Trout Beck Foot/Teesdale Lead Mine (1970/71) (photo)

Jim MacPherson
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9 years ago

It's been a quite day so I thought I might see if anyone has been in Upper Teesdale recently and if so if this mine rings a bell. John annotated this as Trout Beck Foot, the likeliest mine on AditNow seems to be Teesdale Lead Mine - NY757338 (minedat perhaps calls it Trout Beck Level), no pics available. NCMRS did quite a lot of research around Moor House at the time and the photo below look similar;

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2364524

Comments happily accepted.

Photograph:
🔗105786[linkphoto]105786[/linkphoto][/link]

photo moved to Teeside Mine archive

risy76115
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9 years ago

#2

think it's the same place google earth coordinates 54° 41.968'N 2° 22.415'W was up here last year summer time if it's the same place as the photograph it does not look like that now and the barrow is no place to be seen

Rise from the ashes

Jim MacPherson
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9 years ago

#3

Thanks for the confirmation risy76115,

I felt it was likely, I initially wondered if it was the Ambleside Troutbeck but that didn't seem too plausible. Some of John's annotations are a little ambiguous, there is one other labelled "Troutbeck Foot - Handling Shaft". Would you know whether it would be Teesdale or Hardshins as the better mine to allocate it to?, I only went to the Moor House area a couple of times, the midges weren't very friendly.

It's always possible somebody liberated the barrow as a garden feature!:(

Jim

legendrider
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9 years ago

#4

Its actually named Teesside Mine.

I was last up there about 10 years ago, and there were no standing walls even then. No discernible u/g access.

MARK

festina lente[i]

royfellows
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9 years ago

#5

Its one of my favourite places to visit. I find interpretation challenging. Several mines in the same area, dont know whether all separate mines or same venture.

Near the locked gate on the left facing towards Dun Fell a double compartment engine shaft with in situ rising main, that side rubble filled, the other is flooded.

Further along the track on the right is another engine shaft with some foundations.

My avatar is a poor likeness.

Jim MacPherson
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9 years ago

#6

My mistake it does say Teeside not Teesdale:-[

Beyond that as far as my limited research goes many of the mines seem to use Hardshins as the "parent mine", according to an English Heritage (very extensive) research paper on Scordale there was an underground connection from Hardshins to the mines in Scordale (see below). There is a 1920 Teesdale Mercury article (I'll upload it to Hardshins later today) about some of the Upper Teesdale mines which again seems to suggest the name used then was Troutbeck Foot and was an adjunct to Hardshins, anyway my Dad was never wrong (too often).

Short of someone rapping my knuckles sharply I'll put the two pics on Hardshins with due reference to peoples comments.

Correction 3/5/16 - Having seen sparty_lea's plan of Scordale mines there is a Hardshins level near Mason Holes - so no link!

Jim

legendrider
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9 years ago

#7

Thanks for posting that very interesting article from the Mercury, Jim, but what really tickled my pickle was:

RATOX
Lures Rats To Death
Every Bite Kills
They mummify and leave no smell

don't know why they didn't go with "Does exactly what it says on the tin"

:lol::lol::lol::thumbsup::thumbup:

MARK

festina lente[i]

rufenig
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9 years ago

#8

I hate to think what might have been in Rat poison in those times.;(

legendrider
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9 years ago

#9

"rufenig" wrote:
I hate to think what might have been in Rat poison in those times.;(

err... Teesdale Mercury, of course :smartass:

MARK

festina lente[i]

Tamarmole
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9 years ago

#10

"rufenig" wrote:
I hate to think what might have been in Rat poison in those times.;(

Wasn't witherite used in rat poisons?

royfellows
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9 years ago

#11

Teeside, found it. No photos or anything.

I have lots that could be uploaded but just want to check. Is Troutbeck a valid alternative name?

Are all the mines in the immediate area the same one?

What is the one up by the Moorhouse bothy? There is a substantial level and remains of a wheelpit in the trees to the right of the track approaching the bothy.

The engine shaft with the rising main has what could be the base of a horse whim nearby.

An interesting area.

My avatar is a poor likeness.

Jim MacPherson
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9 years ago

#12

I've attached the two pics to Hardshins for the moment, but if the great and the good have a better location that's fine, Troubeck Foot and Troutbeck Mine seem to have been used as names in the past, the Mercury article seems to suggest it was just a part of Hardshins rather than a separate mine.

royfellows
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9 years ago

#13

I am starting to think that there may be three mines in the locality. Troutbeck being the one up towards the bothy as its adjacent to Trout Beck, Teeside being the one in your photo, and Hardshins being ???

