John Lawson
14 years ago
[photo]Personal-Album-7343-Image-58270[/photo]

đź”—Personal-Album-7343-Image-58270[linkphoto]Personal-Album-7343-Image-58270[/linkphoto][/link]

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Redwinch
14 years ago
Apart from you and Eric Richardson, any other names?
Still supporting Rampgill. last time I looked
John Lawson
14 years ago
This photograph was taken by Harry Parker after the second known descent of Prouds Sump.Sitting is the late Eric Richardson miner of Nenthead. Talking to him is Bob Guthrie,and to his right,recovering after his first underground trip is John Macpherson.(Unfortunately these explorers are no longer with us.) I am at the front of the photo to my left is Mike Luff and next to the Smallcleugh entrance is Dave Politt.
Note the ore tub behind me and the cardboard ex N.C.B. Helmets worn by two of the guys.
RJV
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14 years ago
The tramway etc seems in very good nick, especially compared to AdrianP's photograph taken just three years later.
đź”—Smallcleugh-Lead-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-002[linkphoto]Smallcleugh-Lead-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-002[/linkphoto][/link]
Redwinch
14 years ago
Thought that was McPherson, had a 6 pot landy and lived near middlesborough? Didnt his wife leave someone locked in a mine in Arkengarthdale. Didnt recognise guthrie although I knew him, Both gone to join Finch and McNeil eh !
Still supporting Rampgill. last time I looked
moorlandmineral
14 years ago
"RJV" wrote:

The tramway etc seems in very good nick, especially compared to AdrianP's photograph taken just three years later.
đź”—Smallcleugh-Lead-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-002[linkphoto]Smallcleugh-Lead-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-002[/linkphoto][/link]


Somebody had a shot at sealing the mine entrance around that time I think???? A case of sealed one day/reopened the next...
Could explain the rapid rearrangement of the surface features!!
Redwinch
14 years ago
"moorlandmineral" wrote:

"RJV" wrote:

The tramway etc seems in very good nick, especially compared to AdrianP's photograph taken just three years later.
đź”—Smallcleugh-Lead-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-002[linkphoto]Smallcleugh-Lead-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-002[/linkphoto][/link]


Somebody had a shot at sealing the mine entrance around that time I think???? A case of sealed one day/reopened the next...
Could explain the rapid rearrangement of the surface features!!



Are you referring to the wall put up by a certain David Wilson, who was going to conduct mine tours, tickets for which could be obtained from darlington railway station? 🙂
Still supporting Rampgill. last time I looked
RJV
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14 years ago
"John Lawson" wrote:

This photograph was taken... after the second known descent of Prouds Sump



There's a plan in the Smallcleugh folder dated 1970 with detail that suggests that the flats had been explored by that point. Was the mine simply not getting visited much during that period or had access to the flats previously been by Hangingshaws?

http://www.aditnow.co.uk/documents/Smallcleugh-Lead-Mine/Smallcleugh-Plan-cir1970.pdf 
moorlandmineral
14 years ago
"Redwinch" wrote:

"moorlandmineral" wrote:

"RJV" wrote:

The tramway etc seems in very good nick, especially compared to AdrianP's photograph taken just three years later.
đź”—Smallcleugh-Lead-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-002[linkphoto]Smallcleugh-Lead-Mine-Archive-Album-Image-002[/linkphoto][/link]


Somebody had a shot at sealing the mine entrance around that time I think???? A case of sealed one day/reopened the next...
Could explain the rapid rearrangement of the surface features!!



Are you referring to the wall put up by a certain David Wilson, who was going to conduct mine tours, tickets for which could be obtained from darlington railway station? 🙂



Hey theres nothing wrong with thinking big!!! :lol:
Have a copy of his site plan somewhere, he certainly had BIG plans.....
christwigg
14 years ago
"moorlandmineral" wrote:


Hey theres nothing wrong with thinking big!!! :lol:
Have a copy of his site plan somewhere, he certainly had BIG plans.....



I've seen 'plans' he made of a couple of places in North Yorkshire, they are a pretty much a complete work of fiction.
John Lawson
14 years ago
"RJV" wrote:

"John Lawson" wrote:

This photograph was taken... after the second known descent of Prouds Sump



There's a plan in the Smallcleugh folder dated 1970 with detail that suggests that the flats had been explored by that point. Was the mine simply not getting visited much during that period or had access to the flats previously been by Hangingshaws?

http://www.aditnow.co.uk/documents/Smallcleugh-Lead-Mine/Smallcleugh-Plan-cir1970.pdf 



The first explorerers of Proud Sump also mapped it so when P.J. made copies of his plan available we knew all were aware of what was below.However the staging was rotten and on our way out a lot of of it descended on Mike Luffand David Politt.
Bob Guthrie descended into Rampgill H.L. But the water was too high at this stage, and we did not know at the time the Hanging Shaw branch was blocked.
If my memory serves me correct this was cleared in the 80's by members of the Doncaster Mines Group.
PeteJ
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14 years ago
Prouds Sump Flats - I haven't yet found the right page in my survey field book, but John is right about the date - Joe Wildridge lead a trip to Prouds Sump before 1970, which was when we first explored and surveyed Prouds Sump Flats. Rampgill Level downstream was flooded to the roof. The Jackson team then dug the fall in Rampgill Level and nearly washed a party away that Jim Rieuwerts was taking up the main level. Another team was digging the fall in Carrs level southwards from the Hangingshaw vein junction - it would be interesting to know who was that?
Pete Jackson
Frosterley
01388527532
RJV
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14 years ago
"John Lawson" wrote:

However the staging was rotten and on our way out a lot of of it descended on Mike Luffand David Politt.



Sorry - more questions. The published working histories of the mine tend to be a tad dry so its fascinating to hear some of the more recent history.

How was the staging configured? Your standard Pennine split hopper/ladderway & are there any photos about?
PeteJ
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14 years ago
I have thought that it would be good to have a social history of the exploration of Nenthead Mines. It would be good to have on record the dates when certain major falls were cleared, even if we didn't record the names of the diggers?

All memories get suspect quite quickly and we should capture some of this before we forget.

Prouds Sump had wooden cross timbers and the remains of a ladderway. It was interesting because it might have been laddered as a way of getting to the flats that we know as Prouds Sump Flats. There is also the question of the name of the flats........Eric Richardson thought that they might have been called Sparks Flat but I don't know the origin of that thought.
Pete Jackson
Frosterley
01388527532
simonrl
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14 years ago
[tweak]Thread moved to N W England forum[/tweak]
my orders are to sit here and watch the world go by
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