The

DERBYSHIRE CAVER

No 151 Spring 2019

Dave Shearsmith ascending the ladder in the Bottomless Pit,

IN THIS ISSUE –

 The Ecton Mine adit restoration project by Simon Brooks  The Longcliffe Mine shaft‐top grille epic hauling trip by Phil Wolstenholme  David Jackson Obituary by Charley Cooley  Changing more lightbulbs in Speedwell Cavern by Mark McAuley  ‘Newish’ caves in the Wormhill area by Simon Brooks  Highlighting damage done to gated mines and the access implications by Pete Knight

Published by the £2.00 CAVING ASSOCIATION

£2.00 THE DERBYSHIRE CAVER

No 151 Spring 2019

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

Phil Wolstenholme Please send contributions for the next issue as soon as they are ready. Flat 4, 173‐175 London Road Highfield The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Sheffield editor nor of the Derbyshire Caving Association. S2 4LH

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

CONTENTS:

Editorial ...... 3 DCRO call outs ...... 3 Refurbishment of the Ecton Mine Adit ...... 4 The Longcliffe Mine Shaft‐top Epic ...... 6

David Jackson obituary ...... 10 How Many Cavers Does It Take to Change a Lightbulb? Part 2 . . . . 12 Underground Conservation Forum/ Diving ...... 13 A Few ‘Newish’ Caves in the Wormhill Area ...... 14 Gates and Mines: Something We Have to Accept and Embrace . . . 15 New Longcliffe artwork by Dominika Wrøblewska ...... 16

Cover photograph by Grace Chu

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 Membership Secretary at [email protected].

The magazine of the DCA has been in publication for over fifty‐five 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 0114 255 9976.

The Derbyshire Caver is available free of charge as a PDF for download from the DCA website. Those cavers requiring a printed copy may subscribe, by sending a cheque for £10.00 (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 to purchase from The Old Smithy Teashop, Monyash, and the Peak District Mining Museum, Matlock Bath.

Editorial DCRO Call Outs

Welcome to issue 151 of The Derbyshire Caver. SATURDAY 13/10/2018 ‐ . Whilst we had This is my first issue as editor, replacing Mike a large contingent of Team members deployed on a training exercise in the nearby a real shout Higgins who has done a fantastic job over the last came in before a comms network had been set‐up using five years keeping the flag flying, and I hope to our specialist underground radios, making a large part of maintain his high standards over the coming the team hard to contact! Luckily, we already have a joint issues. tasking system in place with our Mountain Rescue Colleagues and it was a joint call out with Mountain Rescue Team and Mountain Rescue Team assisting This issue is very much about conservation and East Midlands ambulance service, so we had sufficient restoration – particularly as many Peak District personnel available on the surface. The Blue John show mining sites are reaching their collapse state cave visitor who had broken her ankle was brought back up after 200‐300 years, as old timber and rickety the 250+ steps of the cavern and taken to hospital – we stonework finally succumbs to gravity. This has wish her a speedy recovery. necessitated much practical work by DCA TUESDAY 29/01/2019 ‐ Carlswark Cavern. DCRO was volunteers, clubs and independent cavers over called out to assist a caver who had dislocated his shoulder the last few years, working in conjunction with whilst caving in Stoney Middleton. The team were assisted landowners and/or regulatory authorities, to by medics from EMAS who administered pain relief and repair, maintain or make safe numerous old mine relocated the shoulder. DCRO volunteers were then able to haul the casualty and all those still underground back to the entrances in order to protect the public and snowy surface. Thanks to EMAS for the assistance – and livestock; and in many cases maintain or provide apologises we returned them much muddier than when access to those interested in venturing they started! Also, thanks to the Vicar of Eyam who called underground. The Ecton Mine adit (page 4) and by and provided hot drinks and biscuits! We wish the the Longcliffe Mine shaft (page 6) are prime casualty a speedy recovery! examples of how cooperation between the SUNDAY 24/02/2019 ‐ Giants Hole. Having spent the day interested parties can achieve great results, on a training exercise near Cromford the team were called out by Derbyshire Police just as they were packing up. Litter and fly‐tipping, as well as misuse of some Concerns had been raised for three men seen entering sites by off‐road vehicles continue to be a Giants hole, Castleton. One team member set off for the cave to investigate whilst the some of the others took the problem in certain areas; news has also recently team vehicle back to base and repacked it ready for a been received of more electrical household possible shout. The team member at Giants found the waste (a fridge and a microwave) being dumped cavers in good physical condition – not cold or tired – but at Owl Hole; whilst this instance has been it was felt they would benefit from some assistance to reported and is being dealt with, we would ask all climb the pitch. A full team call‐out was avoided as those still at base attended with the DCRO Vehicle. A small team cavers to keep an eye out for inappropriate use went into Giants, rigged a ladder and lifetime to assist the of cave and mine sites for fly‐tipping or other men up the pitch. All then came out under their own vandalism. Mine access at some officially‐gated steam. sites is also becoming a problem, highlighted on page 15. SATURDAY 09/03/2019 ‐ Alderley Edge. The team were called out today by Cheshire Police to support a surface search by Cheshire Search and Rescue by checking all the Christine Wilson has recently resigned as mines at Alderley Edge, Cheshire. In all, we visited well over Conservation Officer (page 13), and we are also 30 mines, shafts, adits and other entrance. DCRO is looking for an Access Officer, so if anyone thinks fortunate to have several members of Derbyshire Caving they may have a talent in these areas, please get Club (DCC) amongst our members. DCC maintain and secure access to the Alderley Edge mines on behalf of the in touch. And please send in any submissions, landowners (mostly National Trust) and their in‐depth written or images, so that we can highlight the knowledge and pre‐planning was key to the smooth best of caving in the Peak District. running of this incident response.

