IRON
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COAL
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COAL
The only known seams which had not been explored and remained un-worked were the Little Vein, Top Coal and Lower Four Feet seams and it was recommended that, to replace the output that would be lost from the Rhas Las seam, that these seams be proved and that a cross measures heading to win the Little Vein seam should be driven. The area thus won would, should the seams be proved, yield about 745,700 tons of coal which, at current output, would keep the pit going for a further 4 years (1913). This work had been delayed and should commence immediately.
The depth of the trial pit was to be about 55/60 yards and the length of the cross measures heading, dipping at 4 inches per yard, was about 600 yards. The cost of the work was estimated as £7,000 with a completion period of about 2 years.
It was stated that it was inevitable that the cost of production over the following 2 to 3 years would increase as a result of the lost of output and winning new sources of coal.
This pit, from which an average output of 2900 tons gross per week is obtained, was situated on the southern boundary of the Dowlais Iron Company’s mineral property and some little distance south of Bedlinog Pits. The pit’s production was wholly from the Brithdir Bituminous coal seam this being the Dowlais Iron Company’s only source of bituminous coal.
The winding engine had 26 inch diameter cylinders with a stroke of 5 feet, and, although it was not a new engine, was in good working order and capable of raising a much larger output than it did at that time.
The coal consumption of the boilers, which included No 5 Level boilers, averaged 150 tons per week this being equivalent to 5.25% of gross output.
There were four boilers which comprised three single flue Cornish and one Lancashire, all of which were in fairly good condition.
The feed water was heated by exhaust steam from the winding engine during working pit hours but during the remaining 15/16 hours of the working day the feed water was supplied cold.
It was recommended that Green’s Economisers be fitted to two of the boilers at a cost of about £250 and that this would effect a saving in coal consumption of about 600 tons per annum which, at 5/- per ton would be £150 per annum.
The water made underground was heavy, but fluctuated from 60,000 to 130,000/140,000 gallons per hour.
