Old Fire Engine Colliery (General)

by unknown, Saturday, August 06, 2011, 13:57 (4862 days ago) @ unknown

Thanks Jefff

I'm aware of Ian Pope's er4xtensive collections; and the work of his late father Alec who I always found to be very encourageing and helpful - one of the few truely knowledgeable Foresters

The intention of my input was to try to add a little personal touch that presumably will remain on record here?

Around the Mid 1980's I carried out a extensive survey on this gale including mapping; trial holes & drilling, resetivity tests (was cutting edge technology then); soils & ecollogy; and hyrology; and will at sometime in the future be depositing those results at GRO. From this it shouldn't be difficult to sus that I was proposing to Opencast - potentially dirty word here; but I had already done one right under the noses of the flying pickets through the miners strike and hardly anyone knew we were there - I convoyed coal to Ironbridge Power Station every night under police escort -so I like to think I did my bit to keep the lights burning then. That made me the only Forester to O/cast in the Dean by modern means - so far. I don't shout it from the roof tops for obvious reasons but time's a healer so they say and I'm not ashamed about it in any shape or fashion.

I shelved the Fire Engine scheme when the price of coal suddenly collapsed virtually over night; and at 69 years old I won't be reserecting the idea; and shouldn't think anyone else would either - but of course you never can tell? - On today's coal prices it's certainly very viable!!??

Cheers

Mike J