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Monty Stubble
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4 years ago

Just a question. When going through my photo album, I found some of the CRTT. When was this first attempted as an exploration trip (not, obviously when it was working)?

I do remember when we first went there were no fixed lines at all.

The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools, but the gentle touches of air and water working at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time.
Henry David Thoreau

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simonrl
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4 years ago

There was a write-up in Climber magazine from somewhere between 1989 to 1991 of a very early documented trip. I uploaded some scans of this years back:

https://www.aditnow.co.uk/documents/Croesor-Slate-Mine/3-Men-1-Dinghy-Page-1.pdf

https://www.aditnow.co.uk/documents/Croesor-Slate-Mine/3-Men-1-Dinghy-Page-2.pdf

And CATMHS I believe undertook it before that in the opposite direction. ChrisJC can probably provide more info on that.

my orders are to sit here and watch the world go by

ChrisJC
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4 years ago

www.catmhs.org.uk/past-newsletters/newsletter-003-december1983/

Chris.

Monty Stubble
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4 years ago

Thought so. I was on that trip! April1982

We stopped off in Bangor Woolworths on the way and bought a Lilo inflatable.

[photo]121858[/photo]

The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools, but the gentle touches of air and water working at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time.
Henry David Thoreau

Monty Stubble
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4 years ago

[photo]121859[/photo]

The Woolies Lilo towing a couple of inner tubes (in case it went down on me - oo-er).

The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools, but the gentle touches of air and water working at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time.
Henry David Thoreau

simonrl
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4 years ago

Cheers for uploading those images Monty :thumbup:

Does anybody have the originals of the images from the CATMHS newsletter writeup? Would really like to see those bridges in all their intact glory.

my orders are to sit here and watch the world go by

ChrisJC
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4 years ago

"SimonRL" wrote:
Cheers for uploading those images Monty :thumbup:

Does anybody have the originals of the images from the CATMHS newsletter writeup? Would really like to see those bridges in all their intact glory.

No idea Simon. The article carefully doesn't even say who the bold adventurers were!

Chris.

Monty Stubble
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4 years ago

I think the images in the CAT Newsletter would have belonged to the then editor, Eric Holland. Eric is, sadly no longer with us. In fact of the 7, there's only 3 of us left 😞

The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools, but the gentle touches of air and water working at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time.
Henry David Thoreau

Monty Stubble
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4 years ago

When we were in there in 82 Eric, having visited several several times in 1981 was of the opinion, the water level was still rising after the pumps were stopped. He intimated that our route would gradually become impassable and that others would then need to use the higher routes. Is this correct?

The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools, but the gentle touches of air and water working at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time.
Henry David Thoreau

Monty Stubble
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4 years ago

#10

Here's one of the Bridges.

🔗121860[linkphoto]121860[/linkphoto][/link]

The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools, but the gentle touches of air and water working at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time.
Henry David Thoreau

simonrl
51% (Neutral)
Administration

4 years ago

#11

"Monty Stubble" wrote:
Here's one of the Bridges.

🔗121860[linkphoto]121860[/linkphoto][/link]

Brill, thanks :thumbup:

That looks like the one over A10E, so that's a Croesor to Rhosydd trip rather than the early explores at the lower levels.

Not that that bridge looks that way any longer, this from a few years back:

🔗102231[linkphoto]102231[/linkphoto][/link]

my orders are to sit here and watch the world go by

Monty Stubble
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4 years ago

#12

[photo]121864[/photo]

...and again.

The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools, but the gentle touches of air and water working at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time.
Henry David Thoreau

Monty Stubble
50.2% (Neutral)
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4 years ago

#13

[photo]121863[/photo]

[photo]121867[/photo]

These are the only ones I can find.

As I remember we crossed about 5 chambers by boat and then had a very wet exit through a tunnel to get out as there was only a tiny airspace and at one point it sumped.

The first chamber culminated in a free climb up to the level and in each subsequent chamber the climb (and descent to the water) was less. The picture above was the last chamber.

The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools, but the gentle touches of air and water working at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time.
Henry David Thoreau

Vanoord
54.4% (Neutral)
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4 years ago

#14

Excellent photos!

"Monty Stubble" wrote:

[photo]121867[/photo]

I suspect that's about 40ft underwater these days!

Hello again darkness, my old friend...

JonK
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4 years ago

#15

Have just seen all this. The fully history of the CAT exploration of Croesor, to date (I do have some further ideas), is written up in "The Mine Explorer" Volume V although on looking at part of it tonight I realise that I have got one date wrong since the 3rd paragraph on page 45 should refer to 1981 rather than 1989.

It would appear that CAT were the first to do this trip and this ties in with the facts since the through trip as we know it today would have been impossible without the water level having risen and CAT were exploring as the water came up.

A similar exercise was undertaken by CAT members when the pumps were switched off in Maenofferen.

Monty Stubble
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4 years ago

#16

there are a few other photos of the original 1982 trip still around.

They are referred to in the "Mine Explorer" article.

[photo]121872[/photo]

[photo]121871[/photo]

The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools, but the gentle touches of air and water working at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time.
Henry David Thoreau

danswift
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4 years ago

#17

Brilliant stuff.

Monty Stubble
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4 years ago

#18

[photo]121878[/photo]

Note the emergency innertubes for use if the Woolies boat finally gave up.

[photo]121869[/photo]

Eric Holland, who convinced us all it was worth doing.

[photo]121881[/photo]
The full team + one behind the camera. Sadly four of them are no longer with us.

The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools, but the gentle touches of air and water working at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time.
Henry David Thoreau

joso
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Newbie

4 years ago

#19

Great photos! Pioneers all

JonK
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4 years ago

#20

Chris
Thanks. I can't identify everybody in the photo. Could you do the honours.
Jon