The large timber baulk in the centre of the shot is adding nothing in the way of support or stability to the bridge. Quite the opposite from what I saw. It is resting on the central support timber and thru the suspension rods, it weight is adding an additional unwanted load on the roof supports. I suppose it would benefit the long term outlook for this bridge if that big log was somehow removed and dumped into the water below.....
Or have I got it wrong ?

Photograph:

🔗Croesor-Rhosydd-Through-Trip-13-01-2007-Image-008[linkphoto]Croesor-Rhosydd-Through-Trip-13-01-2007-Image-008[/linkphoto][/link]

[tweak]Interference by Vanoord to tidy thread title[/tweak]

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Sounds about right to me. Who's going to carry a chainsaw up there?

Might upset the purists though, the bridge itself is an artifact and the right hand timber was the route of the original crossing 🙂

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Might upset the purists though, the bridge itself is an artifact and the right hand timber was the route of the original crossing :)

Ah, yes. Very good point, that. I wonder if at some point the timber could be re-instated ?

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A scarey prospect 🙂 The Croesor end of the timber is very rotten IIRC. Can't remember about the Rhosydd end.

The first crossing saw the brave chap in question astride the beam hammering the nails in 😮

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Oh Gods, chucking that in would create waves in more ways than one!

It's very rotten at the Croesor end and I'd be surprised if it lasted another couple of years. That said, when it does give up, presumably because one side collapses, one's got to hope that it snaps in the middle rather than pivoting over the support - I wouldn't like to bet on the chances that a big sideways force wouldn't damage the support.

Plus the rails would benefit from being tied down - if the support wobbled too much when the beam fell, then they'll go swimming. In fact, someone remind me to take some rope next time I'm down there to prevent that from happening. It might be worth turning them over at the same time for the same reason one occasionally turns a matress.

I suppose the answer would be find someone who is willing to saw through the middle of the beam where it rests on the support, so that it falls without damaging the support. But that's one stage of barmyness too far for even Vanoord...

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But that's one stage of barmyness too far for even Vanoord...

Given the pub conversation last night I doubt that :lol: :lol:

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Nice pic by the way Mr.RL :)

Having had a close look at it, a few thoughts spring to mind:
- the beam is utterly rotten at the Croesor end, so I suspect it is heavier at the Rhosydd end and thus forms some sort of cantilever
- the middle support is worn in a very interesting and unsettling manner, eg where the original left hand beam used to rest: this will probably fail, most likely with someone on it
- the wooden support for the rails at the landward end is rather rotten
- the rails appear to stay there due to some sort of magical intervention as the laws of physics usually prohibit such arrangements

Given the above, Vanoord's Health & Safety assessment is that this bridge is fit for purpose ;)

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I think anyone who goes near it with a saw wants their arse severely kicking.
It will survive as long as nature and history dictates, cutting it out is interfering to far.
It has survived many a decade without outside interference, leave it be.
Cutting it delves into the realms of vandalism. If it collapses and makes the trip harder then so be it.

I think anyone who goes near it with a saw wants their arse severely kicking.
It will survive as long as nature and history dictates, cutting it out is interfering to far.
It has survived many a decade without outside interference, leave it be.
Cutting it delves into the realms of vandalism. If it collapses and makes the trip harder then so be it.

I agree.

When JM and FF did the BODOD crossing they took absolute care not to damage the bridge itself. You can't help bashing into it a bit, and little bits do fall off, but the idea was to minimise the impact on the bridge as far as possible.

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As I muttered above, the bridge is currently fit for purpose and you'd have to be as mad as a box of frogs to sit astride that middle support, saw in hand...

Given the current seeming frequency of rockfalls, I wonder how long the trip will still be possible?

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Well as long as it holds up for another 10 days :)

Don't want to loose anybody on the DP Big Bash 😮

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Given the current seeming frequency of rockfalls, I wonder how long the trip will still be possible?

It would be interesting to work out alternative routes, depending where the next big fall occurs i guess. The worst chamber to lose would be the chamber of horrors wouldnt it? But i cant see it being totally destoyed due to its size.

Are there alternatives?
Has anyone had time to have a look around "off route"?

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Well as long as it holds up for another 10 days :)

Don't want to loose anybody on the DP Big Bash 😮

It wouldn't be the 1st, nature of the game I'm afraid

Are there alternatives?
Has anyone had time to have a look around "off route"?

In short, yes it could be done if there were a collapse in one of the tunnel sections, but it would need someone to climb up to a higher level, bolt it for an ascent and then bolt the other side for a descent into the next chamber.

There are connections between the chambers on the two floors above the level we use, but they are inaccessible windows as the floor has been removed: if it became necessary to make such a link, we'd have to find some sort of fearless loon-climber who could scale a dangerous rockface to bolt it so the rest of us could follow...

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There is always the Fuzz, he has no common sense and will scale or descend anything he is pointed at. Never fails.

Are there alternatives?
Has anyone had time to have a look around "off route"?

In short, yes it could be done if there were a collapse in one of the tunnel sections, but it would need someone to climb up to a higher level, bolt it for an ascent and then bolt the other side for a descent into the next chamber.

There are connections between the chambers on the two floors above the level we use, but they are inaccessible windows as the floor has been removed: if it became necessary to make such a link, we'd have to find some sort of fearless loon-climber who could scale a dangerous rockface to bolt it so the rest of us could follow...

Hmmm, I know there is certainly access up to a higher floor in the chamber at the Rhosydd end of the deceased ladder bridge, but can you then get down beyond the BOD? Bearning in mind that beyond the BOD is the COH, is there a window into the COH? I seem to recall the roof being right above the level?

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Hmmm, I know there is certainly access up to a higher floor in the chamber at the Rhosydd end of the deceased ladder bridge, but can you then get down beyond the BOD? Bearning in mind that beyond the BOD is the COH, is there a window into the COH? I seem to recall the roof being right above the level?

No idea! Assuming they worked the mine in the conventional manner, there would have been tunnels through the walls on each level that got stranded as the floor of the chamber was worked away. Can't say I've looked for them, but that ladder that Simon likes the look of does go up a couple of floors at least: not sure I'd climb it all the same.

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