Dave - No, all contmporary accounts refer to the 1913 Explosion as sending the cage up the Lancaster, killing the Banksman, the few survivors were evacuated up the York shaft. A rescue party was lowered down the Lancaster in baskets. They had to cut through the debrise and into the workings wearing an early form of Breathing Apparatus.

The horror of the esplosion was magnified by the ripple effect. Dust had not been cleaned from or dampened down in the roadway. The blast wave from the original explosion at the Lamp shelter raised coal dust, and the explosion proagated down the dustin the air. That was one of the charges the manager was convicted of.

Regulations then stated that the ventalation should be reversable. The owners had not made any arrangements of traps and cross drifts to enable the ventalation to be reversed, and the old air was still being drawn up the York shaft. Fresh air was being drawn down the Lancaster. Through the fire, and the smoke and gasses were then drawn into the workings, choking and "cooking" those trapped in the workings.

At one stage I believe the York was capped to avoid the through flow of air.

I'll have to drive across the hill to Senghenydd and check with the museam records, for reasons reported below this will not be possible for a day or so.

Tradgically Silvia, Reg's wife suffered a stroke and died on the night of the 14/15th. She had been confined to a wheel chair for some months previously. I have only just been informed.

I am sure all Mudcatters will wish me to express thier sympathy to Reg Phillips, and his fammilly.

Silvia is to be intered at Penrheol Cemetary, where so many of the victims of the to explosions rest.

Gareth