Rhondda Main Colliery shaft accident, 1910

Two sinkers at the new Rhondda Main Colliery, Ogmore Vale, were thrown back down the shaft on 15 August 1910 when a faulty throttle let the bowk run up into the platform.

Cause

A faulty throttle valve left the winding engine out of control, and the bowk struck the platform rail and upset.

What happened

In August 1910 shafts were being sunk for Lewis Merthyr's new Rhondda Main Colliery at Ogmore Vale. On 15 August seven sinkers were drawn up in the bowk after lighting the fuses for a round of shots. A faulty throttle valve left the engineman unable to control the engine, and the bowk struck the rail of the platform and overturned. William Richards, 44, and Daniel John, 38, were thrown back down the shaft and killed, and three others were hurt.

Recorded claims

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

• On 15 August 1910 two sinkers, William Richards, 44, and Daniel John, 38, were killed at the Rhondda Main Colliery sinking, Ogmore Vale. ^1,2
• Seven sinkers were being drawn up after lighting the fuses when the engineman lost control of the engine through a faulty throttle valve. ¹
• The bowk struck the rail of the platform and overturned, throwing two men back down the shaft; three others were injured. ^1,2

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 sinkers at the new Rhondda Main Colliery, Ogmore Vale, were thrown back down the shaft on 15 August 1910 when…”
• Kibble (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “…back down the shaft on 15 August 1910 when a faulty throttle let the bowk run up into the platform.”
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…new Rhondda Main Colliery, Ogmore Vale, were thrown back down the shaft on 15 August 1910 when a faulty throttle let the bowk run up into…”
• Shaft Sinking (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “Two sinkers at the new Rhondda Main Colliery, Ogmore Vale, were thrown back down…”
• Winding Engine (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “A faulty throttle valve left the winding engine out of control, and the bowk struck the platform rail and upset.”

Sources

1. (secondary) Welsh Coal Mines fatalities, 1910 — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (secondary) Rhondda Main Colliery, Ogmore Vale — Northern Mine Research Society

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