colliery was severely lessened owing to the impossibility of supplying enough steam for hauling and winding.

The air compressor engines were manufactured in 1875 by Fowler & Co. and were in fair working order, running at 21 rpm and providing compressed air at 43 lbs per sq inch from a quantity of free air per minute of 4,500 cubic feet.

Pumping Engine

A Cornish type condensing pumping engine, in good working order, was installed, together with two Cameron type steam pumps, both of which were in fair working order. The steam pumps were located in No2 winding shaft and were capable of dealing with the water made in and around the shaft on failure of the Cornish pump. However, the steam pumps could not be worked whilst maintaining full coal output due to steam supply problems.

Boilers

There were 27 boilers at the colliery, with 24 in regular use. All except three were of the ordinary Cornish type of seven feet in diameter and of various lengths. Blow-off pressures were either 45 or 60 lbs per sq inch.

Three boilers were of the 150 lbs per sq inch Lancashire type, each being 8’ 6’’ in diameter and 30 feet long.

All boilers were supplied with feed water which was heated in open water heaters by the exhaust steam from the winding engines and by one exhaust steam injector fitted to the ventilating fan engine. The temperature of the feed water during the winding hours of the colliery was about 160 – 170 degrees F, but during 15 hours out of 24 it was supplied to the boilers practically cold.

With the exception of the Lancashire boilers all others were old and very inefficient.

Hauling Engines

The main hauling engines were situated underground near to the bottom of the winding shafts and were operated by steam which was taken from the three Lancashire boilers, down the No1 upcast shaft, by a range of 200 yards of un-insulated ten inch and a further two ranges of seven inch diameter pipes.