As time marches on, I think we should try and bring into the forum the history of the modern exploration of this famous mine.
I was not present when a group of local, ex miners led by the late Eric Richardson, decided to dig out the mine entrance. I guess this was about 1965 or 6.
Other key events, include the dig at the Cowhill cross vein, second sun vein junction.
The opening up of Carr's level off the same vein, with the subsequent discovery of the Large Longcleugh flat which it accessed.
The search for Bogg's shaft, which I will start the ball rolling by quoting the discovery date:17 th of Feb 1991.(I know as I was there!)
I think we should be able to fill in some of the other important dates!

Why stick with Smallcleugh John?
There has been a lot of interesting discoveries up until fairly recently. A while ago I digitalised the old West Cumbria Brownley Hill.
Remember Jug Vein?
Hell, those where the days
Little blonde Maureen and I just made it to the portal with dying lamps.

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Discovery of Flatt Sump Crosscut - October 2012 - NG, SC, PJ

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Smallcleugh exploration by NCMRS started in 1964 - so 'twill be 50 years next year since the fun started. I was thinking about organising a "Heritage Trip" in 2014. Cotton overalls, carbides or nifes, and using the original entrance route would be good fun?

More entertaining would a Caplecleugh-Smallcleugh through trip without wetsuit or furry suit.

Anyone present on the 1964 trips would get a free pint from the rest of the group.

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I found the ballroom back in 2012 😉

More entertaining would a Caplecleugh-Smallcleugh through trip without wetsuit or furry suit.

Bizare idea of fun Peter!
SAS selection?
:lol:

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Thanks for the invite Peter but both you and I will recall a trip to capelcleugh in a February when your brother was in a pretty bad state after doing a trip like this.
Robert and myself came down the fell in a blizzard and whilst we had the luxury of wet suits, I personally would not be up for doing any of that without one.
I think that other dates need fixing, eg when was the bunny hole enlarged?
Not to mention the widening of the squeeze, called the letter box?

I did the through trip last month. Below no 13 rise where the water is held back by a heavy fall the drainage pipes were below water creating little wirlpools, and I did hesitate a bit but got through OK.
At the boulder sqeeze I expected trouble beyond but it was draining OK. I had planned a detour to James Hills but felt that I wanted to get out of Dodge in case water levels rose.
There was also unusually high water beyond a fall in the shale section of Dowgang Level.

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Other years/ dates, that need identifying, include:
The dig on Middlecleugh 2nd sun Vein with its junction with Cowhill Cross Vein.
The opening up of Longcleugh 2nd Sun Vein - at the Ballroom end(sadly no longer accessible).
The opening up of Carr's Vein Level, off Middlecleugh Second Sun Vein, to the large Longcleugh Flat.
At a later date, this was further explored to give access to Baron's sump.
There are also, somewhat 'nasty events', the death at the water blast shaft on the main level, and the guy who fell down the sump in Elllots's String.
All of which need dates and times in this Smallcleugh History.
Just an aside, those of you out there who wondered what those polythene bags, full of white stuff in the main level, just before the water blast shaft. This is the remains of an attempt by a mine lessee called Wilson, who was going to use lime to
remove minerals out of the incline flats, for one reason or another(I do not know!), the lime(now obviously well slaked and no use at all for blasting!)was left here.

Richard, that was not the Deoderant incident near the hydraulic shaft,

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What?
David, have Levett and your good self been out sampling the beers of Barnard Castle again...

John between myself and Levett, who would take spray on under arm smellys inbye,ask Levett?,and no hvenot had a drink in barney for ages couple of pubs closed in the last year?

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John between myself and Levett, who would take spray on under arm smellys inbye,ask Levett?,and no hvenot had a drink in barney for ages couple of pubs closed in the last year? 🙂

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who would take spray on under arm smellys inbye,

I would imagine the same sort of clown who would turn up to a three day mining weekend with one pair of cut-off shorts to wear for the whole weekend underground and overground.

... beyond a fall in the shale section of Dowgang Level.

Back on topic :tongue: but admittedly not in Smallcleugh... was the Caplecleugh horse level always open to toilet box junction and if not, when was a way cleared through the shale collapses?

... beyond a fall in the shale section of Dowgang Level.

Back on topic :tongue: but admittedly not in Smallcleugh... was the Caplecleugh horse level always open to toilet box junction and if not, when was a way cleared through the shale collapses?

My first trip was about 1987 (if John L reads this; remember the white XR3i?) and there were falls there then, much the same as we see today .
The shale falls are in the main well trodden down indicating that they been like that for some time. There is however a section that is still falling and every time I go in there is fresh stuff to see. Early this year I found my way blocked at an arch and had to move stuff that had come down the other side.

A lot has changed since those days, incline signal notices intact in those days, as was the wheelbarrow up in North Flats by the calcite ladder, and of course Caplecleugh Shaft is now Caplecleugh Mound. Be careful there as there is still stuff coming down out of the roof.

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The.first exploration in Capelclegh took place in 1968, by two of my friends the only thing they told me was do not go in there without a wat suit. Good advice.
The next major exploration took place on August bank holiday 1977. Floating logs were effectionally known as crocodiles, part of the level was blocked, subsequently dug out and accessed by a shale cavity above the ginging. On this trip we discovered the ventilation fan.
We did not venture back in there for a number of years since several of this large group were suffering from mild exposure!

Some historic stuff as a starter!
On the 22nd of September 1787, under the direction of the L.L.Co's agent Thomas Dodd, they began the driving of Smallcleugh level. When they hit Smallcleughh cross Vein rich ore was obtained from sumps into the G.L. In 1793 they made a profit of £9,517. By 1797 they had reached their main objective the Middllecleugh Veins. Around 1800, a clever miner, George Hethrington discovered the Smallcleugh Flats- much to the annoyance of the Company's agent!
After abandonment by V.M. In 1920, the lease was acquired by Eric Richardson and partner in 1963.

More recent stuff. Smallcleugh mine was reopened in 1964.
In 1970 Peter Jackson released his plan of the mine which stimulated further exploration.
In August 1978 Earby dug out the entrance to Longcleugh and Llongcleugh 2nd Sun Veins, now sadly inaccessible.
1979 saw the lease taken over by a Mr Wilson who was going to make money by running guided tours of the mine. He enlisted the help of a geologist who produced a map detailing the remaining areas of rich mineralisation. His company was called mine tours Ltd.
In 1981, Earby dug out the fall on Middllecleugh 2nd Sun and Cowhill Cross veins.

The next installment of what I know!
September 1983 saw the the fatality at Waterblast shaft- with calls to seal the mine for ever!
September 1987 Earby dug out the way to Barron's Sump, via Carr's X Vein.
17th of Feb 1991, Bogg's Shaft was discovered by myself and members of W.C.M.R.G.
In the previous year in August 1990 I had descended a shaft of Scaleburn Vein to Brownley Horse level, and I suggested that it should now be possible to enter Capelcleugh low level, into Smallcleugh down Ramgill, hence to Brownley Hill, then down again,finally emerging at Haggs' entrance.
This trip was first achieved in November 1991 :happybday: