The

DERBYSHIRE CAVER

No 146 Autumn 2017

The Bottomless Pit lake, Speedwell Cavern

IN THIS ISSUE – • John Gunn on water tracing at the Bottomless Pit • Bob Mehew’s note on Access Controlling Bodies and CO2 • Adam Russell replaces the Mouldridge Mine gate • Dave Prime on a SUSS Freshers’ Meet

Published by the £2.00 DERBYSHIRE CAVING ASSOCIATION

£2.00 THE DERBYSHIRE CAVER

No 146 Autumn 2017

Editor: Material for inclusion can be sent hand-written or via email.

Mike Higgins Please send contributions for the next issue as soon as they are ready. 56 Robin Hood Crescent Edenthorpe The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Doncaster editor nor of the Derbyshire Caving Association. DN3 2JJ

Email: [email protected] The website of the Derbyshire Caving Association is at: www.theDCA.org.uk

CONTENTS:

Editorial ...... 3 CO2 in the Monyash Area ...... 3

The Bottomless Pit – Water Depth and Water Tracing . . . 4 Mouldridge Gate Replacement ...... 9 Access Controlling Bodies, CO2 and the HSW Act ...... 11 Freshers’ Meet (it was only short) ...... 13 Photographs from the Editor...... 16

Cover photograph by the late Paul Deakin courtesy of John Harrison

THE DCA - WHAT WE DO AND HOW TO JOIN US DOING IT

The aim of Derbyshire Caving Association (DCA) is to protect the caves and promote good caving practice within the Peak District and surrounding areas. Membership is open to all clubs, individuals and outdoor activity providers with an interest in caves and caving or mine exploration. Check out the DCA website for further information (www.theDCA.org.uk). Membership enquiries should be made to the Secretary at [email protected].

The newsletter of the DCA has been in publication for over fifty years and provides a forum for cavers in the Peak District. The Editor welcomes contributions from all cavers, whether DCA members or not. News, articles, photographs, letters for publication, etc, should be posted or emailed to him at the above address, or give him a ring on 01302 882874.

The Derbyshire Caver is posted free to DCA members; non-members may subscribe by sending a cheque for £9 (payable to DCA) for four issues, to the Secretary or Treasurer. Some back issues are also available for sale. Quarter-page adverts are £5 per insertion.

Current issues of The Derbyshire Caver are available from the following outlets:

The Old Smithy Teashop, Monyash; Peak District Mining Museum, Matlock Bath

Editorial CO2 in the Monyash area

This issue contains a wide range of articles, from DCRO had a callout to assist a cold, tired caver in another story about the good old days in SUSS by Knotlow Cavern on the evening of Saturday Dave Prime to an account by John Gunn of the 02/09/17, and it was reported that the levels of results of recent water tracing work at the CO2 in the system at the time may have Bottomless Pit Lake in Speedwell Cavern. We contributed to the casualty's condition. publish the note by Bob Mehew on CO2 and ACBs in the context of the Health and Safety at Work DCRO's underground party measured the level of legislation that led to his resignation as BCA Legal the gas to be 3·4% at the casualty site, and, while & Insurance Officer and there is the tale of the it isn't conclusive that the CO2 did contribute to Mouldridge Mine gate replacement by the hard- the issues leading to the casualty needing working Adam Russell. assistance, this level of gas is over twice the short- term exposure limit (STEL - the maximum level to Sadly, we have to report that Boyd Potts passed which a worker is allowed by law to be exposed, away on 17th September after being diagnosed and then only for a maximum period of 15 last May with inoperable lung cancer. Boyd was minutes). Chairman of Orpheus Caving Club and long represented them on DCA Council. Hopefully a full Cavers need to be aware that there may be a tribute will appear in the next issue. problem with CO2 levels in the Monyash venues (particularly in Knotlow Cavern, Hillocks Mine, As those of you who follow social media will be Whalfe Mine, Water Icicle Close Cavern, Raven aware, graffiti recently disfigured Holme Bank Mine and Lathkillhead Upper Series) and should Chert Mine at Bakewell. A joint clean-up team be advised to exercise due caution. from Masson Caving Group and Peak District Mines Historical Society was organised by Paul I have recently (July 2017) taken measurements at Chandler and the worst has now been dealt with. Water Icicle and Lathkilhead Upper Series and Thanks go to Paul, to Fatima and Vicky from found depletion of oxygen to be of the order 2·4% Masson and to Adam, Chris and Dave from to 3·3%, and it is reasonable to assume that PDMHS. depleted oxygen is replaced by a similar amount of carbon dioxide. As mentioned in the Editorial of the Spring issue of The Derbyshire Caver, Jenny Potts will be standing Following up on the Knotlow situation, Pete Dell down as DCA Secretary at the next AGM on 24th and I descended Knotlow with a multi-gas monitor February 2018. She has done this job and others at which recorded oxygen levels and a single gas DCA since time immemorial and will be a hard act carbon dioxide meter, with the intention of taking to follow. Nevertheless, the post has to be filled some atmospheric readings along the climbing and if you would like to help the Peak District’s shaft route, as far as Waterfall Chamber. regional caving body in its essential work then please contact DCA. The conditions underground were markedly different to those found by the team on 02/09/17, Finally, a plug for a recent publication. TSG 19, the with oxygen staying above our current alarm 2017 Journal of the Technical Speleological Group, setting of 19% (although this should be 19·5% in a is now available. It contains over 200 pages and working environment) and carbon dioxide went around 250 mainly colour photographs plus 18 over the statutory low alarm point of 0·5% in Pearl surveys. Put together by Phil Wolstenholme it Chamber (reading was 0·6%) and rose to just represents excellent value at £25 – order it via the around the STEL point of 1·5% at the top of the TSG website. Waterfall Pitch. However, without the meter, it would have been difficult to tell that the air was any different to that on the surface.

