The Blangy mines haulages

1928, La Pelouse shaft: two waggoners, barely 25 years old, are pushing a train of skips to the pit-eye. They will make the trip 26 times during their day's work, and inaugurate rail haulage at Blanzy mines.

Vincent Lepais

Once mined, ore must be shipped in the best possible condition and as swiftly as possible. This applies particulalrly to coal, whose merchant value depends on the size of the blocks. What steam engine drivers used to call «duck feathers» (small coals) will sell for far less than large blocks, especially where heavy industry is involved. Therefore, the collieries developped railway-based haulage systems to carry the coal from the cutting face to the washing and transformation sites without the need for transshipment. ORIGINS OF THE BLANZY HAULAGES The Blanzy surface railway was described in Issue n° 115 of Voie Libre (October-November-December 2023). Let's now take a look at the underground haulage. It seems it was first put into place at La Pelouse shaft. At first, workmen were in charge of…

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Voie Libre International (Digital) - 1 Issue, JANUARY / FEBRUARY / MARCH 2025 - 120

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