Driving the roadways
Putting on a sump, Ayle Colliery.
Sumping
A section of coal in advance of the face is hewn with the windy pick.
A sump ready for firing, Ayle Colliery.
A block the width of the roadway is extracted.
Air drill in a working at Ayle Colliery.
Drilling
Holes are drilled in the stone below the seam.
A shot fired in a working at Ayle Colliery.
Shotfiring
Explosives are used to fracture the rock.
Shovelling stone at Ayle Colliery.
Shifting the shot.
The broken stone is shovelled into the goaf on the left and right.
Building the pack wall at Ayle Colliery.
The pack wall.
The larger stones are used to build a wall that holds back the debris.
Under the low at Ayle Colliery.
Casting back.
To make room for the stone it is often necessary to cast it further back into the goaf.
Dressing out the sides of the barrowway.
Dressing out
If necessary the new section of roadway is widened with the pick.
Laying rails in a working at Ayle Colliery.
Laying rails
A length of rail is layed to give access for tubs.
