Just wanting to report some works to the 2 South level (Smoke Flue).

At the end of the nice arched section there is a short shale section before the proper bedrock is reached. This section had a bad fall in it and has always needed crawling up and over to get through.

With the cold weather in the last few weeks there was more fall with the constant freeze-thaw that happens in that shale section. It was pretty much blocked at one point, so we dug it out. The next day it was almost blocked again. We dug again. Then more fell.

So we have installed a large diameter (1m wide) twin-wall culvert pipe through the shale section (6m length). It is easy to crawl along, and this pipe will hold it open so there is no danger of it becoming blocked. The SF is important as the only other way out of the mine if the main level failed.

It would be nice some day to dig it down to the sole and properly support it as a roadway but it would be a lot of work and only viable if done as a volunteer project.

The chimney also was getting used as a sneaky way in so we have blocked it off. I think people are mad to free-climb down that. I'm good at that sort of thing and I've tried and nearly broke my neck. It is plugged now and lots of concrete poured down.

Whilst I've been working in the SF I spent a bit of time looking at the nice dressed-block walls and masonry work.

When you look closely, some of the blocks have quite nicely engraved graffiti on them. I found several inscriptions from the 1860's amongst them, I didn't realise that block-work was that old. I know the original 2 South level is but I thought the arching was a bit newer. Don't know why I thought that. Also some dates from the Oakeley years.

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Very interesting part of the mine tbh, having seen how its been over the last few weeks it sure has changed alot, and now we have the safe passage we have wanted :)

I must get some photos of the graffiti next time im in there on my break of course. :thumbup:

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That's great Miles! Makes me wonder one thing though. If the chimney is now blocked, how is the Smoke Flue a general emergency exit? To the best of my knowledge, its gate has a different key from the main gate, and I suppose only GB people would have that key. Anyone who goes in unaffiliated would not be able to get out if the main entrance collapsed! Or is it only an emergency exit for GB which it needs for legal reasons (which unaffiliated people don't)?

It is an emergency exit for all, when you take the key from the GB office they ask you if you are familiar with the smoke flue escape and it is also mentioned on the friends of Cwmorthin website as an emergency exit.

sometimes getting the key back to the GB office before closing time can be a right pain and to prevent a trip back to the office the next day to return the key meant that the sneaky way in and out was sometimes an option that took the pressure off, albeit a wet option.
perhaps a return by post for the key may help or a drop box at the office.

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Being familiar with the Smoke Flue is one thing; being able to open the gate is another!

Guess it just is not an emergency exit any more, or maybe you will now get two different keys to loose from GB 🙂

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It is a combination lock and the combination number is written on a sheet of laminated paper in the tunnel, far enough back so you can't read it from outside. The code will be changed weekly.

So it is still an emergency exit!

Ultimately the gate will change for one with a locking-latch like most peoples front doors have. So you can open it from the outside with a key, or open it from the inside by turning the lever. When the door shuts it locks again.

This way anyone inside can get out, but you can't go in that way unless you have a key.

The SF is really rough, don't really want to encourage that as a regular way into the mine. It serves as an emergency exit in case the LL portal drops but it has little other use.

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Aha! That’s a very good solution. :thumbup: