THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN AND JOURNAL OF THE COAL AND IRON TRADES. Vol. OVII. FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 1914. No. 2788. The Sinking and Equipment of Blackhall Colliery for the Horden Collieries Limited. stronger than was anticipated, there was some compen- sation for the increased expenditure incurred in sinking and tubbing this additional 40 yds. of water-bearing strata. A paper read By J. J. PREST and J. LEGGAT. before the Institution of Mining Engineers, London, June 4, 1914. Sinking the North and South Shafts. This winning is situated in the extreme south-eastern corner of the Durham coalfield (fig. 1), adjacent to the sea coast, and about seven miles north of Hartlepool. As it is probably the last colliery sinking of any import- ance that will be made in this coalfield, the writers of 24 by 20 by 12 in. Evans sinking pumps, each capable of delivering 1,000 gallons per minute, when working with compressed air at a pressure of 80 lb. per square inch through a 800 ft. head. Fortunately, as the volume of water amounted to only 500 gallons per minute in each shaft, and as the sand proved to be The water was first encountered in each shaft at a depth of about 62 yds. from the surface, the feeders rapidly increasing, until at a depth of 100 yds. the average quantity pumped from the two shafts, as deter- mined by actual measurement, was 13,040 gallons per minute. The following are the analyses of two samples of water taken in each shaft on January 18, 1911, at a depth of 110 and 116 yds. respectively :— Blackball Blackhall North pit. South pit. Total solids (chlorine), in grains per gallon................... 443'8 ... 607'6 think that it will be found interesting to place on record a few of the difficulties connected with the undertaking. The horizontal sections (figs. 2 and 3) show the relative thickness of the overlying permian strata from Tyne- mouth in the north to Blackball in the south. The chief points to be noted in connection with the sinking are the following :—(1) The large volumes of water encountered; (2) the use of liquid cement for stopping the flow of water in the limestone; (8) tlie use of cement concrete for shaft lining; (4) the length of cast iron tubbing required to keep back the feeders of water, owing to the abnormal thickness of the permian limestone; (5) the time occupied and the cost of the undertaking; (6) the equipment. Sinking Plant.—The whole of the temporary plant purchased nine years previously for the sinking of the three Horden shafts was available, and consisted of the following machinery :—Four sets of 21 by 36 by 60 in. horizontal tandem compound pumping engines, each fitted with a 12-ton flywheel and pumping disc on the second motion shaft, geared three to one, the effective stroke of the buckets being capable of alteration to 4, 5, or 6ft., as required. Eight sets of common lifting pumps of a total length of 90 yds. each, made up of wrought steel pumps 18 ft. in length and 32 in. in dia- meter ; also gunmetal lined working barrels 30 in. in diameter and 14 ft. in length, cast iron clack pieces, and steel wind bores. Four sets of 12-ton crab engines, each fitted with a pair of cylinders 8 in. in diameter by 12 in. stroke, geared 33 to one on to a third motion shaft, fitted with two clutch-geared drums, 3 ft. in diameter by 2 ft. in width, capable of taking 300 yds. of 14 in. diameter rope, for lifting and lowering the sinking pumps. Two sets of 30-ton crab engines for heavy pit work, each equipped with 12 by 18 in. cylinders, geared 30 to one on to a third motion shaft fitted with a drum 6 ft. in diameter by 6 ft. in width. Two small jack engines for emergency work in shafts. Two temporary winding engines with cylinders 24 in. in diameter by 4 ft. stroke and 10 ft. drums, for sinking. One ventilating fan and engine. Two small dynamo engines and generators for lighting purposes. Two air compressors. The whole of this plant was arranged as shown in fig. 4. Pumping Operations.