OWNERS:

REFERENCES - MINES DEPARTMENT:

LOCATION:

(A) Un-numbered Portion, Parish of Cessnock, County of Northumberland.

(Note: Recently this area became Lot 566 D.P. 821172)

(B) Mining Lease - Pit-top: ML 133, MP 17; Fan Area: ML 7, MP 78.

(C) Relation to neighbouring mines:

(i) South-West of Aberdare Shaft Colliery.
(ii) South of Hillend Colliery.
(iii) South-East of Aberdare Extended Colliery.
(iv) East of Aberdare Seven Colliery.
(v) North of Aberdare Central Colliery.
(vi) North-East of Aberdare South Colliery.
(vii) West of Abermain No. 2 Colliery.

(D) Aberdare East Colliery was situated about one mile (1.6 km) in a south-easterly direction from the town of Cessnock. It was on the south-easterly side of the two branch coal railways, Bellbird Railway and Kalingo Railway between Kitchener Road (Highway No. ?) and the Aberdare Shaft Colliery. Entry to Aberdare East Colliery pit-top was via the colliery private road commencing at the rail level crossing of the branch railways at the corner of Gordon Avenue and Quorrobolong Street, South Cessnock.

DISTANCES:

(A) Aberdare East Colliery was 1 mile 60 chains (2.8 km) from Cessnock Post Office, via Vincent Street, Gordon Avenue and the colliery private road starting at the level crossing over the Bellbird and Kalingo railways.

(B) Aberdare East Colliery was 0 miles 40 chains (0.8 km) distant from Aberdare Shaft Colliery across country via the colliery private gravel road linking the two operations.

AREA:

Originally was said to have been a solid block of virgin coal, one mile square - 640 acres.

(A) Soon after Aberdare East Colliery commenced its mining operations in February 1966, because of the closure of earlier Caledonian Collieries Limited's mines, parts of Aberdare Extended, Aberdare Central, Aberdare South and Aberdare Shaft coal land leases were added to the Aberdare East Colliery holding. This was made by an agreement dated 15th February 1966 between the Mines Department and Coal and Allied Limited.

(B) On the 26th August 1971 in a further agreement between the Mines Department and coal and Allied Limited, the balance of Aberdare Central and Aberdare South coal land leases were added to the Aberdare East Colliery holding.

(C) Whilst Aberdare Seven Colliery ceased its actual mining operations on the 4th October 1968, Coal and Allied Limited's records at its Hexham office do not show Aberdare Seven Colliery officially closing until the 19th April 1972. On 26th March 1973, again by agreement between the Mines Department and Coal and Allied Limited, Aberdare Seven Colliery lease area and the Cessnock No. 2 Colliery (Little Cessnock) were added to the Aberdare East mine lease holding.

(D) After the close of shaft haulage at the Aberdare Shaft Colliery on the 11th November 1960, plus the previous Caledon Open-cut Colliery closure and the subsequent Aberdare West Colliery Closure on the 5th March 1968, the original Aberdare Shaft Colliery lease was restored to the position and area it contained at the start of the Aberdare Shaft Colliery in March 1904. The whole of this lease then became the Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery coal lease holding.

(E) Aberdare East Colliery closed and ceased operations on the 24th September 1982. In March 1983 the original Aberdare East Colliery lease holding plus the additional areas added by agreements between the Mines Department and Coal and Allied Limited on:

(i) 15th February 1966
(ii) 26th August 1971
(iii) 26th March 1973

were all transferred to become part of the Aberdare North Tunnel Colliery coal lands lease holding.

SEAM:

Aberdare East Colliery coal worked was from the Greta Top Seam. It was a solid block of virgin coal between Aberdare Shaft Colliery, Aberdare Extended Colliery, Aberdare Central Colliery and Aberdare South Colliery. This coal could not be won from these Caledonian Collieries Limited's pits, because of having been cut off by falls, fires, heatings, etc. The coal was very similar in type and quality to that from these neighbouring earlier Caledonian Collieries Limited's mines.

The "Cessnock Fault" ran across the Aberdare East Colliery lease from an east to west direction. It had an up throw of 60 feet. On the Aberdare Shaft side of this fault, the seam was generally 18 feet in thickness. In this area or part of the seam it had a two inches band parting at about a 12 feet height from the floor. On the southern or Aberdare Central side of the fault, the seam was from 18 feet to 23 feet in thickness, and in some locations as much as 25 feet thick. Again in this part of the seam, there was a 2 inches band parting at a height 12 feet from the floor. The best seam parting in Aberdare East Colliery was at the 18 feet height level. This too was a 2 inches wide stone band that ran right throughout the pit.

The coal above the 18 feet parting on the south side of the fault had 2 or 3 band partings which made this roof very unstable. Many other intrusions made for very rough mining conditions.

The "Kitchener Fault" also traversed part of the Aberdare East Colliery lease in the south east area.

The roof in Aberdare East Colliery was a mixture of mudstone and conglomerate. The floor too was of mudstone. Because of heavy underground soakage and dampness, the floor was continually soft and slushy. This presented many problems in the underground transport.

The seam itself dipped in a south-easterly direction at an incline of one foot in thirteen feet.

COMMENCED OPERATIONS:

Aberdare East Colliery was a solid block of virgin coal over 1 mile square in area. Due to falls, heatings, fires, etc., this particular area could not be reached from the surrounding early Caledonian Collieries Limited's mines. For a number of years, firstly the Caledonian Collieries Company, and then later Coal and Allied Limited considered a proposal for the opening of a "new mine" to win this coal. The decline of coal demand in the late 1950's, and the closure of so many South Maitland pits did not encourage either Company to commence new colliery workings. An unexpected return to Coal and Allied Limited of an amount of $147,737.00 by the Coal Conservation Committee from the monies levied to finance the stowage experiments, and following upon that Committee's decision to discontinue and cease their stowage trials, provided Coal and Allied Limited with capital to open the Aberdare East Colliery.

The original design planning appears to have commenced in February 1966 by a Company group including Mr D. "Dinny" Durham, Junior, (now of Tuncurry), Mr Colin Harrison, (now resides at 26 Ambrose Street, Toronto), and Mr Jim Wilson, (now lives at 16 Anglers Place, Eleebana), at the Company's Hexham Office. The 1966 Annual Report of Coal and Allied Limited records that Aberdare East Colliery was at a stage where it was proceeding from the drawing board to the actual site, with an anticipated completion by August 1967. Mr Colin Harrison was appointed to be the "Development Manager" of the new Aberdare East Colliery. Mr Harrison recruited Mr Dick Henwood, then at Aberdare Seven Colliery, to be in charge at the Aberdare East Colliery site with a staff of 4 men. Mr Henwood now lives at Savoy Street, Port Macquarie.

In late 1966 Allied Constructions Limited of Fairymeadow NSW commenced the driving of two drift tunnels. During 1967 this same contracting company commenced sinking an air shaft. The coal seam was reached in the tunnel drifts on the 13th November 1967.

The first real mine production commenced on the 29th January 1968.

