Duddingston shale mines runaway tub, 1912

On 27 May 1912 two roadsmen of the Oakbank Oil Company's Duddingston shale mines near Winchburgh were killed walking down the main haulage dook of No. 1 mine to their work, when a loaded tub slipped from the stationary endless rope and ran down onto them.

Cause

A tub hung from the overhead endless rope by a chain twisted three times round it slipped when the chain loosened overnight while the rope stood still, and ran down the main dook.

Contributing factors

The two men were walking down the main haulage dook against orders, though a good travelling dook ran close beside it.

What happened

Shale was brought up the No. 1 mine by an overhead endless rope, the tubs attached singly by chains twisted three times round the rope and then hooked. The gradient of the main dook varied from 1 in 47 to 1 in 8. The rope had not moved since the day before, and during the night the chain on one tub loosened slightly. The roadsmen Stirrut and Feeny were walking down the dook on their way to work when it slipped and ran down on them.

Investigation & inquiry

An enquiry into the deaths was reported in the Linlithgowshire Gazette on 5 August 1912. Evidence described the two mines: No. 1 the haulage road, about 12 feet wide and 7 high with a double set of rails worked on the endless tow-rope system, and No. 2 the travelling road, 10 feet wide and 6 high, joined by cross-cuts; the system was called one of the most modern.

Recorded claims

Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.

• On 27 May 1912 two roadsmen, George Stirrut and Harry Feeny, were killed in Duddingston No. 1 mine by a runaway tub as they walked down the main dook to work; the mine belonged to the Oakbank Oil Co. Ltd. ^1,2
• The tubs were hung singly from an overhead endless rope by chains twisted three times round it; the rope had not moved since the day before, and the chain on one tub had loosened slightly overnight and let it slip. ^1,2
• A good travelling dook ran close by, and the men were disobeying orders by walking down the main dook. ^1,2
• Evidence at the enquiry described No. 1 mine as the haulage road, 12 feet wide and 7 high with a double set of rails on the endless tow-rope system, and No. 2 as the travelling road, 10 feet by 6, joined to it by cross-cuts. ³
• The gradient of the main dook varied from 1 in 47 to 1 in 8. ¹

Related terminology

Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.

• Dook (contextual relationship)
  Named 6 times in this record, first in the summary: “…mines near Winchburgh were killed walking down the main haulage dook of No. 1 mine to their work, when a loaded tub slipped from the…”
• Endless Rope Haulage (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…1 mine to their work, when a loaded tub slipped from the stationary endless rope and ran down onto them.”
• Haulage (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…shale mines near Winchburgh were killed walking down the main haulage dook of No. 1 mine to their work, when a loaded tub slipped from the…”
• Tub (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “…the main haulage dook of No. 1 mine to their work, when a loaded tub slipped from the stationary endless rope and ran down onto them.”

Sources

1. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Duddinston, No.1, 1912 (Stirrut) — Northern Mine Research Society
2. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Duddinston, No.1, 1912 (Feeny) — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (secondary) Scottish Shale: Duddingston No. 1 & 2 mines — Scottish Shale (Museum of the Scottish Shale Oil Industry, Almond Valley Heritage Trust)

Record created: 16 October 2026 · Last researched: 16 October 2026