Headquarters - Caerllwyn Cottage Halt Road Rhigos ABERDARE CF44 9UW 01685 811080 http://www.wsg.org.uk

Westminster Spelæological Group Cave Exploration and Investigation President: Toby Clark esq. Newsletter No. 2010/1 January 2010

The Club meets on first and third Tuesday of the month at: Ship & Shovell bar, Craven Passage WC2. (Off Villiers Street under Charring Cross station), normally from 7pm onwards. Left: “Get into the groove…” Judi Durber in the letterbox, OFD 1 ½ - bonfire weekend. Photo: J.Durber Collection.

Editorial: I’m once again disappearing back under a rock somewhere. Thanks for your contributions over the time I’ve been NL editor. The next newsletter will be in the capable hands of Steve Lloyd who will be your editor for the foreseeable future…Let Steve have your contribution for the next issue please… Cheers, Graham .

Club News. New Members - We welcome Judi Durber, Martin Powell and Wendy Chung to the fold. A fantastic bonfire weekend in November with what has to be Dave Farey’s most incredible firework display to date - See Dave’s article buried somewhere in the depths of this tome. The annual London Beano took place on the 12 th December. The crowd assembled in the Grapes at Limehouse and walked the 4 miles along the Regents canal to Islington Tunnel where we escaped the comparative tranquillity back to street level – right in the heart of Duncan’s own part of London – see pix further down. We then retired to the three Compasses in Farringdon for ales and excellent Thai food. Well done Andy for organising it. The annual blow out – sorry, “Feast of the Beasts” at Caerllwyn attracted about 20 this year - Pictures in the website gallery. At least four members have called for the reintroduction of the caving logbook in the cottage as it is felt that trips don’t get written up on the web and also it’s good to have a written record of trips, particularly if you’re digging or simply stuck for something else to read. So, write your trips up while they’re fresh in your memory!

WSG Newsletter – January 2010 WSG 2010 Page 1 of 16 Club News – continued… The ‘Grow a caver’ scheme. Congratulations to ‘Chairmum’ Alys and Chris who announced the arrival of Megan Alys Smartt on the morning of 17 th December 2009. Escaping some three weeks early, Megan weighed in at 8lb. 13oz. Membership forms are available on the website…

And…

The Hon Treasurer Mr Peter Jurd and his good lady Jo have invested in the Grow-a-Caver scheme… Congratulations to you both!

Fumpa has bought some new rock shoes!!! (After literally years of faffing – Ed.) We’ve had a few weeks or long weekends in Snowdonia over the years and this year he and I are planning to bag Main Wall on Diffws Ddu (Cyrn Las) in the Llanberis pass (amongst others) in the summer. If you want to come and watch or even take part, let me know. We’ve hired Cwm Glas Mawr, the climbers’ club hut in the pass in previous years. If there’s enough interest, I’ll do so again.

In an email of 17 th Dec 2009 to Toby the Elder, Brian Bowell writes… Hi Toby. Due to the time difference we have already celebrated Christmas, we are now well on the way to Burn's night. Perhaps you could Tippex out one celebratory message and ink in another. By the way, that's George not Robbie Burns. Since you ask we are all well and have become empty nesters. Patricia got a: B.A., job & a house in one week. The tumble dryer's been off for the first time in 21 years. Eileen's working down in Ashburton, south of Christchurch, until next month, so the nest is actually even emptier. There's splendid caving down here. More caves in Waitomo than you can shake a stick at. We were on a property last month and the farmer, 81 and build like the proverbial, showed us entrances that nobody's ever been into. The cave we went in to hasn't been visited since the 1950s. A week or so back we discovered and surveyed a new, tomo, entrance to a big know system called Ecch. We thought of calling the new entrance 'Ecch by Ecch'. So when we get asked 'where's the new entrance to Ecch?' we can say 'it's by by Ecch'. And on ad-nauseam. In January the club is off to the Ellis Basin, near Mount Arthur, to do a first transit of the Ellis Basin system. Take a look at: http:// www.nsg.org.nz/mainpages/karst.htm . The two guys in the second photo are caving buddies of mine. Any road up kind regards to you all in your family and the rag tag army that is WSG. Long may you run.

Pix from the London Beano – Some of the assembled crowd at the Grapes (L) and Duncan’s own area of London (R).

WSG Newsletter – January 2010 WSG 2010 Page 2 of 16 Cottage News. A timely reminder about the water heater in the shower block. This heater supplies water to the showers, basins and the kitchen but lives in the shower block. It is extremely vulnerable to frost damage. To prevent this, there is a drain cock that allows the water in the heater to be rained when the cottage is vacated and also, in extreme cold, when the heater is to be left unused for more than a few hours. There are instructions for the (simple) procedure by the heater. It’s important that you are aware of the danger of freezing – it will destroy the internals of the heater and repair is of the order of £400. Caving News. Ogof Drws Cefn is a hot topic at the moment. The ‘back door’ into Ogof Draenen has generated some unfortunately public bloodletting on the UK Caving forum’s section. WSG is now a member of the Pwll Du Cave Management Group (PDCMG) having been voted in at the meeting held in Blaenavon on 12 th December. Tim Barter has taken on the role of WSG representative. Clearly, such issues as access, second entrances, conservation and the like invoke strong emotions. At the meeting WSG could not vote on the main motion “There should be no access to Ogof Draenen though Drws Cefn ” which was carried by 7 votes to 5 with no abstentions. WSG were admitted to the group after the vote along with CUCC – both clubs indicated they were in favour of the motion. Two member clubs did not attend. This is clearly an emotive issue - if you have a view, please speak to Tim. Full minutes are available on the PDCMG website - http://www.pdcmg.org.uk/begin.htm

