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	Disasters - Names		Disasters - Names

Date:	6th July 1876
Colliery:	Seghill
Company:	Laycock and Nicholson
Cause:	Cage accident
Lives Lost:	1
Category:

Sundries in Shafts

No. 29 in list. This accident occurred partly in consequence of a mistake made by the engineman who was working the winding engine, and partly in consequence of the extremely disorderly conduct of the workmen, of whom there were about 80, ready to ascend the pit after the completion of the day's work. The signalling apparatus is somewhat differently arranged here to the mode adopted at most collieries in the district. The signalling wire proceeds from the bottom of the shaft and actuates the rapper or apparatus in the engine house, and does not on its way give corresponding signals at the banksman's post. There is no rapper from the bottom on the heapstead, hence any calls the banksman may give to the engineman can only have reference to the cage which is for the time being at the surface, and not to the cage being dealt with at the bottom. The men already spoken of were waiting to be drawn up the shaft, whilst others were also waiting at the surface to descend. The cage at top had received some men, and the banksman called "Away," meaning that his, the top cage, was ready. The onsetter had filled one deck of his cage and rapped away, and, as was expected, the engineman was putting the other deck in position, before reaching which, and without its stopping, two or three men, deceased being one of them, were violently pushed into and partly into the bottom cage, and deceased was crushed between it and the shaft framing. The mistake the engineman made was in attending to the banksman calling, and neglecting the signal close beside him.

Source:

1876 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 1734), Newcastle-on-Tyne District by James Willis, H.M. Inspector of Mines, Page: 243 Where to find this report

	Drysdale, Thomas, aged 39, Hewer, crushed by cage
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