Hope Level Fluorite Mine accessible?

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tonto125
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

10 years ago

Hey,

Just wondering out of interest if the Hope Level Fluorite Mine is accessible?

Thanks,
Tonto

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christwigg
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

No, its on private property with the adit being next to the owner house.

legendrider
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

The mine was worked latterly by Messrs Brown and Maddison. A former Weardale miner told me a tale about Hope Level; there is a large cylindrical air receiver near the head of the level, and it was necessary to reach over and close the isolation valve on the back of the tank at the end of each day to maintain pressure for the following shift. One of the miners sneaked early in and lay down behind the air receiver. When the day shift started, the first man in started the outbye compressor then made his way up the level to open the air tank valve. As he reached behind the tank, a cold clammy hand grabbed his! :o

Unfortunately, the exact words of the ensuing conversation are lost to posterity. ::)

MARK

festina lente[i]

christwigg
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

"legendrider" wrote:

Unfortunately, the exact words of the ensuing conversation are lost to posterity. ::)

Oh I don't know about that.

I think I could have a fairly good guess. :lol:

moorlandmineral
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

My dad told me a tale of Malcolm Brown years ago, I think he can correct any erroneous details but I think Brown had started as a new miner at Whiteheaps?? and the mine manager or foreman sent him down to fill tubs and promised to send another miner to help but forgot.... Apparently the tubs just kept on coming up full, nobody realised he was filling them on his own...

sparlad
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

My most enduring memory of Malcolm Brown was being almost mowed down by him when they were re-working the dumps at Coldberry. I was just poking around on some of the dressing floor and he came hurtling at me with a big tractor and box. Not sure what the top speed of those things is but I quite literally had to jump out of the way. He seemed to think it was amusing.....

moorlandmineral
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

Last time I remember seeing him was on an evening trip down the main shaft at Groverake, they had got a kibble jammed near the shaft top and someone had gone down and freed it by hand... So HSE!!! They then put the cage on the cable and down we went, wondering how hard they had strained it before they realised the kibble was not going to budge......;D

exspelio
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

Looks like Mr Brown was quite a character, more tales please :thumbup:

Always remember, nature is in charge, get it wrong and it is you who suffers!.

John Lawson
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

Hi, my son, did get the facts slightly wrong, the mine was not Whiteheaps, but Stanhopeburn mine.
He had just started work at the mine, as a young miner, and was sent down to fill the tubs, and the rest has already been posted by Robert.
This story was related to my me by my late friend, Willy Proud, who was never prone to exaggeration.

legendrider
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

#10

I'm sure I heard a tale of an Eimco which was stuck in the back end of this mine having waddled its way round from elsewhere?

can anybody substantiate this vague notion??

cheers MARK

festina lente[i]

ebgb
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

#11

the air shovel is still up there. Jonny Hogarth assured me the eimco is still upstairs, abandoned after the big flood. They all just legged it pronto when the water started to surge!

http://bf494.co.uk

legendrider
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

#12

Thus spake the Oracle! :thumbsup:

cheers Mark!

(when should we go get it??!! :devil:)

MARK

festina lente[i]

ebgb
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

#13

"legendrider" wrote:
Thus spake the Oracle! :thumbsup:

cheers Mark!

(when should we go get it??!! :devil:)

MARK

when I've got a bigger rucksack to put it in

http://bf494.co.uk