We have the money - the only price I have found is a bit shy of £1000 for 6 metres, but we are outside the delivery area. Someone I know will be aware of where we can get it. At the moment it's just a project - it needs the approval of the NT and NE as its a SSSI. And it won't happen for a while anyway. The wheels of properly approved projects take a while to get going.

While waiting find a couple of old type pram wheels, large diameter. With just a cross bar you can drop the pipe on and wheel it over even rough ground.

Alternately the pipe would act as a casualty on a mountain rescue stretcher for practice. Just offer them a few pints of beer! (They might even have a wheeled mountain stretcher.)

If the mini digger can negotiate the path just slip it over the fully extended jib and get a few heavyweights to ride on the back of the digger.

I think the pipe option best. My mesh is best for retaining deadwork and spill underground.

🔗101578[linkphoto]101578[/linkphoto][/link]

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Twinwall pipe is the way to go. They come with integral collars and are supplied with sealing rings so jointing is no problem, neither is watertightness.
Try Burdens:

http://www.burdens.co.uk/literature 

for free advice, really handy downloads and guaranteed nationwide delivery.

PM me if you need to negotiate a decent price. I use them all the time and have good contacts.
Shaft advice? The don't call me "Sinker" for nothing.... 😉

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Cheers! The dyslexics read it as Stinker of course. Only joking! Stinker is my name....... :lol:

When we refurbished the hydraulic shaft at Greenlaws mine, we hired a local contractor, to purchase a 10m x 1m steel pipe, allegedly from the oil industry.
He placed into the site of the shaft, 1 mile from the nearest road, and thumped into place using a HY Mack, digger.
We then created a reinforced, concrete raft, burnt holes in the pipe to attach it and then began a 9 hour pour, using two mixers to ale sure the pipe did not move at all.
At a later date, a cap was made for the top, using yet another concrete pour.

Here's some 1m diameter twinwall being installed at Longcliffe. We sawed it into 3 X 1m lengths for handling, and it's surprisingly light, and unbelievably strong. We cast concrete around it over a network of rebar drilled into the rock. Luckily we had it donated by the NT, but it would have cost around £600 to buy, if possible, but the original supplier could only do a minimum of 6m, so we were screwed anyway. Smaller diameters are significantly cheaper though.

🔗104060[linkphoto]104060[/linkphoto][/link]

Twinwall is the pipe in Lefel Fawr at Cwymystwyth, I didn't know it by name, just as "plastic pipe".

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Here's some 1m diameter twinwall being installed at Longcliffe. We sawed it into 3 X 1m lengths for handling, and it's surprisingly light, and unbelievably strong. We cast concrete around it over a network of rebar drilled into the rock. Luckily we had it donated by the NT, but it would have cost around £600 to buy, if possible, but the original supplier could only do a minimum of 6m, so we were screwed anyway. Smaller diameters are significantly cheaper though.

This is great, especially as it's a precedent on a NT site!

It's made by Polypipe, Ridgistorm I think they call the larger sizes now, widely used in Water, Rail and Highways schemes, easy to handle (relatively lightweight), cut and joint. Comes in 6m lengths as standard 900 or 1050mm dia. would be good for a shaft, basically it's as tough as old boots! :thumbup:

http://www.polypipe.com/wms/products/product-range/large-diameter-pipes/ridgistorm-xl 

http://www.polypipe.com/cms/toolbox/Ridgistorm_XL_Technical_Guide.pdf 

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Ironically, Keyline just down the road from me stock it from 750mm (I think) downwards, but we just didn't feel that was large enough for all purposes, and any larger was a 'special order' with an additional £200 lorry charge, hence the £1200 quote. But it's not just access we have to think about - digging and possible rescues all have to be factored in too. Stretchers would struggle to fit through if it were any smaller, especially as we have a wide ledge just below the pipe which is far too large to try and remove. Given the shaft's location, easy exits are critical.

The NT have been great - they donated the pipe, lent us some long scaff tubes and clips - and two helicopter lifts, without which this job would not be happening. That's pretty much the reason this job has never been done until now. But all folks had to do was ask - they've been using helicopters for years for all sorts of lifting work around Kinder Scout and Bleaklow, so they just slotted us into the schedule.
It only took ten minutes to lift three tons of materials...;)

One other great reason for using twinwall is its loading capacity - we've used some on another job, inserted at 45° into a collapsed arched adit, with steel rungs, and nicely wedged under the shale roof - it effectively supports the roof as much as providing access. Once it was backfilled, it was probably the strongest it's ever been.

This type of pipe is cheaper, as it has an inner and outer skin, with a spiral stiffener between them - we got this piece for £260 for 4m (810mm o/d, 750mm i/d), but that was four years ago:

🔗104073[linkphoto]104073[/linkphoto][/link]

Impressed!!! :thumbsup:

should be on YouTube :lol:

MARK

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That single image is the most I've ever posted of this particular venue, and it'll have to stay that way for the moment, sadly.

But it's all in a good cause :smartass:

'Nuff Said ;)

bloody big gerbils, though! ;D

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'Nuff Said ;)

bloody big gerbils, though! ;D

Don't worry about the gerbils, worry about their fleas.:ohmygod:

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'Nuff Said ;)

bloody big gerbils, though! ;D

Don't worry about the gerbils, worry about their fleas.:ohmygod:

Bigger fleas have little fleas
Upon their backs to bite 'em
And little fleas have smaller fleas
And so ad infinitum[i] :smartass:

MARK

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