|  | According to my family (it's in your blood duck) going 1000 metres underground shouldn't be a problem. After all my grandfathers did it every day of their working lives. Yet, even in the 21st century, it's still a filthy, difficult and tiring job.
It took some persuasion to convince UK Coal to let me down Harworth pit so I was trying to look brave in the safety demonstration with talk of gas, explosions and accidents. I'm not sure if my face slipped further when I discovered the kit bag contained a fluorescent boiler suit, shin pads and pale blue Y-fronts with matching vest!
Suitably attired, we entered the cage (or chair) with the scraping and clanking of the shutters echoing the words of production manager Ashley Britain 'there's no going back now'!
 | | Sarah Julian, Harworth Pit - back on the surface |
A couple of minutes later, 1000 metres down - the height of six Blackpool towers - I was surprised to find the tunnel fairly light and airy. But we weren't there yet! It takes the miners an hour and a quarter from entering the chair to arriving for work at the coal face.
The journey involves riding a 'paddy', a primitive train with open sides etched with graffiti. Then lying on our tummies on a conveyor, belting and banking with some speed in the dark.
Then it hit me, we really were underground. It was swelteringly hot and humid, much darker and rough underfoot... and still we weren't there!
The tunnels to the face were narrow, low and windy, we were on our knees at points. The roof has changed from corrugated steel to a lumpy surface studded with bolts and held back by metal mesh.
I remember thinking, if this is the 21st century what must it have been like in my grandad's day!
Finally, suddenly, the face was alongside us. Harworth's coal face is two metres high and glistens black as the coal cutting machine rips it out. In one pass or 'shear', it takes out 515 tonnes of coal which run past us on a belt and away to the surface.
I thought it was a joke when we were told 'this is the belt we ride to leave'. Apparently not, as a few minutes later I was lying on top of the coal, still warm from the machine.
These days there are only 300 men making this journey each day - it used to be 2,000. The men I met seem to be those who really want to stay.
When riding the paddy train back with the men I was warned to expect some 'pit talk'. What struck me though was the camaraderie, closeness and pride so many of the miners had told me about.
I left the pit feeling privileged to have done it - filthy, dirty and thoroughly exhausted (even though I hadn't done a bit of work)!
My grandma told me grandad used to lie on the kitchen floor and fall asleep at the end of a shift. Things have changed for Nottinghamshire's remaining few miners - but not that much! ------ Hear more about Sarah Julian's visit to Harworth Colliery on her lunchtime show on BBC Radio Nottingham (95.5 and 103.8FM). Sarah will be meeting the production manager, face deputies and union representatives.
Hear their stories at 1.10pm daily, from Monday, 22nd March to Friday, 26th March 2004. |
