Can someone please tell me, as a relative newcomer here, why the doors were put in, what interesting secrets lie beyond them, and who or what is NORPEX?

Alan

It would seem purely to protect their dig, possibly to stop mineral collectors destroying soem of the faces. This was, and may still be a problem in the area. I definetely noticed damage in the time I was exploring the area.

The first door was put on in 1981 purely to store tools behind to save carrying them from the entrance each time further digging was attempted, sadly this was necessary as on more than one occasion prior to the door, theft was not unusual. It could have been some misguided individuals, thinking they were artifacts!!

NORPEX was short for North Pennine Exploration, membership was by invitation only.

That dig started in 1981 carried on for at least 18 years 😉

---

As stated on another post Northern Pennine Exploration - NORPEX - was formed around the early 80's consisting of, if I havent missed anyone, 6 members who were fanatical about the Alston mining area. The Nent Force Level being a particular subject of much research and digging. They were also against the then proposal to turn the Nenthead area into a 'tourist' mine. One of the proposals was to cut a deap trench put a roof on it and call it a mine - good eh?
The doors were installed after I left, due to business and family commitments so don't know alot about them, but I would think the reason would have been to prevent any descoveries being vandalized.

---

This semi-secret society is not that secretive. If it consisted of six people, then they are all to be seen on page 83 of Peter Wilkinson's "The Nent Force Level and Brewery Shaft" book. There is also another picture of four members in the Engine Room at the Brewery Shaft on the same page.The photos are attributed and still under copyright or I would upload them.

On page 102 of the same book, you may well find the names of Norpex members in the list of ackowledgements.

---

I was never a member of NORPEX and didn't particularly like the doors being there.

However I did manage to get a trip down there for a look round a couple of months before the doors were removed the guys who took us down were happy for us to get involved and were planning on tackling the fall in the Hardshins end as soon as they were sure they'd explored all loose ends.

The doors and locks all worked perfectly when we went down. There had been an attempt to destroy the concrete wall above the first door a couple of weeks earlier which had been promptly repaired.

Neither of the guys we were with were original members but both had been involved for many years and had spent alot of time and money on digging in there, there was quite a bit of equipment of one sort or another lying around.

While I perfectly understand the frustration of not being able to see what's behind the door looking at the place now I do wonder if they wouldn't have been better left alone.
There was a sign at the head of the underground shaft with the signals on it, gone. A sign about keeping clear of the wagons moving, gone. Two large barrels, one now smashed to matchwood and that's just the big obvious stuff.
Norpex have removed most of their kit and stopped digging. I must say if I'd spent 18 years digging through all those falls I'd probably be a bit hacked off not to be able to continue.

Just to mention that there is another side to this tale :devil:

---

Sparty Lea, I agree totally and appreciate your point of view, interestingly enough a number of the people we asked about access where in your area, the Dales and something group, but no one could help. You had a lucky break. I do regret the damage which has subsequently been done, sadly there are knob jockeys everywhere, but i think it would only been a matter of time before someone had cracked it open.

Regarding the locks, the first two where well oiled/greased, but the third was definitley in bad shape. I dont think it was the torch that did the damage, my technique had improved by then.

NORPEX members were scattered about the country from all four corners, Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Northumberland, being the main ones. It evolved over time as members came and went, the aim being the push on the Rampgill level to Coalclough,although it did achieve the access to the Rampgill deep shaft 🙂

---

hers some door pics

[img]flink]Personal-Album-18-Image-001[linkphoto]Personal-Album-18-Image-001[/linkphoto][/link][img]🔗Personal-Album-18-Image-002[linkphoto]Personal-Album-18-Image-002[/linkphoto][/link][/img]🔗Personal-Album-18-Image-003[linkphoto]Personal-Album-18-Image-003[/linkphoto][/link]

So are NORPEX still active??.

DP

Helen, I agree your comments.
I spent some time in the vicinity of Rampgill Shaft putting together an old newspaper like a jigsaw puzle onto a wooden board. "Burtons, another link in the chain", refering to a growth in the famous tailoring firm and increasing popularity of relatively cheap ready to wear clothing in the 1920s.
Fortnight later it went.
I am still seriously pissed of about this!
I never even had the chance to photograph it, although SCMC managed to get one as it was in their "Below" newsletter.

---

As stated on another post Northern Pennine Exploration - NORPEX - They were also against the then proposal to turn the Nenthead area into a 'tourist' mine. One of the proposals was to cut a deap trench put a roof on it and call it a mine - good eh?

As I recall it was a man named Wilson, he was turning smallcleugh into a tourist mine, he installed a locked gate and published somewhere that tickets could be bought from Darlington railway station (No I havent been on the SB's (yet))
The gate was bolt cropped off and despatched down a nearby shaft, So I was told

---