The History & Coal Resources of Newcastle from 1830 - 1889

from a series of articles published in the Newcastle Morning Herald covering the period 26th September, 1889 to 21st November, 1889

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THE NEWCASTLE COLLIERIES
THEIR RISE AND PROGRESS
[No V]
The Scottish-Australian Mining Company

Published 26th October, 1889
The Scottish Australian Mining Company, better known in the district under the name of Lambton, was formed in London in the year 1860 for the purpose of acquiring mineral property in the Australian colonies. The capital of this most important company is £160,000 shares of £1 each, with power at any time to increased the amount. At that time, the Lambton Estate was in the hands of Messrs Morehead and Young, very shortly after its registration, the company took over the land. It consists of 1860 acres, and extends from the southern boundary of the township of Lambton to the Waratah Company's land, a distance of nearly three miles. The Newcastle Wallsend Estate adjoins the western boundary, while the Commonage and the New Lambton Estate form the greater part of the eastern boundary: its undulating character and splendid situation must at no distant date make the surface extremely valuable for suburban residences. The company also possess a copper mine at Cadia, close to Orange, but some time ago they decided to cease the operations. Since the company's formation it has paid dividends of from 7 to 15 per cent, and the shares at the present time are at a high premium.

In 1861 Mr Thomas Croudace, the present colliery manager and engineer, arrived from England, and commenced the work of opening the mine. The site chosen was at the north east end of the estate, and it was intended to tunnel into the seam which outcrops along the hills to the north of Lambton. For some months, however, the coal was obtained from a shaft, and in 1863 the output was 3361 tons. A tunnel, which has long since been abandoned, but is still used as a travelling road, was then driven into the hill in a westerly direction, and the output from this for some years was sufficient to meet the trade of the company. The colliery from that time shows a rapid development, the annual output for the five years ending 1870 averaging nearly 160,000 tons, while for year 1867 182,007 tons were won, a record which up to that date had not been equalled by any colliery in Australasia. Some years ago the company obtained the right from the Government to mine the coal from 280 acres of the Commonage, and for that purpose drove a second tunnel to the east. When this grant was worked out in 1884, steps were taken to drive a second and larger tunnel into the estate close to the first one, and it is from this drive that the company now draw their coal.

This tunnel enters the hill at a gradual incline for nearly three-quarters of a mile, where four main banks or headings branch off at intervals to the south for various distances, the longest being about half a mile. Another main heading goes nearly due west, and off this the north-western portion of the estate is being worked. These main-ways are beyond doubt the strongest and most secure of any colliery under inspection in the Northern district. Running the entire length of each and all of them are pillars going from 20 to 30 yards in thickness, thus forming a solid barrier, only broken at long intervals by an entrance to a crosscut or working heading. Besides this the return airways and main headings are strongly timbered, so that no fall or crush can possibly extend over them. This is a precaution which needs no comment, and one which it is to be hoped will be followed in the new collieries about to be opened in the district. Pillars have been worked from immense portions of the Lambton mine, and although some of the falls have been extensive, yet no instance of those mainways being damaged in the slightest degree is on record. Off these main engine planes the coal is worked on the usual principle, with the exception that every bord is well "spragged", props being put in by the miner every two or three feet. In consequence of this rule accidents have been rare in the colliery, the manager priding himself, and justly too, on that fact.

The underground haulage obtaining in this mine is most complete, being accomplished by what is known as the "main rope system", the empties finding their way to the various flats or banks by gravitation. The main hauling or winding engine is placed at the mouth of the tunnel, and has control over the main drive; a distance of over half a mile. It is on the horizontal principle, geared three to one, and equal to 50 horse power. A little over half a mile to the east are two other hauling engines placed at the surface of shafts, which go down to the end of the first bank or flat where the other engine-rope stops. The first of these is 20 horse power, and the second 60, and their wire ropes run down the shafts along the southern main headings to the end. A fourth engine of 60 horse power is at the mouth of a shaft further eastward again, and this one does the hauling for the remaining workings. The total hauling distance is about a mile and three quarters, but it will shortly be increased to over two miles. To better explain this system, we will suppose a train of 30 full skips have been put together by the horses at the end of No 5 or at the most easterly engine plane.It is then some 3000 yards from the mouth of the tunnel. One of the wheelers, having fixed the wire rope to the foremost skip of the set, reaches above his head and gives the signal, and in a few seconds the train moves up the heading. On arrival at the end the rope is taken off, and the rope controlled by the main engine takes its place, and quickly drags the set up the half-mile tunnel on to the screening floor. When empty they are sent off, and by gravitation reach the end where they started from their speed being of course regulated by the rope. The same thing takes place in other main-ways, and so full and empty trains are constantly ascending and descending the mine. In case the strong wire rope, which runs on steel rollers placed every eight yards,

should break, the train is prevented from rushing back by a drag fixed on the hindermost skip, which, in the event of such an occurrence, would throw the set from the rails, and so stop them. The wire rope used is made of steel, and is 2½ inches in circumference.