Phil Wolstenholme. Information courtesy of DCRO 3

Refurbishment of the Ecton Mine Alongside the demise of the creamery the outermost 10m of the adit had fallen into a very poor state of Adit. repair, with sections near‐collapsed; shoring appeared to be the only thing keeping the adit roof in place, and with an alarming bulging in part of the adit Worked since the Bronze Age, Ecton Mine in wall some 6 to 7m in from the entrance. In 2018 the Staffordshire was one of the foremost mines in the Ecton Mine Trust had managed to secure funding to British Isles being exploited by the Duke of renovate the first 10m of the adit, and Derbyshire Devonshire in the 18th Century, when an estimated Geotechnical Ltd. (a small Derbyshire‐based rope‐ 100,000 tons of copper ore was extracted, earning access geotechnical construction company, of which the Duke a small fortune. It is now a scheduled Orpheus member Simon Brooks is managing director) monument, has the designation of an Underground won the contract to undertake the repairs. SSSI and is under the care of the Ecton Mine

Educational Trust (www.ectonmine.org).

One of the principal access points into the mine complex is the Ecton Mine Adit which at its outflow lay under the remains of a former creamery. The creamery ceased operating in the 1950s but then found a new life in the 1970s and early 1980s as the

Peak District Hut for the Birmingham Cave and Crag

Club. Presided over by John Coyle, it was well used by many cavers as a base for exploration in the

Manifold Area. In the late 1980s this use ceased and in the 1990s the roof tiles were taken, and the building fell into a state of disrepair, with only the old

‘hut‐ fees safe’ built into the old chimney breast remaining as testament to its former caving hut life.

Pete Roe directing reco nstruction of the first section of the adit.

Photo by Simon Brooks.

Whilst inspecting the state of the adit and its

construction in June 2018, prior to submitting a

quote, it was noted that it was of a dry arch

construction of style almost identical to that found in

the Northern Dales, such as Swaledale and

Arkengarth Dale. As a consequence, this visit was

followed by a quick phone call to Orpheus member

Pete Roe to ask if he was interested, which he was.

Pete having lived in Swaledale since the mid‐1980s

had over the years fine‐tuned his stonemason skills to

become a registered 'Master Crafts Stonemason' with

both the CITB and the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

The original adit before commencement of the works. Thus, Pete and his able assistant Chris Curry were Photo by Simon Brooks. recruited and supplemented by one of Derbyshire

Geotechnical Ltd.’s regular operatives, Kyle Robinson,

4 and work on renovating the adit commenced in early excavations and had to be demolished. Sorry, but the October. mine was deemed more important.

With support from the Ecton Mines Trust, and a fine effort from Pete and Chris supported by Kyle; along with 360 excavator input from Martin Wright, John

Bardell and Bo Bates, in just over three weeks the work was complete. The whole project has proven to be very interesting in that not only has it uncovered

the adit itself (temporarily whilst it was renovated, I hasten to add) but also revealed several secrets about its past and how the original adit was modified and extended. The final results are that the outermost section of the adit is now renovated and in somewhat better shape than when it was built, access to the The old creamery building being ripped down. Photo by Simon main Ecton Mine is preserved, and Pete, me and a few Brooks. others have earnt a little bit more beer money.

This involved uncovering the adit, rebuilding the Thanks are due to; Nick Hardie (Project Manager on bulging wall and restoring, by removing and behalf of the Ecton Mine Trust), John Barnatt reinstating a substantial section of the adit's first 10m (Archaeologist) and the Ecton Mine Trust trustees of arched roof using existing and local stone, all under and board members all of whom who have been a the supervision and watching brief of John Barnatt, pleasure to work with. formerly the Peak Park’s Archaeologist. Uncovering the first 10m of the adit so that it could safely be Simon Brooks worked on proved not quite as simple as it appeared. On day one a 2‐ton 360 excavator was replaced with a much bigger 13‐ton 360 excavator, and four days later by an even bigger 21‐ton 360 excavator, due to that fact that the adit lay much deeper underground than anticipated.

The extent of the excavations required to access the roof of th e adit. Photo by Simon Brooks.

With support from John Barnatt and the Ecton Mines Trust Board, Historic England were sympathetic to the need for a bigger excavation, with the only The adit arching after reconstruction. Photo by Simon Brooks. casualty being the former Creamery/Birmingham Cave and Crag Hut, which was sitting above the

5

The Longcliffe Mine Shaft‐top Epic mercifully already up there), had to be carried up the hill manually in rucksacks. In the last Longcliffe Mine update for Derbyshire Caver a year ago, I stated (perhaps somewhat We had a large stash of ballast and sand in 25kg bags recklessly) that we hoped to have a grille in Speedwell Cavern’s garden, and every so often a manufactured and installed by the summer. Well, poor team member had to be sent down the hill to summer came and went, with the unexpected fetch yet more, staggering back upslope in baking drought playing havoc with many of our plans, not heat. This was only to get worse, as we were now least dye‐tracing. And the grille took a long, long time ready to cast concrete across the top of the plinth ‐ to specify. However, our decision some time before and we would need a lot. Eventually something like 8 to install a large‐capacity water‐barrel at the base of bags were dragged up in the course of a day, almost the shaft proved to be extremely fortuitous, not least ruining some of our members. as a large amount of concrete work was required at the top of the shaft, and we had managed to extract the only water available on the hillside for over two months! Despite that, it took well over a fortnight to collect 200L from nothing but drips.

The most disappointing aspect of the drought was that it more or less ruined our surface dressing – over several weekends in May and June we’d collected molehill soil from near the site, lugging it across the slope in rucksacks and dumping it on our now‐ restored hillock in order to promote grass growth on what was essentially a giant heap of mixed limestone, intermixed with inert crystals of calcite, fluorite and Alastair Gott and Luke Brownbridge with the almost‐complete shaft top. Photo by Charley Cooley. baryte. And sheep shit of course, but that alone was not going to ‘nutrify’ our position enough for anything But with a good team and perfect weather we made to grow for years. We did very well, easily covering great progress and created a 10cm‐thick slab across the front half of the hillock in a few sessions, but as the entire top, hand‐trowelled as flat as we could get the drought took hold, the soil just dried up and ‐ which under the circumstances proved to be very mostly blew away – by the time the grass was flat. We used oiled lino wrapped around the inside of seeding, only small patches remained. Nevertheless, the twinwall pipe to act as a former to create a we hope to resume that work this summer in order to smooth circular top and used two blocks of wood make the whole feature blend in as much as possible. wrapped in oiled release paper to create recesses for All being well, we hope to bury the foundation course the eventual scaff‐tube belay. The next day we peeled of stones entirely, leaving only approximately 40cm it all off and were overjoyed to see that it had worked protruding above surface. ‐ and was reasonably neat too. Result.

The good weather did allow us to crack on with Now we had a fixed‐dimension surface to work from, building the shaft top however, and over a few the eventual grille could be measured, drawn up and weekend sessions from late April to early June we specified – in the meantime a chained‐down slab of were able to complete this. First, a square wall of walkway mesh served as an adequate barrier until we concrete blocks was built around the protruding pipe, could get the thing fabricated. The cost was with the corners filled in with more concrete. This was potentially very prohibitive, but luckily, we were able then built around with natural stones hauled out of to guarantee the funding via Natural England’s annual the mine, and more concrete added to fill in any voids conservation grant to the DCA – specifically for before pointing all the outer gaps. The obvious point surface restoration work on a number of cave or mine to make at this stage is that all the ingredients for sites. Given the somewhat exposed and north‐facing making concrete (apart from the cement, which was position high on the hillside, the grille needed to be

6 robust to withstand decades of foul weather and the hill. We had ten workers (and a reportage artist), given the effort we’d put into making a reliable and a Tirfor winch, six ground anchors, several lifting stable shaft‐top, it seemed only fair to give it a lid that slings and 30m of steel cable; the grille could thus be matched that intent. Furthermore, the fact that the hauled up in stages, locking the wheels, moving the slope is access land, owned by the National Trust and anchors and winch higher up the hill, and starting with sheep grazing to add complication, it required a over again. A sentry was appointed to man the public lid that would be substantial enough to protect the footpath and inform tourists of their predicament, public and stock from injury, and also protect the should any part of the system fail. Unfortunately, we National Trust from liability claims. So, engineering got just about the worst possible weather we could drawings were produced, and the job sent out to a wish for ‐ a 50mph NW wind hitting the hill like a train, fabricator for a quote. That took a long time and with regular bursts of sleet – perfect. produced what we thought a rather expensive quote.

