Over the years the South heapstead received a number of major alterations, evidence of which can still be seen in a number of places.

Three phases of reconstruction of the South heapstead brick air-casing. 

The lower darkened brickwork topped by a sloping line of header bricks is the roof line of the 1900 enclosure.    The upper brickwork is the 1922 third decking level.     The newer brickwork in the lower RH corner is the blocked upper level of the 1922 empty-side airlock.

There is very little trace left of the original structure however. Most of it was obliterated when the South pit was upgraded to full coal winding in 1900.  There is a small section of stonework though, which is believed to be original. This is at the rear of the heapstead facing the end wall of the engine-house. There is also a section of stone-work in the empty-side turntable well which appears to be a continuation of this wall.

When the headstock was replaced in 1900 a larger, a two level enclosure was constructed, with extended air-locks suitable for full coal winding  and double-glazed windows for daytime illumination.

Two decks were unloaded simultaneously. The top deck tubs were raised and lowered within the air-casing by means of a counter-balance system, with the full and empty hoists connected by a wire rope running via 4 sheaves outside the air-casing.

South heapstead counterbalance-hoist external sheaves. circa 1915  (FoPP/JST)

In 1922, when the South shaft was deepened, a third level was added to the air-casing  to accommodate a  3-deck cage with simultaneous loading on all three decks. Just how the tubs from the upper decks were raised and lowered is unclear - more than likely a counterbalance system was used. There are a number of pulleys on the upper deck level on the empty side which may have been part of this.

Just after nationalisation, both the full and empty side airlocks were enlarged and repositioned. In the early 1950s, the East screens were discontinued and a tippler was installed near the mouth of the full air-lock. This fed a conveyor taking ROM coal to a bunker over the railway sidings near the power-house.  From there it was taken by railway trucks to the washery tippler.

At a later stage of the modernisation, a 2-deck chair was installed and the upper two decking levels were removed. The air locks were completely rebuilt to provide a fully automatic mine-car circuit and a seperate men/materials entrance.

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05 May, 2009