2008 NAMHO Conference - Brief Report  
Nine Club members made the trip to Scotland for the 2008 National Association of Mining History Organisations Annual Conference at the Scottish Mining Museum (Lady Victoria Colliery) Newtongrange over the weekend of 11th to 13th July. An interesting range of lectures and trips had been organised for the weekend, many covering the local oil shale mining industry.

Early arrivals on the Friday were taken on a tour of the Museum, library, archives and large object store - which housed some fascinating items from Scotlands Cola mining past.

Detail of the inside of the classifier.
Picture 1: NAMHO delegates getting up-close and personal
with the sheave wheels on top of the Lady Victoria headframe

Picture 2: The Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange,
hosts for NAMHO 2008.
The Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange

The Saturday morning lectures were followed with a coach tour of the remaining oil shale bings (waste heaps) around the Edinburgh area - great vantage points for spotting Scottish landmarks such as the Firth of Forth Bridges.

Through-out the weekend Grampian Speleological Group lead a number of underground trips to local limestone and oil shale mines. Additional trips to Tyndrum Lead Mine and Birkhil Fireclay Mine (complete with a ride to the mine on the Bo'ness & Kinneil steam railway) were laid on for the Monday and Tuesday.

Picture 3: Mike Moore examining an ore chute
in Tyndrum Lead Mine. (Photos: Kelvin Lake)
Mike Moore examining and ore chute in Tyndrum Lead Mine.

An excellent conference, thanks to Kevin Baker for organising it, Grampian SG for the underground trips, not forgetting the Museum and it's volunteers for all their help and hospitality.

Brief Trip & News items extracted from recent editions of 'Below' the Club's quarterly newsletter.

New Publication  
SNAILBEACH LEAD MINE
The Shropshire Mines Trust have recently published a new book on Snailbeach Mine (several Club Members have also been involved in the production).

Although aimed at the general reader as a guide to the mine and it's environs, it will also appeal to mining enthusiasts with chapters covering the mine itself, the associated railway, geology and social history of the area.

Snailbeach book cover

ISBN 978-0-9556081-2-4
Softback, 172 pges, 120 b&w photographs, 23 drawings and maps. Available online at Moorebooks,  www.moorebooks.co.uk

News  
Quarry Extension
Bayston Hill Quarry near Shrewsbury has been given approval for a major extension, making available some 47 million tonnes of hard rock aggregates.

The total area involved amounts to about 84 ha (the existing site is about 56 ha). The processing plant is to be re-erected on a rim or shelf within the quarry.

Future Events  
8th International Mining History Congress
12th - 15th June 2009
At the Penventon Park Hotel, Redruth. Organised under the auspices of the University of Exeter in Cornwall and Geevor Mining Museum, sponsored by Cornish Mining World Heritage Site. Further details available at: www.huss.ex.ac.uk/history/imhc/

NAMHO 2009
The 2009 Conference is being held at Matlock, Derbyshire from Friday 19th June to Monday 22nd June. Hosted by the Peak District Mines Historical Society with a theme “mining landscapes” (sounds familiar!), the event will celebrate not only 30 years of NAMHO but also the 50th anniversary of PDMHS.
More details will appear (eventually) on: www.namhoconference.org.uk

Shropshire Mine Banner
On the 5th July 2009, a special service is planned to mark the laying up of the Shropshire Miners Union Banner (in June 1979) when Granville Colliery, the last deep pit in Shropshire closed. The service will be held at the Fletcher Methodist Chapel, Madeley where the banner and other Union items will be on display.

Dates for the Diary  
12th to 15th June 2009: 8th International Mining History Congress, Penventon Park Hotel, Redruth.

19th to 22nd June 2009: NAMHO 2009, County Hall, Matlock, Derbyshire.

19th to 26th July 2009: 15th International Congress of Speleology, "Karst Horizons", Schreiner University, Kerrville, Texas, USA. More details on the web site:    www.ics2009.us