Virtual Caving - Send your mouse down a hole... http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/london/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8388000/8388961.stm This will be of interest if you were on the canal walk just before Christmas. For those into vertical caving, have a look at this lot - Andy’s Hieblers are in there somewhere… http://storrick.cnchost.com/VerticalDevicesPage/VerticalHome.shtml For those who’ve not seen it first hand, here’s an armchair cave diver’s view of the Dinas Silicate Mine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QktGgM3Lyyo&NR=1

Calendar for 2010. For latest info follow www.wsg.org.uk ⇒ ‘Club Diary’ and search there. Contact Chris Franklin or other named organiser for details Club meetings are usually 2 nd and 4 th weekends in the month, defaulting to . (TBC = to be confirmed). Use the "Sign Me Up" feature on the members' website... Dates Venue Event Committee 2nd and 16 th Feb London 1st and 3 rd Tuesday pub meets 20 th Feb Caerllwyn Dave Farey’s Birthday weekend and Joint Cave & Mountain Rescue Practice. Contact [email protected] 2nd and 16 th Mar London 1st and 3 rd Tuesday pub meets 2nd – 5 th April Caerllwyn Digathon – the 18 th Hole gets a seeing to…4 days to the PMMS… 6th and 20 th Apr London 1st and 3 rd Tuesday pub meets

Annual fixed dates – 3 rd Sat in Jan = 1 st Committee meeting of year…1 st Sat June = AGM…1 st Sat Nov = Bonfire

WSG Newsletter – January 2010 WSG 2010 Page 3 of 16 Chris’ Caving Crossword from Oct 2009. – The Answers!! THTHTH 1 2 3 606060 ANNIVERSARY OF WSG C R S H A F T TH 4 5 On SATURDAY 5 JUNE, 2010 we will be B A L L O T M E N T H th 6 celebrating the 60 Year of WSG. We will be holding A S U D I P 7 8 a black tie evening at Ty Newydd Country Hotel , just S T A L A G M I T E N P down the road from Caerllwyn. A 3-course meal will 9 10 L E D P H R E A T I C be on offer along with a ceilidh band to dance the 11 E E R N A night away. 12 13 T A E A D D U E Why are we advertising so early?! Well, it’s the 60th 14 H S T U W S R Anniversary, so we want as many of you to join us as 15 16 B E R G E R G I T H L possible, so put it in your diaries now. It doesn’t I G U L I O L matter if you’re down the cottage every month or D I S L T V W haven’t been for 40 years. You are all very very 17 S L T H E C A V E Y welcome. 18 R W L S N L N Additionally, for those of you who like a little luxury, 19 20 E A P D S the Ty Newydd has offered us a 20% discount on 21 22 23 S L S P E L E O G E N E S I S P bedrooms. There is a wedding on the same weekend, U L A T N W E and it’s a first come first served basis. So if you want a 24 D R A E N E N I L room I suggest you phone up ASAP. Quote WSG or 25 26 G T T R O Y P E T Z L U my name (Alys Vaughan-Williams). Alternatively th E I D N of course there is the 5 Avenue Guesthouse, a few 27 N I N G L E S P O R T O K minutes walk from Caerllwyn. Most of us will of course be at Caerllwyn itself. C N I 28 29 And there’ll even be an AGM as well. What more M E X I C O D E S C E N T could you want? G Just remember…5th June 2009 …more details TBA EclipseCrossword.com Remote caves – Andy Ive Part one of a series of articles entitled around the world in 80 caves…

Now there is remote, and then there is really remote… Back in 1986 I paid a short visit to the caves of Easter Island, a rock stuck in the middle of the Pacific, made famous by the visits of Thor Heyerdahl in the 60’s, and other balsa wood or reed vessels that have made landfall there. After much deliberation, we opted for a Lan Chile flight from Tahiti that did the trip to Lima weekly, calling in on the island on he way. This was before the port was built of course.

The airport on the island is massive, by comparison, and was built by the Americans (who else), as an emergency landing site for the space shuttle on abortive take offs. Not many people know that.

If you have read The Kontiki, or Aku Aku, you will know that the caves are both plentiful, lava based, and secretly guarded as family relic sites.

That said we did manage to visit two of them.

The cave of Ana Kai Tangata is a sea cave, accessible at the time via an unmarked path between rocks, and is just above sea level, if my memory serves. The interior of the cave is covered with paintings of a sea bird known as the Sooty Tern. This bird was the symbol of the birdman cult. This strange group lived on a clifftop in a village called Orongo, and in the spring the elders of the village selected a young gullible male to climb down the 1000 foot cliff, swim out to an island, collect the egg of a sooty tern, and then reverse the journey. The first person back had the privilege of their boss being the head man for a year. Delegation is obviously the art of good management.

