Axwell Park colliery is situated near Swalwell station on the Newcastle and Blackhill railway. The Five-quarter and Stone coal-seams are worked by means of a drift. The output is about 90 scores of tubs per day of 10 hours. This quantity is hauled along a single main-road, with irregular gradients (Fig. 1, Plate VII.), by means of steam-engines placed on the surface.

The engine-house, a brick building (Fig. 2, Plate VII.) situated between the heapstead and the drift-mouth, is placed parallel with and adjoining to the engine-plane. It contains two engines of the locomotive type, one being kept as a spare engine in case of breakdowns, etc. The hauling-engines stand side by side and are numbered Nos. 1 and 2 respectively. No. 1 hauling-engine is a high-pressure engine with two cylinders, 16 inches in diameter and 24 inches stroke. The crank-shaft, 6¾ inches in diameter, carries a belt-wheel, 8 feet in diameter. The boiler is worked at a pressure of 70 pounds per square inch, and only consumes 30 hundredweights of coal per day. No. 2 hauling-engine is compound, with a high-pressure cylinder 10 inches in diameter, a low-pressure cylinder 17½ inches in diameter, and the stroke is 18 inches. The diameters of the crank-shaft and belt-wheel, and the steam-pressure, are the same as for No. 1 hauling-engine, but the consumption of coal is only 24 hundredweights per day. The hauling-engines are connected with the gearing: No. 1 by means of a sliding pinion-wheel, and No. 2 by a tusk-clutch. The power of either engine is transmitted to the first-motion shaft of the gearing, by means of belts, 12 inches wide and seven-ply thick. The belt-pulleys on this shaft are each 7 feet in diameter. The distance between the crank-shafts of the engines and the first-motion shaft of the gearing is 36 feet. The spur-wheel and pinion-wheel are of cast-iron, 7 inches wide and 2½ inches pitch ; and the rope is driven by a Fowler clip-wheel, A, 8 feet in diameter. The ratio of the revolutions of the hauling-engine to those of the driving-wheel are as 9 to 1.

The section of the haulage-road from the heapstead to the innermost landing is irregular, the maximum gradient against the load being 1 in 12, and the maximum gradient in favour of the load 1 in 24 (Fig. 1, Plate VII.).

Ropes. — The main rope, 11,100 feet long and 2½ inches in circumference, is made of crucible steel, with a steel core and Lang lay: there are six strands, each containing six wires, and the rope weighs 6 tons 5 cwts. 3 qrs.

The rope on leaving the driving-wheel, A, passes over a vertical pulley, B, fixed on the floor of the heapstead, thence down a staple, where it passes around a vertical pulley, C, sliding between guides, and thence upward to another vertical pulley, D, which is also fixed to the floor of the heapstead (Figs. 3, 4 and 5, Plate XIII.). These wheels form a rope-tightening arrangement, and take up the slack of the off-coming rope. These pulleys are all 6 feet in diameter.

The rope next passes about half-way round a pulley, E, 11 feet in diameter, set in a horizontal frame fixed to the heapstead, and in a line with the centre of the empty-tubs road; it next passes over a carrying sheave, c, 24 inches in diameter, and is then brought down and passed under a sheave, d, 24 inches in diameter, fixed high enough above the rails so as to allow a tub, with a clip attached, to pass underneath it (Fig. 6, Plate VII.).

The arrangement shown in Figs. 7 and 8 or 9, 10 and 11 (Plate VII.) is adopted for binding the rope into position, at all places where tubs are detached from the haulage-rope.

The rope is then taken inbye and passes 2½ times round the terminal wheel, K, at the third landing, thence to a tension-wheel, H, which is fixed on a moveable bogey and its position adjusted by a screw (Figs. 16 and 17, Plate VIII.); thence the rope passes outbye to the surface, where it passes round a pulley, J, 11 feet in diameter, to the driving-wheel, A, in the engine-house (Fig. 2, Plate VII.). At the third landing, the terminal wheel, K, drives two wheels keyed upon the same shaft :- one wheel is used for hauling coals from the east district, and the other from the cross-cut and west districts These wheels are 6 feet in diameter, and are of the fleeting type. The east district rope is of the same quality and construction as the main rope, and the arrangements for attaching and detaching tubs to and from the rope are similar to those employed on the main road. The cross-cut and west districts rope is 7,800 feet long; it is similar in construction to the other two ropes, and weighs 4 tons 14 cwts. 1 qr. This rope is driven by a fleeting pulley keyed to the shaft of the main return-wheel K. The rope is passed 1½ times around this wheel, it. is then taken inbye for a length of 1,100 feet, it thence passes round a pulley (6 feet in diameter) which conducts it westward for a distance of 1,500 feet. The rope is then passed round a return pulley, (3 feet in diameter, and brought outbye to the main road. The rope then passes round another pulley (6 feet in diameter), which conducts it to the face of the cross-cut; district, where it, passes round a return pulley, and thence outbye to the third landing, a distance of 4,800 feet.

Landings. — There are two intermediate landings on the main road, the first being 8,000 feet (Figs. 12 and 13, Plate VII.) and the second 4,500 feet (Figs. 14 and 15, Plate VII.) from the drift mouth. At the first landing, the full tubs are detached and part of them sent to the Whickham pit, but the empty tubs run through (Figs. 12 and 13, Plate VII.).

At the second landing, the coals from the Stone coal-seam are attached. The drift, driven from the Five-quarter into the Stone coal-seam, rises 1 in 6, and is worked by a self-acting endless rope. At this landing, the empty tubs are detached from the rope; and the full-tubs rope is suspended by means of a hanging-pulley, L, while the full tubs are being attached (Figs. 14 and 15, Plate VII.).

The third landing, the largest in the pit, is supplied with coals from the cross-cut and west districts, from the east district by a branch rope, from the west district by an incline, and from the Stone coal-seam by a drop-staple. The empty tubs on leaving the rope, gravitate and cross the full-tubs road (by means of a bridge, M, (Figs. 16 and 18, Plate VIII.) from the drop-staple and west districts; the empty tubs required for the staple and west districts are switched round the turn into a siding, N, those for the east district are similarly treated, and those for the cross-cut and west districts proceed straight forward (Fig. 16, Plate VIII.).

On the cross-cut and west districts engine-plane there are two intermediate landings and also landings at the return-wheels in each district.

In the east district, there is a landing at the return-wheel.

All the kips at the landings have a fall of 1 inch per yard.

An automatic knock-off, O, is fixed at each landing, etc., for detaching the tubs. It consists of two sheaves, a and b, 8 inches in diameter, fixed between two runners of wood or iron, about 15 feet long. The rope passes under one of the sheaves and over the other, and when a tub, carrying a clip, passes underneath it, the rope loaves the clip and passes through the knock-off (Figs. 7 and 8 or 9, 10 and 11, Plate VII.).

The rope-binding arrangement, P, consists of two sheaves, c and d, 14 inches in diameter; the rope passes over one of them and under the other wheel, which is placed high enough above the rails to allow a tub with a clip attached, to pass below it, and to be attached to the rope. The arrangement is generally termed a "hanging-on wheel" (Fig. 6, Plate VII.). All the tubs must pass under a hanging-on wheel, so that they may be attached to the rope.

An automatic binding-down wheel is used for keeping the rope down in "swalleys." It consists of two lengths of rails, a and b, fastened and supported at the joint by a bar, c, to which are bolted two reds, d, one at each side of the rails. The rods, d, are bolted to the arms, e, which are keyed upon the shaft, f, as are also the arms, g, which carry the sheave, s, and the weight, w. The action of the machine is as follows :- The weight of the tub forces down the rails, a and b, hung upon the short lever, e, which operates the long lever, g, lifting the sheave, s, and allows the tubs to pass under it (Figs. 19, 20 and 21, Plate VIII.).

Haulage-clips. — The Rutherford-Thompson haulage-clip is used throughout the pit. It is an ingenious appliance, and is readily attached to a tub (Figs. 22 and 23, Plate VIII.). Detailed views of the rope-gripping apparatus are represented in Figs. 24, 25, 26 and 27 (Plate VIII.). The clip is composed of two oscillating forks, y, y1, mounted on pins and geared by a few teeth or coupled together by means of a link (Figs. 26 and 27, Plate VIII.). This apparatus is automatic, and when a tub carrying the clip is conducted into the plane of the haulage-rope, the motion of the latter through the forks of the clip causes them to close upon the rope, by frictional contact, and to grip it firmly. The grip is proportionate to the weight of the tub, and it thereby reduces the damage to the rope by gripping to a minimum. This appliance allows the tubs to be hauled centrally, and reduces the friction and the liability of the tubs to leave the rails. Another form of this clip is shown in Figs. 28, 29 and 30 (Plate VIII.).

Tubs. — The tubs are also fitted with Rutherford-Thompson lubricators and pedestals, x, x, (Figs. 22 and 23, Plate VIII.) which save about 50 per cent of the grease used in the ordinary method of greasing tubs. In a comparative test, a tub greased by hand consumed 4.084 pounds per tub per 11 working days, whereas a tub fitted with Rutherford-Thompson lubricators only consumed 1.875 pounds under similar conditions, a saving of 54 per cent.

The tubs are coupled in pairs to the haulage-rope, about 120 feet apart; the first tub carries a clip at each end, and the second tub is coupled to the first tub by means of a short chain.

Automatic Tub-attacher. — The Rutherford-Thompson clip enables curves and junctions to be worked automatically, thus saving the cost of attendants ; the tubs detach themselves from the rope by means of the knock-off, O, and gravitate down the kip, gaining sufficient speed to run them into the machine, P, which attaches them to the rope automatically (by the weight of the tubs). This appliance (Fig. 31, Plate VIII.) consists of two lengths of rails, a and b, fastened together and supported at the joint by a bar, c, to which are bolted two rods, d, one at each side of the rails. The rods, d, are bolted to two bell-cranks, e, which are fitted on the shaft, f; to this shaft, two weighted arms, w, are fitted. The quadrants, e, are bolted to the bars, y, which controls the arms, h, fixed upon the shaft, i, as are also the arms, k, carrying the sheave, s, which is held in position by catches, l, fixed on the arms, k, and on the rods, m. The rods, m, rest on the quadrant, n, which lifts the (bars) rods, m, releasing the sheave, s, when tubs pass under it. The action of the machine is as follows :- The tubs lift the quadrant, n, which lifts the rods, m, and releases the sheave, s, so as to allow the tubs to pass under it. After the tubs have passed beyond the wheel, s, the rails are forced down, and operate the bell-cranks, e. the bars, g, the arms, h, and the sheave, s, which forces the rope into the clip. This arrangement is fitted in a wooden frame, securely fastened to the top and bottom of the seam. Two of these machines have been in use at South Derwent colliery for over 15 years, and have given the greatest satisfaction.

Mr. T. V. Simpson asked whether the ropes were damaged by the Fowler driving-pulley. He thought that the Rutherford-Thompson haulage-clip was a good one, as the rope was not deflected, and it could not damage the rope.

Mr. N. M. Thornton asked for information as to the cost of repairing the haulage-clips.

Mr. F. Davison said that one Rutherford-Thompson haulage-clip could bring out 12 or 14 tubs, but on heavy inclines (5 to 18 inches per yard) it was desirable to use a clip at both ends of the descending full tub, in order to prevent the tub being damaged. One clip was sufficient, placed at the rear end of a full tub, when ascending an incline.

Mr. H. S. Stratton asked whether both clips were acting, when two were attached to one tub.

Mr. R. W. Glass, replying to the discussion said that, if the Fowler driving-pulley was not kept properly adjusted, it tended to injure the rope. One rope had been in use for about 8 years, and was then taken off, because the district was abandoned. The haulage-clips should be re-adjusted about once a month, otherwise they became slack, and the rope surged through and speedily wore away the sides ; if the clips wore at one side it was due to the steel being too soft. One blacksmith could easily keep 750 clips in repair. The road should be raised, or binding-down sheaves inserted at points where the tubs were below the line of the rope, otherwise the clips would be detached from the tubs. The rope is readily inserted between the forks of the clip, no force being required. Both clips, when two are attached to one tub, act together, if properly forked, as they both have exactly the same amount of pitch or oscillation, and consequently they both move equally in the same direction, when they are attached to the rope. Ordinary tub-grease was used, costing 4s. per hundredweight, in the test of the lubricator, and the hand-greased tub used 4.084 pounds during 11 working days, while the tub fitted with Rutherford-Thompson lubricators only used 1.875 pounds in the same period, a saving of 54 per cent.

A cordial vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Glass for his paper.