Mike Higgins Alan Brentnall

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The Bottomless Pit Lake, Speedwell Cavern, Castleton:

Water depth and water tracing

Preamble: The elevations in the following article were recorded (Figure 2). For 94% of the time the were supplied to the author by Wayne Sheldon in surface of the lake was at or below 212.5m aOD August 2017 from the Castleton Survex model. In and there were 11 storm events when the late September Wayne issued updated Survex elevation was >215m. Of those 11 storm events elevations that were 3.9m above those previously five achieved depths above 226.8m resulting in supplied placing the Bottomless Pit platform at inundation of the viewing platform and the 230.1m aOD instead of 226.8m. As the latter is highest elevation reached was 228.5m aOD. virtually the same as the elevation used in the 1990s the author is of the opinion that there has Rieuwerts & Ford (1985, page 148) state that been a mistake but as of 14 October no-one had "Flood waters soon back up so the outlet is very been able to provide an explanation. Hence, the restricted". The recorded data show that the first article uses the elevations as originally supplied. If part of this statement is true as the depth these are subsequently found to be in error a increases rapidly, commonly at a rate of 1m in 5 corrigendum will be included in the next issue of minutes and with a maximum of 1.32m in 5 the Newsletter. minutes. However, as the volume of water flowing into the Pit from the Far Canal decreases the lake The Bottomless Pit is a large vein cavity at the end also drains rapidly with falls of up to 0.84m in 5 of the Near Canal in Speedwell Cavern. Tourists minutes. The water surface area varies with height visiting Speedwell are transported by boat along but if one uses the figures that Marsden (1991) the canal to the Bottomless Pit where they alight quotes as the area at normal water level (12m * onto a platform that was constructed by lead 9m) then a fall of 0.84m in 5 minutes equates to a miners in the 18th century. From the platform, flow of 302 L/s out of the lake. Moreover, if water they look down onto a lake that is 12m long, 9m was continuing to enter the Pit whilst levels were wide and has a maximum explored depth of 8m at falling then the actual flow out must have been in its normal water level although the vein cavity excess of 302 L/s. Clearly then the main outlet (or must have been deeper before the miners used it outlets) from the Pit is not restricted but it must as a convenient dump for waste rock (Marsden, be at, or perhaps above the 211.8m aOD level at 1991). Based on data in a Survex model of the which water rests for most of the year. An obvious Peak-Speedwell cave system Sheldon (pers. question is 'how big is the conduit'? An estimate comm., 2017) gives the elevation of the platform can be made using the formula "Volume = Velocity as 226.8m aOD and states that the normal water * Area". At a velocity of 1m/s a conduit with an surface is 15m lower at an elevation of 211.8m area of 0.3m2 would be sufficient to discharge aOD. The elevation of the lake can change 300L/s and this would equate to a conduit of significantly and Marsden (1991) records that accessible dimensions (50cm * 60cm, 100cm * after a flood in July 1974 he observed a foam 30cm, etc). However, when the lake is full to flood-mark 3m above the miners’ platform giving platform level there would be a head of some 15m an elevation of about 229.8m aOD (Figure 1). of water and the velocity could be as high as 2m/s with a halving of the conduit area. Over the past Between 10 August 2011 and 25 July 2012 a DIVER 50 years many cavers have visited the Pit and water depth logger was placed in the lake at an although Ball and Wolstenholme (pers. comm.) elevation of approximately 211m aOD, just below have recorded water flowing into the Pit from a the normal water level, and set to log at 5 minute narrow rift on the north wall none have reported intervals. Some data were lost when the any outlet conduit. However, it may well lie instrument was removed for downloading but in beneath the cobble and boulder beds that slope total 8333 hours of water depth measurements down to the lake.