WSG Newsletter – January 2010 WSG 2010 Page 4 of 16 Borneo Jungle Adventure – Robyn Smith.

A two and a half week holiday with a friend to Borneo, Sabah and Sarawak, travelling by internal planes and local transport, where buses leave, not to their scheduled time, but when enough people have boarded. Highlights were the Orang-utan sanctuary at Sepilok, Turtle Conservation Island, Mt Kinabalu, Bako & Mulu N.P and a homestay in a longhouse. Then there was the lost in the jungle bit..... Had a great time and packed a lot in. First stop was Turtle Island where there's snorkelling during the day then by evening watching the turtles lay eggs, visiting the hatchery and releasing baby turtles into the sea. This was topped by the Orang-utan sanctuary at Sepilok; although a Mecca for leeches along the trails, which was not so pleasant. Climbed almost to the top of Mt Kinabalu. Bako N.P was quite basic and a haven for monkeys and wild bearded boars. There were viper snakes resident outside the chalet and troops of monkeys would pass over the tin roof of the chalet in the morning, very noisy! Mulu visited Cave of the Winds, Deer, Langs and Clearwater caves. Deer cave has a bat exodus most evenings - three million bats leave the cave in the space of about 20 minutes - a very impressive sight. The homestay in a longhouse was very interesting. They had a collection of human skulls from headhunting days. Found out more about the tribes and shamanism as well as trying local rice wine and having a go at using a blowpipe used for shooting poisoned arrows. We were aiming at a dartboard (using arrows without the poison); I am pleased to say my aim was not bad - before the rice wine! There was abundant wildlife; monkeys, including Proboscis monkeys, unique to Borneo, which have huge noses. Also Pitcher plants and even the rare Rafflesia, the largest flower in the world that flowers for one week in a year. Not to mention frogs, snakes and super sized insects. One tip I can give it is to get a pair of leech socks – they are invaluable and stop leeches penetrating through to your skin. They find it difficult to climb, so you have time to flick them off. They also prevent ants and insects from nibbling on your ankles. A short stick is very handy for flicking leeches away. When they do get their jaws locked onto you, sprinkle salt on them (although most of us are unlikely to carry a salt cellar with us) or use insect repellent (very effective). The leech will loosen its grip then you flick them away with the trusty stick. What I think most of you want to know about is the lost in the jungle debacle. So here goes... I was at Camp 5 in Mulu - a 40-minute boat ride and an 8km walk from Mulu headquarters. In the morning I went on a walk with two others to look unsuccessfully for Pitcher plants. Back at camp a guide said the Pitcher plants were on the Kerangas Trail and that it was a two hour round trip. I wanted to go and take some photos but no one else wanted to so I went by myself, taking a camera, a water bottle and half a bag of peanuts at 11.30am. I set off on the Kerangas Trail but the path then disappeared and the trail I was on was more like an animal track. I turned around to go back the way I came, but there was no trail in sight and I was horribly lost. Eventually I found a path that went downhill. I had initially walked uphill so it was in the right direction. I realised that it was not the path I came up on, but couldn't go back so had to continue. Fortunately it lead to and followed a stream - I was in survival mode by this point and water is key and I was very thirsty. I decided to walk downstream hoping it would bring me out somewhere and I could get back to camp. The path was very overgrown and in places non-existent. Sunset was at 6pm and by about 4.30 I realised that I may have

WSG Newsletter – January 2010 WSG 2010 Page 5 of 16 to spend the night in the jungle. I had been looking for suitable places to spend the night and choose an area that had boulders next to the stream giving a break in the Jungle. I thought I would be prepared and get the leaves to keep warm at night so I snapped then wrestled with branches until they broke off. Once the sun had set I sat down on the boulders and covered myself with the leaves to keep warm, unaware that the leaves would attract spiders and army ants, until I was bitten several times by spiders and various other creatures, which was very painful. I then removed the leaves and sat on a boulder getting a little chilly. During the night I had Army ants, about 5-6 cm with a nasty bite, crawling over me. I killed a few and occasionally moved from boulder to boulder escaping from them. Nighttime in the jungle alone plays tricks on your mind. I though I saw torches and hence rescue but it turned out to be glow flies. There is luminescent moss that looks like someone was shining a torch. I also thought I heard a helicopter which was just insects. My plan was to go back along the stream in the morning. Rescuers would set off at first light and from where I was originally meant to have been, the Kerangas trail and work outwards. Having a torch is invaluable in the jungle at night in order to see what is around you in case you step on something you shouldn't. Unfortunately I was torchless and had to improvise by using the infrared beam on the camera that flashes for a second prior to a flash going off. After what was the longest and most uncomfortable night of my life I set off at first light heading upstream, hoping to be rescued. I lost my water bottle along the way. The path, where it existed, was very overgrown, so I had to either climb over fallen trees or go underneath them, and my water bottle, which was in my pocket, had fallen out. I went back trying to find the path I took and look for the bottle. Needless to say I never found the path or the water bottle. I just carried on upstream in the hope of coming across someone soon. I occasionally shouted out “Hello, anyone there”, just in case. After about an hour I heard voices shouting, so I shouted back until we met up. I was rescued! I have never been so pleased to see anyone in my entire life. They radioed in that I had been found and we made our way out of the jungle back to camp, which took about 2 hours. I had spent about 23 hours in the jungle in total and was very glad to be out. Luckily it didn't rain and I didn't get leeched. Apparently the path I went down was disused - the correct path was 10 meters further along. Needless to say the park authorities are now going to put up markers for the trail, as there was none previously, so it does not happen again. I was found at 8.30 am which, it transpired, was extremely good timing. In another half hour, the park authorities were going to phone my parents and 45 local tribe were going in to search the area, after that if unsuccessful would have been a helicopter. I've no desire to go back to the jungle any time soon; I think I've been bitten by enough ants, insects and spiders, although luckily no snakes.

WSG Newsletter – January 2010 WSG 2010 Page 6 of 16 A superb recent program on S4C, Channel 4’s Welsh outlet about underground Wales was helped into production by a couple of our members. The link is here (of course, it’ll go out of date soon after you receive this newsletter so get in there quickly). http://www.s4c.co.uk/clic/e_level2.shtml?series_id= 339439477 No names but here’s a shot from the credits…

By the way, a Cynorthwywyr is an assistant, Tanddaearol is ‘underground’ and Diogelwch is ‘safety’ – Courtesy of www.learnyourselfwelshishboyo.cwm ;-)))

Why I hate A35’s or SRT (Stupid Road Technology)

Now this is probably the first time in history, that an article on SRT has been titled as it is above. The A35 is a road in the UK, through the New Forest to Dorset, but I refer not to a rural transportation route, no no, but the vehicle. That particularly ugly little runabout from the 60’s and 70’s. Allow me to elucidate. Back in the 1970’s, when we discovered Prusiking, or pussyfooting as it was known, we started on knots. I used some nylon twine from my dad’s roof rack cover (subsequently punished when he came to use it and found it stringless), but hey, we were pioneers. Then during the year of 1973, I was given a pair of prussic devices. I will say that again, I was GIVEN some devices.

Pleased as punch I took them and used them where I could. They were known as Heiblers, cast aluminium cam devices, to which the manufacturer had thoughtfully added a small bulldog clip (see arrowed clip in the picture), to keep the rope from slipping out. I was pleased with them, but looking back I realise they were….. shite. But then I was using them on polypropylene rope from the local hardware store, but I was king of the verticals wasn’t I? Pleased as punch I set off for the Oxford and Cambridge on a Thursday night to the weekly WSG meeting, and my prize was met with disdain, that I took to be jealousy? Not in the least dismayed, I set off for home after a few pints, and was swinging my prized possessions along in one had, with the air of a man who owned the vertical world. Now at the junction of Streatham common road and a side road, I passed behind said A35 vehicle when disaster struck. I should explain something about the A35 boot. The handle on the boot was like a hook, secured in the central pivot with handholds either side (see picture).

WSG Newsletter – January 2010 WSG 2010 Page 7 of 16

Such an engineering configuration is ideal for catching on anything, and…. Well you can guess the rest.

My prized possessions were last seen bouncing along the road towards Crystal Palace, firmly attached to said vehicle. Despite shouting and pleading, they were lost to me. I hope the owner got home, realised that they were ascending devices, and took up caving, only to plummet to their death on badly damaged devices.

Come to think of it there was a tragic accident in Gaping Ghyll shortly after my loss….mmmmmmmm. The Old Scrote - 7/10/8 Hello all, Invoices for subs and BCA insurance have been posted to everyone who didn't pay at the bonfire weekend. If you choose to pay online, please email me with the date of the transfer, the transfer reference code/number and the amount paid. It’s very hard for Pete to do the end of year accounting without this information. Also, the early payment discount only applies if you pay before 1st February. I will be making payment to the BCA for the insurance on the 18th January. If the insurance option shown on your invoice is incorrect, for example you are now a direct member rather than a club member, you must let me know before this date. Similarly, if you do not intend to renew your membership of the WSG, please contact me so that the club doesn't purchase insurance on your behalf. **If you do not contact me by the 18th January regarding any changes that need to be made, and we purchase insurance on your behalf, you will be asked for payment.** If anyone has any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Many thanks, Dave. WSG Membership Sec

My First caving trip - Rescue Andy Ive

I was 13 at the time, so it must have been 1968 or 1969. I had joined Border Caving club, a Surrey based group I seem to remember. It was also my first caving trip, the destination was Rod’s Pot on Mendip, which was to coincide with their annual practice rescue. We have a victim they said, he is 7 stone, how much do you weigh? I must have been sharper in those days as I seem to remember telling them that my silth-like boyish figure was 9 stone.

I was handed a roll of wire and told to follow someone in. What? Carry something? Did you have to do that underground? (talk about naive). Anyway not only was I a caver now, but also an experienced (13 year old) rescue team member.

