Previously the "North Greta Colliery"

OWNERS:

REFERENCES - MINES DEPARTMENT:

LOCATION:

(A) Part of Portion 200 Parish of Branxton County of Northumberland.
Part of Portion 197 Parish of Branxton County of Northumberland.
Part of Portion 191 Parish of Branxton County of Northumberland.
Part of Portion 196 Parish of Branxton County of Northumberland.
Part of Portion 205 Parish of Branxton County of Northumberland.
Greta Village allotments Nos. 143 to 147 inclusive.

(B) Mining Leases

PML Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 11 and 12 Parish of Branxton.
ML 1, ML 5, ML 6, ML 9, and others.

(C) Relationship To Neighbouring Mines:

(i) Alongside and west of New Greta Colliery.
(ii) East of old Greta Colliery.
(iii) North-west of Central Greta Colliery.
(iv) South-west of Leconfield Colliery.
(v) South-east of Ayrfield No. 3 Colliery and the Maitland Extended Collieries.

(D) The Whitburn Colliery pit-top was on the eastern side of Anvil Creek, between the creek and Greta Village. Its entry tunnels ran in at a north-westerly direction. These were situated just south of West Street, Greta.

DISTANCES:

(A) Whitburn Colliery was 13 miles 55 chains (19.9 km) distant by road from Cessnock post Office, via the Cessnock-Branxton Road (Highway 82), the Cessnock-Greta Road diverting at Lovedale, and the Greta village local streets.

(B) Whitburn Colliery was 13 miles 15 chains (19.1 km) distant by road from Maitland Post Office via the New England Highway (No. 15) and West Street, Greta.

(C) Whitburn Colliery's pit-top and screens were 32 miles (51.24 km) distant by rail from Port Waratah's shipping cranes.

AREA:

Mines Department records show that the original mine, North Greta Colliery, was on a lease of 3 acres 3 roods 33 perches. This area being section 8 village of Greta subdivision, bounded by West Street, Anvil Street and the Anvil Creek itself.

Newcastle Coal Mining Company Limited's records show that the Whitburn Colliery holding consisted of 998 acres, (942 acres freehold, 29 acres leased from private persons, and 27 acres leased from the Crown).

Part of this land, some 378 acres was purchased on Wednesday 1st August 1917 from O.E. Friend and Una E. Clift. This area adjoined the "564 acres" of Sam Clift's estate known as Parnell's Paddock.

SEAM:

Mr W. Humble, an early Mines Department chief inspector, in an article describing the working operations of Whitburn Colliery, published in the "Chemical, Engineering and Mining Review" in its issue dated March 1922, outlined the Greta Seam worked as being of variable thicknesses. Where it was free from stone intrusions, the seam was mostly 15 feet thick. In this operation, "bottoms" coal was taken to 9 feet as the first workings. Later "tops" coal was dropped 6 feet thick as the second workings. Mr W. Humble stated that under the seam being worked, there was another seam about 6 feet 6 inches thick. Similar to its neighbouring mine, the New Greta Colliery, this bottom seam was separated by an "8 feet thick stone band". At Whitburn Colliery this stone band varied from 6 inches to 8 feet. The coal was of an excellent quality, containing about 6½% ash.

The "Newcastle Morning Herald" newspaper in its issue dated Thursday 23rd October 1902 reports that Messrs M. North and J. Rylatt had struck a seam 20 feet thick with a band of oil-shale 1½ feet thick.

On Thursday 1st October 1908 Mr H.J. Thomas, colliery manager, reported the progress in the Whitburn Tunnels to the Board of Directors of the Newcastle Coal Mining Company. Two diagrams of the seam prepared by Mr H.J. Thomas accompanied the report. These diagrams show:

No. 1 "No. 2 Tunnel Face":

No. 2 "Crosscut Tunnel Face":

During 1916 a diagram of Whitburn Colliery seam was published in the Mines Department Annual Report. This shows a section of Whitburn Colliery No. 2 District Level (North) as:

Also published was an analysis of coal from the area.

Pounds of water converted into steam by one pound of coal 13.4 pounds.

Coke from this analysis was well swollen, firm and fairly lustrous.

Ash was of a reddish tinge, semi granular.

Also shown was a diagram of a seam section at Whitburn Colliery No. 4 South District Level, thus.

The analysis here was shown as:

The specific gravity was 1.293

Coke was 55.85%

13.3 pounds of water was converted into steam by one pound of coal.

Coke from this analysis was well swollen, firm and fairly lustrous.

Ash was of a slight reddish tinge, semi-granular.

At Whitburn Colliery, the seam dipped to the west at an incline of 1 foot in 5½ feet. Because of their closeness in several parts of the Whitburn mine, both the top and bottom splits were worked, sometimes in the one operation.

COMMENCED OPERATIONS:

On Wednesday 4th June 1902, Messrs M. North and J. Rylatt applied for a coal mine lease at Greta from the Mines Department. They were granted a lease for 3 acres 3 roods 33 perches on an area bound by West Street and Anvil Street, Greta village and Anvil Creek itself. On Tuesday 26th August 1902, Messrs Mark North and John Rylatt notified the Mines Department that they were commencing "sinking operations" on their lease. The term "sinking operation" indicates to me that this entry had to be a shaft. My research failed to confirm the actual "documented site" of such shaft. It does seem reasonable to assume that this was the air shaft adjoining the later New Greta Colliery "travelling road" tunnel. Subsequently over the next two or three years, the partners North and Rylatt appear to have driven in a tunnel. This supposition is supported in a report letter from the new colliery manager, Henry J. Thomas, to the Board of Directors of the Newcastle Coal Mining Company dated Wednesday 12th August 1908. In this letter, Mr Thomas stated his work team was ready to drive in its tunnels. Further that the "existing" tunnel had to have its skip track gauge altered to suit the Newcastle Coal Mining Company skips, which had already been forwarded to the new Whitburn Colliery. These details indicate the trend of the North and Rylatt operation.

Newcastle Coal Mining Company Board of Directors during early 1907 were seeking coal lands on the Greta Seam field to replace their ageing pits on the Merewether lease. Mr James Ruttley, owner and manager of their neighbouring Newcastle field mine, Shortland Colliery, was commissioned to examine coal mining possibilities adjacent to Greta Village. Subsequent to his report and efforts, land and coal holdings were purchased from the Samuel Clift estate. In addition, the lease of a small mine, "North Greta Colliery", opened on the edge of Greta Village was bought from Messrs North and Rylatt. Mr J.J. Slater was engaged on a temporary basis to act as a "permit manager" at this mine. This small pit adjoined the Samuel Clift lands. A new permanent manager, Mr Henry J. Thomas, was appointed on Thursday 18th June 1908 to plan and design the company's new mine workings. At this period the Newcastle "B Pit" was being phased out, and much of its buildings, equipment and gear was dismantled, and transferred to the Newcastle Coal Mining Company's new operation, Whitburn Colliery.

On Friday 7th August 1908, Mr Henry J. Thomas instructed his acting permit-manager, J.J. Slater, at the Whitburn Colliery, to obtain sufficient bush saplings to erect a store room, 14 feet long by 10 feet wide. On the same day, Mr Thomas consigned to the new mine by NSW Government Railway vehicle "D 5474" a quantity of reusable materials, such as chains, bolts, coach screws, pulleys, shackles, coils of wire rope, etc., from Newcastle "B Pit". He also arranged for a Lancashire boiler, previously used at "B Pit" to be dismantled in preparation for transfer to Whitburn Colliery. Mr Thomas directed J.J. Slater to engage a bullock team to haul this boiler from Greta Railway goods yard as a much better proposition than utilising a jinker from Newcastle. The boiler, an iron pipe stack together with a quantity of bricks, plus the "B Pit" disused bar screens were sent on Monday 24th August 1908.

Mr Henry J. Thomas in a "report" letter to the Newcastle Coal Mining Company's Board of Directors, dated Wednesday 12th August 1908, advised that the company was ready to drive 2 tunnels at Whitburn Colliery. Mr Thomas outlined his plans and designs in that the existing North Greta Colliery tunnel was later to become the "travelling road" heading. This tunnel was some 70 feet from the Anvil Creek itself. The tunnel's skip track was to have its base altered and widened to a "two feet eight inches" gauge to accommodate the Newcastle Coal Mining Company's previous pit skips repaired and sent to the Whitburn mine. The main haulage heading was to be driven in at a north-westerly direction at a point 120 feet from the travelling road entrance. A cross-cut underground tunnel, running diagonally to the north-east and some 120 feet in length, was to be made to link the haulage and travelling headings. This cross-cut tunnel heading was commenced 150 feet from the surface.

Steps were taken by Mr Thomas to have a bricklayer convert the earlier shaft to a chimney to allow an underground furnace to be positioned underneath for ventilation purposes. This shaft was on the western side of the travelling road and about 160 feet from the surface.

Mr H. Smallshaw and a gang of 6 men were engaged to drive in and extend the travelling heading and the cross-cut tunnel at a rate of £1-6-0 ($2.60) per yard. The travelling road heading was 9 feet wide and 6 feet high. Mr H.J. Thomas advised his Company's directors, that the coal seam in the headings and cross-cut tunnel was 5 feet 6 inches thick, and he estimated a production of 2,600 tons available for sale at a value of two shillings and eightpence ($0.28) per ton. Mr Thomas considered that this money would be a help to reducing the "driving" costs. A landing stage was constructed in Central Greta Colliery yard sidings to allow the tip-drays of coal production to be emptied direct into coal hopper rail wagons. Mr H. Lodge, a dray driver, was paid one shilling and ninepence ($0.19) per ton to transport the coal production. Newcastle Coal Mining Company wagons used at the Newcastle "A" and "B" pits, after being overhauled, repaired, repainted and re-branded thus:

"Whitburn"
N.C.M.co.

were despatched to Greta. The first complement of 24 wagons, arrived at Greta on Friday 21st August 1908. A cart weighbridge was transferred from Newcastle "A" pit to weigh the carts.

From a group of 14 tenderers, whose prices ranged from £1-7-6 ($2.76) to £2-2-6 ($4.26) per ton. Mr J. Rowley and a party of four men on Wednesday 21st October 1908 were given the contract to drive the main haulage heading at a rate of £1-12-0 ($3.20) per running yard. This main haulage heading was 12 feet wide and 7 feet high.