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Figure 1: Survey

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A further consideration is what lies beneath the give a lake depth of about 10m when it was lake. The account given to the public is that a discovered by the miners. As rubble was tipped in scientist (sometimes named as Trevor Ford, the water surface would have gradually risen until sometimes anonymous) calculated that 40,000 it reached the level of the putative conduit after long tons of rock had been dumped into the which it would have remained reasonably Bottomless Pit. However, it is by no means certain constant other than at times of flood. It will be how these calculations were performed and when readily apparent that this account makes I asked Trevor he denied being the source. numerous assumptions although it is argued that Rieuwerts & Ford (1985, page 154) suggest that they are all reasonable assumptions. Some could 4000 long tons (4064t) would be a reasonable be tested (for example it would be possible to total but even this figure seems somewhat high. A accurately measure the volume of the pit below starting point in any calculation must be the the platform and below water) and some will have volume of rock removed in excavation of the Far to remain a matter of debate (for example the Canal as it is a reasonable assumption that all of volume of fill). that rock was tipped into the Pit. The distance from the Bottomless Pit to Pit Props is about 250m Everyone who has taken the tour of Speedwell and if one takes the passage dimensions to be Cavern will have heard their guide recount a story approximately 2m by 2m (Rieuwerts & Ford, 1985, about large amounts of fluorescein dye having page 140, give the dimensions as "6 feet 6 inches been dumped into the Bottomless Pit and that to 7 feet high and about 6 feet wide") then this Russet Well turned bright green 24 hours later. As amounts to a convenient 1000m3 of rock. I am not aware of any published account to Limestone has a mass of about 2.65t/m3 which substantiate this I decided to replicate the trace would account for 2650t of rock. Further rock using rhodamine WT dye. Permission was would have been removed when the natural obtained from the Environment Agency and from passage was modified for about 100m upstream John Harrison, the owner of Speedwell Cavern, to the Boulder Piles although it is by no means sure and at 10:30 on 16 December 400g of a 20% that all of this would have been transported back rhodamine WT solution were poured into a small to the Pit. It is likely that ore was washed in the Pit stream of water flowing into the Pit from the Far and the washings dumped into the convenient Canal. The lake turned a very spectacular shade of void but this would not amount to more than a red and shortly afterwards the Near Canal did the few hundred tonnes. For the purposes of this note same as, due to a misunderstanding, the pump I assume a total of 3500t of rock was dumped and supplying water from the Pit to the Near Canal that the density of the fill was 2t/m3 giving a continued to operate! volume of 1750m3 (a pile of rocks contains more voids than solid rock and hence has a lower Prior to the tracer injection granular activated density). If it is assumed that the natural void was charcoal (GAC) fluocapteurs were deployed at 12m by 9m (the lake dimensions at c. 212m aOD) Russet Well (RW), at Slop Moll (SM), about 2m and had vertical sides then 1750m3 of debris inside Peakshole Sough (PS) and below Peak would fill it to a depth of just over 16m. If the Cavern Rising (PCR). In addition, GGUN-FL field bottom of the original vein cavity was at about fluorometers kindly loaned by Dr Lou Maurice of 190m aOD then the fill would bring the level up to the British Geological Survey were deployed at 206m which would fit reasonably with the cave RW, SM and PS. These instruments were divers’ description of the present lake having a programmed to log the concentration of mud floor that slopes away underwater to meet rhodamine WT at 5-minute intervals together with the walls all the way round and with a maximum turbidity and water temperature. They also depth of 8m (Carter & Cordingley, 1994, page 67). recorded sodium fluorescein and were used in Finally, Rieuwerts & Wolstenholme (2016, page tracing experiments from the Long Cliffe area as 84-85) quote a description of the discovery of the discussed by Gunn (2017). No rhodamine WT dye Bottomless Pit by miners in which it is stated then was detected by the PS logger, a result confirmed when they broke through they were able to when the fluorocapteur was examined. The PCR descend for "eight and twenty yards" (25.6m) to fluocapteur also contained no dye but the the level of the water and this would put the water fluocapteurs from RW and SM both contained surface at about 200m aOD. If the bottom of the high concentrations