This is the adit opposite moor lane car park , we have been to the entrance down the steep slope but want to have a look tomorrow with a view to diving in there in the not to distant future so any info on what to expect ? 😉

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Long Rake is a *seriously* shattered mine, you can expect lots of collapses, drops in the floor and quite possibly needing to dig yourself back out in at least one location.. You'll also need to rope down your gear through old stoping and a couple of *tight* manways...

Being during the working week, you're gonna need to exercise *extreme* caution, as the works above the original shaft head utilise it for blowing waste arisings down. In doing so need to expect serious exhaust fumes-gas meter will likely prove essential...

TBH, there's only one flooded level here to be found anyway... Given the fantastic images you guys produce, there's other mines that would benefit from your efforts much more... :)

J

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As J says it is a hell of a mine to negotiate at the best of times but dragging dive gear through the collapses and on through the lead works would be a killer.

Also bear in mind that the mill on the surface blow their dust extractors down the main shaft which makes it a very dusty place during the week and viability / breathing can be difficult if they are on full belt.

If your still thinking off it drop me a PM and i can offer directions or a guide if i am free but i strongly suggest avoiding the place any other day than a Sunday.

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thanks for the info and also the complement which mines do you
suggest as you guys seem to know a lot more than us

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thanks Edd we were going to take some breathing apparatus and also a meter but is does sound a HUGE effort we are running out of places so if you have any ideas or permission anywhere ?

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If I remember OK, there used to be a big flooded vein in Overton mine, I did some stuff down there in the 70's (yes, I did go down on the winch and headgear in the photo's)
Quite a big shaft, but after that not much difficulty, used to be owned by the Clay Cross Company, anyone know current access details?

Also, I remember a flooded stope at the very bottom of Devonshire, is it still there?

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BTW, don't forget there are at least two Long Rakes in Derbyshire.

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There's a fair bit of flooded mine in Ecton.

Ecton isn't an option, there was a fatality there back in the 1970s and since then diving hasn't been allowed. There is however a flooded inclined shaft in Limepits mine on the other side of the valley, which would be easy to get diving kit to (mostly walking height adit) - no idea how far/deep it goes but I'd be interested to know!

As for the flooded bit at the very bottom of Devonshire, yes it's still there but it'd been dived and doesn't go very far, and it's a long slog to get bottles down to the very bottom of the workings. There are some flooded bits in side passages of Masson that AFAIK haven't been dived though? Another place with potential would be Side Mine at Matlock Bath but since the colour works shut, there's unfortunately no access allowed.

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Side mine , is that legal access or impossible access ?

We have been up to what is now pretty obvious another part of long rake as there was no dust or exhaust fumes and no factory's to been seen anywhere, we went down 5 levels but still found no flooded bits , we did take gas detectors and a small cylinder of air each and a mask so were pretty safe as far as any air nasty s were concerned.
We have heard a story although don't know if it is true of some boys getting stranded in a dingy down long rake as it was on the BBC program 999 can anybody confirm this ?

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Yes there was a rescue on Long Rake Mine two lads did a one
way abseil and could not get back up the rope.Fire brigade
rope rescue got them out.
If you give me a pm I might be able to find you something to dive.
Dark Mole

Side mine , is that legal access or impossible access ?

Depends on how you feel about breaking into the colour works with diving kit since the way in to the mine is through a hole in the back wall of the building! Seriously, this is one to leave alone at present, pirating it now will scupper any chance of legitimate access in future.

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I've just thought of another possibility, have you looked at the flooded stopes in Mandale mine?

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no say what you guys really know your stuff :thumbsup:

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TBH, I'd say slate mines are still your best bet, as you have been doing...large open voids, seem to have plenty of kit just abandoned and left to drown...

Cwmorthin would be ideal, have the Back Vein Incline to get all your diving gear straight to E floor and water level, then down into several long-flooded chambers.. Judging by all the wagons and array of gear around this area bet there's some interesting stuff to see...

Another option might be Cligga workings in Cornwall, would involve getting gear down cliff path, but then once in beach-level adit, you've got flooded Contact Shaft, wide and seemingly unobstructed... Several levels below this...

Nearby is Wheal Euny, straightforward laddering into workings-nice large open stopes to dive straight from... Tramming level, with rails in-situ clearly visible maybe 30 ft down, so wouldn't have far to swim to be in the interesting stuff :)

J

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The cwmorthin sounds interesting thanks i will do some research on it as we are planning a week in wales later this year, do you know if it is locked ?

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wot about lower levels below the coffin level in youds?
someone PDHMS will pop up :
O. G.

Never get the equipment through the coffin levels.
If I remember properly there was a bit not far from the road, but I think its been dived.

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Hi Paul,
We visited Bwlch-y-Plwm Lead Mine in North Wales earlier in March and there were a number of flooded stopes on Deep Adit (Level 1) and I did post a query on this forum, if they had been dived, but no replies as yet.
Deep Adit is an open, roomy level, ideally situated, just below the same country lane, where you park, a short distance away(Limited parking for 2/3 cars).
Location of first flooded stope is short distance from entrance, along first side passage on right. Others are located further into mine at a main junction(See surveys on this website). Easy to locate. Plenty of room to kit up!
If you do decide to follow this up, then I would certainly be interested in what you find!
By the way, the flooded bottom level in Long Rake, I have seen dry, once, some years ago! Only first section of mine is presently accessible, due to a crawl, being partially blocked with tailings and requiring, a small amount of shuttering. Sadly, mine has seen better days!!!
ATB,
Spires.
PS.
Drop me a pm, for locations of a couple of possible dive sites
in Peak District area.

I think someone from the TSG dived the Ringing Rake ('Youd's Level') stopes below cartgate level, and they didn't go - or weren't connectable anyway. I seem to remember they got to about 10m depth, but can't remember where I read it - maybe it's in the logbook. I can ask around?