No mention had been made of a Pelaw Main Colliery link to the Richmond Vale Railway. John Brown was very aware that only a small branch track just 2 miles 25 chains (3.7 kms) in length would give Pelaw Main Colliery coal production transportation over the J. & A. Brown Company's own railway services. It is quite doubtful that the Richmond Vale Railway Act would have been passed if John Brown had shown and placed all his "cards" and ideas on the table at the time of the Parliament review. Still the construction of the Richmond Vale Railway achieved the economies John Brown had planned, and greatly enriched the J. & A. Brown Company.

When the Richmond Vale Railway construction had reached a point 13 miles 51 chains (21.82 kms) from the junction with the NSW Government Railways at Hexham, the work towards the Richmond Vale lease was suspended. Instead the branch track to Pelaw Main Colliery was constructed. In February 1904 a gang of Pelaw Main Colliery employees cleared an 80 feet wide swathe through the scrub. This spur branch was laid with Welsh manufactured rails weighing 72 pounds per yard. This short branch railway was completed and opened on Monday 26th June 1905. There was no official ceremony. Perhaps John Brown thought that the least publicity given the better. The construction gang immediately resumed the laying of the balance of the railway to Richmond Vale Colliery. This was completed on the 29th March 1906.

John Brown, with his canny Scotch nature and influenced by his family training, decided to again place Richmond Vale Colliery, a freehold venture, temporarily into "moth-balls". Instead J. & A. Brown Company began to more fully work the lease-held mining proposition, Pelaw Main Colliery. With this decision Pelaw Main Colliery developed quickly, assisted by compressed air driven coal cutting machines was soon producing large quantities of coal. In 1906 two locomotives were hired from the NSW Government Railways whilst awaiting the arrival from overseas of additional locomotives on order to increase the J. & A. Brown fleet. An increase that in turn required extensions to the loco depot and engine sheds at Pelaw Main Colliery.

During the next 10 years Pelaw Main Colliery operated without serious incident other than the occasional sad single fatality accidents. In 1912 a fire occurred in a bord working running off from the No. 2 Tunnel heading. An explosive "Arkite" ignited a pocket of gas, which in turn set fire to broken coal. Three parallel bord "winnings" were sealed off and deliberately flooded using the compressed air piping. After 6 months the seals were removed, the dammed water pumped out, and the remaining coal in the district was again worked and won.

With the construction in 1911 of the large powerhouse at Richmond Main Colliery, plus the erection of a 3300 volts transmission line from Richmond Main Colliery to Pelaw Main Colliery in late 1912, the small 6 kW direct current electricity generation plant at Pelaw Main was withdrawn from service in early 1913. With the installation of the Richmond Main powerhouse, John Brown had issued a policy directive that steam power at Pelaw Main Colliery was to be replaced by electric power. By 1917 at appears all steam power was removed, except for a boiler retained to drive a steam engine, which operated the skip haulage above the slack coal holding box. Perhaps the shortage of a reliable abundant dam water supply, and a costly dependence on Hunter District Water Board mains plus the strain from transport locomotive water needs influenced John Brown's decision to change at Pelaw Main Colliery from steam to electric power.

During the trade damaging 1917 Railways Strike, in which the mining unions supported their railway comrades, an agreement was reached between the NSW and Victorian Governments that the Richmond Main and Pelaw Main Collieries should be "commandeered" by the NSW Government, and worked by "Loyalists" (Scabs) recruited in Victoria by the Victorian State Government. The purpose of such action was propounded by the two state governments as their endeavour to get the coal necessary to keep Victorian industry working.

These "Loyalists" and their families were encamped on the collieries' properties, working under police protection, and received constant "attention" of the mining unionists. The Governments' actions were not popular with the Coalfields tradespeople and shopkeepers, who all regarded the presence of the loyalists as a menace to business and a constant irritation to local unionists and to industrial peace.

