Single Record

Full Details

Surname

DICKINSON

Forename

John

Day

16

Month

08

Year

1904

Age

67

Occupation

Fitter

Mine/Quarry Name

North Walbottle

Mineral Worked

Coal

Owner

North Walbottle Coal Co. Ltd

Location

Walbottle

County

Northumberland

Details of Event

Deceased who had charge of the work was engaged with others in fixing one of the ropes to the drum of a newly erected winding engine. Previous to starting he had slightly opened valve admitting steam from the steam pipe as well as fixing a wedge in the throttle valve of the engine so that a little steam might enter and warm the pipes and cylinders in order that the engine could be used to wind on the rope. To bend the rope end round the drum shaft to which it was to be secured a pair of small blocks was used the fired point being one of the uprights of the jam brake of the drum and the tension was maintained for more than an hour until the rope was partly secured to the shaft and no doubt pressed the brake against one side of the drum. Deceased ordered the blocks to be released while he and another man were inside the drum and it immediately started to revolve and made 6.5 revolutions before it could be stopped no doubt steam had collected at some pressure inside the cylinders and became operative when the tension on the brake was relaxed. Deceased was rolled about inside the drum, eventually falling out on to a concrete floor 20 feet below. The other man seized hold of one of the arms of the drum and escaped injury.