ENTRY:

There were two drift tunnel entrances, which were 77 yards apart. Both tunnels were some 2720 feet in length and ran in at an incline of 1 foot in 3½ feet. This was the maximum allowable slope to prevent coal falling off a conveyor belt.

The main drift, entry for men and materials, was 14 feet wide by 7 feet high, with an archway that rose a further 5 feet. Hexham Engineering Works constructed the heavy steel arches utilised for added support for the arched roof in the first 50 feet. The walls, arched roof including the steel arches, for this first 50 feet was covered with concrete. In the rest of the drift tunnel, the arched roof was supported by rock-bolts. When bad to extreme roof conditions were met, such areas were steel-meshed and covered with cementation pumped on.

The cable belt (coal conveyor) drift was 12 feet wide by 10 feet high. This tunnel also had an archway that rose a further 5 feet. It too was provided with heavy steel arches and concreted for the first 50 feet to strengthen and support the roof. Like the main drift the balance of the cable belt drift was rock-bolted.

Both these tunnel entry drifts ran in parallel about 77 yards apart and in at a south-easterly direction. When a large fault or stone intrusion was met, the two drifts parted to form a large "vee".

Allied Constructions Limited had driven both drift entry tunnels. Coal and Allied Limited's records show that Allied Constructions Limited's costs for excavation of the two tunnels only as being $185,223.19. In driving the tunnels through the conglomerate and stone, the construction company used a 36 tons weight coal mining machine mounted on a flat-top vehicle moved on a special rail track. This track was of 3 feet 6 inches gauge and was laid using heavy 82 lbs to the yard rails supplied by Australian Iron and Steel Limited, Newcastle. The coal mining machine was one used in normal coal production, but seconded by the contractors from the Company for this operation. In addition, a large diesel powered scraper loader, (known in the mine as an "alligator" placed the fill into the steel skips. Refuse, rock spoil, etc., was conveyed out of the tunnels in the earlier Hebburn and Elrington Collieries large steel skips running on the 3 feet 6 inches gauge track. On the surface, the steel skips "bottom discharged" and the refuse material was conveyed sideways to a special stone handling bin. Hexham Engineering Works had fabricated, constructed and installed the conveyor and overhead bin at a cost of $32,098.18.

The system and methods employed by Allied Constructions Limited in driving the tunnels continued until the seam was reached in the cable belt drift. Even then for a period of some months whilst the belt was being installed, the mine's early coal production was surfaced using the skips, and the stone conveyor belt and holding bin.

(Author's Note: When these Elrington steel skips, some 20 in all, were no longer being used by Aberdare East Colliery, they were stacked on the pit-top of that colliery for a number of years. Finally all these steel skips were purchased by the

Wallis Lake Fishermen's Co-operative Society. The wheels and axles in particular were utilised by the Co-operative Society to construct a boat cradle for their dry dock).

Ventilation in each drift during its construction was provided by a Compton-Parkinson electric forcing fan on the surface and piped to the face.

In the original planning and design it was intended that Aberdare East Colliery should be a "non" skip rail track mine. Even in the driving of the drifts, underground water had been a problem. A decision was made to retain the heavy rail track used by the contractor, and to extend and broaden its use underground. Heavy rails from the Aberdare Central and Aberdare South Collieries wagon standage sidings were recovered by Balcolm Brothers, scrap steel merchants of Newcastle, and transferred as required.

Besides the drift tunnels, another entry was provided at Aberdare East Colliery. This was the up-cast air shaft. This shaft was also sunk by the drifts contractor, Allied Constructions Limited. This shaft was 824 feet in depth and 18 feet in diameter. It was situated about 60 chains (1.2 km) south from the tunnel mouths. The last 50 feet of the shaft depth bottom was widened to 50 feet diameter to allow the construction of a 600 tons capacity concrete holding bin. Coal and Allied Limited's records show that Allied Construction Limited's costs for the shaft excavation work only was $194,000.00.

A tunnel drift 8 feet wide by 8 feet high entered the air shaft from its eastern side at about 90 feet from the bottom of the shaft. This tunnel drift was the return air way to the up-cast air shaft. It was 170 feet in length. allied Constructions Limited's cost for this special return air way section of the air shaft work was $52,767.35.

In constructing this air shaft, Allied Construction Limited had used a "Cryderman's Grab and Bucket". This was mounted on a telescopic arm, and it had the capacity to lift 32 buckets, each containing 2 tons of spoil, in the shift. The haulage rope utilised in this air shaft was 17/8 inches in diameter, and was a flattened strand steel type. Long drills, 8 feet long, powered by compressed air, bored the holes for the explosives. The loosened rock and spoil was cleared from the work area by the "grab" bucket, allowed the air shaft wall to be concreted as the shaft was being sunk. As in the drifts, weak wall areas were strengthened by steel mesh before being concreted.

No cage was used in this air shaft sinking, the workers were transported up and down, four at a time in the bucket. The shaft sinkers worked 3 rotating shifts 6 days a week. Even then the progress was slow, and the air shaft took 18 months to complete, and was not finished until early in 1969. Amongst the shift sinkers were Noel Latter, Jack Neill, Bob Frey, Billy "Twangy" Foster and Alec Sneddon. Jimmy Girvan was the braceman or "grab" driver on one shift.

METHOD OF WORKING:

Aberdare East Colliery was planned to be worked by mechanisation methods with rubber belting conveyor haulage under the bord and pillar system.

Bords, cut-throughs and headings were all made to a 6 yards (18 feet) width to a first workings height of 8 feet. These widths comfortably allowed the use of 18 feet baulks or "half-round" slabs for roof protection. Pillars were made 50 yards long by 40 yards wide. In later mining operations, the 50 yards long pillars allowed for the better use of cables for the electric mining machines, coal cutter and the shuttle haulage cars.

Because of the speed of mechanisation mining, it was considered by the Company's mining administrative officers, that it was not necessary to set out the mine into panels with protective barrier pillars. However mine customs die hard. Whilst there were no "true" panels, as such, or as in the early South Maitland mines, certain parts, sections and areas of Aberdare East Colliery were named or known as - "A Panel; B Panel", etc.

"Long-wall" method of coal mining for the Aberdare East Colliery had been examined and investigated. However it was thought that the high seam, 18 feet to 23 feet, was beyond the usual safe mining practices for that period. Also the extraction of 35 feet high pillars at the Aberdare Seven Colliery was being carried out at this period by mechanisation methods, and was found to be both efficient and profitable.

In Aberdare East Colliery's first days, when the contractor had completed the drifts and linked the two tunnels at the pit bottom, there was room for only one mechanised unit to operate. This unit had consisted of an "A.B." (Anderson-Boyes) cutter, a "48Y" Le Norce mining machine and 2 "Joy 15 S.C." shuttle cars. In these early operations 5 headings were being made in the direction of Aberdare South Colliery (Siberia). Later as the mining area widened out, heading numbers were increased to 9. The main trunk belt brought the coal production to the surface. When two sections opened out, a side belt for each was installed to feed back to the "main trunk" belt. As the mine workings extended, and the 600 tons concrete holding bin had been completed all side headings fed back to the holding bin. Early coal mining machines were "Joy 1 C.M." and "Joy 6 C.M.", plus the original "A.B." (Anderson-Boyes) cutter.

Later mechanised units utilised three "62H Le Norce" machines. These particular type Le Norce machines had 3 electric motors. Two 150 horse powered motors for the cutting heads and a third 75 horse powered motor for the hydraulic pump. (Note: see page 506 for a more full description and operation of the Le Norce mining machine). Experience in other Coal and Allied collieries had shown that the motor on the hydraulic pump frequently failed due to over heating. Hexham Engineering Works in the early 1960's had designed and added water jackets to improve the motor's use. However because of the very heavy working conditions in Aberdare East Colliery a further improved style water jacket had to be re-designed and added. This type 62H Le Norce units were utilised together with the Joy 15 S.C. alternating current shuttle cars, operating on 415 pressure volts electric power.

Aberdare East Colliery never had a heading that reached the pit's lease boundaries, with one exception of that approaching the Bellbird colliery lease. (Note: see this story in the "Brief History" section at page 587). The headings that were being made towards the Aberdare South Colliery, particularly as they moved further out on the lease, required extra heavy roof protection. It was found that it needed 10 inches deep reinforced steel joists, (RSJ) mounted with steel gussets on steel legs, topped with 12 inch thick baulks 2 feet apart along the RSJ's plus the addition of roof bolting. In very bad areas such as in the "A Panel", RSJ's were increased to 12 inches depth, plus "W" steel straps each with 5 roof bolts provided added strength.

When the driving of the headings or bords got tough in rough roof country, the narrow Joy 1 C.M. was generally employed. In later mining in similar bad spots an "Alpine Miner" machine was used to cut the arched roof. In this type of area coal was greatly subject to crushing and heating. "Eating away and fretting all the way to the roof". Even with the Alpine Miner machine, the walls and roof spluttered coal noisily as coal pressures released. Best methods and operations were found to maintain first workings up to the customary and usual 8 feet height. Mesh plus roof bolting was utilised to hold up the difficult roof. Again many methods were tried to obtain the best results. Glues, (even Araldite), wedges, bolts screwed and slanted. Finally when the coal commenced to break up sets of baulks and slabs, the manager, Mr D. Greenhalgh stopped the driving operations in these areas, and moved to easier and safer locations.

In latter years, Aberdare East Colliery pillar coal was removed by the methods outlined at length and as the diagram showed on pages 499 to 503, similar to that adopted for Aberdare North Colliery. This method was also used at Aberdare Seven Colliery.

A "Greystone slip", (or pit-known locally as a "cutter"), was an intrusion that ran vertically in the seam, and when close to the "loose edge" of the wall, caused serious problems in the working manoeuvres. A sympathetic approach by the "top brass" company mining administrators finally devised that the headings and bords should be driven east-west rather than north-south. This change of direction resulted in much better production and made the mining operations easier.

Depending on the particular type of material, various style of vehicles were utilised to move these items into the colliery. Heavy machinery like shuttle cars, drive-heads, mechanisation mining machines, etc., were placed on a "big flat top". This vehicle weighed some 20 tons. Timber, stone dust, cement, etc., were loaded into the large steel "Elrington type" skips. All these materials were attached to the "dolly" car to be dropped down into the mine on the 3 feet 6 inches gauge rail track. At the bottom of the "man transport" drift, after the slope had flattened out, the material vehicles were detached and hauled into the mine by a Jeffries underground locomotive to the location required. It was soon found that this type of locomotive was inefficient due to the grades being too steep, and the position was further aggravated by the severe underground mine-water problem and the slushy floor. The Jeffries underground locomotives were replaced by 20 tons weight Baldwin diesel locomotives. In practice this particular Baldwin locomotive was found to be fairly slow. Some time later, 25 tons weight improved Baldwin locomotives were added to the fleet, and proved most efficient.

Smaller quantities and smaller sized materials were sent down the pit in the "dolly" car. This "dolly" car was sometimes used to transport a very small group of mine employees, say 1, 2 or 3 persons. Two other types of man transport were used at Aberdare East Colliery. Four "Fox" personnel cars, each could transport up to 10 men. This type of car used a kind of joystick arrangement to be driven. When the use of the Fox car was discontinued at Aberdare East Colliery, these Fox personnel cars were transferred to Coal and Allied Limited's Liddell Colliery. When larger numbers of miners were to be transported, 7 Baldwin personnel cars were used. Each of these cars could accommodate some 14 to 16 men. This type of Baldwin (P.C.) car had a tram driver's style handle. When Aberdare East Colliery finally ceased mining operations, the Baldwin personnel cars were transferred to various Coal and Allied Limited's underground mines.

"Falcon" brand air drill tools were utilised to bore holes as required for both the explosives shot-firing or placing roof bolts. Air for the Falcon tools was provided by a small Atlas Copco compressor mounted on a small flat-top trolley running on the rail tracks. The colliery had two such units, with each compressor being driven by a 45 horse powered electric motor. These mobile compressor units were used throughout the pit in the stone dusting operations. When Aberdare East Colliery closed, one of the mobile compressor units and the Falcon air drill was transferred to the Aberdare North Colliery.

A special "Joy" timbering machine was used to lift heavy baulks and pit props as required. This machine was also used in roof bolting operations.

The Titan Mining and Engineering Company Pty. Ltd. designed a machine also used for timbering and roof bolting. This was colloquially known in the Aberdare East Colliery as a "Titan machine" and was nicknamed as the "Praying Mantis". This nickname was because of its ungainly appearance, with its long telescopic arms and with its height it was able to hydraulically lift timbers up to 25 feet high.

Aberdare East Colliery never employed contract miners.

MINE HAULAGE:

Aberdare East Colliery was always planned to have rubber belting conveyor haulage. As was described in the "Entry" section on page 568, Allied Construction Limited drove in both drifts, at a cost for the excavations of only $185,223.00. This refuse, rock and spoil was brought out of the drifts in the large steel skips from Hebburn and Elrington Collieries running on a 3 feet 6 inch gauge track. These skips were hauled up both drift tunnels by two 100 horse powered electric motors. On the surface the steel skips were bottom discharged and the refuse material was transported sideways by a conveyor belt to a stone holding bin. This stone handling bin and the conveyor belt was fabricated, erected and installed by Hexham Engineering Works at a cost of $32,098.00.

When the drifts had reached the seam, the contractors, Allied Construction Limited linked the two tunnels. Now being on coal, the heavy steel skips continued to be utilised to bring the coal production to the surface and discharged into the stone handling bin. From this bin the coal was transported by motor lorry on the Company's internal cross-country gravel road to the Aberdare Shaft washery plant. Once development had commenced below and the early headings had been started, within a short period the rubber belting conveyor was installed in the "Cable" drift. As the headings progressed the belting conveyor was extended as the main trunk. During this period a small 30 tons capacity steel bin was constructed near the drift bottom. Coal production was brought to this bin by the shuttle cars, and by means of a scraper chain driven by a 20 horse powered electric motor, was loaded into the bin. Later the coal was reloaded via a steel chute onto the belt.

