2) Ventilation
The main problem in ventilation was to get the bad/used air out and the good air in. There were problems of ventilation particularly as mines became deeper. Gas was an eternal problem in mines, and included: methane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide. For miners, ventilation was a matter of life or death. Some solutions were found like :
- taking canaries into the mine. If the canary died, there was gas and the miners needed to leave the pit.
- cutting two shafts and lighting a fire at the base of one of them, to draw fresh air down the other. This could exploded the methane.
- John Buddle invented an air pump, but it was expensive and pit owners were reluctant to pay for a pump
To clear mines of gas, a crude system of ventilation was used. Young children called trappers would sit underground opening and shutting trap doors which went across a mine. This allowed coal trucks through but it also created a draught and it could shift a cloud a gas. However, it was very ineffectual. It was also believed that a system of trap doors might help to stop the blast of an explosion damaging more of the coal mine. It was not until 1807 that John Buddle invented an air pump to be used in mines, that the problem was eased.
- Roof collapses
Several other improvements were made to improve the safety of miners. Instead of leaving pillars of coal uncut in order to support the ceiling of the galleries, wooden pit- profs began to be used in the late 18th century. During this period, steel was mass- produced and steel replaced iron. Pit- profs first made out of oak (wood) were replaced by iron and then by steel.
4) Underground transport/transport to the surface.
Transporting coal underground was a real problem since it was heavy and bulky; but it was still transported by human muscle power. Corves of coal were pushed by women or young boys, but soon, they used Watt’s rotative engine. It was a great improvement: no more women and girls had to carry baskets up a series of laders. In the 1840’s, wire cables were introduced.
Surface transport
In the 18th century, roads did improve but carrying coal by roads was difficult and expensive.
The increase in the production of coal and manufactured goods created transport problems in Britain. Most of Britain's roads were dirt tracks, which were very dangerous in bad weather and expensive.
After 1759 canals were built across Britain to help ease these problems. The Bridgewater Canal linked Manchester with the Duke of Bridgewater's coal mines at Worsley. When the canal opened in 1761 it was a great success. Coal production from the mines increased and the price of coal, which was used as fuel, fell by 50% overnight in Manchester. Canals were used to transport coal, food, building materials and cotton.
- Flooding
Even with improved steam engine, flooding was a real problem in mine.
Flooding was a risk that was out of the control of the miners as even Watts steam engines could not cope if a mine had a serious flood. Likewise, pit props could only take a certain amount of strain.
