Stobswood Colliery, Widdrington Village, Northumberland
The effects of a 3,600 lb explosion at Stobswood opencast coal mine. John Laing and Son Ltd had started opencast mining operations in 1942 to meet wartime needs. The work was expanded by the company after the war. Open Cast mining involves removing the top soil and other layers to reveal the coal seams below. The coal is then broken up using explosives and removed using heavy lifting gear. No shafts or tunnels are used. The man appears to be wearing no protective clothing which would have been normal in the 1940s. This photograph comes from the John Laing Company Archive.