Anyway rescue over we retired back to the cottage in Oakhill that I seem to recall they shared half with the Cerberus club next door.

The bunks were grotty, floor dusty, under the beds caving gear of the past eons rotted away giving that all too familiar smell to the place (you may know what I mean), so lacking in today’s pristine establishments. Carbide and talcum powder scents lingering on the air…

I was sleeping like a baby when at about 3am a light was shone in my face and I was woken by a large policeman in full regalia. “are you lot cavers?” he said! “Er yes officer”, I thought maybe it was crime to be a caver, but I was not awake enough to lie about it. And I was sleeping in a caving hut after all.

“we have a message about some cavers stuck in Stoke Lane Slocker” can you lot help. Now being an experienced caver I said “no officer”, but me mates here might. By this time a few others had woken up and started putting on their wetsuits, as the smell of talcum powder filled the air (again) there was talk of sumps and squeezes, and digging in from the surface if it was serious. An army captain called Shane was to lead off the team so I said in a voice I hoped they wouldn’t hear, can I help. He looked at me and said “don’t be stupid sonny” and I lay there, me the great rescue caver, somewhat deflated. I never was a night time person.

They got them out, it was a lamp gone out issue as usual but I can almost smell the bunkroom now, and see the coppers face. How different to the ultra modern SMS messages for call outs we get today. Hey ho- happy days. Andy.

WSG Newsletter – January 2010 WSG 2010 Page 8 of 16 th 18 Hole 28/10/2009 - Opening a new front (Dig #3), 3 days in October.

The site was dug along the line of a trench that we had opened following the washing out episode last winter when a large volume of peat had been scoured away. (figure 1) Quite quickly the influent small stream sank into gravel at the far (eastern) end. The trench was driven down amongst limestone boulders of increasing size for about a metre of depth. The water was sinking just about where the end of Jerry Complin’s trenching tool had reached from the first dig (#1) when he was at arm’s length in a flooded bedding plane (arrowed) and vertically about 1 metre lower down.

Figure 1 (Left).

By the end of Day 1 it now required a scaffold to be constructed.

The ‘Donovan Dig’ extends to the South of the terminal cliff and runs beyond our old dig (#2) between solid walls. Our old dig in fact protects their dig from silting up and is itself now more than a metre infilled – the top of boards and scaffold poles are just visible. Donovan’s Dig had been blasted at the end and the diggers seem to be driving horizontally into a solid wall - which feels wrong. They would do better to dig down and to the right.

5 - Donovan’sDig Figures 2

WSG Newsletter – January 2010 WSG 2010 Page 9 of 16 Day 2, a simple scaffold cage was assembled and digging continued along the slit trench. The curse of the 18 th then manifested itself – the dig began to flood up. The inflow was then stopped by damming the outlet to the upstream pond. Continuing to dig then gradually reduced the ponded water to a mud slurry and then ultimately was dug away or dispersed by itself. At the end of day 2 the trench was about 1.5 metres deep and dry with a gravel floor which was easy to dig. (Figure 6 left).

Day 3 the trench was extended in length to gain more workspace and the scaffold strengthened with boards at the east end. 26 buckets of spoil & numerous boulders were removed and stacked at the west end, cutting off the influent stream altogether. (Figure 7 right).

A corroded metal angle iron / fencepost was found lying horizontally across the trench about 1m down! An explanation could be that Simon Meade-King probed about here following the collapse at this place in 1975. No other activity is known.

From the Archive… WSG NL “2001-2 July 2001’ “…At the AGM there was discussion about the role and function of the newsletter. It was accepted that club activity is now driven by email communication and this has proved itself to be an effective vehicle during the current foot and mouth crisis enabling a good turn out for the bank holiday weekend The newsletter is now seen as subordinate to the club’s website and the very term newsletter has become inappropriate. Those at the AGM felt that it should perhaps become merged with the Bulletin with the intention to publish a higher quality document but with greater frequency – perhaps twice a year”.

Whilst the website is undoubtedly far more up to date in its ability to inform and disseminate information faster than the newsletter, I feel it is still very relevant and performs a function that the website has not (yet!) filled – that is to publish articles of news and accounts of the WSG’s activities, particularly those of historical significance. They are associated with the publishing date, an important feature as far as archiving and precedent is concerned. As long as you continue to write up your trips and experiences, the newsletter should remain in existence.

Thanks for all the input you’ve given to me as editor over the past 8 or so years (with a short break). Please feed Steve as well as you’ve fed me…G raham.

Fireworks at Caerllwyn – Dave Farey. I've been asked by several people to write something for the newsletter about the WSG firework displays.

First I just want to say that these displays are only possible due to the amazing generosity of some of our members, without their donations, the display would be a very much more modest affair. I also want to say a huge thank you to Chris Smartt who has given up his Saturday for many years to help me set everything up.

