Miners travelling on the manrider. A previously unpublished image.

From an article by Steve Entwistle:
Hapton Valley miners are proud of their colliery. They brag of its safety record over the last few years, and thrive on the companionship peculiar to the mining industry. They accept the hazards of their job, the diseases they can get from inhaling coal dust and the fact that they spend most of their day in darkness. Even the industrial action of recent months and the threat of a national strike have not been able to dampen their spirits.

Yesterday, Thursday 24th January 1974, I was invited to visit Hapton Valley. To go underground with the men and to see first-hand the conditions in which they work. The part of the mine we visited was in the same area as the explosion which killed 19 miners in the Hapton Valley pit disaster about a decade ago. The seam I was taken to, by union leader Mr John Riley and colliery under-manager Mr Vincent Cowley, was the Upper Mountain 2, some two miles away from the pit head. This involved riding on the manriders, the underground trains, for about 2,500 yards at a maximum speed of 6mph, then walking about 500 yards to the seam and at the end crawling to the face which is only 27 inches high. The face workers spend most of their six-and-a-half-hour shift lying on their sides or their stomachs. They have to crawl through the pools of water on the floor and the dust which comes from the cutters. In addition to the noise of the cutters, is the noise of the blasting at the face as the seam is extended. In the confined area of the workings the bank is quickly followed by a rush of air which thumps at your eardrums and is followed by a sickly smell of the blasting powder. The blast I experienced was only the strength of four charges but in some areas up to 20 have to be used. I would not work down a colliery, not even for twice the money the miners are fighting for.

Another article on the same front page gives an update on the strike situation. Three national leaders recommended a ballet on an all-out strike which was accepted yesterday. It was thought that the strike would take place and be prolonged.