Maesteg Deep Colliery runaway journey, 1904

Four men were killed at Maesteg Deep on 14 November 1904 when a rider who had let himself into the locked engine house lost control of a journey carrying forty of the night shift down the drift.

Cause

An unauthorised rider took charge of the haulage engine, could not control it, and the man-riding journey ran away down the drift.

Contributing factors

The regular engineman was absent; Davies entered the locked engine room against the overman's instruction and the colliery rules.

What happened

The men at Maesteg Deep rode down the drift in carriages. On the evening of 14 November 1904 the regular engineman had not come in, and about forty of the night shift were seated when a rider, James Henry Davies, volunteered to let them down, though the overman told him not to. He got into the locked engine house through the rope hole and raised the brake, but could not put on the steam, and the journey ran away down the 700-yard slant. Some men leapt off and others were thrown out and fell under the carriages; those who held on reached the bottom unhurt. Daniel Jenkins died as he was carried home, John Jones two days later, David Gibbon Evans after three days, and Patrick O'Dwyer some weeks afterwards.

Rescue & recovery

The manager, David Evans, directed the rescue, and half a dozen doctors attended the injured.

Investigation & inquiry

The inquest jury returned a verdict of manslaughter against James Henry Davies.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

Davies pleaded guilty at the Glamorgan Assizes to the manslaughter of Daniel Jenkins. The prosecution accepted that he had meant no harm but had acted recklessly and panicked; he was sentenced to six months' imprisonment without hard labour.

Recorded claims

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

• On the evening of 14 November 1904 a runaway journey of men on the slant at Maesteg Deep Colliery fatally injured four men. ^1,2,3,4,5,6
• The regular engineman had not come to work, and a rider, James Henry Davies, let the men down against the overman's order and the colliery rules; he raised the engine's brake but could not put on the steam, and the journey ran away. ^2,3
• About forty of the night shift were seated in the carriages; some leapt off and others were thrown out, while those who stayed aboard reached the bottom unhurt. ³
• The drift was 700 yards long at a gradient of 1 in 6. ³
• The inquest jury returned a verdict of manslaughter against Davies, who pleaded guilty at the Glamorgan Assizes and was sentenced to six months' imprisonment without hard labour. ^2,3
• The colliery belonged to North's Navigation Collieries (1889) Ltd. ^1,4,5,6

Related terminology

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

• Engine House (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…on 14 November 1904 when a rider who had let himself into the locked engine house lost control of a journey carrying forty of the night shift down the…”
• Journey (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…who had let himself into the locked engine house lost control of a journey carrying forty of the night shift down the drift.”
• Man-riding (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “…took charge of the haulage engine, could not control it, and the man-riding journey ran away down the drift.”
• Overman (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the contributing factors: “…was absent; Davies entered the locked engine room against the overman's instruction and the colliery rules.”
• Slant (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…not put on the steam, and the journey ran away down the 700-yard slant. Some men leapt off and others were thrown out and fell under the…”

Sources

1. (secondary) Mining deaths 1900-1909, surnames E, part 2 (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)
2. (secondary) Maesteg Deep Colliery — Welsh Coal Mines
3. (secondary) Welsh mining fatalities, 1904 — Welsh Coal Mines
4. (secondary) Mining deaths 1900-1909, surnames D, part 7 (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)
5. (secondary) Mining deaths 1900-1909, surnames J, part 2 (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)
6. (secondary) Mining deaths 1900-1909, surnames J, part 4 (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)

Record created: 8 October 2026 · Last researched: 8 October 2026