Here at the West Riding Colliery, owned by Pope and Pearson, the first British coaldust experiments took place during 1908 and 1909. They were conducted by W. E. Garforth, manager of the colliery and president of the Mining Association of Great Britain.  

The power of the destruction arising from an explosion of coal dust in the complete absence of inflammable gas is shown in the photograph. Pieces of boiler still weighing up to 1,500 lbs were scattered over adjacent fields and the cast iron block embedded in the middle wagon was driven in by the explosion some 272 feet away.