Ore Chute into Hangingshaw Branch Level from Proud's Sump Flat (photo)· Page 2

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gNick
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10 years ago

#21

Given the amount of stuff stripped out from and rubbish left behind in relatively inaccesible areas the 'wrong sort of people' seem to be very well equipped and capable. This argument doesn't really work, as soon as somewhere is opened up the rapers and pillagers will get in, it is just a question of time.

It is all well and good to say you shouldn't be there if... but you could use the same argument for several digs.

I am not suggesting putting a fixed ladder up every rise and fully agree that you should be capable but on the other hand, some areas are worth making less dangerous to get to.

Don't look so embarrassed, it's a family trait...

Heb
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10 years ago

#22

Well said Mr Mike!

christwigg
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10 years ago

#23

And so we complete another loop of the eternal and unsolvable problem....

Mr Mike
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10 years ago

#24

Yep, things stripped out and rubbish left in inaccessible places - but at least they did it by themselves and didn't have a do gooder ladder to help them with it - maybe things would have ended worse in those places if it was a free for all? Remember also that a lot of the ground pushed in Nenthead was by mineral collectors.

The argument does work - why make it easier for the less experienced who are likely to do the damage. Who are you going to be helping with ladders and hand lines - yourself?

Explorers want the challenge to getting to places, not sanitised ways into them. Having to work physically and mentally to get to places is all part of the fun and a calculated risk.

Digs - I think your digressing.

Mr Mike www.mineexplorer.org.uk

gNick
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10 years ago

#25

Less experienced or less suicidal?

What about the slightly less able?

Yes I am interested in making things easier for me, though I am prepared to put my time & money into it.

Don't look so embarrassed, it's a family trait...

RJV
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10 years ago

#26

The Nenthead complex is likely the most readily explorable group of mines there is & the element of imagination, planning and self-sufficiency required to see large parts of it is what makes it what it is to so many explorers.

It would be an absolute tragedy to needlessly sanitise it. If anybody doesn't want to free-climb, maypole or whatever certain parts of it then there are very few parts of the mines to which you could not temporarily drag your own ladders if needs be.

gNick
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10 years ago

#27

My idea was more to put in ladders where the once climbable (by explorers) original ladders have now collapsed and possibly to replace existing ladders with something more solid.

The Proud's Flat ladder being a case in point where replacing it wouldn't be to make things easier, just to try to minimise the effect of loads of people clumping through what is otherwise quite a nice ore shoot. To that end it might be better to put in a new ladder through one of the other shafts that go down to Hangingshaw. Both would require clearance, the currently blocked one would be a shorter climb.

Don't look so embarrassed, it's a family trait...

christwigg
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10 years ago

#28

Are we not making a bit of a mountain out of a molehill in this thread now ?

It started as a light-hearted observation on the origins of a very slightly too short ladder.

All of a sudden we're digging new shafts and re-laddering Smallcleugh ?

We appear to be trying to fix something that's not actually broken.

gNick
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10 years ago

#29

I'm already getting my coat :surrender:

Unfortunately being an engineer I immediately try to find out a solution to a problem when it's mentioned whether there is a real problem or not. Useful occasionally and a right pain otherwise. :angel:

Don't look so embarrassed, it's a family trait...

John Lawson
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10 years ago

#30

I remember first entering Proud's sump flats, using an Aluminium ladder left over from Wilson's mine tours.
We took it out of Carr's, nobody moaned about the effort required, but relatively, Ally ladders were expensive pieces of kit, so to use an abandoned, one was a bonus!
Nowadays collapsible Ally ladders can easily be taken to lots of places so surely putting in fixed ladders must only take place where it is absolutely necessary.
The obvious place that comes to mind is the sump from Smallcleugh random into Capelcleugh , where some the calcite ladders are showing their age.

legendrider
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10 years ago

#31

I'm delighted that the thread has evolved and aired different viewpoints of an issue which is of real concern to us all. Do we make a 'beaten track' or leave alone?

The solution, I'm sure, lies in the middle ground. Consider fixed aids where they improve safety and assist movement of manpower and material, particularly toward further exploration, but keep unwanted access to a minimum.

MARK

festina lente[i]

RJV
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10 years ago

#32

"John Lawson" wrote:
The obvious place that comes to mind is the sump from Smallcleugh random into Capelcleugh , where some the calcite ladders are showing their age.

The calcite ladders didn't seem too bad last time I went down them.

Not sure that much remained of the wooden ones mind! ::)

gNick
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10 years ago

#33

The gap in the calcite ladders has been patched with what was an aluminium ladder and will no doubt be calcificated just like the ropes...

Don't look so embarrassed, it's a family trait...

RJV
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10 years ago

#34

That rope was put in there at the end of July 2009* so it probably wants cutting out (if that's still physically possible).

* In preperation for SRL & co doing a through trip, which is incidentally also one of the few documented instances of a Welsh Aditnow member doing a trip more than ten miles away from Cwmorthin/to a proper mine... :o

gNick
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10 years ago

#35

You can't cut it out, it's an interesting geological feature now 😉

Don't look so embarrassed, it's a family trait...

davel
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10 years ago

#36

"RJV" wrote:
... which is incidentally also one of the few documented instances of a Welsh Aditnow member doing a trip more than ten miles away from Cwmorthin/to a proper mine...

I say old chap, steady on, that's a little unfair ...

Some of us do get out of Wales from time to time, even venturing as far as Nenthead on occasion. ;D

Would you believe that a couple of us had a Middleclough to Smallcleugh trip only this year?

Dave

legendrider
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Newbie Topic Starter

10 years ago

#37

just like my spanner in Skears D2 Vein 😉

festina lente[i]

RJV
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10 years ago

#38

Apologies Dave, I know you've had you're passport stamped several times.

That was probably my rope on the last pitch up to Middlecleugh by the way, hope somebody replace the crab first, it was in a fairly crap condition when I put it there a few years ago... ::)

RJV
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10 years ago

#39

"legendrider" wrote:
just like my spanner in Skears D2 Vein ;D

With Halloween coming up I could probably make money if I had a recording of the shrieks of horror Sparty Lea made when she tried to use a somewhat crusty nearby rope which was likely your's too! :lol:

christwigg
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10 years ago

#40

"legendrider" wrote:
just like my spanner in Skears D2 Vein ;D

I've got a photo of that somewhere I think :lol: