Cylinder of black coloured wood encased in metal, except for ends. Welding marks half way down length of pipe.
Digital image on Keeper’s computer – S:/Keeper/MyPictures/Exhibitions/DisplayNewVisitorCentre. Taken October 2003.
Replaced wooden props in the 1910s. Designed by Mungo Mackay. The wood protruding at each end absorbs the pressure from the floor and roof. As the ends wore down they were replaced. After World War II hydraulic props were introduced and these props went out of use. Transferred to new exhibition case C20.
Exhibition Label Text: Lady Victoria was one of the first pits to succesfully pioneer the use of metal props. These steel coated tubular props were stronger and less of a fire risk than wooden props. The use of wooden cores made them more affordable than props made entrirely of metal.
Props were welded back together, and given a new wooden core on the rare occasions they broke. The weld mark on the prop displayed here shows it was once recycled in this way.
400 length x 115 mm in diameter