Orgreave S24's washout (2 of 3)

This short sequence of three photographs is a rare chance to see how adverse geological conditions affected a (relatively) modern longwall face. They were taken on 2nd May 1980 at Orgreave Colliery, near Sheffield, South Yorkshire.

Please note that I did not take these photographs. They were taken by my colleague Jim Batty who was the NCB area photographer for South Yorkshire. I have used these on many an occasion to illustrate geology lectures and I am most grateful to him.

Photo 2: A view looking along Orgreave S24's face in the Swallow Wood seam. The coal seam which was on the right has now been replaced by "washout" sandstone (light grey in colour). This is much too hard and strong for the normal coal cutting machine to cut through, and there would in any case have been the risk of hot frictional sparking causing ignition of any methane that might be present.

Instead, the sandstone has to be bored and broken down by firing with permitted explosives. That is what the men in the distance are doing. Previously fired-down sandstone is visible to the right of centre and the whole situation resembles an underground stone quarry rather than a proper longwall coal face.