The job was sent out to another fabricator and this time produced a much more reasonable quote, so we gave the go‐ahead to get started. After a short period, the fabricators explained that our specified 6mm angle, from which the bulk of the grille frame would be made, was not in stock, but they had plenty of 8mm which they would use for the same price as the 6mm. As were we rather delayed by this point, we agreed. It was only later, when we took delivery of the grille, that we realised just how much extra weight that 2mm all‐round had added. It took four of us to carry it across the chapel garage, and some Some of the team assembling at the foot of the hill with the grille anxious looks were shot about, especially when we on its temporary wheelbase. Photo by Pete Knight. tried the access hatch! Nevertheless, the job was done, and we had a grille ‐ all we had to do now was And so, we got to work, inevitably at a snail’s pace of get it up the hill! about 3cm per pull on the handle. The hill is 150m at its shortest distance from the footpath to the shaft Tentative enquiries were made with the NT as to top, so the maths is obvious – it took a long time, and whether their helicopter might be available ‘just one a lot of re‐siting all the equipment. But we had a lot more time’, but sadly by this point any seasonal work of people, and everyone took a turn to do everything, they might have been using it for was over and hiring so it wasn’t too exhausting. Eventually, we got it to a helicopter for a day to do a ten‐minute lift was out the top, and a chain block was attached to the scaff of the question. So yet again, the only way to get it up tripod and four of us lifted it onto the plinth. Now for there was to do it manually. This took some time to the first time we had the ability to weigh this organise, it being impossible to sugar‐coat the behemoth, so a strain gauge was produced from a impending task in any way that could convince bag and we hauled it up – 186kg. Rather more than gullible members to think that it might be a fun day most lids, but then it’s a bigger shaft than most, and out. Invariably it would be miserable for all, so we just very exposed. had to design a method that would make it as painless as possible, and to get as many people involved as we Once the lid was oriented and centred, all that could, so that no individual ever reached expiration. remained was to drill out sixteen mounting holes in And get a great weather day to really make it the plinth and then raise it up again to insert resin and worthwhile ‐ in early January! steel studs before lowering it back down to secure it. Two scaff tubes were inserted under the grille as the Our Technical Tackle Officer, Scott Bradley, main belay point – it had been pointed out more than constructed a rather nifty wheelbase that could be once that two anchors should always be used for a bolted onto the frame of the grille, so that it could be top belay, and yet many mine shafts have a single bar rolled along the track from Speedwell and thence up ‐ albeit a strong one, but the point is a fair one, and 7 so we decided to insert two, which can either be used A great deal of stabilisation or reinforcement work independently or together. has been done underground to try and make safe any particularly risky areas and also protect easily‐ The next problem, which is in the process of damaged features without impacting the archaeology resolution, is the access hatch, which was designed to and speleology too much but the site should still be have gas lifting struts and other safety systems which considered delicate in terms of access and weren't fitted during the manufacturing process to exploration. reduce the cost and complexity. The lid was fitted without these, to make the best of the opportunity to P‐bolting has commenced for the main SRT route get it hauled up the hill, and the use of the lid without through the mine by DCA installers, with the potential these systems has shown it to be far too heavy to be for additional anchors being installed subsequently to practical when opened from underneath, and too enable access to all sections worth seeing. In the destructive should it fall on anyone ‐ having been meantime, we ask for patience to resolve these final nearly killed by the JH lid, I'm well aware of the risk. issues – it has taken a long time to pull all this together since we began in late 2014, but it was a Additionally, the rim created by the overlap of the mammoth task to undertake, whilst always two 'telescoping' twinwall pipes near the top is too maintaining the integrity and safety of the site in close to the lid to be used as the primary step up what is a very exposed and public place. Hopefully the when pushing it from below, so it will need an site will prove interesting to cavers, mine explorers additional step system installing. These two issues are and historians, situated in what is essentially being retro‐fitted on site as intended, as we certainly ‘unknown’ ground in terms of the Peak‐Speedwell don't plan to take the grille back to the chapel for the system. Dye‐testing has restarted and is ongoing refurbishments! However, the job got done, in fine when time and weather permits, and the results of style and with plenty of fun, and good progress has those experiments will be published as soon as is been made in finally getting the site open for cavers. practicable.

Phil Wolstenholme

Setting the ground anchors on the steep Long Cliff slope. Drawing by Dominika Wrøblewska.