Planning: It really starts with researching which fireworks are available in a particular year, finding out which suppliers have stocks of which item at what price and of course, what the effects look like. This process has gotten much easier over the past couple of years as stores now routinely have videos of the fireworks they sell. It was surprisingly difficult to find out accurate firing times or descriptions other than the generic "ejects stars and bangs" you find on the label. An invaluable resource was the UK firework review website which I have used for many years and through which I have made some

WSG Newsletter – January 2010 WSG 2010 Page 10 of 16 good friends and learnt the tips and tricks that I now use in the WSG displays. Its contacts made through this forum that allow me to get fireworks at discounted prices.

This might be a good place to describe the various effects you find in the average consumer firework:

Brocade: Glittering tails & clusters radiating out from a star burst Chrysanthemum: Linear radiating bursts of tailed stars out from a central point Comet: A star which leaves a glittering tail behind it. No other effect Crossette: A comet which bursts into 4 or 5 stars which leave a tail as they radiate outwards Bees: Clusters of light that move in erratic directions under their own power Kamuro: A dense burst of glittering silver or gold stars which leave a heavy litter trail Palm: Bright arms of cascading, long lasting starts, shaped to permeate outward like the branches of a palm tree, usually made up of gold or silver stars Pearls: Sets of bright glowing stars that do not leave a trail but silently rise and dissolve. Peony: A term to describe a spherical break of expanding stars that usually change colour as they burst outwards. This is the most common effect you will see Pistil: A central effect sometimes palm like that can be added to a Peony or Chrysanthemum for bigger impact Fish: More vigorous than bees, they wriggle and swim away from the break Spinner: An aerial effect that is usually accompanied by a whirling sound as the stars spin. Think of an aerial catherine wheel Strobe: An effect that flickers and flashes in the sky Willow or Falling Leaves: A star burst where all the stars "fall" out of the rocket or star-shell and float gently down. This is the hardest effect to find in a consumer firework

Traditionally, you would see a mass of red, yellow, gold, orange and green stars in any firework display, these being the easiest to product. More recent developments are deep blues and purples using copper and strontium compounds

I keep mentioning the words consumer firework. This means a Category II garden firework or Category III display firework suitable for sale to the general public. Category IV fireworks are only available to professionals with licensed stores and suitable insurance.

Right, now you have a grounding in the colours and effects available, how do you decide on a display when there are dozens of suppliers and manufacturers out there?

I'd seen very impressive demonstrations of the Epic brand and decided to base the bulk of this years display around those. I typically watch videos, read reviews, look at durations, bore size, effects, noise etc. This process usually leads to a wish list of fireworks that would cost around £3000.

To make matters even more difficult, there was a request from the club in 2008 to match the fireworks to music. This is complicated beyond belief when dealing with consumer grade fireworks. Fuse delay vary between 3-8 seconds and any real synchronisation is more luck rather than planning unless you spend ~£1000's on computer controlled cueing systems. The song choice is critical, this year I used the Dream remix of Children by Robert Miles which, whilst admittedly is very tacky, has a nice quiet introduction for around 2 minutes before getting louder and faster. All you can really hope to do is up the tempo of the fireworks to match the music. Last year, the music was too long for the display, so the fireworks finished but the music continued, leading to a bit of confusion.

The process of designing the display starts here, taking into account the budget, the effects and the music length / tempo. It’s a bit like the chicken and the egg, do you fit the fireworks to the music or the music to the fireworks? I chose to do the latter this year.

The finale and the beginning are usually the first sections to fall into place. One lesson I learnt early on is that while one £15 cake might have an impressive effect, but seems a bit slow, firing 4 of them at the same time leads to spectacular results. Whilst it can seem like a waste of money to buy more than one of each firework, it is sometimes money well spent. For example this year, the finale was comprised of 6 x 'Air Boss' and 2 x 'Ultimate Devastation.'

We are at the point where I have a fairly good idea of what the start and the end of the display are going to look like. I then look at balancing the display

WSG Newsletter – January 2010 WSG 2010 Page 11 of 16 with regard to pacing and effects in the middle portion. This depends on the budget, the middle of the display is where the sacrifices are made.

I've now got a good idea of which fireworks I want to use. I then produce a firing order based on the length and effects linked to the music, see the example below. This is the longest part of the process. The aim is to avoid pauses in the display, its very, very difficult with consumer fireworks to time lighting one just as another finishes. It’s far easier to overlap as the example above shows. The firing order will undergo numerous revisions as I try to create a display I'm happy with.

At this point, the budget is finalised, orders are placed and any issues are dealt with (items out of stock / too expensive etc.)

This year the fireworks and ancillary supplies came from the following: Sandling Fireworks in Gloucester (cakes) The Firework Emporium in Ipswich (rockets) Epic Fireworks in Batley (cakes & rockets) HFM Pyrotechnics in Cannock (fountains, strobes, flares, fuses, igniters) A40 Fireworks in Abingdon (rockets, cakes)

Not forgetting to mention Tesco & B&Q for the plastic bags, wood stakes, cable ties, screws/nails, gaffer tape, insulation tape, bell wire etc. etc.

Right, I have now ordered the fireworks, they are in my car at the cottage on the Friday before the display and I am enjoying a pint of beer or two, praying for dry weather on Saturday evening. That’s the end of the story. Is it...?