"Scab Labour" at any mine or in any mining township is a most unpleasant situation. Such persons are treated in a vile and harsh manner by all and sundry. They are ostracised. In this particular case, the women and children of non-union miners received not only verbal abuse, but also frequent jostling, etc. at the shops and in the streets.

When the strike finished, it would seem that John Brown offered the loyalists continued employment. The offer was not accepted at Pelaw Main Colliery, but did continue at Richmond Main Colliery for a short period. This concession to the loyalists, did not prevent John Brown from suing the NSW Government for alleged damage to his collieries by largely inexperienced workers. John Brown was not successful with this court action.

Following John Brown's death on the 6th March 1930 moves were made to merge the J. & A. Brown Company with the Abermain - Seaham Collieries Limited Company. The background of this proposed amalgamation is interesting. John Brown in his will had nominated Judge Adrian Knox as his executor. Judge Knox is said to have known very little about coal mining or its administration. He was friendly with Sir Colin Stephens, President of the Australian Jockey Club. They met frequently socially at outings at the races. Sir Colin Stephens was also Chairman of the Abermain - Seaham Limited Company. It would seem that this friendship had a big influence on the amalgamation.

At a shareholders' meeting held in Sydney at 12 noon on Tuesday 30th December 1930 the following proposals were agreed:

The new company - J. & A. Brown Abermain - Seaham Company (J.A.B.A.S.) was incorporated in mid January 1931. After its incorporation William Bridgeman was appointed the secretary for the new company, at the first directors' meeting held on Wednesday 14th January 1931. The Board of Directors were:

At this first directors' meeting, moves were initiated to acquire ownership of the East Greta Coal Mining Company, its assets, collieries, freehold lands and other holdings, in consideration for the issue of 300,000 £1-0-0 ($2.00) shares in J. & A. Brown Abermain - Seaham Limited Company. A further requirement was that the East Greta Coal Mining Company was to continue to operate as a company in trust for the J.A.B.A.S. Group. At the East Greta Coal Mining Company's shareholders' meeting held in March 1931, it was agreed in principle to the merger-takeover. Messrs V.G. Watson and W. Bridgeman were appointed as joint liquidators for the East Greta Coal Mining Company, with Mr Albert Shaw appointed as secretary to the liquidators.

A fire at Pelaw Main Colliery at 8 pm on Sunday 17th August 1931 destroyed the entire pit-top, equipment, plant and screens. The building had been constructed from heavy timers, which over the years had become very saturated with oil. The structure burnt like matchwood. The flames leapt 70 feet into the air, and with millions of sparks made a spectacular scene. Strong west winds pushed the flames threatening the No. 1 Tunnel entrance, the haulage engine house and other nearby pit-top buildings. A sudden change of wind to the north allowed all the efforts to concentrate on saving the slack coal holding box, which was half full.

Firemen were hampered by poor water pressure, and they were only able to use 3 hoses. Several times the structure and its coal contents caught alight, but each time the Kurri Fire Brigade was able to suppress the flames. Damage was estimated at £25,000-0-0 ($50,000.00). The company only had an insurance cover for £16,000-0-0 ($32,000.00), with the Lancashire and London Insurance Company. Pelaw Main Colliery was closed for 6 months.

A new pit-top structure, with new tipplers, new shaker screens and new picking belts were constructed by Baker and Lamb of Maryville, Newcastle. These builders had won the contract with their tender of £20,000-0-0 ($40,000.00).

On the 1st January 1934 J. & A. Brown Abermain - Seaham Company (J.A.B.A.S. Group) created a "Central Coalfields Office" at Hexham. Mr Albert Shaw was placed in charge. This new set-up centralised the general office administration, the purchasing of stores, etc., as well as industrial matters. Mr Jim Johnston was appointed Superintendent of the Group's collieries. Mr F.A. Spence was appointed Superintendent of the mining engineering including the Hexham Engineering Works.

