Castlecomer Coal Strike 1912

[WaYSidE]

its so trains, i had to share this poster, I believe the 1881 coal miners strikes inspired the pennsylvania coal strikes, which in part lead to the establishment of the Trade Union movement of America and else where, especial;ly as so many Irish from Castlecomer ended up working in pennsylvania before the coal strikes.

I did a google search for 'castlecomer mine and quarry union.pdf' nice page, includes great photo of mine with rail track. indeed it looks much like my layout today, now thta i am rewiring the power blocks into occupancy block and installing current dectors and more. 

the poster is from a 1912 coal strike, as it seems there were many strikes.

[Mayner]

The 1912 Strike was the 1st national coal strike in the UK which would have affected the coal supply to the Irish railway companies that used steam coal mined in Great Britain rather than anthracite mined at Castlecomer. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_coal_strike_of_1912 . 

The strike appears to have been successful with the Government awarding a minimum wage to the miners,  previous strikes and lockouts in South Wales lead to a lot of bitterness and distrust towards Churchill and the Liberal Government because of the use of police and the army in breaking up the Tonypandy riots. 

The railway to Castlecomer and Deerpark Mine and a similar railway from Athy to Woolfhill were built by the British Government to open up access to the Leinster Coalfield for the war effort but did not open until 1919, the Castlecomer branch would make an interesting scenic model with its steep grades, sharp curves, many level crossings and river bridges but there are relatively few published photos of Castlecomer station or the yard at Deerpark.

[WaYSidE]

On 1/7/2020 at 9:27 PM, Mayner said:

The 1912 Strike was the 1st national coal strike in the UK which would have affected the coal supply to the Irish railway companies that used steam coal mined in Great Britain rather than anthracite mined at Castlecomer. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_coal_strike_of_1912 . 

The strike appears to have been successful with the Government awarding a minimum wage to the miners,  previous strikes and lockouts in South Wales lead to a lot of bitterness and distrust towards Churchill and the Liberal Government because of the use of police and the army in breaking up the Tonypandy riots. 

The railway to Castlecomer and Deerpark Mine and a similar railway from Athy to Woolfhill were built by the British Government to open up access to the Leinster Coalfield for the war effort but did not open until 1919, the Castlecomer branch would make an interesting scenic model with its steep grades, sharp curves, many level crossings and river bridges but there are relatively few published photos of Castlecomer station or the yard at Deerpark.

Sorry Mayner, didnt see you post until now,  I agree that could well be Englands strike, But there are many many recorded strikes from Comer, welll into into the 20th century,

and i agree the countryside is ideal for modelling, i have an original plan of Athy wolfhill yard lines, i posted a  pic somehere in railwayanna on this site.  and would be glad to make original available to any modeller, ,  As most comer coal was anthracite, i doubt if it was used in trains.   Comer is 7km from me, and its fascinating seeing one of Ireland's industrial pasts rust away into the ground, as you walk farms there are fence posts made from cut rails, embankments with ash piles that grow unique floras and a few remaining old buildings, some renovated. including a house that looks so like a train station to the North east  of comer towards carlow that i am told never had any trains.  

[jhb171achill]

49 minutes ago, WaYSidE said:

Sorry Mayner, didnt see you post until now,  I agree that could well be Englands strike, But there are many many recorded strikes from Comer, welll into into the 20th century,

and i agree the countryside is ideal for modelling, i have an original plan of Athy wolfhill yard lines, i posted a  pic somehere in railwayanna on this site.  and would be glad to make original available to any modeller, ,  As most comer coal was anthracite, i doubt if it was used in trains.   Comer is 7km from me, and its fascinating seeing one of Ireland's industrial pasts rust away into the ground, as you walk farms there are fence posts made from cut rails, embankments with ash piles that grow unique floras and a few remaining old buildings, some renovated. including a house that looks so like a train station to the North east  of comer towards carlow that i am told never had any trains.  

Correct - it was taken away to Dublin, presumably for export. An ancestor of mine was a manager in the Deerpark mines nearby.....

[minister_for_hardship]

Interestingly, it was the reason why the Titanic wasn't fully booked out on its maiden voyage, many passengers had postponed their passages until the strike was over. The strike finished a few days before sailing date but too late to have much of an effect.

Edited January 30, 2020 by minister_for_hardship

[Mayner]

Anthracite a slow burning almost smokeless coal which was at one time used in steam locos on the Anthracite Railroads in the North East United States in addition to steel making, industrial and domestic use.

One of my grandfathers was a driver on the Midland up to the early 30s, an American relative could not understand why Irish trains were so smokey . Like Phoebe Snow our relative rode on "smokeless" trains on a road of Anthracite in America https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoebe_Snow_(character)#/media/File:Phoebe-Snow-ditty.JPG

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camelback_locomotive,   I am not sure how an Irish locomotive crew would have reacted to a Camelback

Its likely the Anthracite from the Leinster coalfield was used mainly for domestic and industrial use in Ireland, it would have been difficult for the Irish mines to compete with South Wales anthracite particularly after the coalfield went into serious decline after WW1.