The invention is concerned with underground mine workings, primarily but not exclusively for the mining of coal by the "long wall" system. A coal cutting machine (6) is driven along the wall face (F) by the use of a haulage chain (14) anchored at opposite ends of the face. To avoid the problems associated with the establishment of slack chain behind the machine, take-up means (16, 18) is provided at at least the end of the working from which the machine undergoes a working traverse to remove material from the face. Control means is provided to render said take-up means operative, to take up the slack produced in the chain (14), during such a working traverse of the cutting machine (6), and to render the take-up means inoperative to provide a substantially fixed anchorage on a return traverse of the machine. Preferably such take-up means is provided at both ends of the working. IMAGE
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