IMPORTANT MESSAGE ABOUT MAENOFFEREN........
I hate having to say this, but i'm only passing on a message we got this morning. ??
If anyone is planning to go to Maenofferen, could you please stay away from the place for a while.
When Ifor, Garry and myself were walking up, we found out by 2 concerned workers that there were a gang of metal thieves up there trashing the place, and they were waiting for the police to come. These thieves had been there all night, burning cables and plastic to get lead & copper. The fkin a$$holes ??. They've been putting the place on fire and smoke everywhere, which could have been fatal if there were explorers in lower levels. Could have suffocated. I love Maenofferen, and do my best to preserve the place, even scrub explorers graffiti, so hearing this really annoyed myself and the rest of us.
We waited with the 2 workers having seen one if the tw@ts walking down with what looked like a heavy bag, but he disappeared once he saw us, probably emptying the copper or lead out of his bag. When Garry approached him, and took photo as evidence, he had the cheek to saying he was camping, although he was filthy dirty, and we could tell he had been underground. He had a massive gash on his head where he hit it on something. Serves him right. John called the police AGAIN, Telling them one of the thieves was coming down, but police again were slow to do anything. Its like they don't want to catch criminals in the act anymore, rather hassle people for not wearing a mask or other legislative offences. I dread to think what state is up in Maenofferen after these lowlifes have burnt, trashed and robbed the place. Just hope they all got caught. Fkin tossers.
So could everyone please stay away from the mine for the time being. I hate having to say this, and its not really up to me, but i'm just passing on a message, and also you'd probably make yourself ill.

Thanks for this.
The fumes from burning cable off underground are bad, I went into a place down Cornwall where this had been done weeks previously and nearly lost it. It was the Wheal Maid decline, now buried.
The people doing this are putting their lives at risk.

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The people doing this are lowest of the low. Trashing and destroying one of the best kept mines machinery wise in our area. It was meant to be getting world heritage status too. They don't realise all the history their destroying, just a pity a few gelignite cache's didn't go up with their fires. That would have been lesson learnt
These are the same idiots who probably demolished the protected winding house wall just to get in....Fuming

I can't believe the police are not that bothered, the place is only half a mile from the site I'd have thought it would be an easy win for 'em.

Thankyou for passing the message on , I hope they get caught extremely soon it’s such a Lovely place that does not deserve this

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I can't believe the police are not that bothered, the place is only half a mile from the site I'd have thought it would be an easy win for 'em.

To play devils advocate as far as the police are concerned, they’re stretched to death.
Here’s an example - Middlesbrough, where I work, only have 8 rapid-response coppers per shift, to cover a town of nearly 180,000 people.
I’m almost certain that’ll be a much bigger issue in rural areas.
As awful as it is, metal theft from a derelict mine will be low priority for them.

Leif.

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I was up at the feren about a couple of years ago and caught a couple of lads smashing the glass with rocks. I tried to get them interested in the place, nothing else I could do.
I could have destroyed them both faster than they would have known what what was happening, but all that would get me is jail. But the thought did go through my head.
Nothing really we can do.

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Yes, agree, to them, it's not exactly somebody's valuable property, and they won't exactly want to enter to investigate.

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Hi Folks ,

Thanks for posting the message up here.

Its great to see all the support for Maenofferen.

As always access to Maenofferen is a delicate matter.

Over the last 5 months or so I have been working extremely hard to secure access to Maenofferen.

Currently Descent Adventures working along side Llechwedd are in the process of guided tours in this mine, so there will be more of a presence in the mine and around the quarry. Great news as hopefully over time it will deter the vandals and thieves.

Currently access is restricted and should be agreed upon via Llechwedd or through myself to which I can liase with them.

Ping us an email: [email protected]

If you do venture in that neck of the woods and do notice smoke or folk in the mine please do ping me an email so Im aware prior to tours etc.

Happy Exploring folks !

without trying to swerve an inportant message :offtopic: I might add that Plod is pretty vigilant in Weardale lately, largely on account of stuff being nicked from farms.

Whilst this is nothing to worry about, I should make sure your tax, MoT and insurance is current and you've plenty of tyre tread. Nuff said.

MARK

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I can't believe the police are not that bothered, the place is only half a mile from the site I'd have thought it would be an easy win for 'em.