of rhodamine WT dye. The cavity was indeed at about 190m aOD this would dye concentrations recorded by the RW and SM 6 fluorometers from 00:00 17 December to 12:00 29 route taken was less clear and it was planned that December are shown on Figure 3. One notable a group led by Nigel Ball would place a fluocapteur feature is that the concentration of dye fluctuates in the Speedwell stream below Window Inlet to markedly rather than showing a steady increase to determine whether water from the Pit entered the a peak followed by a recession. As the dye stream. For various reasons only one member of concentrations at RW and SM were virtually the the group (Jim Lister) went down the Bung Hole same it is likely that the fluctuations are real rather and it was his first visit to the Lower Bung than being due to some form of instrument error. Streamway. This led him to place the fluocapteur It is known that the fluorometers are sensitive to in the main stream just below the Long By-Pass changes in turbidity but at both sites the only time instead of at Window Inlet. The mistake proved to that turbidity exceeded 7.5NTU was during a be a fortunate one as when the fluocapteur was storm event that began at 16:00 on 23 December. removed it was found to contain a high [NTU are Nephelometric Turbidity Units and are concentration of rhodamine WT. This was a very used to measure the cloudiness of a water sample, surprising result that led to consideration of how 7.5 being a low, background level]. At RW and SM water could have travelled from the Pit to the Long turbidity is due largely to suspended sediment By-Pass. Using the Survex model Wayne Sheldon being transported from the Rushup Edge stream- has provided there is an elevation of 209.9m aOD sinks. The fluctuations in dye concentration could for the Lower Bung Streamway at the junction be a consequence of changes in flow as both sites with the Long By-Pass. As discussed above, it are known to exhibit cyclic periodicity or they may seems likely that there is an outlet from the Pit at be related to pumping of water containing dye about 211.8m aOD which maintains the normal from the Pit into the Near Canal and draining of water level at that elevation. This does provide water from the canal back into the Pit. sufficient head difference to drive water from the Pit to the Lower Bung Streamway at the Long By- At RW the first dye was detected at 10:40 on 17 Pass junction but water enters the Long By-Pass December, 24 hours 10 minutes after injection. At upstream and the elevations of the inlets are SM, the first dye was detected 1 hour later but this unknown. Clearly the water elevation in the Pit may reflect instrument sensitivity at the very low must be higher than that of the inlets for there to concentrations (0.02μg/L) rather than a true time be a hydraulic connection. Another possibility is difference in tracer arrival. There were two main that there is a hydraulic connection between the peaks of rhodamine, separated by a lower peak. Near Canal and the Far Canal such that dye The first peak was 47 hours after injection pumped from the Pit into the Near Canal was able (2.78μg/L RW; 3.07μg/L SM) and the second 68 to disperse into the Far Canal and to enter the hours after injection (2.85μg/L RW; 3.13μg/L SM). Long By-Pass via Shrimp Passage. To resolve these There was a third, smaller peak 174-175 hours uncertainties it planned to undertake another after tracer injection (1.31μg/L RW; 1.33μg/L SM). tracing experiment at a time when no water is This coincided with a storm event when the being pumped from the Pit into the Near Canal. turbidity increased to 22.8NTU and it is not certain whether the increase in concentration was an REFERENCES artefact caused by the increased turbidity or was real in which case the most likely explanation Carter R L & Cordingley J N. 1994. Peak District Sump would be storm water entering the Bottomless Pit Index. and flushing dye into the system. Traces of dye continued to be recorded by both fluorometers Gunn J. 2017. The underground drainage of the Long for 30 days after injection. Cliffe to Goosehill Area, Castleton, Derbyshire. Journal of the Technical Speleological Group, 19, 179 - 189. The movement of dye from the Pit to RW and SM Marsden A W. 1991. Aspects of the Peak - Speedwell was not unexpected and the breakthrough time of Cave System 1650 - 1900. Cave Science (Transactions of 24 hours accords well with the cave guides’ the BCRA), 18(1), 3-17. account although the peak concentration was over ten times lower than the limit of visual Rieuwerts J H & Ford T D. 1985. The mining history of detection so the amount of dye used in the first the Speedwell Mine or Oakden Level, Castleton, trace must have been substantial. Whilst the Derbyshire. Bulletin of the Peak District Mines ultimate destination of the water was known the Historical Society, 9(3), 129 - 170. 7