The need of a railway branch had been foreseen early in the Newcastle Coal Mining Company's Board of Directors' plans. An agreement had been reached on Thursday 30th January 1908 with its neighbouring mine, the EBBW Main Colliery, formalising that both companies should work for the common good. Earlier on Wednesday 16th August 1907 a similar conclusion had been established between Alexander Shedden and the Newcastle Coal Mining Company. Finally on Monday 3rd August 1908, a private joint tenancy agreement was made between the Newcastle Coal Mining Company and the EBBW Main Company with the Samuel Clift Estate, for an area of surface land to lay their joint railway track, and which was part of Portion 197 Parish of Branxton.

The Newcastle Coal Mining Company had a further problem to link its colliery to this branch rail track. It had to erect a bridge to cross Anvil Creek. On Wednesday 28th October 1908, Mr J. Proudfoot was given a contract at one shilling and threepence ($0.13) per cubic yard to deviate the Anvil Creek, and to shift soil to prepare for the bridge foundations. Such soil was to be used as an embankment for the railway track base.

On Wednesday 4th November 1908 quotes were called to supply the large timbers required for the erection of the trestle bridge. Four quotations were received from:

J. Hestlow,
A.C. Brown,
A. Shedden,
E. Strudwick.

J. Hestlow's tender was accepted. This was for the supply of timber, delivered on rail trucks to Greta Railway goods sidings, at these prices:

12 inches by 12 inches a running foot - one shilling and twopence ($0.12)
12 inches by 7 inches per running foot - one shilling and one penny ($0.11)
12 inches by 6 inches per running foot - one shilling ($0.10)
9 inches by 4½ inches per running foot - sixpence ($0.06).

Also during November 1908, tenders were called for the erection of the trestle bridge. These were the replies received:

The tender from the Bailey Brothers was accepted. They commenced construction on Monday 14th December 1908. Much of the ironwork for use on the trestle bridge was carried out at Newcastle Coal Mining Company's "A Pit".

The permanent dam in Anvil Creek bed for the Whitburn Colliery was excavated by Mr D. Morgan at the rate of one shilling and threepence ($0.13) per cubic yard. Some of this excavation soil ex the dam area was utilised to protect the old Greta Colliery's drift tunnel.

The trestle bridge erection was completed on Wednesday 24th February 1909. The dray carting of the Whitburn coal production to the ramp at Central Greta Colliery yard sidings ceased on the same day. The laying of sleepers, plate laying and other railway construction had been carried out from early August 1908. The section of track to the EBBW Main Colliery junction points, and then onto the EBBW Main pit-top had been completed on Wednesday 9th December 1908, and rail traffic ran over the "spiked points" to the EBBW Main mine.

Meantime, Mr H.J. Thomas had arranged for Morrison and Bearby to inspect and overhaul the steam haulage engine at the Newcastle Coal Mining Company's "B Pit". This firm also arranged a connection and an endless rope for a cost of £460-0-0 ($920.00). Further Mr Thomas had engaged the contractor, Mr J. Mitchell, to erect the pit-top, the screens and the elevated small coal holding box. A. Goninan and Company supplied the small coal steel conveyor belts and the shaker screens. A. Goninan and Company was utilised in installing other plant, such as screens, etc. Their tender, accepted on Thursday 6th May 1909, carried a "time penalty" clause of £1-0-0 ($2.00) per day for delays in excess of 3 months from the date of contract signing. Newcastle Coal Mining Company records examined did not reveal any "penalty" charges levied or paid. The records did show some fairly large payments to A. Goninan and Company, i.e. £223-0-0 ($446.00) for supply of the steel conveyors and alteration to the haulage engine, payments made on Wednesday 8th September 1909. A further payment of £500-0-0 ($1,000.00) for plant work was made on Tuesday 4th January 1910. Another payment for £600-0-0 ($1,200.00) was paid to A. Goninan and Company for work on the tippler plant.

Much of the pit-top decking, second-hand galvanised corrugated iron, "recovered" skip rails, skips, wagons, etc., were sent from Newcastle Coal Mining Company's "B Pit" to Whitburn Colliery. On Thursday 29th July 1909, Mr J. Mitchell's quote to erect Whitburn pit-top was accepted. The erection of the pit-top and work deck levels were pushed along. By the end of November 1909, this structure work was nearing completion.

First haulage was to be steam powered. To meet this requirement, on Wednesday 12th August 1908, a Lancashire boiler was laid off at Newcastle "B Pit", and made available for installation at the new Whitburn Colliery. Mr H.J. Thomas directed Mr J.J. Slater, the permit-manager to arrange for Mr J. Harman, a bullock team owner-driver to haul the boiler from Greta Railway Station to the new Whitburn Colliery. Concrete foundations for the steam haulage engine and the boiler were completed on Tuesday 8th September 1908. Local Whitburn Colliery employees installed the boiler and steam engine. By Wednesday 21st October 1908, these units were in place and ready to handle the coal produced. This production was tipped over temporary bar screens transferred from Newcastle Coal Mining Company "B Pit", to load into tip-drays.

On Wednesday 2nd June 1909, Mr Henry J. Thomas, manager of Whitburn Colliery arranged for some very important items of equipment, then laying idle at Newcastle Coal Mining Company "A Pit" to be transferred to Whitburn Colliery. These included:

One 56 kW direct current electricity dynamo generator,
One coal cutting machine,
Three electric pumps,
One switchboard.

Mr Thomas noted that the 3 electric pumps and the switchboard required a good deal of repairs. At the same date he arranged the transfer of the air compressor at Newcastle "B Pit". The building structure over the compressor was dismantled and relocated at Whitburn Colliery to be utilised as part of a new generator house. On this date, 2nd June 1909, 20 more coal hopper rail wagons had been repaired, repainted and branded to make the Whitburn fleet a total of 92 vehicles.

During April 1909, in anticipation of the transfer of the above items, Mr Thomas had arranged for two more Lancashire boilers to be moved to Whitburn Colliery. When the foundations for the boilers and air compressor had been laid, Mr Alan Gain seated the two Lancashire boilers for a contract price of £36-0-0 ($72.00). Newcastle "B Pit" pit-top was dismantled and sent to Whitburn Colliery for use in the construction of that mine's screen building.

On Thursday 22nd July 1909, the electricity generator was started, and commenced to supply electric lighting at the screens and other surface areas. On this same date Mr Henry J. Thomas notified Mr Thomas Bates, Mines Department inspector, by letter, that the previous electricity generator at the Newcastle Coal Mining Company "A Pit" was now installed at Whitburn Colliery. Its electrical power was working the electric pumps and an auxiliary fan.

As soon as the electricity generator was operating, the steam haulage engine at Newcastle Coal Mining Company "B Pit" was dismantled, transferred to Morison and Bearby of Newcastle, and fitted to handle an endless rope at a cost of £460-0-0 ($920.00).

With the demand of the electricity generator and the new steam haulage, Mr H.J. Thomas, saw the need for additional steam. A third Lancashire boiler ex Newcastle Coal Mining Company "B Pit" was seated alongside the earlier two Lancashire boilers on Wednesday 8th September 1909. On Friday 18th November 1911 a skillion style galvanised corrugated iron roof was placed over the 3 Lancashire boilers. A Babcock and Wilcox boiler for use at Whitburn Colliery was transferred from the Newcastle Coal Mining Company "A Pit" on Wednesday 1st June 1910. The boiler shed from the "A Pit" was dismantled and re-erected over the Babcock and Wilcox boiler at Whitburn Colliery on Wednesday 24th January 1912.

Whitburn Colliery chimney stack was constructed and completed on Friday 10th June 1910.

A small powder magazine building was completed on Wednesday 4th November 1908 at a cost of £6-0-0 ($12.00). A blacksmiths workshop, complete with forges, anvils, and bellows, was finished on Wednesday 13th January 1909. A permanent stores building was erected behind the boilerhouse and powerhouse structures on Thursday 29th July 1909. The timber gantry raising the skips from the tunnel to the work level skip-tipping area was completed on Wednesday 20th October 1909. Two revolving tipplers, shaker screens, and the steel travelling picking belts were all positioned on Wednesday 3rd November 1909. On the same day six pit-horses were made available for work at Whitburn Colliery. Four horses had been transferred from Newcastle "B Pit"; two new young horses were purchased. On Thursday 4th November 1909, a cabin was erected to house the skip weighbridge.

All was ready for the new Whitburn mine operations.

ENTRY:

The first entry into North Greta Colliery operated by Messrs M. North and J. Rylatt was by a fairly shallow shaft, 6 feet in diameter and 35 feet in depth. This was sunk about 100 feet from the eastern bank of Anvil Creek and just south of West Street, Greta. Sometime later a tunnel heading was driven in towards the north-east direction. This heading was 9 feet wide and 6 feet high, and ran quite close to the original shaft. A skip track was laid to allow coal production to be hauled to the surface. I am fairly confident that this short haul was made by a pit-horse. Messrs North and Rylatt only ever employed a handful of miners. After the heading construction, both the haulage and travelling was made via the tunnel entrance. Mines Department Annual Reports, for the years 1902 to 1906 inclusive, inform that ventilation was by natural means.

After the Newcastle Coal Mining Company acquired the North Greta Colliery lease and the adjoining land to the north, with a view to opening and developing a new coal mine to be known as Whitburn Colliery, the newly appointed colliery manager, Mr Henry J. Thomas, engaged Mr H. Smallshaw and a group of 6 men to drive in further the original North Greta Colliery tunnel. The quote for this work had been £1-6-0 ($2.60) per running yard. This project commenced on Monday 14th September 1908. Evidently there was an industrial problem, because on Wednesday 21st October 1908, Joseph Rowley and a party of miners were engaged to drive a fresh entry, the main haulage heading (No. 1 tunnel) and a cross-cut tunnel to link the new heading to the original North Greta Colliery tunnel. Joseph Rowley and his party had tendered £1-12-0 ($3.20) per yard for this work. The entrance to the No. 1 tunnel, the main haulage heading, was 12 feet wide by 7 feet high. Manager Henry J. Thomas reported to his company's Board of Directors, that there was little water in this new drive heading, and what was met, was bailed out in tubs.