Unfortunately these days Blaenau nick closes in the evenings. The nearest coppers are in Porthmadog and then I'm told there are only max 3 or 4 at any time. Sign of the times :(

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If the culprits wisely invest their swag proceeds it may go some way to pay for the ventilator they’ll need later in life.

I can't believe the police are not that bothered, the place is only half a mile from the site I'd have thought it would be an easy win for 'em.

I dont know about Wales but the police dont seem bothered about anything nowadays as to not upset anybody,apart from hounding motorists they still seem very good at that !!

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without trying to swerve an inportant message :offtopic: I might add that Plod is pretty vigilant in Weardale lately, largely on account of stuff being nicked from farms.

Whilst this is nothing to worry about, I should make sure your tax, MoT and insurance is current and you've plenty of tyre tread. Nuff said.

MARK

HA Ha you are on the same wavelength as me there Mark :blink:

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I'm not wanting to sound disrespectful, but it doesn't sit right with me turning maenofferen into yet another Cwmorthin. Turning the place into a money making scheme and another tourist attraction. Llechwedd, Cwmorthin and Rhiwbach are allready tourist friendly, the beauty of maenofferen is that it's been left alone, no safety ropes, no anchor points or anything to water it down.
I've been going up there since the place was open, had family members and friends working there and taken plenty of people underground and never dreamt of charging anyone because i go there because i love the place. I've even been scrubbing urban explorers graffiti in my spare time, and been displaying the artifacts i find for others to enjoy aswell.
When some one decides to charge for tours, it will probably mean gating the place to stop others entering (like cwmorthin) maybe i'm wrong, and all the best if its left as it is I better get on the case of lord Newborough and put a claim in for Fotty. Shonky's free Fotty tours. Busy enough as it is.

I'm not wanting to sound disrespectful, but it doesn't sit right with me turning maenofferen into yet another Cwmorthin. Turning the place into a money making scheme and another tourist attraction. Llechwedd, Cwmorthin and Rhiwbach are allready tourist friendly, the beauty of maenofferen is that it's been left alone, no safety ropes, no anchor points or anything to water it down.
I've been going up there since the place was open, had family members and friends working there and taken plenty of people underground and never dreamt of charging anyone because i go there because i love the place. I've even been scrubbing urban explorers graffiti in my spare time, and been displaying the artifacts i find for others to enjoy aswell.
When some one decides to charge for tours, it will probably mean gating the place to stop others entering (like cwmorthin) maybe i'm wrong, and all the best if its left as it is I better get on the case and put a claim in for Fotty. Shonky's free Fotty tours. Busy enough as it is.

Forgive me for saying so, but Cwmorthin and Rhiwbach were gated long before they were used on a regular 'tourist friendly' basis.
Like most workings, they've been gated for safety reasons and to protect the terminally curious, not to prevent people who would pay for tours from getting the tour as a freebie

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I'm not wanting to sound disrespectful, but it doesn't sit right with me turning maenofferen into yet another Cwmorthin. Turning the place into a money making scheme and another tourist attraction. Llechwedd, Cwmorthin and Rhiwbach are allready tourist friendly, the beauty of maenofferen is that it's been left alone, no safety ropes, no anchor points or anything to water it down.

I don't want to speak for Freddo; I'm sure he'll be along to put his side of it but that is not the plan for MO. It won't end up like any of the other three you mention while he has access.
You're more likely to find him scrubbing off graffiti and tidying up metal theft damage than you are riding a zipline. :thumbup:

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Thats really good to hear, i'll even give him a hand then
I get really protective about the place lol. Like i found out last Saturday someone had stolen an original chain ladder, and i got so pissed like if they'd stolen out of my own house

Thats really good to hear, i'll even give him a hand then

The more the merrier; I'm certainly going to help him out. He'll appreciate any assistance I'm sure ;)

I'll let him comment further.

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Just a mention. Cwmorthin would have fallen in which is what the landowner at the time wanted if Miles had not come along and put an arrangement in place.

Rhiwbach was blocked off with welded RSjs back in the 1980s with access a game of cat and mouse until Cave Access Ltd. CAL controls the access there which is primarily for explorers, we are not a commercial company.

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