The ventilation of the Lambton colliery is effected by two furnaces, one of which, however, is very small. The other is at the bottom of a shaft 400ft deep, and is capable of throwing 250,000 cubic feet of air per minute. It is one of the finest furnaces in the colony, being 26ft in length and 10ft in width, and is at present capable of drawing more air than required. On the occasion of a recent visit the air in the four return ways was measured, and it was found that nearly 180,000 cubic feet were passing up the shaft every minute. The workings are drained from what is known as the water or middle shaft, which is 220ft deep, near the lower end of the workings. The water, owing to the natural dip of the seam to the south, finds its way to the bottom of this shaft, and is pumped up by a 21-inch cylinder Tangye pump, working at the bottom of the pit, but supplied with steam from 3 boilers 45ft long by 5ft 6ins in diameter, placed on the surface. A second very powerful pump is also to be erected at the mouth of what is known as the Mosquito shaft. The headings are now driven well forward of the workings, and in a short time this new machinery will be wanted.

The workshops and plant at the colliery may be said to be the chief attraction to a visitor, and are by many considered to be the neatest and best kept of any in the colony. The main building is of brick, and contains the engines, screening apparatus, and other requisites of a well appointed coal mine. Close to it on the south side is a large two storey brick building, in the top floor of which is a complete sawmilling plant, including a large double self feeding vertical saw. The timber is obtained from the estate - all woodwork required for the colliery being made on the premises. On the ground floor of the building are turning lathes and iron working machinery, the whole being driven by a powerful engine at the rear of the building. A large storeroom, where the numerous articles required for a colliery are kept, is a picture of cleanliness and good order, and adjoins the workshops, while a large stable, replete with every arrangement is close by. A blacksmith's ship is also in a separate building, while the offices and other premises are erected on the same model plan. In fact the colliery is the most complete in the district, and its buildings form a striking contrast to those of many of the other mines.

At the present time the mine is capable of putting out 1250 tons of coal per day, but lately the miners have not been working full time owing to the scarcity of shipping in Australian waters. When the demand for small coal is slack, it is stored in a large wooden hopper, which is capable of holding over 1000 tons; but the large coal, as at other collieries, goes from the screens into the railway waggons for immediate shipment. The output for the Lambton colliery for the half year ending 30th June last was 139,579 tons, and for the quarter ending September 28th 65,204 tons. In 1887 167,355 tons were raised, and in 1888 164,048 tons. The record for the present year, however, will exceed 250,000 tons, and when the company's new colliery at Durham is in full swing the total annual output will be very large. There are at present 453 men and boys working underground and 69 on the surface, making a total of 522 employed at the colliery.

The seam in the Lambton workings averages nearly 10ft in thickness, and in some parts 8ft is being worked, while in others the bottom is left, and the working is on 6ft of splendid coal with only two small bands. It is very free from faults, lies regular at a dip of about one in forty south. Near the the southerly end of the estate, however, the seam deteriorates while in one part it has been thrown up, and in consequence it is improbable that it will be worked. There is, however, enough coal to keep the colliery in full swing for many years to come, and at present the estate may be said to be only thoroughly opened out. An analysis of the coal shows that it contains only 4.51 per cent of ash, and 0.55 per cent of sulphur. Its coke producing quality is large, being 64 percent, while it is a very good gas coal.

The arrangements for taking the mineral to the port are excellent, the company having two miles and a half of private railway, which connects with the Government line two miles from the wharves. There are 300 steel hopper waggons in use, and Mr Croudace complains bitterly of the damage done to them at the cranes during the process of onloading. The haulage from the colliery to the port is done by the Government engines at a fixed rate of 10d. per ton.

The Lambton colliery has a large inter-colonial trade, but the major portion of the mineral goes to India, Mauritius, and China. The head colonial office of the company is in Sydney, where Mr. A. Shannon, the general manager resides. Mr Thomas Croudace is the colliery manager and engineer, and is ably assisted by his son, Mr Francis Croudace. Mr Thomas Muncaster is the shipping manager, the local offices being in Scott-street, where there is telephonic communication with the colliery. The company forms one of the parties to the Associated Masters, being represented at the conferences by the general manager, Mr A Shannon. The company's new colliery, at present being opened on 3000 acres of land at Durham, will be dealt with at a future date.