Cultrigg No.3 pit

References

There is considerable activity in the local pits. Messrs Barr and Thornton, owners of Cultrig Colliery are putting down plant and machinery to sink another pit adjacent to their present pits. The work is being pushed forward, and the coal is expected to be reached within a few days.

Midlothian Advertiser, 2nd November 1907

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Public Inquiry into the CULTRIGG FATALITY.

Before Sheriff-Substitute Macleod and a jury, in the Linlithgow Sheriff Court Tuesday, a public inquiry was held into the circumstances attending the death James Johnstone, pithead worker. West Main Street, Whitburn, who was killed the 10th February by being run down by two runaway hutches on the haulage way between Nos.1, 2, and 3 Cultrigg Colliery, belonging to Messrs Barr and Thornton. The inquiry was conducted by Mr George S. Macknight, Procurator-Fiscal, and there was also present Mr M'Laren. H.M. Inspector of Mines. Adam Chambers, mine manager, Fauldhouse, deponed that Cultrigg Colliery consisted Nos. 1 and 2, which were practically together, and No. 3, which was a distance of about 150 yards away.' Everything brought up No. 3 was taken to No. I by the haulage way. The haulage way was used by the workmen walking from No. 1 to No. 3, and also walking from No. 1 to go home. Men, and especially boys, sometimes got into the hutches. He (witness) was not aware of that till after this accident. He was in the office when the accident happened, and he found at the locus two loaded hutches tipped up. Robert Strain, Armadale Road, Whitburn, stated that he was a pithead boy at No. 1 Colliery. They usually went home by the haulage way. On the day of the accident they left work about four o’clock, and Crawford and Johnstone and he came down the haulage way together. They sometimes took a ride down on the hutches. Johnstone fell behind the others, and they saw him stopping with a rake of empty hutches. Something went wrong with the hutches, and he tried to put them right. The next time they looked he was walking down the line with the hutches. He was walking between the full road and the empty road. They noticed two full hutches making for him, and they shouted. Deceased jumped right in front of the hutches, and was knocked down. Similar evidence was given by James Crawford, East Main Street, Whitburn. Alex Nimmo. West End. Whitburn, pithead boy at No. 3 Pit, spoke to Johnston coming down the haulage way. He also saw the full rake coming on him and knocking him down and shouted to him. Thomas Duncan, checkweighman, also gave evidence as witnessing the accident. He ran to the spot, and found that the lad had been fearfully injured. They had him conveyed to enginehouse. and sent for the doctor. The boy died shortly after. Evidence was also given by Alex. Moffat, pit-bottomer, and Dr Campbell, Whitburn. A formal verdict was returned.

Linlithgowshire Gazette, 25th March 1910