1871 1st September Fair Oak Colliery formed
.... Acquired 60 yr lease 5,500 acres mineral rights under Chase
.... Crucially, no bore-hole sunk to test the geology, assumed sand and stone
1872 January 1st 2 shafts No 1 Plant opposite side Stony Brook
.... Immediately ran into problems
.... Dynamite used to blast through layers of sand and gravel, and unexpected rock .... Massive water problem
Stepping stones over Stony Brook and rocks in dam walls of Fairoak pools came from shafts, (the big blast holes in the ground)
1875 No 1 Plant failed abandoned
1877 More successful No 2 Plant produce coal
.... 750 metres south west near top of Jockey Hill
1880 producing 2,000 tons of coal per week employed 400 people
.... Workmen families housed two rows of cottages houses close to Stony Brook
1884 mining operations ended in liquidation
... spoil mounds excavated rocks in the brook all that remains of colliery
19 фев 2024