Figure 2: Bottomless Pit water depth measurements

Figure 3: Dye concentrations at Russet Well and Slop Moll

John Gunn

School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT [email protected] 8

The Mouldridge Gate gets a

Makeover

For some time, the gate on Mouldridge Mine has been came to drilling the holes, and spent a lot of time re- showing the effects of 30 years of Peak District sharpening drill bits as a result… weather. Since the land around the mine was designated access land, it has seen increasing use by Unfortunately, in the meantime the news came instructed groups with resultant wear and tear on the through that the frame was wobbling; it seems my already ageing gate. Earlier this year, it was reported wedge job hadn’t held and more serious fixing was that the right-hand side of the wooden frame had going to be needed. Two-pack anchor resin was the broken away; I’d been thinking for a while the frame obvious solution, and fortunately the half-used tube on needed replacing so it was time for thought to give way the garage shelf was still in a usable state so once again, to deed. I had a long piece of steel box section in my I loaded up the trusty Bergen with assorted tools and garage which was about the right size for new uprights, the sign and headed down to Pikehall. and I was offered some bits of heavy-duty angle iron by Ric Allen to make the lintel pieces. DCA Projects Officer As I’d expected, the fixing on the point where the old Pete Knight offered a length of rebar to replace the concrete had spalled away had come loose, and it hinge rod. seems this had loosened one of the other fix points as well. Copious application of resin dealt with the dud Making the frame was the easy bit – a few hours of fixing, and more judiciously applied amounts took care cutting, welding, and painting and the parts were ready of the remaining fixings to ensure that they hold the for assembly and installation. Now for installation, and frame bolts securely but they can be removed if the unfortunately on the day I picked for this I was unable need arises in future. Refitting the sign was quick and to muster any help so with a large, heavy rucksack easy by comparison, so once again PDMHS’s name was containing the parts and the tools I staggered over the proudly displayed on the gate. A5012 and along the valley bottom. First, the old frame needed removing - although the right-hand side was There is one further bit of work that needs doing at already loose, the left-hand side wasn’t giving up so some point. The weight of the gate has been flagged up easily and a combination of brute force and colourful as a potential issue in the past and I have mused on the language was required. Next was drilling anchor holes fact that it does have the potential to injure the careless for the new uprights, only to find that part of the and clumsy – not what you want happening when your mortar on one side spalled off, which caused problems society’s name is on the gate! Anyone who’s been in later. As if that wasn’t bad enough, while moving the since the new frame was fitted would have noticed that gate around I managed to drop it and break the cast there are two small lugs on the inside of the frame and iron sign, which prompted even more colourful holes in the side of the gate. This is so that some car language, though fortunately there were no school tailgate gas struts can be fitted to ease opening and parties visiting that day! closing and I thought I had one spare in my garage from when I replaced the set on my car but it’s currently After this, things went a bit better; the frame went into hiding in one of the piles of rubbish materials I may find place and mostly held fast apart from the spalled bit a use for in future that fill up most of my garage. If which I had to wedge, and I gave the gate a good coat anyone has a gas strut or two they could spare for use of hammerite to match the frame. The PDMHS sign was on the gate, please let me know. fixable so it came home with me where pins and araldite put it back together again, then out came the paint to hide the break get the sign looking smart again. The original bolts had needed cutting off but I had some Postscript – one bit of the old gate has since been stainless steel ones left over from another job, and recycled; as part of my blacksmithing some offcuts of stainless steel plate that could make demonstration at the Magpie Mine open day on new backplates. I had however forgotten just how 10 September I used part of the old hinge rod to quickly stainless blunts standard HSS drills when it make a miner’s pricker.

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Mouldridge gate – before (Photo: Adam Russell)

Mouldridge gate – after (Photo: Adam Russell)

Adam Russell

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Access Controlling Bodies, Carbon Dioxide & the application of the Health & Safety at Work Act