The main haulage heading eventually reached in a distance of some 75 chains. The various districts or levels broke off from the main haulage by side headings. These side headings to the various districts on the eastern side ran in at a north-eastern direction. On the western side, the side headings ran off in a south-west direction. The mine plan shows this as a slight herringbone pattern.

During 1910 Newcastle Coal Mining Company gave much consideration to the ventilation design for their Whitburn Colliery. As a result of their deliberations, a Sirocco fan of 72 inches diameter was to be installed. However the Manager, H.J. Thomas recommended a 112 inches diameter Sirocco fan, and his recommendation was adopted. Quotes to supply were called. The successful tender was £850-0-0 ($1,700.00) made by Ferrier and Dickinson Limited, and the Sirocco fan was delivered to the colliery site on Thursday 3rd November 1910. Meanwhile Mr H.J. Thomas, colliery manager had arranged for an air drift heading to be driven in at a point, 200 yards south-east of the main haulage heading. This drift was planned to run underground to link with the return airway, which was a companion heading, some 60 feet on the eastern side of the main haulage. In February 1911 a new permanent workshops was erected. The site of the foundation for the fan chimney and the fan-house, was that which had been the location for the early temporary workshop. The air drift and the underground linking heading to the return airway were both 12 feet wide and 7 feet high. At its start, the drift inclined at 1 foot in 3 feet until it met the floor of the seam. From here, the linking heading continued at a slope of 1 foot in 10 feet.

During May 1911, the brick air chimney and fan engine house were erected. On Saturday 18th November 1911, the mine ventilation was changed from the "furnace" to have the "fan" supply.

METHOD OF WORKING:

The Whitburn Colliery tunnel mine worked both the "top" and "bottom" splits. Records and mine plans researched do not show that pillar coal was ever extracted. The seam varied in thickness. On Thursday 29th December 1910, the colliery manager, Mr Henry J. Thomas reported to the Newcastle Coal Mining Company Board of Directors that at that period the seam at the coal face being worked was 21 feet 3 inches thick. Mr W. Humble, an ex-Mines Department chief inspector in an article describing the "Whitburn Colliery Working", published in the March 1922 issue of the "Chemical, Engineering and Mining Review", informs that in first workings "bottoms coal" was taken out to a height of 9 feet, and as second workings the "tops coal" was taken to a 6 feet or more thickness.

Whitburn Colliery was worked by the bord and pillar method. Main headings, side headings, bord places and cut-throughs were all made 18 feet wide. Cut-throughs had been driven to provide the best ventilation, and appear to have been made at varying distances. Whitburn Colliery was worked in districts of "levels". Entry to such areas was made by side headings. Whitburn Colliery mine plan, (see Record Tracing Number 335) shows a fairly orderly and uniform mine, although its headings and bords were not always parallel.

At first, mining was carried out by hand methods, hand boring, using both "Chilworth" and "Halls" brand of explosives, after firing shovelling into wooden skips. Early wooden skips were recovered from Newcastle "A Pit" and "B Pit", repaired at either the Newcastle "A Pit" colliery workshops, or by Newcastle private contractors, such as Goulden Limited, and then transferred to the new Whitburn Colliery. Later, on Thursday 25th November 1915, 50 new skips were purchased from Morison and Bearby at £4-19-6 ($9.96) each. Skip rail track also had been recovered from Newcastle "B Pit". In the years 1908, 1910 and 1911, skip rail track was a continuing project. Much of the work decking and platform at "B Pit" was also retrieved and forwarded to Whitburn Colliery for use in the construction.

A small powder magazine was built and completed at Whitburn Colliery on Wednesday 4th November 1908 at a cost of £6-0-0 ($12.00).

When Newcastle Coal Mining Company commenced its development at Whitburn Colliery in early 1908, one of the first requirements had been the widening of the skip track gauge in the North Greta Colliery to accommodate the Newcastle "A Pit" and "B Pit" skips. Early Whitburn Colliery haulage had been made by a steam engine. In August 1908, manager H.J. Thomas requested that a Lancashire boiler from Newcastle "B Pit" should be transferred to Whitburn Colliery to assist the steam supply. Bar screens were also transferred ex Newcastle "B Pit" to be utilised a temporary screens. The coal production from the extension of the original North Greta heading, and from the driving of the new main haulage heading and the underground "cross-cut" tunnel, after being bar screened was transported by horse and dray to a loading ramp at Central Greta Colliery. Here the coal production was loaded direct into Newcastle Coal Mining Company hopper wagons.

On Thursday 29th July 1909, Newcastle Coal Mining Company accepted the tender for the erection of the Whitburn pit-top and an elevated small coal holding box structure. The successful contractor was Mr J. Mitchell, and this work was completed on Wednesday 1st June 1910. The pit-top building was shaped like an "L". The longer section, running towards the gantry, was 90 feet long, 30 feet wide and to the top of its hip roof, 48 feet high. This roof section ran north-south. The shorter section, built over the wagon track rail loading sidings, was 55 feet wide over the tracks, 70 feet long, and to the top of its hip roof, 54 feet high. This roof section ran east-west. The elevated timber box was 144 feet long running north-south, 32 feet wide, erected over two rail tracks and 40 feet high to the top of the box. It had a capacity to hold 2000 tons. J. Mitchell's tender price for the pit-top structure was £434-10-0 ($869.00). His final price for the elevated small coal holding box had been £439-11-9 ($879.19). The two skip side-tip tumblers, shaker screens, the steel conveyor picking belts, the steel conveyors to the small coal holding box, and the boiler fire-hole conveyors were all supplied by A. Goninan and Company. Mr J. Hunt of Greta on Wednesday 14th December 1910 completed the timber work associated with the conveyors on the pit-top and the box. The ironwork for the conveyors was carried out by A. Goninan and Company commencing on Wednesday 21st September 1910. A. Goninan and Company were paid a total of £2,095-17-1 ($4,191.71). It is not certain from my research if other accounts were involved.

Early in 1909 Morison and Bearby inspected the steam powered cage lifting winding engine at Newcastle "B Pit". When this engine was dismantled at "B Pit", Morison and Bearby overhauled the engine, and altered it to operate an endless rope haulage. This haulage engine was then installed by Morison and Bearby in the engine house at Whitburn Colliery at a total cost of £460-0-0 ($920.00). The engine house was a building, 44 feet long, 42 feet wide and its hip roof was 24 feet high.

The hip roof ran north-south. The altered engine was in the western half of the engine house, so that it could operate the endless rope. A quantity of clips were recovered from Newcastle "B Pit". From Friday 4th March 1910, A. Goninan and Company supplied Whitburn Colliery with its "clip" needs at a price of 9 shillings ($0.90) each. About 1918 and onwards Whitburn Colliery made these clips from castings in its own workshops. The loaded skips ran on the right-hand (eastern) side skip track as one looked down into the mine at the haulage entry. As a consequence, empty skips ran on the left-hand (western) side track. The timber gantry to carry the skip tracks was erected and completed on Wednesday 20th October 1909. Whitburn Colliery records show that the endless rope engine and the shaker screens engine were under steam and working by Tuesday 22nd March 1910.

Mr Alf Beckett, now deceased, a veteran miner of the Greta mines, and who resided in Yorke Street, Greta on the Whitburn Estates, told me during a discussion on Tuesday 30th November 1983, that Whitburn Colliery skips were raised and lowered in sets of 3 skips. A set-rider accompanied the set of skips. At the surface on reaching the work levels, the skips were weighed on a weighbridge situated some 66 feet from the gantry top. The weighbridge was positioned on Wednesday 20th October 1909. After being unclipped from the rope and weighed, the loaded skips were shoulder shunted onto either of the two skip tracks to make a short run to the tumbler-tipplers. Coal from the tippler unloaded onto a steam powered shaker screen. The large coal ran from the shaker screen onto a 48 feet long 4 feet wide steel conveyor picking belts. This large coal continued on to drop direct into wooden hopper rail coal wagons standing on two rail loading sidings. Small coal from under the shaker screens dropped onto a scraper conveyor to be taken to a small timber box. This conveyor ran in a trough 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep. This trough was lined with 1/8 inch thick steel plate. Each plate of the scraper conveyor was 24 inches wide by 6 inches high, and spaced 12 inches apart. This conveyor moved at 90 feet per minute. The small timber box had a capacity of 10 tons. From this box small coal could be loaded direct into the wooden hopper rail wagons. Alternatively a conveyor belt, 150 feet long and 2 feet wide, raised the coal 14 feet up a gantry to the top of the timber holding box. At the top of this conveyor belt, the small coal was moved sideways to the centre of the box by another conveyor belt, 25 feet long and 2 feet wide. A third conveyor belt, 125 feet long by 2 feet wide carried the small coal to be distributed through sliding doors, along the full length of the holding hopper box. Another conveyor belt, 130 feet long and 2 feet wide, on the southern end of the "10 tons" box, when required, carried small coal to the fire-holes of the boilers.

An early NSW Government Railway plan of the Whitburn Colliery rail sidings lay-out dated 1912, and now held by Mr John Harris, a young Greta Village historian, shows a nest of 3 empty wagons standage sidings, all running under loading points. Each such empty wagons storage siding was some 18 chains long. Two of these sidings were connected by a set of cross-over points adjacent to the pit-top. A series of cross-over points linked three loaded wagons storage sidings, situated past and beyond the main haulage entry. Each of these loaded wagons sidings was 25 chains long. A loop siding, on the western side of the Whitburn yard, and roughly half a mile long, provided a locomotive "run-around" siding. Trains of Whitburn Colliery coal production were despatched to the NSW Government Railways following the completion of the Whitburn Branch trestle Bridge on Wednesday 24th February 1909. A telephone service linked Greta Railway Station and Whitburn Colliery office. These phones were supplied by Filmer Brothers of Newcastle. Their installation on Wednesday 23rd February 1910 greatly improved rail traffic arrangements.

