where is everybody

[Jim]

It seems that everything has gone quiet for some time now,is it because everybody on this site are old and cant remember anything surely not.I can
remember Ray with hair and that was a long time ago,infact its been a long time
since i have seen him.We used to go to his house when we were younger and
we also went to dawdon dene with young ladies.In a way it was through him i met
a very special girl who i did go out with and even got engaged to but we fell out
so it wasnt to be.Remember Ray it was at Rockhouse and i walked her home
well we both did.It seemed we had more fun then without been stoned or drunk as the kids are now,mind we did have a couple of dance halls and youth clubs,pluss as Ray will remember my favourite the jazz-bands we travelled all over with them and on one occasion nearly got left.Gues whos fault.The most wieredest thing we did was hitch hike miles so ray could see a young girl.Yes those were the days.
Working at the pit i always had what looked like eye shadow on but was told to rub marg on it to take it off what i wasnt told it would make your eyes water like mad
yep the old miners had cures for a lot of little ailments like sucking coal to stop heart burn,or you could take snuff and chew backy one blew your head off and the other made you go green especialy if you swallowed the juice.In those days we never used shampoo or conditioner on our hair it was lifeboy or fairy soap (when you think about it sounds as if its gay soaps.)but they werent you needed both hands to lift them mind after bathing with lifeboy you did smell a little funny.

[Lucy]

I am still here but not much I keep calling in but there aint anyone about when I get in .Was missing for few days another hosptial stay but all going ok now.

[VIP2006]

High Everyone. I still keep logging in and as usual (apart from Jim) there is no one else. pity as talking about the old days as well as the present ia always a stimulant for me. Hope against hope that things will pick up.

[Jim]

Hi VIP,
Hope that things pick up again and we can get back to both present and good old days,
I see that they have started pulling down all of the old pyrex factory where ray once worked.
I dont know if you read about the black out but it was caused by idiots cutting through live cable
how stupid are they,not only did they put half on the town in the dark but could of been killed.
Its seems also that we have half the worlds drugs growing here as well.

[VIP2006]

Hi Jim
Its now called Happy Baccy what people of all ages smoke today. and with the sweet dreams they have they are willing to kill themselves for the experience.
I used to work for Pyrex in the 1966, and was employed installing and maintaining glass tubing equipment
I found the work to hot and I had just got my finals and was lucky to get my first promotion to Bridon Fibres and Plastics who had a factory on the Teams Valley Estate. That was a grand job.

My wifes Brother worked for Pyrex in the drawing office for many years.

Jim How are you keeping ?> and its nice to see you have not lost your humour.

regards
Fred

[Jim]

Hi vip,
When i was younger the only thing we got high on was snuff because if you took to much it didnt half make your head spin,but saved you from getting coal dust up your nose the only fault was if you sneezed in the pit baths it pebbled ashed the shower wall.I also use to chew tobaco and if you swallowed the juice you used to turn colours that wer,nt in any raibow.
I always remembered first shift on monday mornings getting in the cage and you could guarantee that most of the men had been out on the town on sunday night and as soon as we desended it seemed to be the cue for them to off load thier wind and there was no escape.When we got to the landing and started getting out of the cage one of the deputies said he thought that it was a load of sheep because everybody was getting out going bah bah because of the smell.yep happy days.
There certainly were some characters worked underground and some of the tricks they pulled on each other were unbelievable like telling the man on the belt button that a paper or comic for them to read was comming out and when he picked it up they got more than paper because somebody had loged on under the paper and the button worker got a hand full of log. There were loads of things but all in fun and never dangerous if anybody did anything that was they got told good and proper when they got to bank none of the miners would stand for anybody endangering anybody else.One thing about the miners were they worked hard in not very nice conditions and looked forward to the weekend going for a pint or playing darts on mondays but very rarely caused trouble and although they smoked there wasnt any drugs.