The next progression was to two sections of mechanisation units being employed, and this required side conveyor belts to be added to feed the coal production from each section back to the main trunk belt. Further expansion in the driving of headings, bords and cut-throughs in the first workings, plus the later pillar extraction, all required the installation of a number of side conveyor beltings systems. Research has shown the following conveyor belts systems and drive-heads in these sections thus:

Mostly the section belts were in tandem back to the conveyors to the underground 600 tons holding bin. The first two drive-heads in the East section and the first two drive-heads were driven by "Lawrence Scott" 100 horse powered electric motors. The other 19 drive-heads were powered by a variety of brands electric motors, which included "Asea", "Pope", etc.

Haulage from the coal cutting machines to the side conveyor belts was made by shuttle cars. The first shuttle cars were Joy 15 S.C. units. Later when the 62H Le Norce mining machines were introduced, Joy shuttle cars were used to move the coal production to the side conveyor belts to be transported to the 600 tons concrete holding bin (or box).

Pillars were so designed to be mainly 50 yards long by 40 yards wide. This design plan was prepared and carried out to give the optimum benefit for the electric cable transferring the 415 volts alternating current electricity, to the mechanisation mining machines, the coal cutters and the shuttle cars.

As has been outlined in the "Entry" section on page 569 a 600 tons capacity concrete holding bin had been constructed in the bottom 50 feet of the air shaft. This shaft had been widened to 50 feet diameter to allow the construction of the bin. The bin itself had cost $78,175.00. Also Allied Constructions Limited had excavated two small drifts, each 12 feet wide by 7 feet high with an added 5 feet high archway, to slope in at about the shaft's 55 feet height. Allied Construction Limited's costs for these two conveyor slopes was $56,489.00. These two drifts housed rubber belt conveyors to transport production from the various sections of the colliery to the 600 tons bin. These two conveyor belts poured direct into the bin. The bin was constructed above the main trunk belt, and by the use of electro-magnetic vibrators (Syntrons) discharged fed the coal to the main trunk conveyor belt. The two conveyor drifts were 700 feet in length, and each conveyor belt was 42 inches wide.

The cable belt drift tunnel housed both the main rubber belting conveyor and a vehicle or skip rail track for the small dolly car. The 3 feet wide rubber belting was attached to the two cables, one on each side by "shoe form" type wedges. The two steel stranded 2 inches thick cables formed an "endless rope" by a 110 feet long splice. Each endless rope cable was some 9000 feet long. The cable was a 2 inches diameter right-hand "Lang’s Lay" round strand steel rope. The conveyor belting ran under the 600 tons capacity concrete coal holding bin. Coal was moved out from this holding bin by "Syntrons", electro-magnetic vibrators that discharge fed onto the belt. The belt moving up the drift travelled on an incline of 1 foot in 3 feet 6 inches, which was the maximum possible slope for coal carriage. On the surface, the coal production poured from the belt direct into the 2000 tons capacity holding bin.

The drive-head operating the cable belt conveyor was a 350 horse powered 2200 volts electric motor. This motor was said to have been an English Electric Company of Australia unit that previously had been installed at Aberdare Shaft Colliery to operate that mine's air fan. The cable conveyor ropes had tension applied by a designed system constructed below. The rope had continued on past the underground bin for distances varying from 30 yards to 60 yards depending on the cable's then length, (i.e. subject to test removals 10 feet samples cut out each 6 months, repairs, etc.). 48 cast-iron weights, each 56 pounds (lbs) were placed twelve on each quarter segment.

Over the fairly short pit life of Aberdare East Colliery, it was found necessary to replace the steel rope three times. Kinetic energy caused a build-up which made the cable rope snake and "pig-tail". Where the drift flattened out on the pit bottom, it was found that an abrasive action occurred to the rope. Sometimes the rope length in service required a cut of 100 yards. The situation was always closely monitored. A 10 feet sample was removed each six months for more intensive tests.

The rubber belting was changed only once during Aberdare East Colliery's life.

In 1973, when the "thrustor" brake coupling and gear failed, the weight of the coal forced the belt back, whilst the electric motor continued to operate forward, until finally it seized, fused the rotor and disintegrated the motor. A new 450 horse powered 3300 volts English Electric Company of Australia electric motor unit was installed. This was a similar motor to those which had been purchased for both Chain Valley and Wallarah Collieries. Two motors were purchased with a view to retaining one at Aberdare East Colliery as a spare motor. However an urgent need by Coal and Allied Limited's West Wallsend Colliery for a replacement trunk belt motor saw the transfer of the "spare" unit. When Aberdare East Colliery closed on 24th September 1982 this haulage motor remained in the mine. As at 1st October 1989 this unit was still at Aberdare East Colliery.

The 2000 tons capacity overhead steel surface holding bin had been designed, constructed and erected by Hexham Engineering Works. Coal and Allied Limited's records show that the supply of this overhead self-trimming raw coal receiving bin equipped with electric magnetic vibratory discharged feed cost $95,599.00. Two chutes fed coal onto rubber belting side conveyors to be transported to two lorry loading 20 tons capacity bins. These bins were elevated to allow coal to be gravity fed into contractors' lorries for conveyance to Aberdare Shaft Washery Plant. Each lorry loading bin had cost $4,318.00. Each side conveyor had cost $14,379.00 for the supply of the rubber belting, the steel supports and rollers, the drive-head 100 horse powered electric motor, plus the construction and erection of each conveyor included in the cost.

As has been described in the "Method of Working" section on page 571, all materials, timbers, stone dust, cement, etc., were taken underground via the Man Transport drift tunnel. Heavy machinery, like shuttle cars, drive-heads, mechanical mining machines, etc., were placed on "big flat tops". These vehicles, which weighed about 20 tons, were specially designed and constructed for these purposes. The turn-table, standage sidings and rail access tracks to the workshops, stores or incoming road transport, provided all the needs of the colliery for repairs, distribution of gear, etc. Timber, stone dust, cement, and similar small items, were loaded into large steel "Elrington" type skips. All these material vehicles were attached to the larger dolly car in the Mans Transport Drift to be lowered or raised on the 3 feet 6 inches gauge rail track. At the bottom of the drift, after the slope had flattened out, the material vehicles were detached and then hauled to the required location by the "Jeffrey" diesel underground locomotives. It was found that this brand locomotive was inefficient on the too steep grades and wet and slushy floors. The Jeffrey locomotives were replaced by 20 tons Baldwin diesel locomotives. In practice this new type was found to be slow moving, and later 25 tons weight Baldwin diesel locomotives were added to the fleet.