On Thursday 29th July 1909, the 56 kW direct current electricity generator previously in use at Newcastle Coal Mining Company "A Pit", was transferred and installed at Whitburn Colliery. On the same day, the Whitburn Colliery manager, Mr Henry J. Thomas, notified Mr Thomas Bates, Mines Department inspector of this installation, and that this electrical power was being utilised for the pumps and for surface lighting. On Wednesday 11th August 1909 a 25 HP Siemens electric motor was acquired from A. Goninan and Company, and this was placed in the underground pump room.

Pit timber (props) had been used extensively by miners in Whitburn Colliery. First timber (props) supplier had been Mr W.G. Green of Allandale on 1st December 1909. Tenders were submitted annually. W.C. Green's quote for the supply during 1911 had been £674-5-0 ($1,348.50). Throughout the mine's history up to 1928, timbering was carried out by the miners themselves. After that year, specialist shift-men were utilised.

Underground haulage at the new Whitburn Colliery was provided by pit-horses. Whitburn Colliery records show that in October 1909, 4 pit-horses were transferred from Newcastle "B Pit". In addition, two new young fresh horses were purchased. By Wednesday 1st May 1912, Whitburn Colliery pit-horse team had grown to 24 horses.

The installation of the electricity generator had also allowed 3 coal cutting machines to be transferred from Newcastle "A Pit". These were put into service at Whitburn Colliery on Wednesday 9th March 1910. One new change in methods followed the arrival of the coal cutting machines. On Wednesday 6th October 1909 a coal cutting machine was used to "start" a bord working. By Thursday 16th June 1910 the main haulage heading had been extended and this accommodated the double skip tracks underground endless rope haulage. By Thursday 20th October 1910 the main haulage heading had further been extended by another 400 yards. Haulage in the earlier North Greta Colliery tunnel ceased on Wednesday 9th March 1910, and from this date this entrance became solely a travelling road.

On Monday 23rd January 1911, an air compressor was installed at Whitburn Colliery. This had followed a request from the manager, H.J. Thomas for an air compressor to operate the colliery pumps. On Tuesday 7th February 1911 both "air" and "water" pipes were laid from the surface down the travelling road tunnel.

On Wednesday 5th April 1911, 4 air receivers and 3 large "Tangye" pumps were transferred from Newcastle "A Pit" to Whitburn Colliery. On Tuesday 5th September 1911 "Siskol" compressed air driven coal cutters were tested underground. On the same day an air driven pump replaced an electric pump. When the Siskol coal puncher test proved successful, Dierch Company supplied two new units at a total cost of £187-7-1 ($374.71). On Friday 24th December 1912, with the increased use of air driven equipment, an air receiver was placed underground. An additional Ingersoll-Sergeant air compressor was purchased for £204-16-6 ($409.66). On Wednesday 24th January 1912 an electrically driven "Ingersoll-Rand" boring machine was purchased for £20-5-8 ($40.58) to reduce this heavy section of mining work.

During early 1912, several tests were made to find a suitable washing plant to improve the coal production for sales presentation. Finally a decision was made to use a "Robinson" unit. It was placed below the wagon loading platform, and in front of the elevated small coal holding hopper box. The unit was supplied by Gibson Battle and Company at a price of £475-0-0 ($950.00), on the wharf at Newcastle. The plant was installed on Wednesday 29th May 1912 by Gibson Battle and Company at a total inclusive cost of the unit and work for £600-0-0 ($1,200.00). On Thursday 17th August 1916, Gibson Battle and Company increased the washery plant size at a cost of £295-0-0 ($590.00).

In early May 1915 a heating occurred in No. 2 District. Despite efforts to restrain the heating, by erecting seals around the actual bords, much difficulty was found in containing this fire. On Thursday 13th May 1915, the whole District was sealed at the side heading entrance and at the return airway. This District was not re-opened until Thursday 17th February 1916.

The installation of the electricity generator in June 1909, had allowed the provision of surface lighting. Mines Department 1909 Annual Report shows 40 surface lights had been installed. The 1910 Annual Report informs, that in addition 6 lights were installed underground. By the 1917 Annual Report, there were 53 lights on the surface and 36 lights installed underground. General verbal information advises that at the mine's beginning the miners used tallow cap lights. By 1917 the miners had changed to carbide cap lamps.

Brattice cloth was used extensively underground to improve ventilation. The brattice cloth was mainly supplied by G. Craddock and Company. A new grease and oil stores building was built on Wednesday 21st February 1912. Previously these stores were kept under the powerhouse building. The mine mainly used "Vacuum Company's" oils and skip grease.

On Thursday 26th February 1920 the timber elevated small coal holding box tottered and swayed to one side due to some overloading. It was secured by wire ropes until some reduction was made to the stored coal. Later more lasting repairs were made.

The first half of the 1920's decade was when Whitburn Colliery employed its greatest number of miners. However it was not its best years of production.

The Mines Department 1922 Annual Report informs that on Friday 20th January 1922 miners holed into the underground sump, and over 2500 gallons of pit water was lost.

The Mines Department 1924 Annual Report advises that during that year, Whitburn Colliery miners had holed through from No. 5 North District into an older working in No. 3 North District. In mid 1927 a heating occurred in this same area and No. 5 North was sealed off. The first seal was placed in the intake heading. This seal was 10 feet high, 16 feet wide and 18 inches thick. A second seal was constructed in the return airway. This was 25 feet high and 14 inches thick. A third seal was also constructed "inbye" in the return airway. This third seal was 27 feet high, 18 feet wide and 14 feet thick.

The "depression" and a poor coal sales market forced Whitburn Colliery to cease mining operations on Saturday 21st November 1928. The colliery was re-opened for a short period during late 1929 with a very reduced workforce of 41 miners. The mine only worked 96 more days, before finally closing in May 1930.

In late 1937 Newcastle Coal Mining Company gave consideration to opening a new mine on the Whitburn Colliery holding to mine the seam underlaying those previously worked in the Whitburn Colliery. The operation started on Wednesday 5th January 1938. This third mine re-opening appears to have been an activity to reorganise the previous coal mining.

Perhaps this new workings had been an impetus to the Newcastle Coal Mining Company's thinking. On Thursday 2nd June 1938 Newcastle Coal Mining Company made application to realign or slightly straighten the earlier Whitburn Branch Railway. This alteration was approved by the Mines Department. The track more or less was along the same area. The previous 2 acres 3 roods 10 perches was reduced to 2 acres 0 roods 30 perches. During 1939 a party of ten miners under the supervision of Mr O. Clark, reconstructed the rail track, cleaned the earlier main tunnel and made pit-top alterations. A new 60 HP electric hauling plant was installed. The pit-top rail sidings were altered and shortened to meet the new proposed program. Newcastle Coal Mining Company in late 1938 obtained an area of 56 acres (PML 13), and which became included in the original mine holding. This triangular area ran from the old tunnel area towards Branxton, and to the old Greta Colliery "B Shaft" area. The Railway Branch alterations is shown on PML 9, PML 10 and PML 11, all of which are dated Thursday 2nd June 1938.

My research has failed to reveal a great deal of information on the Whitburn Colliery mining operations during the period from mid 1938 till the pit closed on Thursday 7th October 1948. Mr Jack Cruikshank, of 21 Sale Street, Greta informed me that he had been a wheeler at Whitburn Colliery from early 1945 till October 1948. At this time 6 pit-horses were utilised. The pit-horses were stabled in a shed behind the colliery office facing West Street, Greta. A lamp cabin part of the office building was situated between the office and the horse stable. Mr John "Tup" Freeman, of 28 Greta Street, Telarah, told me he was the lamp cabin attendant from early 1946 till the mine closed in October 1948. During this period some 30 miners battery cap lamps were being used.

General verbal information from some ex-Whitburn Colliery miners advises that underground pit water was most troublesome. Pit-horses could barely pull a single skip in the steep headings. Water had to be pumped away to previously worked places whilst the wheeler was with the loaded skip. When the situation worsened an underground winch was installed to haul the loaded skip through the water.

As "work place" conditions deteriorated, much difficulty was found in relocating miners. Finally a "cavil-out" of 3 pairs of miners from Whitburn Colliery was made on Friday 29th August 1947. At that time the only other pit working at Greta, was the Leconfield Colliery, which then was utilising only 10 pairs of miners. Local townspeople and mine workers pressured the Joint Coal Board for a new mine to be opened close to Greta. On Wednesday 15th October 1947, the Joint Coal Board and Local Government Authorities announced in the "Newcastle Morning Herald" newspaper, that there would be no new mine in the Greta area.

In late 1944 a group headed by Mr W. "Art" Mawson leased from the Excelsior Coal and Coke Company Limited, an area within the New Greta Colliery holding, which had been the "Leconfield Tunnels". When production commenced at Mr Mawson's Leconfield Colliery on Monday 7th May 1945, Mr A.B. Hough, a Newcastle coal and shipping agent, who acted for Mr Mawson, arranged with the Newcastle Coal Mining Company, for the Leconfield coal to be loaded into Whitburn Colliery wooden hopper wagons in the Whitburn loaded wagons storage sidings. A ramp was constructed adjacent to the "No. 2 Siding", quite close to the early Broxburn Colliery mine entry. This ramp was 610 yards from the entry points to the Whitburn Colliery rail sidings. For some two years, both Whitburn Colliery production and Leconfield Colliery production were being loaded at Whitburn Colliery and marshalled for rail despatch in Whitburn Colliery rail yard sidings.

On Wednesday 24th September 1947 a small fire and heating broke out in Whitburn Colliery. A group of the Whitburn Colliery miners were employed as shiftmen to erect seals in the fire area in Whitburn Colliery. Mr W. Wilson, a former Whitburn Lodge official, doubted if the mine would ever work again. A prophecy, that was so true. Underground mining operations at Whitburn Colliery ceased on Thursday 7th October 1948.

