gggpls
  • gggpls
  • 50.2% (Neutral)
  • Newbie Topic Starter
14 years ago
Anyoibe know anything about this site ond specifically drainage levels in the area? These appear to be marked on the OS map at Craig-yr-Allt and Blaengwynlais. Dont know what the colliery names were, so difficult to tack down from the index.
Cheers Pete
Morlock
14 years ago
What is the purpose of your research? 🙂
gggpls
  • gggpls
  • 50.2% (Neutral)
  • Newbie Topic Starter
14 years ago
Im going to do some water tracing in the area and need to know if there is a possibility of the tracer going from the limestone into the drainage levels which appear from the OS and BGS geology map to traverse the limestone running west towards Taffs Well. They may of course now be non-functional, but its worth checking.
Pete
Graigfawr
14 years ago
Suggest you get hold of all the editions of the BGS one-inch sheet memoir, especially the early C20 editions as they contain a great deal of mine information that is omitted from the more precised post WW2 editions. Drainage adits are often discussed and sometimes shown on the block plans in the memoirs which are typically at 6 inch scale.

I presume from your email that you have looked at the BGS 6 inch maps? Remember that there will be two editions - the early C20 first ed, and the circa 1950s/60s second ed. Its worth consulting both as whilst the geological interpretation is always better on the second ed, there are sometime mining details - such as major cross measures drifts - shown on the first ed that do not appear on the second ed.

If you need more detail then there is little alternative to an expensive visit to the Coal Authority to look at colliery abandonment and working plans. It will be worth checking with Glamorgan Archives to see if they hold any plans for the area - sometimes mineral estates' royalty plans (effectively copies of working plans) are in county record offices.

Complicating this area is the existence of haematite workings in the limestone with their own drainage adits. As well as the BGS one-inch sheet memoirs and 6 inch maps mentioned above, check out the two editions of the BGS volume 'Special Reports on the Mineral Resources of Great Britain: vol. 10: Iron Ores (continued): the Haematites of the Forest of Dean and South Wales' by T.F.Sibly. Generally the text of the 1st ed (1919) is definitive as the text of the 2nd ed (1927) is in part a slighly misleading precis, but there is some additional information in the second ed. Abandonment plans for metalliferous mines have generlaly been distributed out to county record offices by the old Mines Recod Office in Bootle but as these workings were so close to colliery workings, it is possible that the Coal Authority might have retained them. You'll have to hunt around to check what plans were deposited - the 1930 Catalogue issued by the Mines Inspectorate / Mining Record Office is the best source, as well as the annual updates issued from 1931 to 1938 or 1939.

Hope these notes are useful!

Morlock
14 years ago
Out of interest will the tests be Fluorescien, Lycopodium or one of the many other methods , (or a combination of)?
gggpls
  • gggpls
  • 50.2% (Neutral)
  • Newbie Topic Starter
14 years ago
Sorry I didnt pick up this until now.

Thanks for the suggestions, I can get hold of the BGS book and will look to see what its got on the iron mines as i think they are of most interest given the shafts marked east of Ty Rhiw and near Blaengwynlais. What i dont understand is why Slide Pit is listed as a coal mine rather than iron as its in the limestone not the Coal Measures.

Th tracer test will use fluoresecent dyes with fluorometric detection on hand samples. I have used lyco, but its a dark art and not quantifiable!

Thanks for your suggestions

Pete

Disclaimer: Mine exploring can be quite dangerous, but then again it can be alright, it all depends on the weather. Please read the proper disclaimer.
© 2005 to 2023 AditNow.co.uk

Dedicated to the memory of Freda Lowe, who believed this was worth saving...