I popped into here while on holiday in the area.
🔗Barjarg-Limestone-Mine-User-Album-Image-89988[linkphoto]Barjarg-Limestone-Mine-User-Album-Image-89988[/linkphoto][/link]
Very nice place for a quick hour away from the missus.

Sadly it looks like a couple of weeks ago some little shits have sprayed arrows and graffiti all over the place , which is a real shame because there wasn't much graffiti apart from this.
[photo]Personal-Album-859-Image-89989[/photo]
[photo]Personal-Album-859-Image-89991[/photo]
The good news is it seems to be 'Christmas Spray' rather than paint and rubbing it with my finger suggests its just sat on a thick layer of dust and will easily wipe off.
[photo]Personal-Album-859-Image-89990[/photo]
If anyones planning a visit it might be worth taking a couple of rags to get it looking less chavtastic again.

Hey Chris, some mates of mine said you were coming up. I would have met up with you, but didnt have time as i was moving away.

Hope you liked Barjarg, did you find the section that is to the left if you are facing downhil? It is quite hard to find, i only found it on my third trip.

Did you see the little flooded tunnel ahead of you at the pier where you took the first pic? I need to snorkel that.

Dave

Yes, some of the others suggest I get in touch with you but I literally had an hour one morning and I didn't know which day it would be.

I was rushing so I suspect I may well have missed some of it.

Is there any trace of the higher level that shows up on the old OS map ?
I had a quick poke up that side and saw where the stream was going in, but could see another level up there.

Although I live very close to this locality I am guilty of not paying it much attention.
If my memory is correct some type of water engine was removed from here in the 1970s/1980's is there any sign of where it was removed from?
I am not even sure where the engine ended up- presumably into the big deposit of old machinery that the Royal Scottish Museum holds.
Again because I was not involved at the time, keen mining types in the era mentioned, used to have 'races to go down a mine in each of the three home countries. ie. one in England, Scotlland and Wales. As I understood it, Barjarg was the Scottish venue for this. I am uncertain if this still takes place or what the best time was etc. no doubt somebody may enlighten me!

The Barjarg Waterwheel

In the August 2009 issue of the Northern Mine Research Society Newsletter the story of the Glasgow Speleological Group's extraction of a waterwheel and associated pumps from Barjarg Limestone Mine in Dumfriesshire was reprinted. The NMRS Newsletter editor, David Neal, asked where the wheel was now and asked any of the "Magnificent Seven" GSS members involved to email him with their memories of the occasion or more information on the machinery at [email protected]. According to that GSS Newsletter extract the waterwheel went to the Scottish Society for the Preservation of Historical Machinery. I found that it merged with the Scottish Industrial Archaeology Society in the 1980s to become the Scottish Industrial Heritage Society. Goon has since found that the waterwheel is in the Chambers Street museum. NMRS would still like to hear from anyone with information on the machinery so please contact David Neal if you have any knowledge of the event.

Here it is.

http://www.nms.ac.uk/collections/details.php?item_id=222126&terms=trade%20and%20industry&key=location.entry_2&offset=0&pos=5&tot=8 

The Three Mines Challenge was invented by Adrian Pierce, and consisted of Jugholes, Barjarg and Cwm Ystwyth. each mine had a small logo - 3M in a circle - painted somewhere within and you had to take a photo in front of each one. I did it with Colin Faulkner and Adrian Farrel back in 1985, using a (for the time) very fast hired car. I no longer have a record of the time, although I do have a few photos, but speed limits were not really enforced in those days. It would be difficult to better it now. I don't think it was attempted again after that. The painted logos are certainly long gone.

Re Barjarg waterwheel.

🔗109192[linkphoto]109192[/linkphoto][/link]

Taken in 1971 on an NCMRS visit to the Leadhills area with a link to it's current location and much improved state of preservation.

Jim

PS I did try and get in touch with the museum but got no response.