Many thanks, Robert, for your off-list response, and to all other contributors.
Things seem mostly to lean to this being the location of a balance bob or an angle bob underground.
On balance, the plat seems more likely to be on New Engine Shaft than anywhere else. It was indeed straight down through 192 yards, so in that case would be a balance bob.
Good point from Mike Worsfold about the extra weight of rods above datum at Snailbeach.
Shame Eddy didn't put in a bit more description!
Regards to all,
Andy Cuckson
On Monday, 3 July 2017, 14:46, robert waterhouse <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Dear Andy,
Pete is correct. This is clearly a reference to the presence of an angle bob or a balance bob underground. The bob plat is probably the lip of the bob pit or frame in a level, where it sits at the edge of a shaft. These were often planked around to enable miners to walk around the bob pit safely.
There are a number of examples in Britain of flatrods or chains being passed horizontally along levels to pump shafts internally, usually when the mine was located on a steep hillside. There's a good example at the Coniston mines in Cumbria, and another on the George & Charlotte mine in West Devon. In both cases, the water engines which drove them were at surface.
Another alternative explanation, also alluded to by Pete, is that this was a bob chamber on the side of a shaft underground, counterbalancing the weight of a long column of vertical rods. These are common on deeper mines, where the balance bob at surface is often insufficient to counterbalance all the rods below. There would also be the need to take the load off the links in the rods.
Robert Waterhouse
On 3 July 2017 at 09:01, Andy Cuckson <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Here is a full extract from Eddy's report with surrounding context:-
"Atthe Adit or Day Level, a company of men are employed in driving across South tomeet the run of ground found so highly productive in the 192 yard level.
"The South Vein is to be seen inthe “bob-plat” at the 192 yard level, where it contains some nice ore, and somesmall bunches of ore were opened on it at the 252 yard level where a company ofmen are now employed in plundering @ £8 per ton (of ore).
"This vein has also been openedupon for a distance of about 20 yards in length at the 292 yards level, butwithout any discovery to notice – the vein however shows some strength and iswell deserving some further and spirited trials."
The observation was clearly made underground, at 192 yards below datum, not at the surface.
Andy
On Monday, 3 July 2017, 10:25, "Poyner, David" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Andy,
What is the full quote from Eddy in the report? I wonder if this represents development work to all pumping to happen below the 192 level?
David
-----Original Message-----
From: mining-history [mailto:mining-history@ jiscmail.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Andy Cuckson
Sent: 03 July 2017 08:12
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Bob-plat definition
Stephen Eddy was a highly experienced mine manager, so I think we can assume he knew what he was looking at. He was the Duke of Devonshire's Mineral Agent responsible for the Grassington mines.
The report says nothing about the surroundings where Eddy noticed the "bob-plat" - nothing about a shaft above or below, just that it was at the 192 yard level.
Maybe there is some significance in his use of inverted commas - "bob-plat" is how he actually wrote it.
Andy
On Monday, 3 July 2017, 9:59, Curator <[log in to unmask] org.uk> wrote:
There are very many references ‘cutting plat’ underground, usually referring to an area adjacent to a shaft in preparation for further work. Plats can also be cut at surface but you hear about it much less. If this bob plat was indeed a bob plat underground then by definition it would have been associated with pumping.
1. Did the reporter know what he was describing?
2. Could it have been preparatory work for deepening the shaft? (this doesn't seem very likely)
Pete
-----Original Message-----
From: Andy Cuckson
Sent: Sunday, July 02, 2017 9:12 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Fw: Bob-plat definition
On Sunday, 2 July 2017, 22:44, Andy Cuckson <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
It was at Snailbeach, at 192 yard level, as reported by Stephen Eddy in
1856.
He also reported that there was no pumping from below 192 yards then.
So this bob-plat, which Eddy writes in inverted commas, is a bit of a
mystery.
Any thoughts?
Andy
On Sunday, 2 July 2017, 22:12, Curator
<[log in to unmask] org.uk> wrote:
Andy,
Underground it would be an area cleared so that a balance-bob or angle-bob
could be put in. The first to counteract the weight of the pitwork and the
second to change the angle of same within a shaft. Which mine was this for?
Pete Joseph
-----Original Message-----
From: Andy Cuckson
Sent: Sunday, July 02, 2017 5:21 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Bob-plat definition
Thanks for that.
What might a bob-plat, not directly associated with an engine, be used for
underground?
Andy
On Sunday, 2 July 2017, 14:44, "Nance, R. Damian" <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
Dear Andy,
The one Ken Brown and I used in our engine house book was (part in brackets
added):
One of two maintenance balconies cantilevered on either side of the beam
from the top of the bob wall of an engine house out to the end of the bob
[supported by the spring beams - a pair of large timbers extending from the
rear wall and used in conjunction with the main girder to prevent
overstroking].
Damian Nance
______________________________ __
From: mining-history <[log in to unmask] > on behalf of Andy
Cuckson <00000a22b0f7da8c-dmarc- [log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, July 2, 2017 2:00:17 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Bob-plat definition
Dear fellow Listees,
Can anyone give me a comprehensive definition of a bob-plat please?
Best regards,
Andy Cuckson
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