Mears Brothers Mining?

[Mark Williams]

Hello Everyone,
Does anyone know of the history of this Open-Cast Coal Mining company.I believe they were from the Chesterfield area & operated a few sites,around that area in the 60s & 70s.It would be interesting to know what happened to this company & what sites they worked & what plant they used.I am sure I was told that F Shephard'Hill & Company,bought a RB110 dragline off this company.It may well have been 1 of the 2 RB110s I used to periodically,be a banksman on @ the Ras Bryn Oer & Pen Bryn Oer,coal sites in Rhumney,Gwent, in the early 80s.Both these RB110s had Paxman V12 engines in them & they used to leak engine oil,like a teabag.
One of these RB110s,came to a dramatic end,involving me on the Pen Bryn Oer site.I was employed as 1 of the operators of 3 Caterpillar 769C dump trucks.I was told to go to the RB110,to pick up a load of good shale for the road.My good friend Dennis Meaden,the operator of the 110 used to fill us with 4 buckets,off the dragline & because there was no horn working on the dragline,he used to trip the bucket,by the side of the 769 cab window,to tell you that you were loaded.I just got my wheels rolling & I heard this almighty crash.The jib of the 110 came smashing down.The gantry on the dragline had cracked & down came the jib.It was lucky that Dennis,or the banksman came out unhurt.The dragline was a right off.Shephard'Hill brought another RB110 to site & I remember,this 1 leaked engine oil worse than,the written off machine.The site opened up to a much larger job & 5 Lima 2400s came to the job,2 draglines & 3 shovels.
Regards,
Mark Williams.