Smaller quantities and smaller sized materials were sent down the pit in the dolly car itself. On occasions the dolly car was sometimes used to transport a very small group of mine employees, say 1, 2 or 3 persons. First man transport used at Aberdare East Colliery were "Fox" personnel cars, which could transport up to 10 men. This type of car was driven by a joystick arrangement. Later the Fox personnel cars were transferred to Coal and Allied Limited's Liddell Colliery. Aberdare East Colliery mainly used 7 Baldwin personnel cars. Each car could accommodate up to 16 men. The driver's operation of this vehicle was by a tram driver's style handle. These Baldwin personnel cars were transferred to various Coal and Allied Collieries when Aberdare East Colliery ceased operations.

For the operative and haulage equipment of the materials transport, Coal and Allied Limited contracted with Electric Control and Engineering Company for:

"Manufacture, installation and commissioning of an "E.C.E" reliance station unit, with 11 regenerating static drive locations.

The supply and commissioning of a Toshiba 800 horse powered force ventilated electric motor".

The total contract price was $85,000.00.

This radio controlled haulage equipment was the first of this type operating in Australia. Its installation was not without problems. The use of this colliery's haulage interfered badly with Channel 3 Television Broadcast. Aeroplanes, with their sophisticated equipment, flying over the mine, frequently caused all special silver fuses to "blow". With some 30 fuses on the haulage itself, and each costing $25.00, it became a very expensive operation. Steps had to be taken to redesign the control.

In the man transport drift tunnel, the dolly car, the "flat-top" vehicles, the heavy steel skips, etc., ran on 82 pounds (lbs) to the yard in the 3 feet 6 inches gauge track. On the surface this drift rail track was connected by points to a service track, that ran to a turntable. On the turntable, vehicles could be turned, or directed to other service tracks to the area required such as the various workshops, stores, etc., or alternatively be placed in short holding sidings. The service surface tracks had been laid by Coal and Allied Limited's mobile permanent-way gang under the supervision of Mr Ern Wells of 60 Fourth Street, Weston.

The turntable had been fabricated by Thornley Machinery. It too was constructed 82 pounds (lbs) to the yard rails and was of 3 feet 6 inches gauge. It had a radius of 112 feet and had 5 right-hand and 5 left-hand turnout rail points. Coal and Allied Limited records show that the contract price for the turntables construction had been $8,499.00.

As was mentioned previously on page 574 there was also a small dolly car on a 3 feet 6 inches gauge rail track operating in the cable belt drift tunnel. This rail track was on the right-hand side of the tunnel as one looked down the drift into the mine. The small dolly car was also radio controlled operation and raised by a 100 horse powered electric motor. This electric motor had been transferred from Pelaw Main Colliery. Coal and Allied Limited had made a further contract with the Electric Control and Engineering Company for a cost of $10,064.00 for the following:

"To supply an automatic slope haulage radio controlled car, equipped with rail and hydraulic brakes.

Plus a one inch diameter steel haulage rope and the necessary rollers.

All to be installed in the cable conveyance drift tunnel."

Although this car was used for general colliery work, the main reason for its installation was as an emergency transport.

PIT-HORSES:

Aberdare East Colliery never utilised pit-horses in its mining operations.

VENTILATION:

First ventilation utilised at Aberdare East Colliery was whilst Allied Construction Limited were driving the two drift tunnels. A Compton-Parkinson electric forcing fan on the surface carried fresh air to the face in both tunnels through pipe lines made from 44 gallons steel drums placed end to end with the bottom removed.

When the seam was reached in both these tunnels and these were linked and joined at the mine bottom by the contractors, air was continued to be piped into the colliery from the surface by the Compton-Parkinson fan. To improve the return air, a "lock" was erected in the cable drift tunnel as a temporary expedient. For this lock two sets of doors were placed, so that whilst one door set was open, the other set had to be shut. In this ventilation operation, the man transport tunnel became the up-cast return airway.

Meanwhile in mid to late 1967, Allied Constructions Limited as well as continuing with the driving of the two drift entry tunnels, commenced sinking an up-cast air shaft. This was situated about 60 chains (1.2 km) direct south of the tunnel entrances. The shaft was 824 feet in depth and was 18 feet in diameter. The top of the shaft had a concrete collar, which cost $6,800.00. The air shaft had all its sides right to the bottom covered with poured concrete. The excavation and concreting had cost $198,000.00.

The bottom 50 feet of the shaft was widened to 50 feet in diameter to allow the construction of a concrete coal holding bin (or box). This bin had a solid concrete bottom and a chute had been provided to the main conveyor belt running underneath. Electric magnetic vibrators (Syntrons) were installed to feed the coal onto the belt. Total cost of the bin's construction, its solid concrete bottom, its chute and electric magnetic vibrators was $78,175.00. This holding bin had a capacity of 600 tons.

Two drifts each 12 feet wide by 7 feet high with an added 5 feet high archway were sloped in by the contractor into the air shaft at about the 55 feet high level. Allied Constructions Limited's costs for the excavations alone of these two slope drifts had been $56,489.00. The drifts allowed conveyor belts from both sides of the mine to transport the whole pit's production to the holding bin. These conveyor belts were also inclined at 1 foot in 3½ feet and poured direct into the bin. The two belts were both 42 inches in width, and in this large stage run were each 700 feet in length.

A further drift 8 feet wide by 8 feet high entered the up-cast air shaft at about the 90 feet high level. This drift was provided for the return air way in the colliery to meet the up-cast air shaft. It was 170 feet in length. Allied Constructions Limited's cost for this excavation alone was $27,767.00.

Above the two conveyor drifts entry to the air shaft and below the return air way drift entry, a special explosion "plug-cap" of steel and concrete was constructed. Provision was also made to pipe bad air from the concrete coal holding bin (or box) to the return air way and the up-cast air shaft.

Mr Ern Hewitt of the Hexham Engineering Works supervised both the mechanical and electrical installations at the Aberdare East Colliery. Mr Hewitt arranged for a disused "Aerex" fan, serial No. 14203, to be transferred to "East" from Coal and Allied Limited Chain Valley Colliery. This fan was 114 inches in diameter and 96 inches in depth. This old second-hand was a "slip-ring or pin type" unit. It was converted by the new Aberdare East Colliery electrical staff to an induction system. This change was made by use of a squirrel cage rotor. The fan was driven by a 150 horse powered electric motor, which at 1.8 inches water gauge and at 450 revolutions per minute had the capacity to produce 220,000 cubic feet of fresh air per minute.

The sinking of the shaft and the installation of the fan took 18 months to complete. When this work was finished, the two drifts, the cable belt tunnel and the man and material transport tunnel, then both became the intake air ways. The air shaft was the up-cast air way.

When Aberdare East Colliery closed in September 1982, this fan was dismantled, removed and transferred for installation at Coal and Allied Limited's "Moonee Colliery" at Catherine Hill Bay.

ELECTRICITY POWER GENERATION:

Aberdare East Colliery never generated its own electricity power.

Coal and Allied Limited high tension power line team provided two separate flows of high tension electricity to the Aberdare East Colliery to meet the heavy demand of electricity requirements. Both routes had stemmed from the Aberdare Extended Colliery sub-station. In all some 11,000 volts power was supplied to the mine.