During June 1948, the Joint coal Board arranged for test bores to be carried out on the New Greta Colliery lease with a view to working an area near the outcrop as an open-cut mine proposition. On Monday 22nd November 1948, the Joint Coal Board engaged Thomas and Cox, Newcastle contractors to commence to clear the overburden. Following the closure of the Whitburn Colliery mining operation, the Joint Coal Board arranged with the Newcastle Coal Mining Company that the Joint Coal Board "Newfield Open Cut" coal production should be loaded into wagons at Whitburn Colliery pit-top. To provide such loading facilities, Newcastle Coal Mining Company in early November 1948 engaged Mr Bill Freeman, who now resides at 16 Russell Street, Gillieston Heights to demolish the large timber elevated coal holding box to clear a loading point at the rail siding. Using a small team of Whitburn Colliery miners, who were involved in withdrawing machinery, etc., from this recently closed mine, the box was soon wrecked. Using two bulldozers and utilising strong wire rope cables, the elevated box was pulled over towards the west in the direction of Anvil Creek. Some of the "10 inches square" timber uprights and the heavy planks from the box sides formed a back wall for a ramp, which was erected alongside the rail siding. Stone and conglomerate from the Newfield open-cut overburden was placed against the back wall to make a fine long ramp for unloading the lorries transporting the open-cut coal production. The Newfield open-cut mine was only a small area, and its production ceased on Friday 30th June 1950.

Meanwhile loading of the "Leconfield Colliery's" coal production had been carried out concurrently at a ramp further down in the loaded wagons storage siding. In late 1950, after the Joint Coal Board's Newfield open-cut mine ceased, Mr W. "Art" Mawson made overtures to the Newcastle Coal Mining Company to lease the Whitburn Colliery pit-top and the Whitburn Branch Railway. Finally on Monday 6th October 1952, M.J. and M. Mawson obtained a sub-lease from the Newcastle Coal Mining Company (in liquidation) for these two areas. The Whitburn Colliery in 1949 had all its shafts and entrances sealed. The main haulage heading was sealed with a 2 feet thick concrete wall just below ground surface level. In late 1952, Mr "Art" Mawson had widened the previous skip gantry and built a broad road and ramp for his Leconfield coal transport trucks. These lorries entered Whitburn Colliery property from West Street, Greta, turned north towards Branxton and reversed up this new ramp. Coal was back-emptied from these lorries into a timber holding box. This box bottom discharged onto a rubber conveyor belt, which raised the coal up to the work level to tip onto a cross conveyor belt. The cross-belt in turn unloaded onto the screens, which also acted as the "picking" area. An electric motor drove an endless chain with 3 inches high plates to drag the coal along the screens for the "pickers" attention. Mr Colin Walters, who had been Mr W. "Art" Mawson's colliery manager at the Leconfield Colliery, informed me that Leconfield coal production was "dragged-screened" at Whitburn sidings yard to make two classes. Small coal dropped through the screens into a box, to be later bottom discharged into wooden hopper rail wagons. The large coal dropped over the end of the screens into a timber box, also to be later loaded into wooden hopper rail wagons. The small coal holding box had been constructed over the eastern side colliery rail siding. This small coal was sent to Zara Street power station, and other small coal commercial users. The large coal holding box was constructed over the western side colliery rail siding. This large coal was despatched to the Australian Gaslight Company.

After some industrial and commercial problems resulting in the loss of coal sales, Mr W. "Art" Mawson's Leconfield Colliery closed on Tuesday 3rd September 1957. All the mining machinery, electric motors, etc., at Whitburn Colliery pit-top, plus much of the timbers, second-hand galvanised corrugated iron, etc., was recovered by Mr Jack Cruikshank and a small team of workers, for Mr W. Mawson to use at his other coal mining interests.

MINE HAULAGE:

When North Greta Colliery commenced mining on Tuesday 26th August 1902, this had been made by a "sinking operation". This indicates the entry was by a shaft. I am fairly confident that the lifting of any coal production via this shaft was made by a horse-whim (windlass). Subsequently a tunnel heading was made from the surface to connect to the original shaft working. Because this small area worked was fairly close to the surface, and the output from only 4 men was limited, plus the layout of this wavy twisty headings and bords in that era, I am sure that this small production was hauled by a pit-horse via the tunnel to the surface.

One of the first activities of the new company at Whitburn Colliery, had been the altering and widening of the North Greta Colliery skip track to be a "2 feet 8 inches" gauge. This was to accommodate the wooden skips previously used in the Newcastle "A" and "B" mines. These skips had been repaired in their colliery workshops. Whitburn Colliery lease had been acquired by the Newcastle Coal Mining Company to replace the lessening output from its Newcastle "A Pit" and "B Pit". With the reduction of company mining activity, particularly at the Newcastle "B Pit", it was an opportune time for Newcastle Coal Mining Company to recover, repair and transfer reusable materials, gear and equipment. The newly appointed Whitburn Colliery manager, Mr Henry J. Thomas, arranged on Wednesday 12th August 1908 for an unused Lancashire boiler at "B Pit" to be overhauled and prepared for transport to Whitburn Colliery. This boiler arrived at Whitburn Colliery on Tuesday 1st September 1908, and was positioned on its concrete foundations.

Having engaged miners to commence driving a main haulage heading, a linking cross-cut tunnel, and the extension of the previous North Greta heading, there was a need for skip track rails and skips. In addition Mr H.J. Thomas arranged for a landing stage to be built in Central Greta Colliery (old Anvil Creek Colliery) rail sidings to allow tip-drays to empty direct into wooden hopper coal rail wagons. Mr H. Lodge was engaged to transport this coal in his dray at a rate of one shilling and ninepence ($0.19) per ton. A cart weighbridge was installed on Wednesday 21st October 1908. Newcastle Coal Mining Company had directed that some of their Newcastle "A" and "B" pits hopper rail wagons were to be overhauled, repaired, repainted and branded "Whitburn" for use at their Greta mine. The first group of 24 coal hopper rail wagons were despatched to Whitburn Colliery on Monday 24th August 1908. This activity was a continuing process, and by the end of 1914 Whitburn Colliery coal hopper wagon fleet totalled 192 vehicles. Cost of these repairs up to this date, November 1914, was calculated as being £3,306-0-0 ($6,612.00).

As an interim measure, a small haulage engine was purchased from Messrs O'Toole and Company of Sydney at a cost of £112-0-0 ($224.00). A temporary dam was constructed in the Anvil Creek itself to the Lancashire boiler with water. This temporary dam was completed on Wednesday 7th October 1908. The larger permanent dam was made in a large loop of the Anvil Creek by Mr D. Morgan commencing on Tuesday 3rd November 1908 at a contract price for the excavation at one shilling and threepence ($0.13) per cubic yard. Some soil from the dam excavation was used to protect the old Greta Colliery drift tunnel.

As outlined earlier in the "Commenced Operations" section on pages 1737-1738, an urgent requirement for Whitburn Colliery, had been the construction of a railway branch to link the new mine to the NSW Government Railways near Greta Railway Station. Their neighbouring mine, EBBW Main Colliery, had commenced its mining operations about the same time as Whitburn Colliery. Agreement was reached between the two mining interests, that the laying of the Branch line should be a joint exercise on land held by a common tenancy lease from the "Sam Clift Estate". The construction of this rail track commenced in late September 1908. A further problem for Whitburn Colliery had been the need of the construction of a trestle bridge to cross Anvil Creek. J. and W. Bailey, (brothers) had won the contract to erect this bridge with their quote of £110-0-0 ($220.00). The bridge structure was completed on Wednesday 24th February 1909. From this date all Whitburn Colliery coal production was hauled by the NSW Government Railway from the temporary Whitburn pit-top screens.

On Thursday 6th May 1909, tenders had been called for the erection of Whitburn Colliery pit-top structure and of an elevated small coal holding box. On Thursday 29th July 1909 Mr J. Mitchell's tender was accepted and construction commenced immediately. (Details of these structures has been given on page 1743). Whitburn Colliery records show that the two skip tracks in the main haulage heading had been laid on Friday 24th September 1909. The erection of the screens, tipplers, work levels had been completed by Wednesday 6th October 1909. The main timbers of the gantry had been stood by Tuesday 19th October 1909. In early 1909 Morison and Bearby Limited, Newcastle had converted the steam winding engine at Newcastle "B Pit" shaft to become a haulage engine for an endless rope system at a cost of £460-0-0 ($920.00). Mr W. Humble, a retired Mines Department chief inspector, in his article describing Whitburn Colliery, published in the March 1922 issue of the "Chemical, Engineering and Mining Review" stated that this steam engine as having a pair of 20 inches diameter cylinders, each with a 42 inches stroke. The endless ropes appear to have been replaced with a regularity of about a "12 months period". Records researched showed these details of supply.

(Note: This was a one piece instead of two endless ropes).

The original endless rope was of a 3 inches circumference. On Thursday 11th April 1918 the endless rope size was increased to a 3¾ inches circumference in a supply from John Shaw (Aust.) Ltd. at a cost of £165-5-5 ($331.55). This rope size alteration had necessitated a new grooved "C" wheel of 8 feet diameter to replace the previous 6 feet diameter "C" wheel. This wheel was supplied in 1918 by A. Goninan and Company at a cost of £208-0-0 ($416.00).

The completion of the Whitburn Colliery pit-top and the elevated small coal holding box, together with the final installation of the endless rope haulage, skip tumbler-tipplers, shaker screens had all been made by Monday 4th April 1910. The early haulage at the travelling road No. 2 tunnel (the original North Greta Colliery entry) had ceased on Wednesday 29th June 1910.

As described earlier on page 1744, skips were raised and lowered in sets of three skips, with the loaded skips rising on the right-hand side skip track as one looked down into the pit, and the empty skips travelling on the left-hand side skip track. All the skips were coupled to the rope by clips. In the early days a quantity of clips were recovered from Newcastle "B Pit". As from Friday 4th March 1910 A. Goninan and Company supplied the clips required at a cost of nine shillings ($0.90) each. From 1918 onwards, Whitburn Colliery manufactured its own clips in its workshops from castings. Set riders were employed.

Pit-horse haulage underground had started in September 1909 by the transfer of 4 horses from Newcastle "B Pit". In addition two young pit-horses were bought. A 1912 NSW Government Railways plan of sidings layout at Whitburn Colliery shows a short siding running to the "pit stable". This short siding branched to the west towards Anvil Creek from the colliery running road at a point almost directly opposite West Street, Greta. Newcastle Coal Mining Company records show that as at 1st May 1912 a total of 24 pit-horses were used in the underground haulage.