[VIP2006]

Hi Jim - your last post really brings back my times at the pit. If a man wanted to releive himself it was good manners to go to the return to carry out his need. That meant the smell did not have to pass his marrers, but anyone down wind had to watch out. I had a mate who could tell who was the culprit by the smell which usually had a Federation or Samson or Newky brown beer smell.
I never used snuff or baccy, but I could,nt get to bank quick enough to have a smoke behind the lamp cabin or canteen.

There was three brothers who were stonemen from sunderland, and they were bloody great workers and any big job would be given to them. They used to construct the main roadways and before they went down they used to carry 2 pair of heavy plates and a bag of big bolts each for coupling the arch girders together, they used to put these beside the inbye telephone and to stop them being pinched they "crapped" all over them so some lazy sod would.nt pinch them. They were great to have working with me when I had to get electric cables laid out for gate end boxes to move.

Hi Jim those were the days, and they might send for us to work at the new pits which surely must come again !!!

Regards

[Jim]

I think we are passed our sell by date for working the pits now infact i dont think there would be many miners left so they would have to train a new batch.Well thats if there are any that are capable of going down mines because as you know its hard thankless work and there is no messing about.I used to watch all the heavy smokers run out of the cage as soon as the banksman had opened the doors they were like greyhounds leaving thier traps only it was to get thier cigs from the hidding place and not chasing a hare.
We had one boy on the maingate belt that sent for a electrician saying it was urgent and the electrician got to him it was because he had broke his lamp by unscrewing it and wanted it fixing needless to say it didnt get fixed and that boy didnt half get it.
I did my underground training at houghton and i can remember we were told how to dreg a tube and we all had a go but there was one lad that didnt take any notice so when we set the tub away and shouted for him to throw the dregs in he thew them in the top the tub ended out bye.I worked on the endless and driving locos and tractors on suplies to tail gate before my face training which was at tempest.I was at nack on endless down low-main then Dawdon on tractors and locos.Then was on canch at tail gate and it was always red hot but main gate was feezing as you will know.
When you think what was left underground when pits closed the salvage men could get it all out at dawdon some idiots tried to climb down shaft to get copper and brass off transformers because as you know they would of been worth a bit as scrap they must of thought it was a small drop.

[Lucy]

I am here again have called a few times and no one around. Have been in hospital so haven't been on puter much since I came home two weeks ago and at 3 am tomorrow we start our drive to France Belgium and Netherlands will try to get in more when we come back.

[VIP2006]

Hi Lucy - Hope u have a good time in Belgium. Been their a few times stayed mainly at Bruge and Ghent. also visited Ypres and found my dads brother Fred's (who I was named after) grave. Quite a moving experience, particularly at the evening service at the Menin Gate.

I was at morrisons yesterday, in the after noon. I saw this lady who looked like yourself, near the freezer section, I didn,t have the nerve to ask if it was you,

Regards and fetch a few photos back with you.

Regards

Fred

[Jim]

Everybody seem to have fanished again i know lucy was on holiday but i wonder if vip has new link.

[RayScollen]

I've emailed everyone I can Jim ... so everyone should have it now ... lets hope it picks up again. I know I've been 'off line' for awhile but as you know I've been unwell. Now that I'm feeling better I hope to be posting more often.

Thanks for all your support.

[Lucy]

Have been in hospital then on trip now doing house decoration but when I get everything sorted will be in more .
Lucy

[Jim]

No problem lucy glad your okay,i know what its like doing decorating i will have to start mine soon and not looking forward to it.I only did it a few months ago but when you have grandchildren running about the paint work sharp gets grubby,why is it children never use door handles they always use side of door.I have just washed my carpet because no mater what you put down for the little ones to eat off they always prefer the floor.Mine like crisps and chocolate and believe me you know they have been a child can demolish your sitting room in seconds,but i supose we were the same.Sometimes i think i am like my dad when i say carefull you will spill it and untill you say that it never happens its fate.

[Sponsored content]