Another progressive, forward-thinking activity by the J.A.B.A.S. Group was the construction of a branch railway, the Weston - Pelaw Main link line. This was completed and officially opened on the 16th November 1936. It was 1 mile 78 chains (3.16 kms) in length laid on land granted by special lease 1934/23 to join the South Maitland Railways with the Richmond Vale Railway. The first loaded train to pass over the new rail track was from Stanford Main No. 2 (Paxton) Colliery on Tuesday 15th September 1936. This link provided a great service to the collieries on the South Maitland Coalfields in 1949. The Hunter River Valley and its back-waters were inundated by a serious flooding on Wednesday 27th July 1949. An "agreed scheme" (see story page 163 and 164) allowed all collieries to operate despite the fact that South Maitland Railways had been out of use at the East Greta Junction area for just on a month.

The huge 1955 Hunter River flood which caused so much havoc, damage and wash-aways at both Maitland and East Greta Junction Railway areas again required the implementation of the 1949 "agreed scheme" rail working over the Pelaw Main link line. The emergency working lasted 7 weeks and proved just as effective as in 1949. When Pelaw Main Colliery closed on the 17th February 1961, the crossing points at the Weston end of the Pelaw Main link were removed and the South Maitland Railways main lines were again "straight-railed".

Subsidences are always a fear in mining areas, particularly when the undermined region has only a minimum of over-burden. During the Easter weekend of 1953, on Sunday 6th April at 2.30 pm, a serious disaster occurred at Pelaw Main village, when an underground fall in the Pelaw Main Colliery, in No. 4 bord flat covered an area 10 acres in extent. This caused a subsidence that reached the surface. The depression was circular and at its southern end had dropped about twenty feet, and at its northern end about eight feet.

Many homes were wrecked, over ten becoming uninhabitable. Chimneys, walls, verandahs and brickwork collapsed in clouds of dust, which shot over one hundred feet into the air. Fortunately, many residents were at a local sporting fixture or were picnicking on the holiday, and there was no person injured. A quarter of a mile of the main road between Kurri and Mulbring was made impassable. This later required a deviation to be constructed by the local Government Council body.

Some type of mechanisation had always been part of Pelaw Main Colliery's methods of coal mining. I refer to the compressed air coal-cutting machines, which were first installed in June 1902. This under-cutting, even at this early date, was assisted by "Little Grant" compressed air driven drills boring the holes for the explosives. Quite a progressive step and company attitude - especially when one thinks that for many more years, by far the greater number of mines and their contract workers were required to carry out the very heavy chore and task of hand-boring or hand drilling.

It does seem regrettable that Pelaw Main Colliery did not continue with its forward thinking and share in the improved mechanisation methods of the latter years. Whilst "L400" loaders were used and Mr E. Warren, the Group's Managing Director, in the late 1950's when he was overseas, purchased impractical "Jeffrey 61 units", more than half of which were never uncrated. Pelaw Main Colliery did not have the advantage of the "8BU's" , "11BU's" or the "continuous miner machine".

Loss of the coal markets in the late 1950's and early 1960's, due to dieselisation of Government State Railways, changes in gas manufacture by use of residual oils instead of the coals, and lack of stable supply due to industrial actions, plus ever growing costs due to aged machinery and methods, found many coal mines were closed. Besides the closure of the pits, there were dramatic curtailments of numbers employed. The Joint Coal Board made some comparisons, among these were the J. & A. Brown pits of Richmond Main Colliery and Pelaw Main Colliery, and showed:

In late 1959 Conzinc Limited made an offer to take-over J. & A. Brown Abermain -Seaham Limited Company. About the same time another large multi-national company made an offer for Caledonian Collieries Limited. Although "not sweet on one another", the two large coal companies realised to survive in their own sphere and area of operation and control, it was necessary that these companies should merge. A new company, "Coal and Allied Limited", was formed on 2nd May 1960 to take over the assets of J. & A. Brown Abermain - Seaham Limited Company and Caledonian Collieries Limited. These are the relevant details:

Directors: Colonel R.S. Goward (Chairman of Subsidiary Companies), H.G. Thornwaite, R.G. Hawker, A.R.L. Wiltshire, J.G. Crowther, Hon. Sir Edward Warren, A.E. Stephen.