—As the formation level at the colliery was 171 ft. above sea level, a water delivery drift was first driven through the upper limestone, from a point 6 ft. above high-water mark, for a distance of 460 yds., to intersect each shaft at a depth of 146 ft. below the surface, so as to reduce the height to which the water would have to bo pumped in sinking the shafts, as shown in the shaft section (fig. 5). It was anticipated from the data available that the coal measures would be reached at a depth of 215 yds. from the surface (fig. 6), and, after due allowance had been made for the depth of the delivery drift and the over- lapping of the suction and delivery ends of the pumps, that two standing and two travelling or sinking sets, about 90 yds. long, in each shaft would suffice for reach- ing the coal measures. As the actual depth, however, proved to be 254 yds., it became necessary to convert the lowest travelling sets in each shaft into standing- sets, and in order to deal with the water below the lowest standing set cisterns, to use in addition a pair riG. 1,-Plan of South-Eastern Portion of Durham Coalfield COVERED BY MAGNESIAN LIMESTONE. HARTLEY fr'a EARSOON MONKSEATON TYNEMOUTH -TYNE H SHIELDS 10. NORTH OR OCEAN GERMAN 42. 45. 9. 10. 5. 6. 2. 3. SEAHAM SHIPPING PORT EWCASTLE-UPON- SHIPPING PORT References. SLAKE HEBBURN k^vearmouth TUNSTALL 19 OALTON-LE-DALE . 34. HAWTHORNS EA8INGT0N THORPE 8HADF0R6 HORDEN STATIC THORNLEY STATIONX \BLACKHALL ROOK8 STATION r56' ON HENRY '^TRIMDOn\ HART Scale, 3 Miles to 1 Inch. HARTLEPOOL CjASSOP COLLIERY. THORNLEY COLLIERY. ROW TREES COLLIERY. WEST HETTON COLLIERY. SHERBURN COLLIERY. SHERBURN HOUSE COLLIERY. WHITWELL B PIT. LUDWORTH COLLIERY. HASWELL COLLIERY. EASINGTON COLLIERY. CA8SOP MOOR PIT. STATION BOREHOLE & JERLAND SHIPPING PORT x<55_ •58* . mart reservoir ** LIMESTONE QUARRY • i HYLTON SOUTHWICK 63/^. fng,’a#61 . - 58 —— SEAHAM JpLDON 25 36 nd 42. •45 53 62 RAflY STATION1 •46 50-/ /JPso! 11“ <85 River;.. tynEs/ jarrov?* T, shotton Y \ \ W HORDEN CO'AL • X' -X TTJQN \ 68>S ' cV°^CASTLE EDEN STATION^-. - 52^ (X OFFERTON .fg X ■oV iHUTI ./ •*/ SHOTTOIN BRIDGE STATIOnK SHIPPING PORT I. 90 FATHOMF ^CULLERCOATS DIPPER SOUTH, 50 FATHOTI8 CLEADON O WHITBURI 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. SO. 31 . 32. 83. 34. 35. 86. 37. 38. 39. 40. HOLYWELL COLLIERY. BEWICK PIT. BIGGE PIT. WILLINGTON COLLIERY. WALLSEND COLLIERY. PERCY MAIN COLLIERY HOPE PIT. BURDON MAIN COLLIERY. HEBBURN COLLIERY. JARROW COLLIERY. ST. HILDA’S COLLIERY. MANOR WALLSEND COLLIERY. HARTON AND WHITBURN COLLIERY. WHITBURN COLLIERY. USWORTH COLLIERY. WEARMOUTH COLLIERY. WHITFIELD COLLIERY. PENSHAW COLLIERY. NEWBOTTLE COLLIERY. MORTON COLLIERY. HOUGHTON COLLIERY. SEATON COLLIERY. SEAHAM COLLIERY. PLANE PIT. HUNTER HOUSE PIT. DUNWELL PIT. RESOLUTION PIT. MEADOWS PIT. HAZARD PIT. RAINTON COLLIERY. ALEXANDRIA PIT. DOWNS COLLIERY. HEtTON COLLIERY. ELEMORE COLLIERY. MURTON COLLIERY. DAWDON COLLIERY. BELMONT COLLIERY. KEPIER GRANGE COLLIERY. LOW GRANGE COLLIERY. BROOMSIDE COLLIERY. PITTINGTON COLLIERY. ^'KEWBOTTLE FENCE HOUSES LLIER RBW >EAST HERRlNQTOk 2€hnEA8T MINTON *32 ; 1*29 \\ • -WEST RAINTOH ^HETTON-LE-HOLE WELLFIELD STATION jQF 48. 49. 50. 51. " 52. 58. 54. 55. ’56. 57. 58. 50. fiO. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65.