Mining Items

A Dobbie Key. A Dobson “Dobbie Key”. Made from hollow iron tube, solid iron head. Size 16″ inches long. The head is 2″ inches wide with the handle being 1″ inch in diameter.  This key was used to pump up the hydraulic Dobson dobbie pit props on the coal face by placing the key into the pumping valve on the …

A Dowty Key. Made from solid iron. Size 14 1/2″ inches long. The head is 2″ inches wide with the handle being 3/4″ of an inch diameter.  This key was used to pump up the hydraulic Dowty pit props on the coal face by placing the key into the pumping valve on the side of the prop and move the …

Portable Mining Magneto Telephone. A portable mining magneto telephone. Made by Ericsson. Type N-1834. Made from mahogany wood and iron. Size 12″ x 7″ x 5″ inches. Dated 1940. This telephone unit has an Ever Ready 3 volt battery incorporated into the back of the unit and a detachable winding key that can be inserted into the body through a …

Portable Mining Magneto Telephone. A later portable mining magneto telephone. Made by Ericsson. Type N-1846. Made from tin and bakelite. Size 10″ x 6″ x 5″ inches. Dated 1948. This telephone unit has its winding key integrated into the body. 

N.C.B. Toilet Roll. A toilet roll manufactured for the National Coal Board to be used in their colliery pithead baths. Made from thin brown paper. Size 4 1/2″ x 3″ inches. The roll has been scored in a zig-zag pattern along its width for tearing at every 6″ inches and the words “National Coal Board” is printed with black ink …

Colliery Lock-Out Key – Lock Out Box. A colliery lock-out key – Lock out box. Made by Stedfast Electrical Controls Ltd. Type S-2. Made from cast iron, plastic and brass. Size 8″ x 5″ x 5″ inches. Date 1970’s. Commonly known as lock-out boxes. These lock-out boxes were bolted to the framework of conveyor belts (about fifty yards apart) and …

Panzer Chain Scraper Links. This is a pair of panzer chain scraper links. Made from Iron. Size 4″ x 3″ x 1″ inches.  These links were used to hold the scraper bars to the chain on the pans of the panzer chain scraper. The chain scrapers were used to convey the coal and stone from the coal face and also …

Colliery Lock-Out Key. A colliery lock-out key – Lock out box. Made by the Communication & Control Engineering Company. Model PK-190s. Made from metal, plastic and rubber. Size 10″ x 5″ x 3″ inches. Date 1980’s. These lock-out boxes were connected with each other by long lengths of wire and cable and bolted to the framework of conveyor belts at …

Colliery Tannoy – D.A.C.  A D.A.C. armoured colliery tannoy. Manufactured by Stedfast Electrical Controls Ltd. Hucknall, Nottingham, England. Model SA-1. Made from iron, steel, rubber and brass. Size 10″ X 7″ X 6″ inches. Date 1970’s-1980’s. These tannoys were known as dacs and were located at all major transfer points, headings and coal faces etc and used for communication between …

A Huwood Mining Blast Pick. Made from iron. Size 18″ inches long. This small blast pick was made by “Huwood”. These picks were powered by compressed air and were known as “punchy picks” perhaps different names were given to them in other collieries? The bottom collar will unscrew to insert the pick bit.