The layout The biggest change going from back garden display to organised event is how you set up all the fireworks beforehand rather than getting one at a time out of the biscuit tin, securing it, lighting etc. This results in a more flowing display but leads to several safety considerations. Cross ignition can occur, sparks from one firework can ignite another. This is mitigated by leaving the fuses covered with tin foil until just before they are lit. You also have to be wary of walking over a firework that’s just about to go off!

The safest process is to design the layout so that the fireworks for the start of the display are at the front of the display area, and you move further back, lighting as you go, as the display proceeds. To that end a site layout is constructed beforehand:

The setup We've had some very wet bonfire evenings in the past few years. Its perfectly possible to set off fireworks in the wet, it just takes significantly more time and materials to do so. Each firework has to have the fuse covered in tin foil, be wrapped in plastic bags before being secured to stakes in the ground to stop them falling over. You then end up with a large number of black shaped boxes sitting on the ground in the dark, so its a good idea to use some tape to identify which firework is which, and to point to where the fuse is.

Assuming its dry, any fusing work can now be completed for those fireworks that can be fired electrically using igniters.

The firing Almost as significant as the move from the biscuit tin to setting it all out before hand is the method of lighting the fireworks. The fuses and tapers that come with firework kits are utterly useless, and matches and lighters are even worse in anything other than calm conditions. The solution is to use Portfires. These are small slow burning flares that work in any weather and even burn underwater for short periods, each one lasts for 3-5 minutes. As crazy as it sounds, another option is to use a blowtorch.

Its now Saturday evening, you lot are all chanting "Why are we waiting!" and "Just light the blue touch paper and retire!" I'm desperately trying to memorise the site layout and the cue sheet.

The cue sheet, this is derived from the firing order and layouts I mentioned earlier. It’s a simple list of time vs. firework ignition. I also write the firing number and time on a label on the top of each firework as a backup

I've had a few close calls with fireworks and now wear fireproof overalls and hood, welders gloves, goggles, ear defender and a hard hat. So, looking like a complete tit, I light the blowtorch and head out to ignite the first firework(s.) I WSG Newsletter – January 2010 WSG 2010 Page 12 of 16 use a stopwatch and the cue sheet to tell me when to light the next fireworks, I almost never look up to see the effects, and if I'm lucky I get to see some of the finale.

10 minutes later it’s all over. Estimated time spent researching, designing, purchasing and setting up the display: 30-40 hours. Perhaps now you understand why I say "Never again" after each display :-)

Addendum All the above was written before this years display. The weather wasn't kind to us (again!) so I made some last minute changes, mainly ditching the planned electric ignition for the introduction. Other than that, the display went exactly to plan, which is the first time that has happened. What lessons did I learn this year:

Blowtorches are far, far better than portfires for lighting fuses Use cling film rather than bin liners to waterproof fireworks Listening to Robert Miles: Children about 100 times whilst planning the timings for the display is not good for you.

That’s it! I hope you enjoyed the display.

WESTMINSTER SPELEOLOGICAL GROUP: NEW ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY. (between 12/09/2009 –31/12/2009) Domestic Publications: Bristol Exploration Club Bulletin No.529 Spring 2008 Chelsea Speleological Society Newsletter Vol.51 No.10 October 2009, Vol.51 No. 11 November 2009, Vol.51 No.12 December 2009, Vol.52 No.1 January 2010 Craven Pothole Club “Record” No.96 October 2009 Grampian Speleological Group Bulletin Fourth Series Vol.4 No.2 October 2009 Descent No.210 October-November 2009, No.11 December 2008-January 2010 Mendip Caving Group MCG News No.357 June 2009, No.358 August 2009 Plymouth Caving Club Newsletter & Journal No.152 March 2009 Red Rose Cave & Pothole Club Vol.46 No.4 October 2009 Wealden Cave & Mine Society “News of the Weal” #76 November 2009 Wessex Cave Club 75 th Anniversary journal Vol.30 No.318 October 2009, Vol.31 No.319 December 2009

Foreign Publications: Regards No.71 November-Decembre 209 Stalactite (Société Suisee de Spéléologie):56 Jahrgang No.1 April 2006, 56 Jahrgang N.2 Dezembre 2006, 57 Jahrgang No.1 Juni 2007, 57 Jahrgang No.2 2007

