Long story but I started at Horden Colliery 1971 an apprentice mechanic but went to Mines Rescue at Houghton 1982 Left 1986 bitter taste in my mouth after the miners strike went to channel tunnel then Selby coal field as a contractor was asked to Ellington as a foreman for contractor After 18 month there they got a contract for Wearmouth pit closer to home so took it We where not welcome as contractors but so what Its understandable But I did work there and am proud to be a Miner (mechanic) and I have just realised I have not told
Watched a few days ago a dvd about Sunderland history and the wearmouth colliery is on it, and they were climbing under pit props to get on site, luckily they were using a machine which dug through the coal and it went onto a conveyor belt into a cart which went up a lift, it must have been a hard life down there with picks, i read that the tunnel went out under the sea at roker, so must have been some depth the pit shaft. A bloke down our street worked there for years and when he finished he could not do any other job, wound up on a mobility cart (leg trouble) and died about 6 months ago.
Working down a pit is a job for real men. Not surprising many avoided or attempted to avoid such work
My grandad worked down Castletown pit all his life, his back was laced with coal shards from brushing against the coal. My two uncles went down there when they left school but didn't stay long - they both left and joined the Gordon Highlanders
Was in line for a job down Easington then the strike happened. I decided to join the army and haven't looked back since.
Not that I was ever going to go down the mines but I joined the army during the miners strike as well. Met a few who came from the Nottingham area who did the same as you.
