I worked for ECC Ball Clays from 1970 until 1996.  I was originally employed as a lorry driver initially collecting clay from the various underground mines, of which there were about 10 at the time.  My first lorry was a ratty old Thames Trader and the worst place to collect from was Creech Barrow because of the steep descent on the way back and the lorry didn’t have much in the way of brakes so coming down the side of Creech Barrow was always an adventure. Killwood was always disliked as well as there were no proper clay storage facilities and the clay was stored in the wagons from which it was transported from underground.  You had to drive in under the stage and help the tipper tip the wagons directly into the lorry and when one side was full reverse out and reverse back in to fill the other side.  The more modern mines had hydraulic tipping bins which you had to reverse the back of the lorry under and as the bin was tipped and the lorry filled up reverse slowly in hoping to gauge it right and it all fitted in.  It took a bit of practice but became quite easy with experience. As the underground mines gradually closed I moved on to working in the open cast pits as well as delivering clay to Poole ‘docks and our other works at Kingsteignton in Devon which made a nice change. I progressed to bigger and better lorries over the years finishing up driving 6 and 8 wheel Leyland Constructors as well as hydraulic diggers, dumpers, loading shovels etc. Mostly I thoroughly enjoyed the job and worked with some great characters over the years. I was lucky enough to go down most of the mines at various times and it was interesting to say the least but not somewhere I would have cared to work for any length of time.

Mike Streeter
Reservations Office,  Swanage Railway