Big Thumbs Up to Marc

Id forgot about Stevie… mrx was significantly worse though.

He even started messaging me on FB messenger,the barmy *******

 

I had a PM from MRX on Farcebook too, but back then my favourite was Owen Blackadder. Wonder what happened to him?

 

Oh aye Glyn(is) was/is a proper div and he's been in good company over the years. Remember that tit Oscar who pretended he was a copper and would have anyone who got into an argument with him arrested in tarn or at Oakwell ...reight loon!.......sithi.

 

If I remember correctly, check number 138 would remain with him all his working life at Elsecar and signified he was an underground worker.
Deputies and Overmen’s check, numbers started at 3500 and surface workers began at 4000.

The system worked something like this.

Worker arrives at pit, changes into working clothes and reports to time office where he can is given 2 checks with his personal number on them. One of the checks is brass and one is aluminium.

When the worker reports to top of shaft to ride the cage to go underground he gives one of the checks (aluminium I think) to the banksman who then returns the checks to the time office.
The time office clerk then returns the checks to the tally rack.

When the worker gets off the cage at the end of his shift, he hands in his second check (brass one) to the banksman, who repeats the process of the first check.

This was essential in knowing who was down the pit should there be any sort of incident.
2 checks for no 138 meant he hadn’t yet reported for work.
1 checks for no 138 meant he was still in the pit
0 checks for no 138 meant he had reported for work, but hadn’t travelled underground yet.

That’s the basics of it.

 

Aluminium causes an incendive spark (sufficient to light methane gas) brass doesn't. I don't know if that's why they chose the metals for the check system.

 

Squirrel alert!!

 

Still around, still an ST holder with his lads. This place became quite dangerous for him for reasons I won't go into, but he still reads the board now and then.

 

Thanks Orared -