The following caveats should be noted: It should be noted however that employees are now taken as including volunteers (for example BCA’s 1 This is NOT official BCA policy (nor ever was insurance policy does so), so an event involving intended to be); volunteers may create a situation where the ACB is 2 Whilst it has been prepared with care, I am not considered to be an employer and hence the able to offer any warranty that all the regulations would apply. The reasons are not clear but information is correct. Thus I will NOT accept the nature and size of payments is one aspect. any liability for any action taken by any person on the basis of the contents of this note. You It therefor seems likely that ACBs do not need to are strongly advised to consult an expert on comply with the HSW Act and hence with COSHH. the topic if you have any concerns; 3 Access Controlling Bodies should consider Possible Liabilities whether they fit within the types I had considered. Even if the regulations do not apply, then a liability might still arise in a civil case if the persons Introduction underground are not advised if elevated levels of CO2 are known to occur. Such a liability will be reduced if A potential problem might arise because the level of adequate warning is available, either by inclusion of a carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere in some caves warning in the ‘permit’ if issued, a notice in cave or in can rise above 0·5% which is a legal threshold for taking the cave guide book or similar easily obtainable action under the Control of Substances Hazardous to reference work such as the ACB’s web site. If levels are Health (COSHH) regulations made under the Health & known to rise above 4%, then consideration must be Safety at Work (HSW) Act (there is also the Confined given to limiting access when such levels occur. Spaces Regulations which apply at higher levels of CO2 and require substantial effort to comply with). If Others at Work enhanced levels of CO2 do exist in the cave and the regulations do apply, then the requirements of the Persons permitted to descend a cave who are at work regulations need to be complied with. Even if the will be required to comply with COSHH. ACBs only need regulations do not apply, then some liabilities might to ensure that an adequate warning is available as a exist if enhanced levels of CO2 are known to be present. matter of reducing liability. More detailed information is attached in the Annex. Mines Application Operating mines are caught by Regulations 43 & 44 of The HSW Act applies to employers and self-employed the Mines Regulations 2014 in a requirement to have a persons conducting an undertaking. ACBs come in two suitable ventilation system and the application of types, incorporate bodies such as limited companies COSHH. and unincorporated, similar to most caving clubs. Incorporated bodies normally have employees and hence would need to comply with the HSW Act. But it ANNEX is anticipated that all incorporated ACBs do not have employees assuming that their Directors and Secretary Impact of Carbon Dioxide 1 have no employment role . Toxicological symptoms in humans range from The definition of self-employed includes the phrase headaches (in the order of 3% for 1 hour), increased “…for gain or reward…”. Individuals in unincorporated respiratory and heart rate, dizziness, muscle twitching, ACBs are therefore unlikely to be considered self- confusion, unconsciousness, coma and death (in the employed persons. order of >15% for 1 minute)2.

1 See https://www.gov.uk/employment-status items 6 2 See & 7 for advice http://www.hse.gov.uk/carboncapture/assets/docs/m ajor-hazard-potential-carbon-dioxide.pdf 11

The impact of CO2 has also been summarised in the limits. Measurements made elsewhere in the UK following table though no authoritative source for the suggest even higher levels of CO2 can be present. table can be cited. There are anecdotal tales of cavers encountering concentrations of CO2 sufficient to induce some of the %CO2 Symptoms symptoms noted in the table above. There have been 2 to 3 Shortness of breath, deep breathing two fatal accident in which CO2 is considered to play a Breathing becomes heavy, sweating, pulse major role, Neil Moss7 and Langstroth Pot8. 5 quickens Headaches, dizziness, restlessness, Application of the COSSH Regulations 7.5 breathlessness, increased heart rate and blood pressure, visual distortion The COSHH regulations apply two thresholds for taking Impaired hearing, nausea, vomiting, loss of action. The lower is set at 0·5% CO2 in air and applies 10 consciousness for a time weight average exposure over an eight-hour 30 Coma, convulsions, death period. The upper is set at 1·5% CO2 in air and applies for a time weight average exposure over a fifteen- The American National Institute for Occupational minute period. The time weight average does provide Safety and Health recommend3 a value of 4% for some leeway. Say a person is within a cave for 4 hours Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health in cave at a concentration of X% and 4 hours elsewhere Concentrations of CO2. In the absence of UK advice, 4% in a normal atmosphere. Then the computation would seem an appropriate threshold above which the requires that the sum of the product of these two Confined Spaces regulations would apply. periods and their respective concentration should at worst equal the product of the long-term exposure Sources, Sinks and Levels of Carbon Dioxide limit times the 8 hours. This means that for a 4 hour period, the CO2 concentration could be up to 0·93% The sources and sinks for CO2 in the atmosphere of a and remain within the long-term exposure limit. If the cave are many and varied. CO2 can originate from a cave atmosphere was just under the 1·5% short term number of sources: exposure limit, then a person could spend up to approximately 2·5 hours in cave (time weighted a. Decay of organic material captured into water and averaging of the short-term exposure limit is ignored being transported into the cave; for practical reasons). b. People, animals, plants respiring; c. Formation of speleothems; If the level of CO2 in air exceeds the time weighted d. Volcanic / thermal springs; threshold values, then action must be taken to ensure e. Atmosphere; and all persons are not exposed to such CO2 f . Combustion (lights, stoves etc). concentrations. The simplest mode of compliance is to not permit trips into the cave or affected part(s) of the CO2 can be dissipated by natural or forced air drafts cave if the CO2 concentration is above the thresholds. and to a lesser extent by diffusion. It can be removed This would imply that a monitoring regime is required. by dissolving into water flowing through the cave if that Other, probably impractical, options include ventilating water is not saturated with CO2. the cave or providing breathing apparatus (though it is noted that local ventilation has been successfully used One study4 by Whitaker et al indicated a level of CO2 in at digs). Scoska cave, Yorkshire of between 0·2% and 0·3% beyond 100m from the entrance. Another study5 by Craven in the South African Cango show cave indicated levels around 0·5% with peaks above 2%. A recent report6 from Waitomo Cave indicate suspension of tourist trips to ensure CO2 levels do not encroach on Bob Mehew