8

More scenes from the epic grille lift to the Longcliffe Mine shaft.

Photos by Pete Knight and drawings by Dominika Wrøblewska.

9

Obituary ‐ David B Jackson, 12th Like many young men in the 50’s and 60’s, Dave enjoyed riding a motor bike (and of course carrying out all the August 1939 – 2nd January 2019 servicing etc.) and it was on a trip over Long Hill with his bride‐to‐be Jean, riding pillion, that he very nearly came a On behalf of the TSG, I am saddened to announce that cropper following a very nasty accident that left the two of David Jackson, a long‐standing member of the club them hospitalised and in quite a bad way. Thankfully they (previously TPU, BSA), passed away peacefully on the both pulled through and went on to get married and have second of January 2019, following a short spell in hospital. two children ‐ Gary and Karen ‐ and four grandchildren, two boys and two girls, of whom he was very proud (even Dave had been caving since his teens and, though he though some of the family supported “the other mainly went underground in Derbyshire, spent a lot of his Manchester football club”). early years caving in Lancashire and therefore will be known to many cavers around the UK. From a very young Dave was an engineer by trade, specialising in the design age he was an active member of the Newton Heath Youth of pumps and I was once waiting at the foot of a climb for Club and maintained close friendships with many of the ages after I casually mentioned that one of the other lads over the years, one being Doug Heslop, with whom he climbers in our group worked in the hydro‐electric power constructed an outrigger canoe (the ‘Calypso’) and the two industry, such was his interest in all things mechanical and of them headed off to Scotland in the summer of ’58 for an electrical. He applied his engineering skills to many aspects adventure off the west coast (you can imagine the fun that of his life; one only had to look at his caving kit to see all two teenaged lads had!). the modifications; for example, a system of cords to enable him to operate his foot Pantin without bending over – something that became most useful as he got older, plus an ingenious helmet lamp that rivalled any car main beam!

He was an accomplished DIYer, including building his own garage and fitting the central heating system at home and he was always willing to take on projects and help others with theirs, being instrumental in the construction of a new

club hut for the West End Rovers Football Club, with whom he was heavily involved. He was also the chairman of the Belle Vue Racers and took part in many marathons, half‐ marathons and other running events along with coaching other club members.

I first met Dave some 18 years ago whilst visiting the indoor climbing walls at ‘Rope Race’ (Goyt Mill, Marple). He was often on his own, doing a bit of bouldering, and one week we were a man down so we asked him to join us and it

wasn’t long before we realised that we were both interested in caving so I invited him to come along to one of the ‘KCC’ Tuesday evening trips which soon became a

Dave Jackson in combative mode. Photo courtesy of regular thing. the Jackson family. It was around this time that we began to carry out mine Some of his Youth Club pals joined him in his early mine exploration in the ‘Upper Wrangling’ and ‘Dirtlow Rakes’ exploration trips to West Mine, Alderley Edge, in the mid‐ areas, and we came across what turned out to be two fifties. There they explored the myriad passages and almost identical mine shafts which became known as experimented with flash photography, using “Johnson’s ‘Alexandra’ (as Dave had spent quite some time in the Smokies Flash Powder” in an attempt to capture “the best Alexandra hospital) and ‘Lostmehat’; named as such photos ever of The Desert & The Sphinx”. Needless to say, because on one occasion I had dropped my woolly hat this wasn’t a complete success, but Dave soldiered on and down the shaft and it stayed there over winter until we in due course, managed to (almost!) master the art of returned in the spring to complete the survey. Three cycles underground photography; I remember spending what in the washing machine and I was wearing it once more! seemed like an hour or more with him setting up remote One of his greatest achievements was to make ‘Giants flash guns in ‘Base Camp Chamber’ in ‘Giant’s Hole’. Hole’ accessible without having to spend an hour or two bailing the sump, but it was his infectious desire to explore

10 and discover that made him stand out (he found a shaft on about a rock nearly hitting him, but what neither of us the top of Long Cliff, near Castleton that became known as realised until we came to leave was that a much larger ‘Jackson's Hole’). During our many covert night time boulder had fallen and blocked the exit!! It took about 30 operations, we had one or two scrapes that could have minutes to clear it but even in the face of adversity, Dave ended very badly; including coming out of ‘Lostmehat’ one was, all credit to him, his usual calm and polite self, in fact, evening to find ourselves surrounded by inquisitive cattle the only thing he said was “I see”, a simple phrase that, and, in the far corner, a massive bull that was guarding the over the years, I came to understand had many different gate to the track! meanings.