On the surface, skips reaching the pit-top work level were unclipped, and then shoulder shunted or pushed onto the skip weighbridge. From here, again the skips were pushed or shoulder shunted onto either of the two skip tracks leading to the tumbler-tipplers. Coal emptied onto the steam driven shaker screens. Large coal moved forward from the shaker screens onto a 48 feet long 4 feet wide steel conveyor picking belt, which ran towards the north from each tumbler. Large coal ran off from the picking belts, to drop direct into wooden hopper rail wagons standing on the two rail loading sidings running below the pit-top.

Under the screens, small coal dropped onto a scraper conveyor running in a trough, which was 2 feet wide and one foot deep. This scraper loader, some 40 feet long travelled towards the east and unloaded into a small timber holding box with a capacity to hold 10 tons. If required, this small coal could be bottom discharged from the box direct into a wooden coal hopper rail wagons standing on the small coal rail loading siding, which ran on the eastern side of the pit-top yard. Alternatively, the small coal could be moved by a system of conveyors to be stored in the elevated timber small coal holding box of 2000 tons capacity. (See page 1744 for description of the box and coal moving methods). As required the stored coal in the elevated timber box, by bottom discharge could be loaded into wooden hopper rail coal wagons, standing on the two rail loading sidings continuing on from the pit-top, and which normally was used for loading the "large" coal. All these loaded wagons, whether large of small coal, were gravitated by the colliery shunter into the "loaded" wagons storage sidings.

There were three loaded wagons storage sidings. These sidings per a bridge ran over the top of the skip rail tracks running to the EBBW Main Colliery entry, (later known as Broxburn Coal and Shale Mine). Both sides of these EBBW Main skip tracks had a firm embankment, well battered by Whitburn Colliery employees. Mr James Cant, secretary for the EBBW Main Colliery Company, on Tuesday 4th January 1910, advised by letter that his company accepted the cost of the construction of a bridge across his company's skip tracks. On Wednesday 29th November 1911, this bridge was extended to provide for a third loaded wagons storage to be constructed over the EBBW Main (Broxburn) skip tracks. This bridge increased the Whitburn Colliery sidings loaded wagons capacity to 130 vehicles.

On Wednesday 2nd February 1916 Broxburn Coal and Shale Company applied to the Newcastle Coal Mining Company for a "right of way" to cross over the Whitburn Colliery freehold, with a railway. However such a railway did not eventuate. The Excelsior Coal and Coke Company, when it purchased the Broxburn Colliery on Wednesday 8th August 1917, elected to construct a skip track alongside the earlier EBBW Main (Broxburn) Colliery skip track to run to its new mine on Portion 141 Parish of Branxton.

Some of the earlier Newcastle Coal Mining Company coal hopper rail wagons, utilised at their Newcastle "A" and "B" Pits, were repaired, repainted and branded "Whitburn" were diverted to the new Whitburn Colliery. By Thursday 5th May 1910, Whitburn Colliery fleet had grown to a total of 120 wagons. On a number of occasions in late 1911 and early 1912, Whitburn Colliery found a need to hire Broxburn Colliery wagons to assist in the loading and conveyance of its coal production. On Wednesday 24th January 1912, Morison and Bearby Limited of Newcastle were engaged to alter the size and capacity of the Whitburn Colliery wagons by the addition of "hungry boards", 9 inches or 12 inches wide, onto the hopper top. The Morison and Bearby charge for this alteration was £4-14-6 ($9.46) per wagon.

Whitburn Colliery never had its own locomotive to carry out shunting in the surface sidings. All trains were marshalled by the NSW Government Railways.

Whitburn Colliery with its steam engine haulage, the steam for the shaker screens and conveyor belt haulage engine, the fan's steam engine and the steam powered electricity generator, had all required a large amount of steam. Following its first Lancashire boiler installed in 1908, two other Lancashire boilers were sent from the Company's Newcastle mines. Mr Alan Gain was paid £36-0-0 ($72.00) for seating these two boilers. A Babcock and Wilcox boiler ex Newcastle "A Pit" was transferred to Whitburn Colliery on Tuesday 5th April 1910. Such a bank of boilers required the erection of a colliery chimney stack to assist the draft. This was a square tapering stack, 80 feet high with a 12 feet square base and a 6 feet square top. When tenders were called on Tuesday 4th May 1910 the following quotes were received:

G. Loughlin - £67-0-0 ($134.00)
G. Burt - £71-0-0 ($142.00)
J. Barnscomb - £95-0-0 ($190.00)

Plus ten other higher quotes.

Mr G. Burt's quote was accepted. The stack was completed on Friday 10th June 1910.

The demolition of the stack took a somewhat lesser time. Following the success of the wrecking and demolition of the elevated timber small coal holding box in November 1948, Mr Bill Freeman, who had been placed in charge of this operation, with the assistance of five brothers engaged in carrying out the pit-top alterations were given the task of dropping the stack. The five "McDonald" brothers were from Cessnock, they were:

Clarence "Warratt" McDonald,
Herbert "Swampy" McDonald,
Jack McDonald,
William McDonald,
Thomas McDonald.

The brothers commenced their excavations from the Whitburn dam side of the stack. When partially excavated the stack was supported by a railway sleepers "pig-sty", whilst the foundations were removed from under the east, south and west sides. A single bulldozer, with a wire rope placed partly up the stack, pulled and quickly dropped the stack. The pile and heap of railway sleepers used in the demolition effort, were doused and soaked with kerosene, then burnt in their position amongst the bricks. Greta townspeople were given the opportunity of acquiring very fine bricks. This greatly assisted the clearing up process. Such bricks were used in the construction of piers, house chimneys, etc., in this era.

Referring back again to the boilers and their operation. On Wednesday 3rd November 1909 the Newcastle Coal Mining Company forwarded the weir feed pump formerly used for the boilers at Newcastle "A Pit" to Whitburn Colliery to pump water from the dam. Another important assistance for the boilers was the installation of a steel scraper conveyor from the south-west corner of the 10 tons holding box under the shaker screens to the fire-holes of the boilers. This installation was made on Monday 21st June 1915. This fire-box scraper conveyor was some 150 feet long. On Thursday 30th March 1916 an electric 45 inches diameter Sirocco fan was installed at the boilerhouse to provide additional draft for the boiler fires. All boilers at Whitburn Colliery were covered with Bells asbestos fibre on Thursday 26th April 1917. The first weir feed pump was replaced on Wednesday 10th October 1917 by a second weir feed pump acquired form the Director of Munitions for £120-0-0 ($240.00). Over the years, all boilers at various periods had required attention, particularly in the form of repairs or replacing tubes.

A total of 9 boilers appear to have been utilised at Whitburn Colliery over its history. A 1922 Newcastle Coal Mining Company's records list their boilers thus:

1. A new "John Thompson" of Wolverhampton, England, boiler, purchased Thursday 7th August 1924.

This boiler was 30 feet long by 8¼ feet diameter, and working at 150 lbs pressure.

2. Two Babcock and Wilcox boilers. (Measurements not shown).

3. One Lancashire boiler 30 feet long by 8¼ feet diameter, operating at 140 lbs pressure.

4. Three Lancashire boilers 30 feet long by 8¼ feet diameter, operating at 80 lbs pressure.

5. Two Cornish boilers. (Measurements not shown).

Newcastle Coal Mining Company's records also show that in addition to the main steam powered haulage, there were three other subsidiary underground haulages. One being an electric powered endless rope system, and two other direct haulage ropes powered by electric motors. Unfortunately these records did not indicate the location of these underground subsidiary haulage systems. Another entry appearing in the Newcastle Coal Mining company's Board of Directors meetings "Minute Book" records that a new 25 HP electric motor haulage engine had been purchased for the "dip heading" on Thursday 2nd February 1919.

A water supply for its Whitburn Colliery boilers had always been important to the Newcastle Coal Mining Company. Very early in the mine's history a small temporary dam had been built in Anvil Creek to supply the first Lancashire boiler. This dam had been built by Wednesday 7th October 1908. Plans were then made immediately for the construction of a permanent dam. Mr D. Morgan of Greta was engaged to make the necessary excavation by a horse scoop at a rate of one shilling and threepence ($0.13) per cubic yard. A large loop of Anvil Creek was selected as the dam site. Some soil obtained from the dam excavation was used to protect the old Greta Colliery drift tunnel. In the early days of Whitburn Colliery, rain and storms seem to have maintained the level of the dam. However in drier times the Company had some concern in this regard. During April 1913 Whitburn Colliery manager, Mr Henry J. Thomas initiated an inspection and an examination of possible sites along the nearby Hunter River to provide a water supply. On Wednesday 14th May 1913 Mr H.J. Thomas recommended to the Newcastle Coal Mining Company's Board of Directors, the urgent need for the supply from the Hunter River. The Company's Directors instructed Mr Thomas to commence the necessary discussions with both the Lands Board and the Water Conservation Department. On Wednesday applications were made for a suitable site. On Tuesday 10th June 1913 a "permissive occupancy lease" for a small area fronting the Hunter River was granted. A second "permissive occupancy lease" for land on which to run electricity, pipes and water lines was also granted. Both these leases were for a period of 25 years at an annual rental of £5-0-0 ($10.00) per year. At the river bank, a pump was installed that was capable of pumping 72,000 gallons per hour. Evidently 1914 and 1915 had been fairly dry years. Colliery manager Mr H.J. Thomas reported to the Newcastle Coal Mining Company Board of Directors, that the Water Conservation and Irrigation Department had given their tacit consent and approval for Whitburn Colliery to allow Greta Village residents to obtain water from the colliery dam. It is significant that the Hunter District Water Board did not provide Greta Village with a regular town water mains pipeline supply until 1948.

A wooden hopper rail wagon weighbridge was installed at Whitburn Colliery on Wednesday 23rd March 1910. My research has failed to locate its actual position.

After the May 1930 closure, much of the pit-top equipment including the steam haulage engine was withdrawn, recovered and possibly sold. When Whitburn Colliery mine was re-opened and being prepared during 1939, a new 60 HP electric haulage motor was installed on Whitburn pit-top. It had a drum, 4 feet in diameter and 4 feet wide. This supplied direct haulage for skips to and from the mine in the renewed working. A small team of 6 pit-horses were utilised after Whitburn Colliery re-opened.