One route appears to have come around South Cessnock, possibly via the earlier "Paxton Line" with its junction to the main Cockle Creek line near the Cessnock Racecourse. The second route appears to have been via the original Aberdare Shaft - Aberdare Extended electric main down Gordon Avenue South Cessnock, thence from the sub-station adjacent to the early South Maitland Railways Quorrobolong Street overhead foot bridge.

Some unsupported information indicated that the 11,000 volts electricity was taken down Aberdare East Colliery direct to the underground transformers to meet the various needs, i.e., 415 volts, 2200 volts, etc. However Aberdare East Colliery's plan "E.A.-012-A1", surface arrangements shows a "transformer and switch yard" area on the northern side of the Haulage Engine Room for the Man and Materials transport. This yard was 90 feet wide by 60 feet long. All signs of transformers and switches and the area itself have now been cleared and removed, although the brick haulage engine house still stands.

Aberdare East Colliery had both high tension and low tension sub-stations.

In September 1989, Shortland County Council ran new electricity mains from the Cessnock town supply to meet the requirements for the new land and building occupiers, Hunter Plant Operators Training School Limited. It would seem that Coal and Allied Limited had removed all its high tension electricity mains when the Company's apprentice training scheme in this area was wound up.

PUMPS:

Aberdare East Colliery had always expected to be plagued with underground water. Its location and situation appears to have made this mine area a "sump" for all the earlier Caledonian Collieries Company's collieries. As the first workings development at Aberdare East Colliery was being made underground water encountered was raised in short lifts to small holding dams underground, and finally elevated to the surface.

Originally the designers of Aberdare East Colliery foresaw this water problem, and in their early plans had arranged for a special bore to remove this inconvenience. At the end of 1968, Price Anderson contractors were engaged to sink a bore. This was located about 176 yard in a north-westerly direction from the fan shaft and some 748 yard from the drifts portals' entry. The bore reached the first workings at a depth of 600 feet. A stainless steel pipe, 6 inches in diameter was floated down the borehole in special puddle clay imported from the U.S.A. The purpose of this expensive flotation method was to prevent ruptures, bends, fractures or breakages to the pipe to prevent disruption or later efficient operation. When the pipe reached the pit bottom, concrete was poured down the borehole on the pipe's outside to make the bore area again solid.

A "Pleuger" pump was fitted to raise the underground pit water. This water was piped to surface holding dams on Aberdare East Colliery lease land to remove its acidic properties before being allowed to run away. This first Pleuger pump was made from a phosphorous bronze alloy. It was eaten and eroded away by the pit acid water in just one month. Two further replacement cast iron Pleuger pumps were ordered. These were installed in parallel, so that one pump could be operated, whilst repairs were being made to the other.

By 1973 a huge underground dam, a pit-sump was made in the worked out section of "One South" heading. This dam had an estimated capacity of 2,000,000 gallons. At one period a total of 46 pumps were being operated simultaneously, moving underground water to the dam from various other parts of the mine. These pumps varied in sizes, such as 2 inches, 3 inches and 4 inches. Another bore was made above this underground dam. A 6 inches diameter stainless steel pipe was inserted in the bore. This second bore was 528 yards in a south easterly direction from the first bore, and 1232 yards distant from the transport drift entry.

The two cast iron Pleuger pumps had not been a great success with the continuing deterioration from the pit's acid underground water. Because of the new bore, and the underground dam location, two further stainless steel Pleuger pumps were ordered. However because of a Pleuger factory problem, a delay occurred in the supply of the pumps ordered. Coal and Allied Limited, due to some urgency and mining unions industrial pressure, ordered two stainless steel "Worthington" pumps. When these were promptly delivered, the Worthington pumps were also placed in parallel position, with one as a spare to enable repairs to be effected to the other. When the pumps and new bore became operable pumping at the "first pump bore" was discontinued. Ultimately, when the Pleuger pumps did arrive, they were kept on Aberdare East Colliery pit-top as "reserves".

The Worthington pumps were driven by a 250 horse powered electric motor located underground at a pump room adjacent to the dam. These centrifugal pumps had capacity to lift to the surface 500 gallons per minute. Pit water was pumped from the bore to a settling pond. From this pond, the water went through a tumbler; thence to 4 sets of ponds, one each in turn; finally to the lime treatment pond.

When Aberdare East Colliery closed in September 1982 the Worthington pumps and their electric motor were all dismantled, recovered and transferred to Coal and Allied Limited West Wallsend Colliery. The new and still unused Pleuger pumps which had sat on Aberdare East Colliery pit-top for years were sold to Balcolm Brothers, scrap metal merchants of Sandgate Road, Wallsend.

COMPRESSOR:

The contractors, Allied Constructions Limited, whilst it was driving the two drift tunnels had used a compressor situated on the surface with the compressed air piped to the face for boring, etc. Research has failed to reveal details of the compressor.

Once the colliery began driving the headings and the bords, Falcon brand air drills were used for boring holes for both explosives shot-firing and in placing roof bolts. Air for these Falcon tools was provided by a small Atlas-Copco compressor mounted on a small flat-top trolley running on the rail tracks. Aberdare East Colliery utilised two such underground units. Each compressor was driven by a 45 horse powered electric motor. These mobile compressors were also used in stone dusting operations throughout the mine. When Aberdare East Colliery closed one of these mobile underground compressor units and a Falcon drill was transferred to Aberdare North Colliery.

Unsupported information advised that a large Atlas-Copco compressor unit had been placed on the Aberdare East pit-top near the workshop building. Research has failed to reveal details and actual location.

Mr Alan Ward, (now residing at Harrington), and a previous electrician at Aberdare East Colliery, informs that after Aberdare East Colliery had ceased its mining operations and Coal and Allied Limited had established a company apprentices school in the Aberdare East pit-top buildings, a disused compressor, (of unknown brand) was transferred from the then closed Aberdare Shaft Colliery for use at the "apprentices" school.

RAIL CONNECTION:

Aberdare East Colliery never had a "direct" rail connection. Coal production from the mine was transferred by motor lorries to the Aberdare Shaft washery plant for treatment.

Early in the colliery's life a possible rail track area was cleared and levelled. This headed from the lorry loading bins towards the Aberdare Central Colliery railway branch line with a view to laying a connecting rail link to Aberdare East Colliery. Whilst some surveying and levelling work was carried out, it appears that the railway plan was shelved. Perhaps, that the alternate washery plant would have been Hexham unit, and this production volume may have overloaded its capacity, may have changed some thinking. Perhaps, also the cost of providing railway staff at Aberdare Central Branch Junction signal box to cover the full day, may have proved the significant decision. From the available information, it appears that the plan of a branch link railway to Aberdare East Colliery was abandoned solely on the basis of economics.

RAIL WAGONS:

Aberdare East Colliery's coal production after having been treated at the Aberdare Shaft Colliery's washing plant unit, was loaded into the company's fleet of wooden hopper rail coal wagons in the Aberdare Shaft Colliery sidings. This operation method continued up until June 1973, at which date the NSW Government Railways disbarred the haulage of the wooden hopper vehicles into Port Waratah. Instead coal was loaded into Government Railway "B.C.H." and "C.H." type vehicles. These large steel wagons were hauled by South Maitland Railways single locomotive in sets of 11 vehicles.

