Houghton Main pit disaster on this day in 1975..

On the mining issue. My dad was involved in the wombwell main rescue ( ordinary miner) during the roof collapse in 47 or 57 not sure which. The screams from one of his mates prior to another collapse haunted him. (And I later realised why he said. “ no son of mine is going down the pit” I disobeyed him.) The man died during the second fall along with 2 others.

My dad continued working down the pit in the most difficult of mines. Ridiculously low seams. Platts common. till he retired 1985 I seem to remember not returning after the strike aged 62. Not sure if platts common reopened due to mining conditions in that pit. Sure someone will correct me. I’ve tried to find info on platts common and found Rockingham closed in 1979. So my memory may be hazy on that period. As I can’t remember him working elsewhere prior to the strike. Any info would be appreciated.

He used to kiss my mam every time he went out of the door. ( something I carried/carry on with the missus) He said. It might be the last time you meet. Stuck with me forever.

 

I remember at Barnsley main training centre .
One of the trainers was ex rescue team like my dad.
He told the story to us about Lofthouse at Wakefield.
Tears in his eyes the heartbreak at finding the stranded miners dead.
After all the hope that they may have been in an air pocket.

 

Yes of course I remember it. My dad worked at Houghton Main all his life - he lost an old school friend in the explosion - Irvin Lakin, one of the deputies.The report concluded : "The evidence indicated that the way in which some of the overmen and deputies carried out their duties were criticised and the inquiry thought that the management and control at this level left much to be desired." It was an electrical fault with a fan that had been reported, but not fixed. Houghton was a notoriously gassy pit I believe.

 

Edit
Just come to me my dads last pit may have been Houghton main and I may have got that and platts common the wrong way round. Eugene/Mal (most of Houghton main will know) Knew my dad well.
Pretty understandable as he would go where the money was in the early days of his career.
Elsecar
Wath
Wombwell ( definitely his longest stint)
Dearne Valley
Platts common
Houghton
Not necessarily in that order and not sure if that’s the lot.
He allus said if the Baths are getting refurbished then they’re going to close the pit shortly after.
Happened at elsecar when I was there after giving it more than a lick of paint.

 

I have posted this before but a long time ago I think.
Roundabout 1978ish (think it was that time I’m nearly sure the World Cup but could have been a year or two later ) was on the night shift .
When I got to the pit I was told they’d been a train crash right at the side of number two shaft about 30/40 yards away . It was a passenger train think it was on the line from Donny To Leeds which used to pass there .
Anyway it had hit a Coal wagon and derailed . I was told this had happened at 7:00 ish and the emergency services were treating the passengers on the train no idea why at the time .
Sure enough as I got changed and made my way over to the shaft about 9:40pm ish the place was full of police , firemen and ambulances but we were told we still had to make our way past them.
They were taking the passengers some on stretchers to awaiting ambulances etc .
After we’d done our shift next morning and waiting for the paddy bus to go home we went into the pit canteen for a cup of tea .
We were told by the union the reason they treated them on the train was because they had to wait for Medical room and canteen to open at nearby Dearne Valley . This used to close before night shift and Dearnevalley lads used our canteen .
When asked why they had to wait for Dearnevalley to open we were told the emergency services had condemned our Medical room and canteen ad unfit to take the injured ,
Work to upgrade those facilities were started soon after when NUM complained to NCB .
There were no fatalities in that crash but plenty of broken bones and lacerations .

 

Some Platts Common lads came to Houghton, some had worked at Skiers Spring. I worked on the same coalface with a bloke called Gordon but I can’t remember his surname. He lived in Platts Common.

 

Thanks Bazza for the story. I struggle to put likes on posts Like this for the reason ( it may Seem silly in some eyes. ) how do you like a story of sadness. We are missing a tearful emoji.

 

If I see mi Uncle Toz al ask him but I think he was in the control room at the time, a position I would not have envied

 

some great memories here. RIP to all who lost their lives underground.

coal not dole.