After the Newcastle Coal Mining Company decided to discontinue mining operations on Thursday 29th December 1932, it would appear that the Whitburn Branch rail track was idle and neglected. In early 1938 Newcastle Coal Mining Company gave consideration to opening new workings on its Whitburn Colliery lease. On Thursday 2nd June 1938 the company sought permission from the Mines Department to straighten and re-lay the Whitburn Branch. This was granted, and the railway altered to as shown on Mines Department "private mining lease No. 11". The new rail track still ran to the previous trestle bridge to cross the Anvil Creek and continued on the old colliery yard sidings.

During the time of the Joint Coal Board's Newfield open-cut operation, all that mine's coal production had been loaded direct into the wooden hopper coal rail wagons. This was achieved by the road transport trucks reversing up a ramp, especially built for this purpose. The ramp was constructed in the area where the early Whitburn Colliery elevated small coal holding box had stood. (See page 1749 "Method of Working" section for description of the "box" demolition and ramp construction).

After the above Joint Coal Board operation ceased, Mr W. "Art" Mawson in late 1952 changed from his earlier loading ramp in the loaded wagons storage siding, and planned new methods for loading his Leconfield Colliery coal production. Mr W. Mawson constructed a new ramp where the previous Whitburn Colliery skip gantry had run. His transport trucks reversed up this new ramp and emptied into a timber holding box. Coal from this box bottom discharged onto a rubber conveyor belt to be raised to the work level to tip onto a cross conveyor belt. This cross belt unloaded onto screens, which also acted as the "picking" area. An electric motor drove an endless chain fitted with 3 inches high steel plates to pull the coal along to "drag screen" the production, and to assist the "pickers". (Author's note: This electric 60 HP motor is said to have been the earlier Whitburn Colliery haulage motor used about 1940). Under the screens the small coal was caught in a box for later loading into coal hopper rail wagons. The large coal was dragged over the end of the screens to fall into a box, also for later loading into coal hopper rail wagons.

At no period of the Whitburn Colliery history was a mans transport ever provided underground. Both the miners and pit-horses walked into their work places.

PIT-HORSES:

I am fairly certain that a pit-horse was utilised to haul skips for the short distance after North Greta Colliery had driven its tunnel entry.

Pit-horse haulage underground at Whitburn Colliery started in September 1909. Four pit-horses were transferred from Newcastle "B Pit", plus two fresh young horses purchased for this purpose.

Newcastle Coal Mining Company's records show that on Tuesday 8th February 1910 an area had been fenced off as a horse yard near the temporary stables. Some time later permanent stables were erected in an area on Anvil Creek almost opposite West Street, Greta. A feed store shed was built nearby. A short dead-end siding branched from the colliery running road to allow trucks of feed to be unloaded at the store shed.

Over the years, many horses were bought for work in Whitburn Colliery. Newcastle Coal Mining Company records show that in the early ears, pit-horses on the average cost £35-0-0 ($70.00). Horse supplies shown were C.H. Sellars, W.J. Mitchell, J. Bunt, and others. A pit inventory made on Wednesday 1st May 1912 shows 24 pit-horses in use at the mine. At its peak periods, Whitburn Colliery is said to have used between 50 to 60 horses. Pit-horses were brought to the surface each day. They were fed and rested overnight in a paddock alongside the Anvil Creek. At weekends, strikes and holiday periods were spelled on the colliery's lands (Parnell's Paddock) on the eastern side of the Greta to Branxton Road. In the early years of the mine, some of this area was sub-divided and leased out by the Newcastle Coal Mining Company for horse and cattle agistment. On Thursday 1st April 1915, the colliery notified H. Gibbs of Branxton, that they were cancelling his lease of their paddock, because the Company intended to increase the area of their pit-horses rest lands. On Tuesday 29th April, 1915, a water pipeline was laid to the mine's pit-horses rest paddocks direct from the Hunter River pump line supply. Both New Greta Colliery and Mr W. "Art" Mawson's Leconfield Colliery used the Whitburn agistment paddock as rest areas for their pit-horses at weekends and other periods. Both Newcastle "A Pit" and "B Pit" pit-horses were spelled in Whitburn Colliery rest paddocks during long strike periods at their mines.

On Friday 7th March 1913 Whitburn Colliery completed the frames for 20 stalls within their pit stables. On Friday 19th March 1915 the whole floor of the pit stables was concreted. On Wednesday 18th August 1915 the horse feed shed was enlarged to allow the installation of a chaff cutter and a corn cracker. Both these items of equipment were electrically driven.

Over the years, Newcastle Coal Mining records reveal that 3 horses had died of old age, one horse had been drowned underground, and several were killed in mining accidents. Whitburn Colliery pit-horses were always very well fed and cared for. Amongst the records these items were found:

Horse rugs - supplied by Sorbys Ltd, Newcastle,
Harness, etc. - supplied by A. Bryant,
Horse collars - supplied by C.W. Walker,
Horse medicine - supplied by G.E. Firkin Limited,
Horse feed, etc. - supplied by J. Burke and Son.

When Whitburn Colliery mine resumed operations during mid 1940 until it closed in October 1948, the pit-horse team consisted of 6 horses. A wheeler of that period recalled that four horses were named, "Captain", "Jerry", "Tom" and "Spider".

Despite my intense research through the mine and Company records, I was unable to locate the fate of the last pit-horses.

VENTILATION:

Mines Department Annual Reports for the years 1902 to 1907 show that the ventilation at North Greta Colliery was by natural means.

On Wednesday 12th August 1908 the newly appointed manager, Mr Henry J. Thomas advised the Newcastle Coal Mining Company's Board of Directors of his progress in setting up the Whitburn Colliery and outlined his future plans. As his team of workers extended the existing tunnel, drove in the main haulage heading and a cross-cut linking tunnel, the ventilation again was by natural means. Later Mr Thomas instructed his bricklayer to construct and brick the upper portion of the original shaft to a chimney shape, to allow an underground furnace to be installed there for ventilation purposes, during the early development.

During late 1910 the manager, Mr H.J. Thomas, arranged for an air drift heading to be driven at a point 200 yards south-east of the entrance to the main haulage heading. This drift was planned to run underground to link with the return airway, which was a companion heading 60 feet on the eastern side of the main haulage. This new air drift was 12 feet wide and 7 feet high. At the start it inclined down at 1 foot in 3 feet for a distance of 18 yards, until it met the floor of the seam. The linking drift heading continued through the seam at a slope of 1 foot in 10 feet. During May 1911 the brick air chimney and the fan engine house were erected.

A 112 inches diameter Sirocco double inlet fan was purchased from Ferrier and Dickinson Limited at a cost of £850-0-0 ($1,700.00). This had capacity to supply 250,000 cubic feet of fresh air per minute with a water gauge of 3 inches. This fan was driven by steam. My research has failed to locate details of this fan engine. On Saturday 18th November 1911 the mine ventilation was changed from the furnace to have the fan supply.

Mines Department 1919 Annual Report shows that two auxiliary fans were utilised underground to "force" ventilate coal winning places.

Today some brick walls of the air chimney and the fan engine house still stand on the old Whitburn Colliery lease lands.

ELECTRICITY GENERATION:

On Wednesday 2nd June 1909, the dismantling of the electricity generator plant at the Newcastle Coal Mining Company's "A Pit" was completed. Whitburn Colliery manager Mr H.J. Thomas arranged for this generator, a switchboard, 3 electric pumps and 3 coal cutting machines to be transferred to Greta. The generator was installed and started working at Whitburn Colliery on Thursday 29th July 1909.

The 56 kW generator was driven by steam supplied from the Lancashire boiler installed and operating on Wednesday 21st October 1908. (See page 1736 "Commenced Operations" section). Immediately this generator, producing 500 pressure volts, was utilised to light 40 surface lights at the screens and other areas, to operate 2 pumps and 3 coal cutting machines. Mines Department inspector Thomas Bates was notified by letter, dated Thursday 29th July 1909, of this electricity generation.

On Wednesday 23rd February 1910, Newcastle Coal Mining Company was requested by the local Greta Council to give consideration to street lighting High Street, Greta. Newcastle Coal Mining Company investigated this proposal and found it could supply 5 arc lamps for £33-0-0 ($66.00). The Company advised the Greta Council that to provide such High Street, Greta lighting would cost £80-0-0 ($160.00) annually. The Greta Council accepted the offer.

During 1913 Whitburn Colliery manager, Mr H.J. Thomas, recommended to the Newcastle Coal Mining Company to ensure a good water supply for the increasing number of boilers, an electric pump should be installed on a Hunter River bank site. Following the Company being granted such a site in June 1913, this pump was installed and it provided 72,000 gallons per hour to the colliery dam. With this increase in the electricity power demand plus additional electrically driven machinery in the colliery workshops, the Newcastle Coal Mining Company decided to add to its electricity generation. A new 200 kW electricity generator was obtained from Crompton and Company at a cost of £1,220-0-0 ($2,440.00). This generator produced alternating 440 volts electricity.

Mines Department 1917 Annual Report shows that there were 53 surface lights, 36 underground lights, 2 underground subsidiary haulages and 1 auxiliary fan at Whitburn Colliery during that year.

In early 1918, Newcastle Coal Mining Company gave consideration to supplying domestic electricity for Greta homes plus increasing other streets lighting. electricity poles were erected in Greta Streets during 1918 and power was made available on Thursday 15th August 1918. By Thursday 8th May 1919, 105 Greta homes had received electricity.

Quite a number of older Greta residents have informed me, that they well remember, Mr Bill Gilbert, the colliery electrician, and some Whitburn Colliery labourer assistants driving a horse and dray to take street lighting poles to various locations. Also Mr Bill Gilbert and his assistant riding their bicycles to connect, service and repair electric lights and house connections. Erecting the poles was quite a feat. Having dug the pole holes, the thick end of the pole was "snigged" into the hole, and the horse and dray reversed to lever the pole half upright. From this position, the workers using "pole-prods" stood the pole erect. Wire was also run by dragging out with the horse and dray. All recall that once a month, Mr Bill Gilbert read the electricity meter, and collected the monies due to the Company.