We decided not to take the shortest path back to the track In more recent times, our caving trips would become less and the car, instead skirting around the field until we were frequent, interrupted due to Dave’s deteriorating health, able to climb a gate into an adjacent field. We then but each time he fought his way back and we would pick proceeded round to the track, only to find when we up where we had left off. In the meantime, I would keep reached it that the bull had decided to meet us and was him appraised of developments, either by phone/email or stood with his fore legs up onto the drystone wall, leaving in person (I would turn up at his house with sketches plus us thinking that it would either jump over, or the wall photos along with an armful of the usual caving magazines would simply collapse, neither scenario being exactly and newsletters), this helped him to stay involved and his appealing, so we had a very brief conflab and opted to ‘leg enthusiasm remained high and his encouragement and it’ towards the car and thankfully we made it back input was invaluable to me. unscathed. In recent years, Dave had expressed a desire to one day We also had an ‘interesting’ trip down a mine shaft that return to West Mine, but sadly we never achieved this Dave had warned me had an ‘unstable floor’ – turned out together and so, when the opportunity arose recently, I we had landed on a pile of sheep carcasses and then I jumped at the chance and decided that, in Dave’s memory, noticed that the shaft walls were a mass of shimmering I would take his little caving notebook on the trip (he had maggots; needless to say we didn’t stay long and decided handed it over to me when he realised that caving was no to not go back there again! longer an option for him) and it was quite emotional for me, feeling that he was alongside, guiding and encouraging

me through the journey.

Dave was a mine (pun intended) of useful information when it came to the caves and mines around our area and was always willing to share his knowledge and experiences and was a great asset to our club. At the 2017 AGM I proposed that Dave be made an Honorary member of the

TSG and this motion was passed unanimously, and for once, Dave was lost for words, other than his usual gentlemanly politeness

His funeral service was held at the Duckinfield crematorium and the Chapel of Rest was so full that we chose to sit in a side annex and watch the proceedings on a widescreen monitor, a surreal experience but it showed just how many peoples’ lives he had impacted. As we entered the building, Elgar’s Nimrod variation was playing

and every time I have heard it since, I smile and remember my mate Dave ‘The Cave’. At the TSG AGM in February, I arranged a collection (his family asked for donations rather than flowers) and soon after I presented Jean and Karen Dave Jackson in . Photographer unknown. with £110 which they took to the Willow Wood hospice However, the incident that really stands out took place in where Dave had spent a fair bit of time whilst ‘Suicide’ (AKA ‘Horseshoe’) cave, a system that Dave was rehabilitating. very interested in understanding how it developed. After He will be greatly missed. many visits, we eventually regained access to the upward trending roof passage, beyond the ‘Hanging Boulder’. On Charley Cooley one occasion, pushing further upwards, I accidentally dislodged a few rocks and I heard Dave shout something 11

How Many Cavers Does It Take to  The rope up from the ledge above the Bottomless Pit goes over a lip. Using a ladder Change a Lightbulb? Part 2 will avoid rope rub (unless you fall off!). A re‐ belay on the lip would avoid this issue, but we A previous article by Alan Brentnall in the TSG 19 didn’t have the equipment to install this. Journal concluded that it takes 5 cavers to change a Installing a re‐belay may mean the existing lightbulb. In February 2019, TSG members attempted rope is too short. The rock below the lip may to break the record. The original effort replaced the also be too fragile for a re‐belay. So, there’s light directly above the water of the Bottomless Pit. no easy solution. The February 2019 effort attempted to replace the  It’s useful to have someone available to run light immediately above the railing on the viewing up and down the ladder to collect kit (Allen platform. The first issue was the unknown state of the keys, a tackle bag for the old light, tea, rope leading up to the lamp, and the hangers it was sandwiches…) and to pass the tools. Grace attached to. Fortunately, John Harrison provided an Chu seemed happy to do this. extra‐wide ladder which was extended to reach from  The new lamp is attached to its bracket with the viewing platform to almost where the bolts Allen key‐headed bolts. Take a set of Allen started. keys.  Shouting up/down between the lamp and the Cable ties were used to stop the ladder coming apart viewing ledge was ineffective. Fortunately, during use and the base of the ladder was secured to we had two‐way radios (thanks Grace). the base of the railing. Dave Shearsmith then  Use a wide ladder and cable‐tie it together. ascended the ladder, using the existing static rope as a safety line (attached to his chest ascender). The new lamp is clearly a lot brighter than the old. So Additionally, Dave was belayed with a dynamic rope how many cavers does it take to replace a bulb? We and placed runners on the ladder as he went; I know, are down to three: Grace Chu, Dave Shearsmith and he’s a brave lad. Apart from the need to replace one Mark McAuley. OK, access was lot easier as we didn’t maillon, everything else was found to be secure have to bolt our way up. (bolts, hangers maillons and rope). Phew! It seems that Nigel Ball and Dave had worked up there six Mark McAuley years ago and did a sterling job. Maybe Dave isn’t so crazy.

The process to replace the whole aged and defective lamp with a modern LED version then commenced. A highlight of this was Dave saying a tour was coming and he needed to turn the electricity on. He did not seem convinced this was a bad idea whilst I was working with bare wires. So yes, he is crazy. As lamp removal and installation commenced, we predictably did not have all the kit needed. Grace Chu had to go up and down the ladder several times to collect the missing kit and there was one call to the surface for a missing tool.

Some notes for the next person to maintain this lamp:

 The old lamp was removed but the bracket holding it to the rock was not (the bolts had rusted). Strangely, stainless bolts had been used to attach the lamp to the bracket but only mild steel bolts to attach the bracket to the rock. If you go up there again, an angle grinder could be used to remove the old bracket by cutting off the bolts. Grace Chu and Dave Shearsmith at the top of the ladder. Photo by Mark McAuley. 12

Underground Conservation Forum Peak District Diving 2017/18

The Underground Conservation (UCF) is an important 8/10/17 ‐ Waterways Swallet, Wotno Sump conservation liaison group, running for several years Diver: R Middleton now, to enable cave and mine conservation issues and projects to be properly managed by the relevant 27/10/17 ‐ Speedwell Cavern, Cliffhanger Sump bodies involved. In practice, this means the DCA Diver: R Middleton representing Peak District caving, with 11/11/17 ‐ Speedwell Cavern, Cliffhanger Sump representatives from Government bodies such as Diver: R Middleton Natural England and Historic England, landowners such as the National Trust; the Environment Agency, 13/11/17 ‐ Peak Cavern, Ink Sump bat conservation groups and experts in the fields of Divers: J Lister, R Middleton speleology, geology, mining and ecology. Individual 17/11/17 ‐ Peak Cavern, Buxton Water Sump cavers with an interest in conservation from local clubs also attend. In short, it’s an extremely valuable and Treasury Sump resource which helps maintain good relations Divers: M Butcher, R Middleton between cavers and the authorities, but which also 18/11/17 ‐ Speedwell Cavern, Whirlpool Rising allows a great deal of conservation work to be Divers: Jess Eades, Martyn Grayson, Ben Wright organised and then implemented. 10/1/18 ‐ Peak Cavern, Buxton Water Sump The meetings are normally convened under the and Treasury Sump auspices of the DCA conservation brief, but sadly Divers: R Middleton, B Wright Christine Wilson has recently had to step down from the role of DCA Conservation Officer due to other 3/3/18 ‐ Speedwell Cavern, Cliffhanger Sump commitments, and therefore this role is presently Divers: J Lister, R Middleton open to any experienced volunteer who might wish 11/3/18 ‐ Peak Cavern, Resurgence Sump to consider getting more involved in the practical conservation of caves and mines in the area. Caving Diver: T Webber experience is pretty much essential, but the primary 21/3/18 ‐ Winnats Head Cave, Downstream Sump 2 objective is the organisation and coordination of Diver: R Middleton conservation projects with the Projects Officer, with a view to protecting or repairing important cave and 22/4/18 ‐ Peak Cavern, Resurgence Sump mine resources; and also liaising with landowners to Diver: T Webber ensure best practice and develop subsequent access 6/5/18 ‐ Peak Cavern, Resurgence Sump relations. Recent projects have involved stabilising Diver: T Webber and capping several shafts, fixing adit gates, installing information signs and safety barriers, etc. 18/5/18 ‐ P8 Diver: T Webber The meetings take place at The Anchor Inn, on the outskirts of Tideswell twice a year, in April and 25/5/18 ‐ P8 th October, and the next meeting is on 24 April at 7pm. Diver: T Webber Adam Russell, the PDMHS Conservation Officer, has kindly stepped in to convene the meetings until a new 19/6/18 ‐ Brynlow Mine, Alderley Edge officer can be appointed. Diver: Ben Wright

Attendance by any interested caver is welcome, but Information courtesy of the Cave Diving Group. please let us know in advance if you plan to attend by For further details please see the CDG Newsletter – contacting Adam at: [email protected] contact the editor Adrian Hall at [email protected]

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A Few ‘Newish’ Caves in the Length 11.83m Vertical Range 7.8m Wormhill Area Clearly visible on the SE face of Small Knowle End (or at least ones that have failed to get a mention in Quarry, an awkward climb of 2.5m gives access to a COPD thus far!) keyhole entrance 1.8m wide by 1.9m wide. This opens into a square passage (2.2m wide by 1.6m high) Since living in , I have made a few forays into with a flat bedding roof and a shallow trench in the the surrounding area and visited the following caves, floor that runs for 4m in a SW direction to a small most of which are known, but for some reason have chamber some 2.5m dia. In the floor is a narrow, failed to get into the Caves of the Peak District. excavated rift pot (1.8m x 0.8m) that has been dug to Great Rocks Dale (North) Quarry Cave a depth of just over 7m. Above the pot is a wooden NGR SK 09616 76149 beam and the remains of a hauling system. It could Altitude 331m be dug further. It is believed that this cave was Length 4.2m dug/extended by Eldon PC members in the 1990’s Vertical Range 5m until they were politely told to stop.

An impressive keyhole entrance, visible from the Waterswallows to Wormhill Road, is situated near the top of a minor face on the Eastern side of Great Rocks Dale (North) Quarry. The entrance is 5m high and 1.4m wide and the passage within rises steeply upwards to the NNW to close after 4.2m at a point where the floor meets the roof. Ending in a small alcove that sometimes contains a large bird’s nest. Most likely a remnant cave with very minimal prospects for further extension, although the view from the entrance is quite spectacular.

The dug shaft in Small Knowle End Quarry Cave/Pot. Photo by Simon Brooks.

Small Knowle End Quarry Cave (possible dig) NGR SK 09414 76768 Alt 323m Length 2.7m Vertical Range 1m

On a small ledge some 20m up the SE side of Small Knowle End Quarry, a small entrance (0.9m x 0.5m) gives access to small passage that continues into the hill for 2.7m to a sediment fill. Could be dug, although The view out from Great Rocks Dale (North) access arrangements for the quarry are unknown. Quarry Cave. Photo by Simon Brooks. Small Knowle End Quarry Cave/Pot (Dig) Simon Brooks. NGR SK 09435 76819 Altitude 325m 14

Gates and Mines: Something we are, it is hoped that more people will understand how to legitimately get in to these mines. Have to Accept and Embrace The second thing to consider is how much exposure Over the last year or two, there has been a noticeable we should give a particular site on social media? increase in the number of entrances to old mines These old sites appeal to people online, and some will being broken into in the Peak District area. All these try to explore for themselves in order to emulate sites had ways for explorers to legitimately enter, what they watch. If you are considering posting either with a key, combination code or adjustable pictures or video online, ask yourself; is that spanner. There was no need for the gates or lock particular site ‘sensitive’, easy to find but hard to mechanism to be damaged and having a gate that keep secure, or is it at risk of damage? Should you cannot be secured against access from the general actually use a mine’s (or cave’s) name online or show public could likely lead to the owner sealing the site its location or entrance in your social media? Does the up forever. In short, the landowner has a legal duty to media you create show good practice and/or point keep a mine site secure from public access, which also people towards websites like the DCA or BCA? includes trespassers. Those owners who consent to allow access to their mines are still required to have We are all entitled to post pictures and videos of the a locking gate. If these gates become damaged and places we go, but please consider the unintended the public (kids etc.) go in, the landowner is liable for audience that you might attract to a mine or cave accidents. In that situation, most landowners would and, most importantly, the long‐term protection of not accept the continued risk of legal liability and the site itself. We’d suggest that anything that might would seal the site up forever, instead of maintaining be at risk, or is access or conservation‐sensitive, an access point that keeps being damaged. would probably benefit from not being flagged up to 2 billion Facebook users. Your pictures and videos will This is the exact situation at Mandale Mine right now. be none the worse for not having a site’s name on. If the Aqueduct Level gets left open again, or the lock is damaged again, the Natural England reserve team The opinions expressed are my own. have said they will likely seal the gate shut, in such a Pete Knight way that cavers would no longer be able to use the mine. I would imagine that those reading this DCA Projects Officer publication are well aware of both the need to keep www.theDCA.org.uk these sites secure and how to locate the access information for a mine before resorting to hacksaws. The problem may arise from a small minority of general, unavoidable acts of vandalism, or, explorers that come to visit the mines not from a caving background, but from other interest groups such as urban exploration. Groups or individuals finding sites online or through non‐caving related websites will likely not have been introduced to the accepted practices of the ‘caver’s way’ or have any idea that access systems exist already.

How can you all help? Well like everything, education is the key. Locks can’t keep getting bigger indefinitely. Please share this information with any mine user Information sign recently installed in the Aqueduct Level of Mandale Mine informing users of the gate. Photo by Pete Knight. groups you encounter, from your club to any urbex forums you might use. The DCA has a ‘note’, aka an open letter on its Facebook page, and hopefully soon a copy on the main website. These can be shared and cross‐posted. In spreading the message, and presenting an explanation of why things are like they 15

Installing rockmesh in Longcliffe Mine. Linocut by Dominika Wrøblewska.

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