Competition in 1960 for the shrinking coal market was quite fierce. One of Coal and Allied Limited company's early tasks was to examine and appraise the costs of production at its various collieries. Many with long underground hauls and antiquated systems were found to be most uneconomical. The Board of Directors had to make an unpalatable decision to close some costly operations. In just over its first 12 months, the company found it had to close the following mines:

In August 1961 Bitumen and Oil Refineries Australia Limited, (B.O.R.A.L.), purchased the complete shareholding of Huddart Parker Limited. Hebburn Collieries Pty. Ltd. had been part of the assets of Huddart Parker Limited. Conscious of the rather acute social problem in the South Maitland Coalfields area at that time, "Boral: endeavoured to continue to operate Hebburn Collieries Limited, and if necessary, even without profit for as long as was feasible. Finally Boral found it had no alternative but to disengage itself from its coal mining project. Coal and Allied Limited found the large volume of coal "at grass" within Hebburn Collieries Limited was an attractive proposition, and in July 1967 it purchased the Hebburn Collieries Pty. Ltd. and its assets from Bitumen and Oil Refineries Australia Limited.

Following this Hebburn purchase, Mr S.B. McKensey from the Hebburn Company was appointed General Superintendent of Coal and Allied Limited. Coal and Allied Limited continued to operate Hebburn No. 2 Colliery until 30th June 1972.

In July 1985 it was found that R.W. Miller and Company was in a bad "loss" situation companywise. R.W. Miller had been 100% owned by Howard Smith Limited. Howard Smith also had a major shareholding in Coal and Allied Limited. R.W. Miller and Company was placed under the management of Coal and Allied Limited. A scheme of rationalisation of operations was implemented. To achieve this a voluntary retrenchment scheme was offered to various employees in both companies to avoid duplications and to make economic changes.

As indicated earlier in this "Brief History" section Pelaw Main Colliery had ceased mining operations on the 17th February 1961, as part of a number of Coal and Allied Limited collieries found to be uneconomical. Although the mine was not worked, much of its facilities continued to be utilised. The Pelaw Main locomotive depot and engines standage sheds continued to be used, until Richmond Main Colliery ceased production on the 7th July 1967. After this colliery closure all Richmond Vale locomotives were transferred to Hexham for utilisation on haulage of Stockrington Colliery coal production.

Following the formation of Coal and Allied Limited and the later acquisition of Hebburn Collieries Limited and its assets in 1967, part of which was South Maitland Railways, greater use was made of that Company's "No. 10" class locomotives on the short haul to Stockrington Colliery. In July 1988 as part of the rationalisation plan, Aberdare North Colliery, Stockrington Colliery and Hexham Coal Preparation Plant (washery) were closed and all Richmond Vale Railway and Minmi - Hexham Railway traffic ceased.

Under "Special Plant and Equipment, (Colliery Office)" section on page 168, following the closure of Pelaw Main Colliery mining operations, the colliery office building was converted to house both the Coal and Allied Limited "Stores" purchasing centre and the printing plant. This situation continues as at this day, 20th October 1988.

The previous "locomotive depot and engine sheds" were demolished in the early 1980's, after some discussion and agitation with "heritage, history and preservation" groups. Balcomb Brothers of Newcastle made the demolition. All rail sidings and tracks have been lifted and removed. Some of the early Pelaw Main pit-top structures have been demolished. Some red brick "skeleton" buildings (apart from the colliery office), still stand.

Cessnock City Council and Lands Board (Maitland) now show that the tenure of land, apart from an area adjacent to the "colliery office" has now reverted back to become "Crown Lands".

Newcastle Regional Museum
787 Hunter Street,
Newcastle West NSW 2302

Phone: 61 2 4974 1415
61 2 4974 1400

Fax: 61 2 4974 1405

Email: nrmuseum@ncc.nsw.gov.au