Genealogy Chat

'George Kennedy,a spragger,employed by the Tyne railway company,and living at Hebburn,said that about midnight on Friday last he was on locomotive No 2 on which Thomas Watson was driver and James Storey,fireman.'

any help taken from an article about mining The man who ran the motor was. of course, called the motorman. The spragger was his helper. The name 'spragger' may be traced to the days before mine cars were equipped with brakes. To stop the cars, the brakemen carried 'sprags,' short pieces of wood about 18' long and 2' thick, which were jammed in through the spokes of the wheels. 'The spragger also had to jump off the motor, disconnect the empty cars and put them near the rooms for the men to load,' Andy says. 'Then he'd connect the loaded cars to the motor to be pulled out to the side tracks to await haulage to the tipple by a larger locomotive. 'He was also responsible for making sure the switches were working right and that the track was clear. 'Sometimes, the spragger was called a 'trip rider.'

Might have answered my own question!! From a site about mining in Pennsylvania... 'Another method of haulage entailed the use of small locomotives called 'motors' run by electricity from trolley wires suspended from the roof. 'The company employed 'wiremen' to hand the cables,' Andy says, 'and with each advancement of the mine, the wires had to be extended too. This could be quite dangerous considering that the wires held 250 volts.' The man who ran the motor was. of course, called the motorman. The spragger was his helper. The name 'spragger' may be traced to the days before mine cars were equipped with brakes. To stop the cars, the brakemen carried 'sprags,' short pieces of wood about 18' long and 2' thick, which were jammed in through the spokes of the wheels. 'The spragger also had to jump off the motor, disconnect the empty cars and put them near the rooms for the men to load,' Andy says. 'Then he'd connect the loaded cars to the motor to be pulled out to the side tracks to await haulage to the tipple by a larger locomotive. 'He was also responsible for making sure the switches were working right and that the track was clear. 'Sometimes, the spragger was called a 'trip rider.'' Brenda

Elaine, we found the same site! Thanks, Brenda

snap !!

This bit's interesting... '...and that the track was clear.' The spragger wasn't doing his job the night they knocked over and killed my Gt Grandfather!! Wonder if I could sue!! lol. Brenda