Investment Opportunities - October 1999

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"Living Mines", Nottingham-based holiday operator, have taken the steam-railway revival idea and applied it to real coalmines. They have bought up 2 decommissioned deep-mines from RJB and turned them into a living industrial history centre with a difference: guests can stay in back-to-back cottages, basically authentic although with the addition of central-heating, hot running-water and inside privy, then dress the part and descend the shaft to one of the re-opened seams to try their hand at pick and shovel mining, or ask one of the specialist advisors on hand to show them how to use the more serious cutting equipment - big boys' toys!

Learn how to jack up the roof, ride face-down on the conveyor belt, spit out coaldust hygienically and considerately, and after all of this enjoy a well-earned pit-head shower followed by traditional miners' fare at one of the many eateries around the site.

Your labours will not be in vain, either, both mines have contracts to supply 10Kg of coal granules a year to Pecorama model railway village in Devon.