Fortunately for me I never had to go down the mines, but nothing but respect for this breed of resilient men. Both governments sold them down the river, and it’s scandalous to think that these miners kept the country running through thick and thin.
Ex Mining Electrician here. The coal faces where I worked were much hotter apart from PPE we only wore shorts and vests most of the time. The deepest mine I worked at was Tilmanstone Colliery it was 3033 ft deep. Similar coal seam thickness as in video.
Ex miner here, yes labour did shut more mines than Magie. I must say this video is one of the more true mining experience that I relate too. Found the whole thing sent me back to 1980.
Yes, Labour did close more mines than Thatcher, but the closures were in agreement with NUM under Harold Wilson's 1974 Plan For Coal. Redundancy's were minimised through natural wastage, older uneconomical pits were closed and the workforce redistributed to more viable operations. Investment was in newer pits which were developed in order to exploit new resources. Off the top of my head I think the NCB were allowed to write off around £400million. The government also investing a further £200million. Thatcher ripped up the plan for coal and destroyed the industry completely.
Worked in the mines fora good few years ,it made a man of you ,great mates great officials it is such a shame the younger generation have not experienced the same ,not all but many of them have gone to waste,that's politics for you ,,,,,,,,,,,stupid .we now import coal? ????? Say no more .great to look back on I have great memory's of those mining days ,nice to look back on time with a 😊 smile .
From my understanding Labour shut more pits due to the mechanisian of mining through the the advent of the long wall machine. Prior to this coal had been mined in the same way for 100years. The longwall machine greatly improves safety and efficiency so was a much needed investment.
This is a blast from the past Dar, a lot of these boys aren't even with us anymore, they would have a shock if they came back now and seen the silly windmills that have replaced all of us.
until recently i just thought that steam coal was shiny and house coal was darker but very recently i discovered that the names for steam coal and house coal was Betumious? and Lignete? could give any information on what type of coal is being dug up in this footage?
@@44Celt so the coal from this coal mine could not be used in the fire box of a heritage steam locomotive or traction engine or was this Welsh steam which i understand is a kind of Anthracite?
Bonny lad, a think ye must be a Thatcher supporter.. ya reet aboot shutting mair pits.. but tha was aalwis anutha pit ti gaan ti.. in the Sixties... but a doubt if ye were even born then... thatcher destroyed the whole industry and killed the mining communities. Thousands of other jobs were lost in the supply industries..... in the 1950's..in Northumbria, there were 76 Collieries alone... aye.. Labour closed aal the little tettie pits that were worked oot... the bigger pits were like Bates, and Ellington were teeming coal oot... aal thatcher wanted was power owa aal thi working class. Full Stop. So get your facts reet bonny laddie!
Labour shut worked out mines, where there were no Reserves left to be Economically mined, Maggie shut mines that were Economic with VAST reserves, like Garw?FFaldau 100 Million Ton Reserve, Abernant 80 Million Ton Reserve Taff Merthyr 50 Million Ton and so on !
I,my self,would have gone under ground,straight from school,at the age of 16 ,i' m from Merthyr Tydfil, but the pits' was all quietly shunting down,I would have had s go of shuving coal onto the face converter.
They are going to need coal agin I think sooner rather than later. Oil is getting too expensive. Plenty left under out feet. Trouble is the skills are all gone and most men are too old to go back. I still miss going underground even now.
coal cutters made a frightening amount of dust. why did the men never ask for simple hoods to keep most dust out? a bit of parachute silk would work well. my uncle died of black lung after about 30 years in day holes.
