278 COALFIELDS AND COLLIERIES OF AUSTRALIA. 



fed to the boilers by hot-water feed pumps. The fitting-shop 

 contains the usual lathe, drill, shears, etc. 



Seaham No. 2 Colliery. 



This colliery belongs to the same company as Seaharn 

 Xo. 1, and works the same seam. It was laid out by the super- 

 intendent, Mr. Faiiley, and has been arranged for an output of 

 1200 tons per eight hours. 



The main shaft is 650ft. to the bottom of the sump, which 

 is 10ft. deep. It is 16ft. in diameter, while the up-cast shaft 

 is 14ft. in diameter. The pit-head frame is 70ft. high to the 

 centre of the 14ft. pulleys, and is made of wood. The guides 

 for the cages to run on are of 70ib. steel rails in 38ft. lengths , 

 fastened to buntons every Oft. by dogs. The individual rails 

 are connected by fish-plates, there being eight holes in each 

 rail. The rails are kept true by a dowel let into their heads. 

 There are two guides to each cage, and these are arranged on 

 the same side of it. In order to prevent overwinding, a King 

 and Humble '& safety hook is used. Two tons of coal are raised 

 every hoist. 



At the air shaft there is a trolley that runs on rails over 

 the mouth of the pit. This is to receive the skip that is hoisted 

 up while sinking is going on. During this period a rider, 

 running on two guide ropes, prevents the skip from swinging 

 about unduly in the shaft. Eventually a cage will be installed. 

 Since the rope guides have to be paid out periodically as the 

 shaft is deepened, the rope is coiled up on a wooden reel on 

 the ground, and one end passes over a pulley and down the 

 si i aft. The rope is lowered as required by a hand brake. So 

 that the strain due to the weight of the rope shall not come on 

 the reel, a clamp is made fast to the rope at the surface, and to 

 this a double sheave block is hooked; a single sheave block is 

 then fastened to some stable object, and a chain reeved 

 tli rough both of them. 



The sinking engines are both of the same type, made by 

 Messrs. R. and J. Morison and ISearby, of Newcastle, N.S.W., 

 being duplex, geared, and with a single drum. One has 12in. 

 diani. cylinders, with a 24ft. stroke; the other has 14in. 

 cylinders. The winding engine, manufactured by Grant and 

 1'itchie, of Ivilmarnock, has 28in. diameter cylinders and a 

 oft. stroke. The drums are conical, with end diameters of 

 12 and 14ft. The foundation for the engine is made of iron 

 tanks filled wilh concrete, one for each engine, leaving a clear 

 space between for the drums and gearing. 



The scam is oft 6in. to 5ft. Oin. thick, and is worked on 

 the pillar and oord system. The pillars are, 12 yards and the 

 bords 8 yards wide. The top coal being inferior, the holing 