SPECIAL PLANT AND EQUIPMENT:

PIT-TOP:

Aberdare East Colliery was a very modern presentable mine workings. Its surface layout was efficient and designed to give good access to all its aspects.

One notable and unusual position was that Aberdare East Colliery did not have any colliery houses. The development manager, Mr Col Harrison had resided at Ambrose Street, Toronto. The first operational manager was Mr Wilson Barrett. Mr Barrett from his first appointment as a Cessnock Collieries Company manager had resided in the original manager's house at Neath Colliery. This Neath Colliery house had been built by that mine's first manager, Mr Clem Jones, in 1906, and even today is a very comfortable home. Mr Jones became the first Cessnock Collieries superintendent at the end of World War I. The second and final manager at Aberdare East Colliery had been Mr Dave Greenhalgh. From his first appointment as a Coal and Allied Company manager, Mr Greenhalgh had resided in the fine mansion overlooking the Abermain No. 1 Colliery lease land. This large outstanding mansion had been built about 1915 for the first Abermain Collieries Limited Company Superintendent, Mr Joshua Jeffries. This prominent mansion is still conspicuous today and attracts much attention. Mr Greenhalgh remained in this residence until he retired.

Perhaps the most focal point at the Aberdare East Colliery was the huge circular steel 2000 tons capacity raw coal holding bin (or box). This 140 feet diameter structure had its centre 66 yards distant from the cable belt drift tunnel mouth. It was 80 yards distant in a north-north-west direction from the colliery office building. From underneath this bin's base, two separate conveyor belts ran to the two elevated lorry loading bins. These two lorry bins were 44 yards due east of the holding bin, and were situated adjacent to the access road. The two bins were so erected, that whilst together and elevated, they were staggered, so that the loading of a road vehicle at one was not affected by the loading at the other. Each lorry loading bin had a capacity of 20 tons. Each was of a cubic shape, 20 feet by 20 feet by 20 feet. These bins were 154 yards in a northerly direction from the general office. Both the large holding bin and the lorry loading bins have been demolished.

The Cable Conveyor Drive House was situated some 40 yards north of the holding bin and in line with the steel bin and the cable drift portal. This drive house was constructed with a steel frame and its walls and roof clad with corrugated galvanised iron. The building was 40 feet long by 25 feet wide and 30 feet high, and had a slight slope "skillion" roof. This corrugated galvanised iron structure was still standing at the 1st December 1989, and still housed the cable drift drive electric motor.

As has been shown in the "Entry" section on page 568, the two entry tunnels were 77 yards apart. Both ran in at a south-easterly direction. The cable belt drift mouth was 250 feet ahead to the north of the materials transport tunnel portal. In a right-angle measurement, the distance between the two haulage ropes was 200 feet.

The materials drift haulage and switch control house was situated 560 feet distant from the tunnel entrance. This building had been constructed from common house bricks, and it had a hip roof clad with corrugated galvanised iron. This structure was 60 feet long by 40 feet wide by 25 feet high. The building still stands as at the 1st December 1989.

On the northern side of the materials haulage house was the transformer and switch yard. Aberdare East Colliery plan (EA-012-A1) "surface arrangements" shows this was a fenced area, 90 feet long by 60 feet wide by 12 feet high. Unsupported information advises that this was of sawn timber posts and chain wire, topped by a barb wire barricade. The transformers and switches have been removed since the mine closure. The yard has also been demolished.

200 feet from the material tunnel entrance was the stone conveyor belt from the tunnel's sinking period. A skip tipping system, in which the large steel skips were bottom discharged of the refuse and spoil into a chute to run onto a rubber belt. This conveyor had run 120 yards in a south-westerly direction to direct discharge into an elevated stone bin. This bin was of a cube shape, being 15 feet long by 15 feet wide by 15 feet high. It bottom discharged by gravity feed through a steel chute into motor lorries. This system also operated for the first coal production haulage until the cable belt drift haulage was installed. Today there is only the two broken concrete base sides of the tipping area. Whilst not used after the cable belt haulage installation, the tipping arrangement, the conveyor belt and the elevated stone bin were allowed to remain "in situ" during the life of Aberdare East Colliery. When the mine closed, these like some other equipment, were transferred to other Coal and Allied Limited mines.

Parallel to the concrete entrance of the materials transport tunnel and at a distance of 40 feet, was a building 60 feet long by 40 feet wide by 20 feet high. On the Aberdare East Colliery plan (EA-012-A1) "surface arrangements" this structure is designated as the Cable Repair Shop. It was constructed on a steel RSJ frame, with timber purlins, clad with galvanised corrugated iron. It had a pitched gabled galvanised corrugated iron roof.

A 3 feet 6 inches gauge rail service track ran between the materials transport tunnel portal and the cable repair shop. The distance from the skips siding points on this service rail track was 160 feet to the centre of the turntable. Again from the centre of the turntable, and at right-angles to the drift service skip track, an additional 160 feet of skip service rail track ran to the centre of the south west wall of the workshops.

The fine Workshops and Stores building was a structure 210 feet long by 100 feet wide by 30 feet high walls, surmounted by a 12 feet high hip roof. The building was constructed on heavy steel frame with its walls and roof clad by galvanised corrugated iron. A small common house brick office and entry were situated externally at the centre of the structure's north side. The building was divided into a large workshop 150 feet long by 56 feet wide by 30 feet high. A second or additional workshop area 60 feet by 56 feet wide by 30 feet high adjoined the larger workshop. Both areas had been divided further to meet the particular needs of the various types of tradesmen. In each workshop section there was a 30 tons overhead crane running on huge steel girders.

The Stores section had been divided off in the main structure on the building's southern side. This section was 160 feet long by 34 feet wide by 30 feet high. In completing the overall structure was an open unwalled cleaning area. This area was 50 feet long by 34 feet wide by 30 feet high.

The distance between the main colliery office and the workshop office was 80 feet.

Immediately behind the concrete portal of the materials transport tunnel and before the skip rail service track to the Workshops, the Fire-fighting Equipment Shed stood. This building was 83 feet from the tunnel mouth. It was built from common house bricks and had a skillion galvanised corrugated iron roof. This building was 20 feet long by 20 feet wide by 12 feet high. Research has failed to reveal details of the equipment housed. This small detached building was still standing at the 1st December 1989.

The Miners' Lamps Cabin was part of a complex that included the colliery offices, bath-house and change rooms. The complex was of a large "Tee" shape, in which the bath-house and change rooms formed a thick stem. The building was constructed from common house bricks and roofed with galvanised corrugated iron. The lamp cabin was 30 feet from the transport tunnel mouth, and was only a very short walk for the miners from the personnel cars. The lamp cabin was 30 feet long by 25 feet wide and 12 feet high.

