I’d been there years ago, and Pieter even longer ago. So we visited the coalmine museum in Valkenburg. The Dutch mines were closed in the 70’s. Our guide has worked there in his youth so his story was really interesting. They got them at a young age, went to a special school age 14, were they learned to obey church and the bosses. Working conditions were awful, silicosis and other lung diseases due to the dust etc. Lots of lethal accidents… The men lived in a world of their own, no women allowed underground…. 

some of the pics…..

The train for the transport for the workers

Imagine working like this all day long….

A mine shaft, the men were underground at a depth between 100 and 800 meters

Transportband

For individual transport, but better hope not to cross a train