I will do a little reading, KC Dunham, Fairbairn etc as soon as I have time. Problem, as well know only too well, is that mines were worked under different names and merged into one at different periods.

My avatar is a poor likeness.

royfellows
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9 years ago

#14

Mine in the trees and adjacent level right of track to bothy. Netherhurth Mine.

Troutbeck Level NY 7503 3320

Hardshins Level NY 7588 3390

The one that goes under the track coming from Garigill and concrete sleepers on the left (can be entered from here, beware of deep mud in inner reaches!) is Tynegreens Mine.

References: BM 56 1996 Fairbairn

BM 43 1991 Potted history of Teeside Mine by Nigel Chapman

I will study the history and update the Teeside entry later with my pics.

My avatar is a poor likeness.

royfellows
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9 years ago

#15

Troutbeck is the mine you reach if you walk towards Dun Fell from Moorhouse. Has a significant spoil heap which comes into sight as you walk, remains of a shop near the level mouth which is open but boarded over. From memory.

Next time up there will photograph and add the mine to the database.

Where the track bends to the right and goes to the locked barrier, if you carry straight on along a rough track, this takes you to Metalband Mine.

My nice little shaft with the rising main is Providence Shaft, and it was pumped with a steam engine, the foundations can still be seen.

It seems that the Teeside Mining Company worked the whole lot in the 1850s and 60s, a set of about 1000 acres. However, as they were also worked separately at different times I think each deserves a separate entry on the database.

My avatar is a poor likeness.

Jim MacPherson
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9 years ago

#16

Hi Roy,

I've had a quite look at your, fine, uploaded pics for Teeside Mine.

Your first general view does look quite similar to John's photo of the mine shop etc, so I'm quite happy to shift that to Teeside Mine. Your second general view shows a bridge, which looks rather similar to that on another, un-annotated, photo which has a few bits of buildings, would you mind if I send it as a PM so you could give it a bit of scrutiny.

The other pic on Hardshins is of a shaft top which seems a bit vegitated compared to most views of Teeside Mine, if you have any thoughts on that it would be good.

Jim

royfellows
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9 years ago

#17

"Jim MacPherson" wrote:
Hi Roy,

I've had a quite look at your, fine, uploaded pics for Teeside Mine.

Your first general view does look quite similar to John's photo of the mine shop etc, so I'm quite happy to shift that to Teeside Mine. Your second general view shows a bridge, which looks rather similar to that on another, un-annotated, photo which has a few bits of buildings, would you mind if I send it as a PM so you could give it a bit of scrutiny.

You can email it to me as an attachment if you like at [email protected]

"Jim MacPherson" wrote:

The other pic on Hardshins is of a shaft top which seems a bit vegitated compared to most views of Teeside Mine, if you have any thoughts on that it would be good.

Jim

I dont know, as I said interpretation can be challenging. Can not find a reference to it in Fairbairn. Suspect exploratory.
Saw cinders in the vicinity, that and the layout, small bob bit with holding down bolts etc, lead to my interpretation.

The site is still easily reached by car and one of my favorite little rides when I'm up there. First bit at end of council road is the worst, turned back this Easter having just bought a new set of tyres.

Bit of a mystery to me if anyone can help, where the hell did Calvert Low Level emerge. I know you can abseil down into it from the winze/sump in Calvert High but not done that trip.

My avatar is a poor likeness.

Jim MacPherson
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9 years ago

#18

Roy,

I'll email it in a short while, there is one external photo of Calvert Mine which may or may not help and I'll send that as well, there are another 3/4 inside Calvert and I'll upload them to the mine presently. As always John's annotations tend to be a bit on the terse side but on balance I think they are better on AN than mouldering in a box in Richard's or my attic, even if I do have to be put right from time to time.

Jim

christwigg
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9 years ago

#19

Theres a rather fine plan in BM91.

🔗105771[linkphoto]105771[/linkphoto][/link]

If i'm treading on toes by reproducing it, let me know and i'll remove it.

John Lawson
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9 years ago

#20

Hi Chris, doubt if there would be any problem with this plan.
Rick Smith almost certainly, redrew this from original plans he had access to.
Being a mine surveyor/ geologist, he seems to have some pretty good kit for drawing up these plans.
Off the top of my head I am sure I have copies of some of these originals, myself.
But if my memory serves me correctly, they are pretty large.