Mexborough & Swinton Times — Saturday, 12 June 1943
American Methods
Experiment at Denaby Pit
Experimental work carried out at Denaby Main Colliery in the partial extraction of an area of coal by power-loading in room-and-pillar workings, was discussed at a meeting of the Midland Institute of Mining Engineers at the Danum Hotel, Doncaster, last Thursday.
Mr. A. Blenkinsop, the president, presided, and a paper on the experiments was read by Messrs. B. H. Pickering and N. Hulley.
They described the plant employed, the method of working, the difficulties met and the results achieved, in an experiment which they said was worth while to obtain the highest possible output per person at a time when the country at war needs maximum output of coal.
In the discussion which followed, Mr. H. Watson-Smith, who recently was in America studying methods of mining there, said the results at Denaby did not compare favourably with results attained in U.S. mines, and some of the contributing reasons were that the most up-to-date machinery was not available at Denaby, compressed air was the power used and not electricity, and the schedule of operations was studied to the last second in the American mines where they had more experience of intensive mechanisation in mining practice.
Other speakers deplored the use of the words “American mining methods” in this country. The time study, a speaker said, was the only way in which they could qualify the success of the work.
Mr. G. M. Gullick, Technical Adviser to the Ministry of Fuel and Power, said mobility of the machinery and team spirit among the men were important factors. The policy was to go for coal accessible to the pit shaft, where they could get a bigger output per man.
The system would not be introduced in deep seams or in seams liable to spontaneous combustion. They wanted to give the younger mining engineers a new vision.
Messrs. Pickering and Hulley said they would reply to criticisms and questions at the next meeting.