Road Transport's Part in Colliery Reconstruction
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FIRST of six major reconstruction schemes in the North-western Division of the National Coal Board will be carried out at Bradford Colliery (Manchester), which is one of the few large pits to rely substantially on road transport for delivery of its coal.
Bradford Colliery is an 'old pit, shafts having been worked since 1845, and is located in East Manchester, about a couple of miles from the city centre, under which many people, quite incorrectly, believe the workings to extend. Surrounded by a vast urban area, it has always been convenient for road vehicles to distribute the production to merchant's depots in the vicinity and a large portion of the present output of 800 tons per day is thus delivered.
Wholesale reconstruction of this colliery is now planned, and on the completion of the scheme a capacity of 4,000 tons daily is expected. So far as the surface is concerned, all build
ings are to be razed to the ground and will be replaced by modern concrete structures, including an all-enclosed winding tower 245 ft. in height. .
Although the plan comes into the millions class, there are factors which help to offset the expenditure. Because the coal is produced where it is most needed, heavy transport costs, inevitable where Collieries are remotely situated, are eliminated.
For deliveries to the corporation's Stuart Street power station, some 450 yds. distant, transport in the ordinary sense will be non-existent, for the large tonnage of coal required will travel direct by underground conveyer from the cleaning plant to the receiving section at the station. The new surface layout will incorporate gardens and a private bus station for the workers.
When the coal is first brought to the surface it will be run by conveyer direct to a cleaning plant, which will prepare house coal, industrial fuels and slack. Methods of mechanical bagging for the house coal and stitching of bags are being developed, and a prototype unit is already working.
• Easy Loading
Although it may he impossible for all bagging to be accomplished at the pit, in many eases road vehicles will run into the bays and receive the bags directly from the machines. Where road transport is not immediately available, the bags will be transferred to a gantry to await collection. As already indicated, considerable increases in production are expected, but surface facilities are to be fully developed, so that direct distribution by road from the pithead will twoonr. tkinue to play its full part in the
The ultimate layout for the colliery has been designed to take its place in the replanning of the Bradford area of Manchester and has been approved by the Town and Country Planning Committee. Relationship between the city and the National Coal Board in this development of Bradford Colliery is close.
Replanning of the surface has been performed in consultation with the city surveyor's office and the scheme for direct delivery of fuel to the Stuart Street power station is the outcome of joint action by the Board and the corporation electricity undertaking