Adjoining the lamp cabin was the bath-house and its two change areas. One section for the "dirty clothes", which were placed in the customary pit bath-house's wire baskets and hauled high on pulleys, to dry out between shifts. The "clean area" allowed miners to wear better gear to and from the mine. The bath-house was conveniently situated to both. This section of the building was 80 feet long by 60 feet wide by 15 feet high.

The top of the "Tee" building was some 100 feet by 15 feet. The left-hand end of this portion was the Manager's Office. This room was 20 feet long by 15 feet wide. The balance of this long top part, included a "records" section, a small kitchen, a small eating area, toilets and some small "ante" rooms.

Also as part of this complex, and alongside the left-hand side of the top of the "Tee" was the Reception Area and the Clerical Staff Section. This particular area was 30 feet long by 25 feet wide and by 15 feet high.

In all, Aberdare East Colliery was a well laid out mining set-up. The buildings and structures were all connected by concrete pathways. The mine pit-top area was linked to Cessnock township by a tar sealed road.

FIRST COLLIERY MANAGER:

(A) Development Stage: Mr Col. Harrison.

(B) Operational Stage: Mr Wilson Barrett.

FIRST ASSISTANT COLLIERY MANAGER:

Mr Richard Henwood.

BRIEF HISTORY:

A joint proposal entitled "Development of Aberdare East Colliery" was submitted to the Coal and Allied Limited Company's Board of Directors on the 21st October 1961 by Mr M.J. Harris, Superintendent of Collieries and Mr E.F. Hewitt, General Superintendent. Following the closure of the older "high cost" mines, the two administrative and operations officers considered that the time was opportune for the evolvement of a modern, highly mechanised, "low cost" producing colliery. The proposed Aberdare East Colliery was the most attractive virgin coal area. This proposal envisaged the taking of unworked portions of the leases of Aberdare Extended, Aberdare Shaft, Aberdare Central and Aberdare South Collieries, to make a total area of some 4,723 acres. This new proposed colliery lease included M.P. 7, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 73, 75 and 79, plus others. The area selected to be the new pit-top was to be on the old Aerodrome site, 50 chains south-west of Aberdare Shaft Colliery and 25 chains south-east of the junction of McFarlane and Quorrobolong Streets, South Cessnock.

The timing of this joint proposal was most opportune. With some phasing out of the "stowage experiments" of the NSW Coal Conservation Committee, and an ever-increasing depletion of underground mining resulted in an unexpected return to Coal and Allied Limited of monies from levies raised to finance the stowage tests. These circumstances encouraged Coal and Allied Limited's Board of Directors to look favourably at this joint proposal. The Joint Coal Board gave its approval in early 1962.

Two test bores were sunk in the proposed lease into the Greta Seam. The seam had been calculated to be sloping 1 foot in 18 feet in a South 55° East direction. The first bore met the coal seam at a depth of 788 feet. In this bore, the coal seam was 14 feet thick with no stone bands and of 4% ash quality. The second bore was sunk to a depth of 1097 feet to the seam. At this point the coal was 15 feet 7 inches and included some bands, and there the ash content was 4.5%. The new colliery lease was estimated to contain 90,450,000 tons of available coal, and the new pit was expected to have a working life of 71 years.

The tender of Allied Constructions Limited was accepted for the driving of two drift tunnels. This work commenced in March 1966, and was expected to cost some £350,000-0-0 ($700,000.00). Later this company was selected to sink the air shaft. The cost of the air shaft was expected to be £105,000-0-0 ($210,000.00). Coal and Allied Limited's subsidiary Hexham Engineering Works was very much involved in the construction and erection of the surface structures.

As has been described in the pages of this section on Aberdare East Colliery, no effort or funds were spared to construct a colliery, which was laid out and designed to produce the optimum. A mine, which to the eye was efficient, the "best", to give the maximum production at a minimum of cost. Aberdare East Colliery, when it commenced, was the only new large production pit opened over a 40 years period.

However in practice it was soon found that the working conditions would always be difficult. The roof was found to be a poor type mudstone, which proved too soft to allow major expansion. There were many intrusions and very rough conditions.

Aberdare East Colliery rarely reached any boundary in any heading, with perhaps one exception that is worth mentioning. These particular details are unsupported, but it does indicate that humour can exist in trying circumstances. "It is said", that as one particular heading approached the Bellbird Colliery lease in the early 1970's,

Aberdare East manager Mr Dave Greenhalgh arranged a deal with Bellbird Colliery manager, Mr Athol Lightfoot, that "East" should obtain a small area of "Bellbird" coal. The exchange consideration was that Bellbird Colliery was to receive a second-hand loader. When the equipment arrived at Bellbird Colliery, Mr Lightfoot asked where was the electric cable to operate. Or as Mr Lightfoot aptly put it, "If you buy a toaster or a jug, one would be given an electric cord". An unsupported tale, but so interesting.

Aberdare East Colliery mining officials found little to create humour for them. In addition to the difficult roof conditions, underground water was always a serious problem. Whilst it was virgin coal, its seam strata and its overburden appears to have allowed the free flow of water below, and made the Aberdare East Colliery the sump for the original surrounding Caledonian Collieries mines.

Poor roof, heatings, fires, all combined to cut off the Aberdare East Colliery to even just a small portion of its coal production potential. Finally, Coal and Allied Limited called in a team of mining consultants to consider the future of Aberdare East Colliery. These consultants included officers from the Commonwealth Scientific Investigation and Research Organisation (CSIRO), the Australian Coal Industry Research Laboratory Limited (ACIRL), and Dr K. Moelle, Geologist, Newcastle University. In addition, visiting overseas mining engineers were asked for their considered opinions. The consensus was that further development was not viable. All development work ceased on the 21st March 1977, and the colliery thence operated on a retreating basis. Such a short life for a colliery barely 10 years old. Overall less than 6% of its available potential coal was won from the colliery lease.

Finally Aberdare East Colliery ceased its mining production operations on the 24th September 1982, and the services of its employees were terminated, except for a skeleton crew to recover machinery and seal off the mine. The skeleton crew recovered from underground, electric motors, drive-heads, etc. The last dolly car ran below on the 13th November 1982. Meanwhile Balcolm Brothers, scrap dealers of Sandgate Road, Wallsend, demolished, recovered and transferred surface machinery, equipment and structures as required and arranged by Coal and Allied Limited. Balance of the machinery, steel, etc., was sold as scrap. Mr Ron Stacey, an earth moving operator of Allandale Road, Cessnock, bulldozed over the drift entrances as well as the fan shaft on the 23rd November 1982.

The fine office bui lding, the workshop structure, store room, and bath-house/change room were allowed to stand. all else was destroyed, demolished and removed.

Almost immediately Coal and Allied Limited converted the workshops, stores, office and bath-house to become the Company's "Apprentice Training School". This school was commenced on 2nd February 1983 and was closed at the end of 1988.

In early 1989, the previous pit-top area used as the apprentice training school was taken over by Hunter Plant Operators Training School Limited. This firm utilised these facilities as a training centre.

PRESENT POSITION:

Pit-top structures of workshops, stores, office and bath-house are being used by new owners, Hunter Plant Operators Training School Limited.

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