Emlyn Colliery runaway journey, 1909

Two repairers walking out of Emlyn Colliery, Penygroes, at the end of the shift on 28 June 1909 were killed when a badly coupled tram and timber carriage ran wild down the slant.

Cause

A tram and timber carriage that had not been properly coupled or examined broke loose and ran down the steep slant.

What happened

At the end of the Monday day shift on 28 June 1909 a journey was being made ready to go down the steep slant at Emlyn Colliery, Penygroes, with a tram and timber carriages carrying nine-foot posts. The coupling had not been properly made or examined, and the tram and a timber carriage broke loose and ran wild down the slant into men walking out. John Williams reached a manhole. George Roderick, unable to reach one, lay face down and survived with broken legs and a hip wound. The repairers Ernest Morgan, 26, and David Thomas, 21, were killed.

Recorded claims

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

• On 28 June 1909 a runaway on the slant at Emlyn Colliery, Penygroes, killed two repairers, Ernest Morgan, 26, and David Thomas, 21. ^1,2
• A tram and a timber carriage ran wild down the steep slant when their coupling came loose; it had not been properly coupled or examined. ^1,2
• A third man, George Roderick, was seriously injured; he lay face down and survived with broken legs and a hip wound. ^1,2
• The colliery belonged to the Emlyn Anthracite Colliery Co. Ltd. ²

Related terminology

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

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “Two repairers walking out of Emlyn Colliery, Penygroes, at the end of the shift on 28 June 1909 were killed when…”
• Journey (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “At the end of the Monday day shift on 28 June 1909 a journey was being made ready to go down the steep slant at Emlyn Colliery,…”
• Slant (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “…when a badly coupled tram and timber carriage ran wild down the slant.”
• Tub (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “…end of the shift on 28 June 1909 were killed when a badly coupled tram and timber carriage ran wild down the slant.”

Sources

1. (secondary) 1909 fatalities — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (secondary) Accident record: Ernest Morgan, Emlyn, 1909 — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 9 October 2026 · Last researched: 9 October 2026