3 See https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/idlh/124389.html and http://cavescience2- 4 See cloud.bcra.org.uk/3_CaveAndKarstScience/cks070.pdf http://bcra.org.uk/pub/docs/downloads.html?f=cks10 for the corrected table 8085 (note this will require membership of BCRA to 6 Descent Edition 255, p4, 2017 gain access) 7 Descent Edition 62, p20, 1985 5 See http://cavescience2- 8 Descent Edition 34, p8, 1976 cloud.bcra.org.uk/3_CaveAndKarstScience/cks069.pdf 12

The Freshers’ Meet

(it was only short)

Being a fresher, I misunderstood the purpose indeed, had been one of the original ‘ton-up of the Fresher’s Bazaar. I supposed that it was boys’ and like Icarus had a large Norton bike. I a means by which, through a set of stalls, that used to enjoy being taken for short rides but newcomers to the University were introduced unfortunately love cooled after Maurice to the various Student Union clubs and allowed my sister to drive his bike. The lucky societies. However, to these societies the part of this incident was that it took place in a Bazaar was quite vital. The Union gave a grant remote part of the Staffordshire Moorlands. to each of them, which was dependent on Even though she had no experience, no their enrolled numbers. Hence it was license and no insurance, she would have important to get as many Freshers to join as been all right if it had not been for the possible and by whatever means. drunken cyclist coming towards her. She overdid the avoidance manoeuvre and I was attracted by the Speleological Society’s crashed into a ditch. She did little damage to stall: was it the ladders, the carbide lights or the bike but Maurice was not as sympathetic the women? All of these were there flaunting as he might have been with her dismay that their respective charms. Later carbide lamps she had knocked the heel of a newish pair of and ladders were commonly seen shoes and laddered her stockings. underground but women were much rarer. Even with my motorbike experience I would I paid my fee and joined. Later in the week a have fallen off if there had not been a rucksack bloke who looked like Mick Jagger (remember behind me in addition to the one I was that this was 1964) took us to buy some boiler wearing and the one Icarus had over his suits and woollen long johns at an ex-Army handlebars. The latter did not help control but store. The same bloke also took us to the Pub I was able to reopen my eyes 2 minutes and 2 where the society met weekly. He also met us miles later when we slowed slightly to go at the Bus Station to ensure that we caught down a rough track to a farm. I was deposited the correct bus to Castleton on the following at a barn whilst Icarus returned to Castleton weekend. to transport more lucky Freshers. Another bunch meanwhile, turned up in an old Having lots of members is not necessarily a ambulance which boded well for the caving to good thing for a club primarily interested in come. caving, since having too many persons underground is slow, dangerous and These were the halcyon days of Giant’s Hole unwieldy. Hence a cave had been chosen for a before the entrance series had been modified first meet that would put off all but the and when the farmer’s wife bought you a cup keenest. However, we freshers did not realise of tea and biscuits if you got out and called the this. cave rescue if you didn’t. We changed in the barn and were allocated pressed paper The alienation program began with our miner’s helmets, a carbide light and Harry to transport to the cave. I was allocated to a lead a small group of us. Harry explained the strange character called Icarus. Luckily, I was foibles of carbide lights in a limited sense, an experienced motor cycle pillion rider since namely that water dropped from a reservoir both my brother and some of my sister’s onto the carbide producing acetylene gas. boyfriends had motorbikes. One of the latter, This was forced out through a jet and you could thereby light it if you were lucky, to 13 produce a rather dim light. Furthermore, you dry suit, lay full length in the stream and could regulate the light by controlling the wriggled under a curtain of stalactites. No one water flow. Theoretically this was good but said anything, the water was cold and we there proved to be problems in practice. discovered the first problem mentioned Although water is necessary for the lights they previously with our carbide lamps. The do not function well under water as some of advantage of getting soaked at this point was us were shortly to find out, also both carbide that no-one bothered to try to keep their feet and water can run out and usually do so at dry any longer and we also moved quicker to particularly appropriate moments. try and keep warm.

