Follow my drift?

Beneath this unassuming scrub is a whole industrial history.

I’ve had some interesting contributions on the subject of Anglesey Wharf and the drift shaft there. Both Andy Dennis and Chasewater Wildlife Group’s Graham Evans have added hugely to the debate with the following information. My apologies to both Andy and Graham for taking a week or so to get this material up on the blog – it’s been a mad week, to be honest.

I’m trying to locate a copy of the video ‘Last Coal From Anglesey’ without success. If anyone knows of a copy, please shout up.

Andy went exploring the site of Anglesey Wharf, and found evidence of the shaft still extant, just as Dave Fellows had pointed out. I explored some of this area the Saturday before last, but the grass was so wet it was proving quite unpleasant, and I gave up. A bit hat tip to Andy who must have got soaked – and filthy. Nice work.

Andy said:

Hello Bob

Your map / photo pinpoints the location and I found the wall relatively easily. You can just about see a little of it in Google Earth about 105 metres north (1.3 deg E) of the canalside grating, but it’s easier to approach from the northern end. Going good-soft, soft in places.

I have included the following pictures…

Andy

Beneath this unassuming scrub is a whole industrial history.

Wallsend. this is the northern end of the retaining wall that, presumably, is the white mark that Dave Fellows refers to. You can get in via the slope on the left – to the right of the Y-shaped tree.

Drift entrance. At 360 deg from wallsend is a slope with some concrete blocks and bits of brickwork.

Wall 1. More wall.

The wall continues.

Wall 3. Well above head height at this point.

Wall 4. Note detritus from landfill of motorway excavation spoil.

Wall 5. Looking back towards the drift.

Wall detail. What it says.

Wall overgrown. You can see this from the path from the canal grating. This might be the bit you can see in Google Earth.

Wall top. Looking down on previous section.

Iron ring. A bit of metalwork beside wall above.

Wall outcrops. In the foreground some of the wall is at the surface and some can be seen in the undergrowth further back.

Wall outcrop. Top of wall with path in background.

Screen base. Some foundations in foreground and brick pier for screen on far side of canal.

Meanwhile, Graham Evans took time off from counting the gulls and keeping an eye on the poor little ringed plovers to update his Chasewater Historical Timeline, still available as print out and keep PDF files on the Chasewater Wildlife Group homepage (down there, on the right). On the ‘News’ page, graham published details of the sequence of events, which is most welcome.

Graham presented the information as a table, but this WordPress them won’t allow me to lay it out the same way, so I’ve winged it a bit.

Graham published the following:

Yet again, it’s great to see Brownhills Bob being so fantastically enthusiastic about Chasewater’s history and I recommend everyone to click here to read about his investigations.

It reminded me that I haven’t updated the Website’s pdf files of the chronology for rather a long time and I thought it would be a good idea to at least copy below the updated version of the period Bob is currently investigating. There is so much to add, clarify and correct so please feel free to offer your ideas and knowledge so that we can build up a true picture of our fascinating heritage.

• 1920: The drivage of a drift is approved from the main haulage way at Bass seam level (273 feet) at No 2 to Anglesey Wharf, a distance of 864m (945 yards).
• 1921: Very low water levels in the reservior are recorded.
• 1922: Shafts at the Cannock Chase Colliery Co No.5 Pit are sealed but the colliery’s power station is expanded and electricity is used to power Chasetown, Chase Terrace and Boney Hay.
• 1923: The Plant Pit becomes the centre of operations for the Company. Washery and new screening plants are installed to which an overland endless rope haulage (2200 yards) is provided from No 8 Colliery, where a 60hp twin cylinder steam engine to drive the haulage is located. The drift from No.2 to Anglesey Wharf is opened on 16th April after two years in the construction by a team of miners working three shifts a day. It runs for 945 yards at a gradient of about 1:10 and the 120 horse-power electric motor provides continuous haulage of coal tubs to the wharf, where newly constructed conveyors can directly screen and load the coal onto narrow boats. Coal drawing from the shafts of The Fly now ceases.
• 1924: The new workshops at the Plant become known as ‘Wembley’ after the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley which was opened on St. Georges’ Day this year.
• 1925: Floating Water-plantain is recorded as ‘plentiful in shallow water at Norton Bog.’
• 1926: The General Strike.
• 1927: No 9 Pit closes as a drawing pit but the Anglesey Wharf to Fly Pit drift is extended to link with The Plant (No 3), Eights (No 8) and No 9. Coal needing screening goes via the overland rope haulage to The Plant (No 3) where the slurry beds obliterate Norton Bog.
• 1935: The Cannock Chase Colliery Co still employ 83 horses underground and 12 on the surface.
• 1937: The pump engine on the dam is bought for scrap by J. Cashmore Ltd, leaving the pump/engine house an empty shell.
• 1940: The Fly Pit closes and haulage along the drift also comes to an end (although is referred to as disused on a 1938 map).
• 1940’s: Sheep are grazed on the north shore heath with a sheep-wire fence keeping the animals from the water’s edge. (This fence was only rarely inundated at the time but the fence stumps were only recently exposed by the 2010 drawdown, implying formerly much lower water-levels or considerable subsidence). Many locals shoot the wildfowl ‘for the pot’ with good numbers of Mallard, ‘Black and whites’ (Tufted Ducks) and occasional Pochard and Teal.
• 1947: Nationalisation of the coal industry. Pits 3, 7, 8 and 9 are still operative. The Plant Workshops become the Area Central Workshops serving all the collieries in the Cannock Chase Coalfield. Around this time a belt of willow saplings are planted along the north shore as a ‘hide’ for wildfowl hunters. Shooting licences can be obtained from Lawton Hall for 15 shillings a year

As ever, thanks to Andy and Graham, and if you have anything to add, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. That’s BrownhillsBob at Googlemail dot com. Cheers.