Mining Regions in England
11/20 
Miners in a double deck cage at the pit head, 1910
© NCMME copy photo
© NCMME copy photo
The disaster at Creswell colliery, Derbyshire in 1950 led to developments in conveyor-belt technlogy that would have an impact throughout the country. At Creswell colliery eighty men were killed by carbon monoxide poisoning following a fire that was started by frictional heating of a torn conveyor belt. This led to non-inflammable PVC replacing the rubber in conveyor-belt construction.
It was also within the Derbyshire coalfield that one design of detaching hook was invented by John King. Prior to this, accidental overwinding of the cage in the shaft could cause it to crash into the head frame, resulting in much damage, injury and death. The detaching hook was designed to prevent this by detaching the cage from the winding rope and holding it safely at the top of the shaft.
It was also within the Derbyshire coalfield that one design of detaching hook was invented by John King. Prior to this, accidental overwinding of the cage in the shaft could cause it to crash into the head frame, resulting in much damage, injury and death. The detaching hook was designed to prevent this by detaching the cage from the winding rope and holding it safely at the top of the shaft.