Deep in the earth lies the Bresson mine shaft. A silent testament to a bygone era. This isn’t just any mine. The J\u00e1ma Bresson in Kladno played a vital role in Czech history. It was part of the State Railway Company’s network. The mine’s excavation began in 1868. Coal extraction started in November 1871.
Imagine the miners. Their lives were hard. They toiled in darkness. Their work fueled industrial progress. This shaft was rectangular. It measured 2.315 by 6.833 meters. The central section housed two cages. At depths of 291.46 meters and 332.76 meters were wooden and brick supports. The entire shaft was constructed of strong timber. Even the cage guides were wooden.
The winding tower stood 13.27 meters high. Two-rope cages carried coal to the surface. The cages each held one wagon. They were equipped with Fontaine safety brakes. The iron cages were similar to those at the Thinfeld Kubeck and Pruhon mines. These mines shared the same reserves.
The double-drum winding engine was a marvel of engineering. Breitfeld & Danek of Prague supplied it in 1869. It was identical to the one at the Kubeck mine. A servomotor assisted in handling the winding gear. In 1890 the winding drums received iron casings.
Water removal was a constant challenge. A Cornwall-type surface steam engine powered four pumps. The pumps were used only until 1882. The low water inflow rendered them underutilized. The entire pumping system was relocated to mines in Sekul in Hungarian Banat. The Bresson mine’s water was then diverted to the nearby Engerth mine.
Ventilation was initially provided by the Engerth mine. A Kortig system ventilator was installed in 1879. It had a 6.42 meter high metal chimney. The chimney had a diameter of 1.185 meters. The Kortig ventilator operated until 1884. Then a Quiball system was put in place. This was superseded in 1903 by an electric Schielle system.
Coal transport was initially done using an unknown method. A dry coal hoist from Schuchtermann & Kramer of Dortmund began operating in 1885. A Breitfeld & Danek steam engine powered it. The hoist’s flywheel had a diameter of 2000 mm. Coal was mechanically tipped from the cages. The coal then travelled down chutes of decreasing size. Finally a bucket elevator lifted the coal. Larger pieces went through other larger chutes. After 1902 electrical power drove the processing plant. The plant’s coal was sent to the Engerth mine using a surface ropeway.
The boiler house boasted eight cylindrical boilers. They used Bolzano system chain grates. A 41.7-meter-high chimney served the boiler house. The J\u00e1ma Bresson was filled in 1905. Today only its history remains. The story of the J\u00e1ma Bresson is one of human endeavour and industrial innovation. A legacy etched into the very landscape of Kladno.