On the Wash-outs in the Middle Coal-Measures of South Yorkshire

Abstract

D uring the past 20 years the South Yorkshire Coalfield has been developed and explored in the neighbourhood of Aldwarke and Thrybergh, lying 4 miles north-west of Rotherham, where the principal seams have been extensively worked, namely:— The Barnalcy Seam 7½ feet thick. The Swallow-Wood Seam 5 feet thick. The Parkgate Seam 4½ feet thick. As the workings have extended, large areas have been proved to exist where the coal has been removed by wash-outs which have occurred at various horizons in the Middle and Lower Coal-Measures; and it is only by defining these accurately, by survey upon plans, that any intelligent idea can be formed of their origin or probable extension. On the accompanying plan (fig. 1, p. 339), the position is shown of a wash-out in the Barnsley Seam, which has been proved to exist from Q to R—1700 yards in an east-and-west direction, and by a drift—H to J in a transverse direction. In the Parkgate Seam, which lies 240 yards below the Barnsley, another wash-out has been proved, covering the area, as shown by the diagonal shading, for a distance of 2600 yards in length in a north-and-south direction, and found to extend 600 yards in width. The thickness of the strata overlying the wash-out in the Barnsley Seam is 650 yards, and in the Parkgate Seam 500 yards. The position is more clearly defined on reference to fig. 2, section