Visit to Bentley Colliery

The members of Doncaster Scientific Society mustered in good numbers on Saturday afternoon for a visit of inspection to Bentley Colliery. Headed by the President (Mr. F. O. Kirby), the scientists, who included several ladies, travelled by tramcar to Bentley, and were there taken under the wing of Mr. Foster, the chief engineer at the colliery, who had kindly consented to act as their guide.

First of all, the members passed through the colliery village, where houses are being put up by the hundred to accommodate the subterranean toilers. Nice, well-built houses they are, and some members who ventured within doors found the interiors to be bright and of comfortable appearance.

A short walk across the fields brought the party to the colliery, and the afternoon was fully occupied by a tour of inspection of the many interesting features of this up-to-date pit. Th fact that the colliery had only a day or two previously ben the scene of a serious mishap, lent special interest to the inspection of the winding machinery, and the visitors gathered round eagerly while Mr. Foster explained the working of the almost infallible brake, the unexpected failure of which was the cause of the cage falling and “making hay” of the pit bottom on Thursday.

Later on, they were allowed to peep into the smith’s shop, where the “King’s patent” apparatus, whose break-down at the critical moment was another contributing cause of the accident, was awaiting repair. Further signs of a serious mishap were found in the broken lengths of steel rope which hung loosely from the temporary pit-bank and lay about in the colliery yard.

The visitors received from their guide full explanations of the chemical water softening plant by means of which the hard water is rendered fit for use in the boilers. The boilers themselves were inspected, and Mr. Foster showed how, by grouping these near the power houses, lengthy steam pipes were obviated and consequently loss of energy avoided. The lofty and splendidly appointed power-house came in for general admiration, with its immensely powerful electrical plant. Those of the party who wished received a striking personal demonstration of the efficiency of the fans by means of which the underground workers are supplied with a constant supply of fresh air.

The permanent pit bank in course of erection was noticed, in which the fero-concrete system of construction is being employed, and the screens in temporary use, as well as the permanent screens with their under-running railway sidings, were visited in their turn. A visit to the lamp-room, where the members were shown how a miner’s lamp is not only cleaned but lighted by electricity, was followed by a run across to the brickworks, where the Company have a considerable minor industry going on, making bricks for the new village as well as for the lining of the pit shafts and roads.

After tea, which was provided at the colliery offices, by the courtesy of the manager, Mr. R. Clive, the more enthusiastic scientists were at liberty to inspect fossil plants to be found on the colliery spoil bank, and a pleasant afternoon’s outing finished with a walk through Doncaster Lane to the tramway terminus.