Perhaps "town peer pressure" stirred Branxton into also seeking a supply of electricity. On Thursday 15th August 1918 an application was made to Greta Council from a Branxton Progress Committee for Whitburn Colliery to supply Branxton homes with electricity. This application was followed by a second on Thursday 1st May 1919 for street lighting to be provided in Branxton. It does seem reasonable to assume from the second application made, that permission for electricity to be connected to Branxton homes had been granted earlier. Records and newspaper copies researched did not indicate such a date. However on Thursday 28th August 1919, Newcastle Coal Mining Company accepted a quote from Mr N. Francis, of Branxton, to connect Branxton homes to the new Whitburn Colliery electricity supply.

The initial interest by Branxton for an electricity domestic supply encouraged Newcastle Coal Mining Company's Board of Directors on Thursday 25th September 1919 to investigate the running of electricity power lines to Singleton. On review and examination, the Newcastle Coal Mining Company Board of Directors realised that such a proposition would require additional generation plant, and they decided to postpone such proposal. However on Friday 26th September 1919 Newcastle Coal Mining Company erected a single line of poles to connect and supply electricity to the St. Joseph's Convent and Boarding School at Lochinvar. On Thursday 23rd October 1919, following an agreement with Cessnock Shire Council, Whitburn Colliery erected power lines and installed 24 street lights in Branxton. By Tuesday 29th July 1920, 90 houses at Branxton had been connected for a domestic electricity supply. As at the same date, 170 houses at Greta had been connected to Whitburn Colliery electrical power generation plant.

During 1924 Whitburn Colliery and its various electricity power lines were connected to the NSW Government Railways Zara Street powerhouse at a sub-station adjacent to Greta Railway Station. Zara Street powerhouse had won the contract to supply Maitland City with electricity from February 1922. This power line was a 33,000 volts transmission, and the supply was metered at a sub-station at Maitland Railway Station. This installation had a great side benefit to the NSW Government

Railways, in that it was able to provide electricity to all its stations and signal boxes between Newcastle and West Maitland. It was not surprising then, that in 1924 NSW Government Railways extended a 2200 volts main to Greta Railway Station to meet a request for this additional power from the Newcastle Coal Mining Company.

When Whitburn Colliery ceased its coal mining operations in May 1930, the demands for electricity had slackened, and the Newcastle Coal Mining Company was well able to meet its requirements from the NSW Government Railways Zara Street supply. The Company continued to use this supply for the street lighting and domestic use. Mr Bill Gilbert continued to read the meters and collect monies due to the Company. After Central Greta Colliery ceased its mining operations on Tuesday 26th April 1932, their electrician, Mr Bill Hartcher joined Bill Gilbert in maintaining the electricity sub-station at Whitburn Colliery and the ancillary services of street lighting and domestic supply. At the end of 1935 Mr Bill Hartcher joined the staff of R.W. Miller and Company at the Maitland Extended Collieries and Ayrfield No. 3 Colliery.

In September 1936 Maitland City Council Electricity Supply Department took over the Greta, Branxton and Rothbury electricity supply. To provide this service, Maitland City Council Electricity Supply Department constructed an 11,000 volts power line from Rutherford to Branxton via Greta. This was 16 miles in length and mostly followed the road or most direct route. This project was mostly carried out as "Government assisted unemployed relief work". Mr Peter Thompson of Hobart Street East Maitland had been the main lines foreman in charge. The 16 miles was built in 16 weeks over the middle of summer. A 2 tons truck with a winch, and a wooden derrick on the truck back, was used to raise the poles. To reticulate Branxton and Greta, the old pole construction was pulled out, section by section, street by street.

Whitburn Colliery electricity generation and supply control ceased in May 1937.

COLLIERY PUMPS:

Mr Henry J. Thomas, Whitburn Colliery manager, in an early report to the Newcastle Coal Mining Company's Board of Directors advised that underground water was not a major problem, and what water had been met was removed by bailing out in a tub. A "Worthington Pump" was sent from Newcastle "B Pit" on Wednesday 23rd September 1908 for use at Whitburn Colliery. Because electricity generation was not installed until July 1909, it would seem that such pump was steam driven. My research did not reveal where this pump was positioned.

Following the introduction of electricity generation in July 1909, a "Siemens" 25 HP motor was purchased from A. Goninan and Company to drive a pump. Mr H.J. Thomas, manager, on Wednesday 20th October 1909 reported to the Company's Board of Directors that the "three-throw" pump was operating in the travelling road with a vertical head of 340 feet. On Wednesday 4th May 1910, the electric pump in the travelling road was advanced to the face. It was delivering the underground water to the sump via a 6 inches diameter pipe. On Wednesday 10th August 1910, a new "three-throw" pump was installed at the face in the main haulage heading, and was reported as working satisfactorily.

A "Weir" feed pump ex Newcastle Coal Mining Company "A Pit" was transferred to the new permanent dam at Whitburn Colliery to supply the boilers. On Wednesday 10th October 1917, a new Weir pump was purchased for £120-0-0 ($240.00) from the Director of Munitions, to replace the original pump.

After an air compressor was installed in January 1911, a new air operated pump was installed on Thursday 7th September 1911 to replace the previous electric powered three-throw pump. Shortly after this both air and water pipes were laid in the travelling road.

On Wednesday 11th June 1913, an electric pump was installed on an area on the Hunter River bank to move river water to the Whitburn Colliery dam. This pump had a capacity to handle 72,000 gallons per hour. During my research, I was unable to find the brand name of the pump or its supplier. Newcastle Coal Mining Company records did show that this pump was damaged in 1919. The Company offered a reward of £20-0-0 ($40.00) for information re the incident. On Thursday 13th February 1919 a replacement pump was obtained and installed on the river bank site.

On Monday 10th May 1915 another second-hand air compressor was purchased from Hebburn Collieries Limited for £453-0-0 ($906.00). Shortly after, most underground electric powered water pumps were replaced by air powered pumps.

COLLIERY AIR COMPRESSORS:

During November 1910 Whitburn Colliery manager, Mr H.J. Thomas considered the use of air compressors for pumping purposes, and he subsequently requested the transfer of the air compressor standing at Newcastle "B Pit". This was installed at Whitburn Colliery on Monday 23rd January 1911. On Wednesday 5th April 1911, four air receivers and three "Tangye" air pumps were also transferred from Newcastle "A Pit". In September 1911 a new air operated pump was installed to replace the previous electrically operated "three-throw" pump. On Thursday 28th February 1912 one of the air receivers was placed underground at Whitburn Colliery.

On Monday 10th May 1915, a second-hand air compressor was purchased from Hebburn Colliery for £453-0-0 ($906.00).

A manager's report to the Newcastle Coal Mining Company on Wednesday 20th June 1918 advised that a new air compressor was ready for trial. The Directors' minutes did not indicate the brand, where purchased or the purpose for which it was intended.

RAIL CONNECTION:

With its purchase of the North Greta Colliery workings, and its acquisition of coal lands, some of which were on Samuel Clift's estate, the Newcastle Coal Mining Company realised that it had a great need for a rail branch to link its proposed pit to the NSW Government's Great North Railway. In this same period, Mr Alexander Shedden had initiated the opening of a coal mine neighbouring and adjoining the Newcastle Coal Mining Company's new colliery. Evidently some discussions had taken place between the Newcastle Coal Mining Company and Mr Alexander Shedden on this rail requirement. An understanding on this common problem was reached on Wednesday 16th August 1907. A similar agreement in this direction was made between Newcastle Coal Mining Company and Mr Alexander Shedden's newly formed company, EBBW Main Colliery Company, on Thursday 9th January 1908, to work for their common good in this rail interest.

Mr Alexander Shedden made a formal application to the NSW Government Railways dated Friday 3rd April 1908 for a rail branch track and rail services. During May 1908 Newcastle Coal Mining Company surveyed a possible route for a rail branch and for wagons storage and loading sidings for its Whitburn Colliery. On Monday 3rd August 1909, a "private joint tenancy agreement" for a railway branch land was made between the Newcastle Coal Mining Company and EBBW Main Company with the Samuel Clift estate. Mines Department's PML 4 plan shows the accepted rail route. This plan shows the old Greta Colliery rail track running along the "proposed" branch on the "Clift" leased area. Because the Newcastle Coal Mining Company was the dominant partner when the rail line was completed, it became known as the "Whitburn Branch".

Whitburn Branch rail track diverted to the east from the NSW Government Railway at a point, 687 feet north from Greta Rail Station signal box. This single line track had a double curve, somewhat like a flattened "S", and it was laid generally in a north-easterly direction. The junction to the EBBW Main Colliery was made 1122 feet from the exit to the NSW Government Railways. The EBBW Main Colliery traffic was diverted in a north-westerly direction by a set of "throw-over" points. The Whitburn Branch ran a further 792 north-east to a point on the western bank of Anvil Creek. Here a trestle bridge, 66 feet long was constructed for the Branch track to cross Anvil Creek. Thence the entry to Whitburn Colliery rail yard and sidings was a further 198 feet from the trestle bridge.

Entry points to the Whitburn Branch were operated by No. 11 Lever in the Greta Railway signal box. The system of railway safe-working utilised on the Whitburn Branch was by "ordinary train staff over a single line". This particular "staff" was round in shape, and it was painted red in colour. When not in use, the staff was kept and locked in a box at Greta Railway signal box. This box was especially constructed for this purpose. Gates were built a the fence line on the Government Railways boundary at the Branch entrance. These gates were opened and closed by a Greta Railway Station employee, when required. The colliery shunter, from the mine for which the train was intended, was responsible to see the junction points were set correctly for the safe passage of the train to his mine.

The levelling of the terrain, the making of a cutting, laying sleepers and the plate laying had commenced in early August 1908. The section of the Branch Track to the junction points, and onto the EBBW Main Colliery was completed on Wednesday 9th December 1908. The junction points were "spiked" to only run to EBBW Main Colliery, and the line was available for rail traffic to that colliery from this date.

The trestle bridge was 66 feet long, 12 feet wide and 32 feet high from the Anvil Creek bottom. On Wednesday 28th O