I believe this shaft clearing grab originated from the construction of the Boulby Potash mine.
N Burdett is welded on the side, I don’t know the significance of the name.
Boulby Potash Shaft Grab, Cragg Hall Roundabout
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Someone that I used to work with believed a company called Thyssen from South Yorkshire worked on the construction of Boulby mine back in the early seventies. Apart from that I know very little about it’s construction, would anyone have any photographs from that era? It would be interesting to see what would have been left from the ironstone mine before it was all flattened…..
Yes, Thyssen UK were the main contractors for the sinking of the pit in the very early 70’s. They were a division of the West German Krupp Group and are still in business today as metal stockholders, cold rollers, offshore engineering and aerospace.
The man i/c of the sinking was a fascinating German guy called Horst Langer. He was larger than life and very hands on. Some people were suspicious of him as he had learned his civil engineering in WW2 when building fortifications for the Todt Organisation, but in truth he had little choice in this. He also had a prodigious thirst (out of hours) and was good company.
I was one of six men who were the first to arrive on the field which would become
the site of the Boulby mine. I was working at the Skinningrove steel works when I heard of this mine project. I and a workmate, Ken Rawson applied for a job to Monks, who were the contractors opening the site for development, and were accepted. A further four men arrived, Mr Murphy and his two sons who lived in Boosbeck. I heard that one of the sons later became a shaft sinker chargehand?
The sixth man’s name escapes me. More men were eventually employed, my job was tractor/van driver. Monks put in the roadways, laid the drain systems and prepared the ground for Thysens, the shaft sinkers. I used to assist their mechanics with engine removals/replacements, using the lifting beam on my tractor. I was once asked by their foreman? probably Horst Langer if I would work for them. I declined, I didn’t fancy ending up down the shaft. I like out doors work. Left Monks in 1970 for a job with ICI.