English Coal Mining History at the NCMME
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Hydraulic roof supports at Sherwood colliery
© National Coal Mining Museum for England (Photo: Mr J. Cornwell)
© National Coal Mining Museum for England (Photo: Mr J. Cornwell)
No miner can work underground if the roof is unsafe. To stabilise the roof, pit props were developed to support it as the coal is taken away. These props are then moved forward as the coal is removed.
Over the last fifty years mines have moved away from the old method of having wooden pit props supporting the coal face to having rigid steel props. More recently hydraulic powered supports, that can be moved by machine, were developed making it a much safer structure to use. The Museum shows several different ways of supporting the roof underground, and there are collections of roof supports on the surface.
Over the last fifty years mines have moved away from the old method of having wooden pit props supporting the coal face to having rigid steel props. More recently hydraulic powered supports, that can be moved by machine, were developed making it a much safer structure to use. The Museum shows several different ways of supporting the roof underground, and there are collections of roof supports on the surface.