Early Memories. (above) Shirebrook Colliery. Derbyshire. (artist unknown)  One of my earliest memories happened on the day I was going underground for the very first time. There was a group of us (mining trainees) waiting at the shaft side of Bedlington Station pit ( this was a working pit, but also a training pit for all the pits in the area), the Banksman made sure we had been searched for contraband, (cigarettes,  matches etc.) which were not allowed underground in case they caused an explosion. He then allowed us to enter the cage which would lower us to the training gallery. The cage was suspended on one long piece of wire rope. I can't remember how many were on the cage, but there was a mixture of trainees and experienced miners. All the trainees were extremely nervous wondering what it was going to be like, would the cage drop quickly? how safe was it? would the cage be stopped in time before it reached the bottom? etc. The older colliers knew we were worried and they were smiling knowingly to each other. We heard the Banksman ring the signal for the winder to lower the cage. This was it, no turning back now, butterflies were in our stomachs, what next? With perfect timing we heard a rich deep voice saying "it's twenty years to the day since the rope last broke" and the old colliers roared with laughter as the cage dropped swiftly into the darkness. I learned quickly that miners had a queer sense of humour. They worked in dangerous conditions and used humour to ease their fears. Unfortunately many years later the thing we most feared happened, the chair (cage) at Markham pit (Derbyshire) fell to the bottom of the shaft. The thoughts of ever miner and everyone associated in any way with mining were with those involved in the tragedy, their family and loved ones. Miners are supposed to be hard. Don't you believe it. We all faced the same dangers and we all felt pain.  Note:- Thanks to Jim Davis ex-Bedlington Station Colliery miner (and Family friend), for pointing out that the actual search for contraband was carried out before climbing the steps up to the shaft-side. Perhaps because we were trainees the banksman also asked us about contraband. The pit was also known in the past as Bedlington "A" pit, Sleekburn "A" pit, and "The Auld Pit".