Hendreladais Colliery Man-Riding Accident, 1892

A haulage engine left unattended let man-riding carriages run out of control down the colliery's steep incline at the start of the night shift, killing six men and seriously injuring three more.

Cause

The haulage engine that controlled the man-riding carriages' descent was left unattended, its clutch not engaged; when a rider kicked away the scotch holding the carriages and jumped aboard, they ran uncontrolled down the steep incline.

What happened

Nine men boarded man-riding carriages, known locally as "bridles", at the mouth of the drift at the start of their night shift on 24 August 1892. The bridles were connected by a steel rope to a haulage engine that wound onto the drum controlling their descent down the mine's steep incline. A rider kicked away the scotch holding the bridles in place and jumped aboard, expecting the engine to control their descent as normal — but the haulage engine was unattended and its clutch had not been engaged with the drum. The bridles ran uncontrolled down the incline and crashed violently at the bottom. Six of the nine riders were killed; the other three suffered terrible injuries.

Investigation & inquiry

No inquest report was found.

What's uncertain

Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.

• Six men were killed and three rescued alive after the runaway bridle left the rails and brought down the roof timbering. (disputed) ²
• Seven were killed, the seventh being Thomas Jeffreys, a collier of 18. (disputed) ³

Recorded claims

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

• The Welsh Coal Mines fatalities register independently records all six victims by name, trade and family circumstance, confirming: "Man Riding Accident. 6 Killed. 3 Injured." ¹
• Contemporary reports called the drift the Yniscedwyn Colliery, in the parish of Ystradgynlais; its ninety-yard shaft had lately been used only to raise water, and the shaft and drift drums were coupled to one engine, so the drift drum was out of gear while water was raised. ^2,3
• Six men were killed and three rescued alive after the runaway bridle left the rails and brought down the roof timbering. (disputed) ²
• Seven were killed, the seventh being Thomas Jeffreys, a collier of 18. (disputed) ³

Related terminology

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

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “…left unattended let man-riding carriages run out of control down the colliery's steep incline at the start of the night shift, killing six men and…”
• Drift (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…carriages, known locally as "bridles", at the mouth of the drift at the start of their night shift on 24 August 1892. The bridles…”
• Haulage (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “A haulage engine left unattended let man-riding carriages run out of control…”
• Incline (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “…man-riding carriages run out of control down the colliery's steep incline at the start of the night shift, killing six men and seriously…”
• Man-riding (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “A haulage engine left unattended let man-riding carriages run out of control down the colliery's steep incline at…”

Sources

1. (secondary) Welsh Coal Mines: Fatalities 1892 — welshcoalmines.co.uk
2. (primary) Another account [Ystalyfera colliery accident], South Wales Daily News, 26 August 1892 — Welsh Newspapers Online (National Library of Wales)
3. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Yniscedwin, 24th August 1892 — Durham Mining Museum
4. (secondary) Abercrave (Hendreladus Colliery) — Welsh Coal Mines

Record created: 15 September 2026 · Last researched: 15 September 2026