Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,888
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-14936476
All I can say is I hope they are OK and get out soon, this reminds us all how dangerous mining can be.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
Hear, hear!
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
yes it certaly does,i hope there is a happy ending.
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
Terrible news, the perils of coal mining are still with us, let's hope and pray they all come out alive and well. My thoughts are for their safety and their families.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Guest 663- Registered: 20 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,136
Never very nice hearing news like this, just hope all get out safe and sound.
Guest 715- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 2,438
A miracle is needed now I fear, my heart goes out the trapped miners families.
Audere est facere.
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,888
Terrible news, one miner has been found dead. They do not know about the others according to the press conference.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
It is very sad that one of these brave men has lost his life and my thoughts are with his family.
Let's be positive about the remaining three men, there is pockets of air on the other side of the flood and let's hope these men are all together, if there is a chance, these men will fight to survive.
These men working at Gleison Colliery are working the coal, in the same way my grandfathers did in the 30's/40's.
Being a drift mine means they walk in through the main shaft, this pit has a second shaft running at right angles and used as an emergency egress only. This shaft is the miner's lifeline. Reputedly opened in 1962 but definitely in production by 1980, the coalface is deep into the hillside, I am surprised that another means of egress has not been installed further inbye but cost is probably the cause.
Working a 2ft 6in, pillar & stall coalface, means working on hands & knees or lying down, similar to Kent. Winning the coal by shot blasting, to fracture the coal, then using pick and shovel to get coal onto Panzer conveyor off the coalface, onto tubs, that are then hauled out of the mine by haulage engine, was the same method used 60yrs ago in Kent.
There used to be around 85 of these pits in the early 90's, this pit is one of only four that is left.
Why are these men, the owner is one of them, still working in these dangerous and terrible conditions today?
Obviously there is still a need for coal, they would not have survived this long if there wasn't.
Because there is still an abundance of coal stocks, remaining below our feet and because these men are born and bread miners, they are doing what comes naturally to them and that is looking after their families and keeping their mine going for the sake of their community.
I so much admire these men and I am still angry that we have lost our mines in Kent.
These men are proud and brave and if anyone can survive this ordeal, they can.
My prayers and thoughts are with them and their families
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
shocked to hear that this morning, the rescue teams seemed rather upbeat yesterday when they spoke of the planned rescue.
Guest 667- Registered: 6 Apr 2008
- Posts: 919
Sorry to hear one has lost his life my thoughts go to his family. I hope and pray they get the other three out safe and Gary you are right they deserve our admiration for the job they carry out daily.
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
My thoughts and prayers are also with them and their loved ones.
Guest 715- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 2,438
Got to say that the mine in question seems to be something that should have been left in the past, sign of the times?
Audere est facere.
Guest 715- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 2,438
Second miner found dead now, a community blighted.
Audere est facere.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
yes martin,but it dosent hold to much hope for the other two either.sad very sad.
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
Let's not give up hope yet, there is still a chance, however slight, that the last two will be rescued.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
a third has been found dead,rip.
my heart really goes out to these miners famlys.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Very bad news there, very sorry to hear this is getting worse. Looks like all hope is gone now.
Guest 663- Registered: 20 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,136
Yes very sad news I fear you are right, they said today on the radio that these kind of mines are old mines reopened, from years ago so not quite the same as the big industrial mines as we had down this way.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
we can only hope that a thorough appraisal of the safety of these older mines is carried out so that this does not happen to any other community.