Shortly, Harry made a left turn, climbed up a small slope and disappeared into a low passage crawling flat out. We heard the muffled remark ‘this is Pillar Crawl, it is only short’ and we followed him downwards. It was short and we emerged via a steepish section into a dry and comfortable passage; this did not continue for long. Harry stopped at a section where the passage became low and simultaneously, filled up with water. ‘This is the canal, it is best to float through on your back keeping you face in the air space, it is only short.’ With this he checked his dry suit again and then followed his own advice. We also attempted to follow his advice although most of us encountered two problems. Firstly, air is not trapped so efficiently in wet clothes and as a consequence of this floating begins to Giants Hole entrance on a dry day have its problems; and secondly once your (Photo: Roger Larke) face does go under water not only does breathing become more difficult but also you Harry had neither paper helmet or carbide are plunged into darkness when your carbide lamp. He had a plastic helmet and an electric light is extinguished. In addition, the ‘it is only cap light attached to a battery at his waist. He short’ remark seemed not to be as truthful as was also wearing what appeared to be some the previous comments. Nevertheless, we all kind of waterproof under his boiler suit. This survived and after another shorter canal, we turned out to be an ex air sea rescue dry suit emerged at a place where the passage was popularly known as ‘Goon Suits’ because of low but completely dry. Harry became their general appearance. He led us to the loquacious, ‘this is the sump, it has been entrance of the cave. This was quite bailed, it is only short.’ impressive, being big enough to walk into and containing a medium sized stream. Harry It was both short and bone dry although walked straight through the water whilst the another flat-out crawl, beyond which we rest of us tried to keep our feet dry by emerged into a larger passage that led rapidly stepping from stone to stone and keeping out to a huge passage containing the stream that of the deeper parts. After a short distance he we had left earlier. The next 60 metres was stopped, ‘this is the near curtain, it is only caving as we had expected, a large well short’, after this he tightened the neck of his decorated passage that led to a waterfall at

14 the top of which sat a couple of cheerful ladder down it. Finally, we ended up at a place looking cavers. If you peered over the top of where the roof came down to the water in the waterfall you could see a metal ladder that another sump, and that was the end of our disappeared into the water. Hairy remarked descent for the day. It was only left for us to that the pitch (known as Garlands Pot) was get out. ‘short’ and disappeared down the ladder, having paused only to tighten up the neck of Going upstream is both more tiring and his dry suit. wetter. By the time we reached Garlands all our carbides had given up the ghost and we I discovered later that one of the great joys of had only Harry’s lamp and an electric torch caving is the enjoyment that can be gained by that someone had had the foresight to bring. seeing others suffer. This explained the The sense of relief that we felt on getting up cheerfulness of the two at the top of the pitch. the pitch was somewhat dispersed when we They tied us onto a lifeline using a bowline reached the sump. It was no longer dry. The knot and lined us down the pitch. Some canals had leaked and refilled it. There was a people enjoy cold showers but I am not small airspace which gave some comfort but it amongst their number. At least the waterfall was not usable. Hairy tightened his neck seal extinguished our carbide lamps so you could and remarked that we should ‘take a deep not see how far it was to the base of the shaft. breath, it is only short.’ With that he dived through and then shone his light back for us Hairy reassembled us so that we were able to through the airspace. None of this was very set off down the Crab Walk. The latter got its inviting but the alternative was even less so name from the mode of progress that it and we all therefore dived through. The canals imposed upon you. The passage was very high were as nothing, and although Pillar Crawl was but also so narrow that you had to walk purgatorial we soon go through it and into the sideways. In addition, your feet were main stream passage. You could smell the lubricated by the water running along the outside, light, freedom, food and warmth. base of the passage. There were various other Unfortunately, in our euphoria, we had ‘short’ delights. The vice, where the passage forgotten about the near curtain. We all had became so tight as to be very difficult to pass. the exquisite pleasure of lying face down in By a lot of thrutching it was possible to get by, the cold water, before freedom and a cup of your progress assisted by a small waterfall tea. that fortuitously played on your head and shoulders at the tightest section. Beyond that I was a scientist and took things literally. We there was the Razor’s Edge. Here you lay in had been told to bring dry clothes and a towel the water and straddled a razor-sharp edge but no one had mentioned dry footwear. which you then painfully rolled over before Consequently, I found myself traveling back to falling into a small chamber below, once again Sheffield on the 72 bus with wet, cold feet, the whole procedure was lubricated copiously better by far than the one person who had by water. This exercise would have been made neglected to bring even dry clothes. I had also better by the wearing of a cricketer’s box, but discovered that I was a true masochist and so that was not usual caving apparel. developed a life-long passion for caving. Alternatively, we could have gone via the dry by-pass route but we weren’t told about that. The only other notable obstacle was Comic Act, a short waterfall to climb down that would have been truly memorable if someone had not had the foresight to put another iron Dave Prime

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A COUPLE OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF CROMFORD SOUGH FROM THE EDITOR

Colourful formations near the entrance

Stacked deads at the bottom of Milking Place Shaft

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