Santa Claus (akaTony Oldham) donations found in his big Christmas tackle sack of pressies by the fire….. Welsh Mines Society Newsletter No.61 Autumn 2009 Wells Natural History & Archaeological Society Report 2008/2009 Grottan (Sveriges Speleologf őrbund), Nr.2 Ǻrgang 44 Juni 2009, No.3 Ǻrgang 44 September 2009 (Sweden) Pierk (Speleo Nederland) 24e jaargaang No.2 Juni 2009, 24e jaargaang No.3 Oktober 2009 (Netherlands) Mendip Nature Research Committee Newsletter No.124 Summer Holidays 2009 Nittany Grotto News Volume 55 No.2 October 2009 (USA) Atlantis Ausgabe 1-2/2009 (Austria) Mittelungen des Landesvereins für Höhlenkunde in Oberösterreich 55 Jg. Geamtfolge 115 2009/1 (Austria) Des Schlaz 114 April 2009, 115 November 2009 (Germany) National Speleological Society News Vol.67 No.6 June 2009, Vol.67 No.7 July 2009, Vol.67 No.8 August 2009, Vol 67 No.9 September 2009, Vol.67 No.10 October 2009, Vol.67 No.11 November 2009, Vol.67 No.12 December 2009 (USA) National Speleological Society Journal of Cave & Karst Studies Vol.71 No.1 April 2009, Vol.71 No. 2 August 2009 (USA) Northern Mine Research Society Newsletter :February 2008, May 2009, August 2009, November 2009 Akiyoshi-Dai Museum of Natural History, Bulletin - No.44 March 2009 (Japan) Caving Journal 209.8 No.36 (Japan) Sydney Speleological Society Journal: Vol.53 No.5 May 2009, Vol.53 no.6 June 2009, Vol.53 No.7 July 2009, Vol.53 No.8 August 2009, Vol.53 No.9 September 2009, Vol.53 No.10 October 2009 (Australia) Jaskinie 1(54) 2009, 2(55) 2009 (Poland) Speleological Union of Ireland “Underground” Issue 76 Summer 2009 The prehistoric archaeology of the Bristol region – E K Tratman 1955 WSG Newsletter – January 2010 WSG 2010 Page 13 of 16 Speleološka Ekspedicija “Crikvena 2003” .Sjeverni Velebit (Croatia) Boletín de la Sociedad Venezolaa de Espeleología: 35 Diciembre 2001, 36 Diciembre 2002 Arheološka Istraživanja U Lici. Istraživ anka Špilja U Kanjonu Jadove (Exploration of the caves in, The Jadova Canyon (Hrvatsko Arheološko Društvo Muzej Like Gospi ćVol.23 2008) Alpes. Dauphiné Savoie No.5 review trimestrielle mars 1975 (France) Mail on Sunday magazine August 23 2009 {Article “In too deep” – O.U.C.C. Expedition Picos de Europa} ---oOo--- Editor’s note: The series of dowsing articles that John started back in April 2001 should have concluded this issue with Parts 8 and 9. However, missing charts and photographs from Part 8 have necessitated my leaving Part 8: Cwm Huw Bwb, Gwaun Cefnygarreg, Cwm Cadlan and Llygad Hepste-fechan for the next issue of the WSG Newsletter. My sincere apologies to John whom I have not been able to contact in time for this already late issue.

Some further hypotheses concerning the drainage of the Pant Mawr, Nedd Fechan, Mellte, Hepste, Cynon and Taff Fechan regions. Part 9: Mynydd y Garn and Llygad Hepste-fechan John Wilcock Introduction Eight previous articles have described my work across the WSG area, and this article completes the planned work for the original commission from Pant Mawr in the west to Mynydd y Garn in the east. This article, the ninth in the series, summarises subsequent work in 2009 on Mynydd y Garn. The Bonfire Weekends in early November 2009 presented itself as the next occasions when I could do the latest dowsing work. The weather was cold and sunny, and excellently productive work was carried out from Llygad Hepste-fechan. Thanks to Toby the Elder for congenial accompaniment, and for interesting discussions on the hydrology of the region. Let us hope that further exploration leads to some new caves being entered, but this study exhausts the planned leads, and some thought must be given to future work. Introduction The underlying solid geology of Mynydd y Garn includes Old Red Sandstone to the north, which forms the north-facing escarpment of the Brecon Beacons, and an outcrop of Carboniferous limestone overlain by Millstone Grit to the south. During the last Ice Age the landscape was affected by glaciers and ice sheets, ice flowing out radially from the summit of the Beacons, deepening the pre- existing south-draining river valleys of the Mellte, Hepste and Taff Fawr and depositing glacial drift deposits within them. This was a period of cave formation, with sinks beneath the glaciers. Mynydd y Garn is an extensive moorland area with traces of Prehistoric settlement, land use and burial, together with evidence of Medieval and later seasonal settlements and sheepfolds. It consists of predominantly unimproved and unenclosed moorland on the southern scarp of between the Afon Mellte to the west and the Afon Taff Fawr to the east, dropping from 734m above sea level at the summit of to the north to around 300m along the Afon Hepste to the south. There are extensive waterlogged areas around the headwaters of the streams and lower down towards the head of the Hepste valley; there are also exposed rock outcrops on the rugged terrain of Mynydd y Garn and Gwaun Cefnygarreg. Gwaun (‘moor, mountain pasture, bog’) is predictably one of the most frequent place-name elements, as in Waun Tincer, Waun Dywarch and Gwaun Cefnygarreg. The former gathering of poor-quality mountain hay on an area of Mynydd y Garn is possibly indicated by the element botel (‘bottle, bundle of hay or straw’) in the place-name Carn y Botel. An area of better grazing is perhaps indicated by the name Ton Teg (‘pleasant pasture’) given to the hillslope north of Hepste-fechan. Animal husbandry is alluded to in a small number of place-names, including the element ychen (‘oxen’) in the stream name Nant yr Ychen. The place-name element carn (plural carnau , ‘cairn, mound, rock, heap’) occurs frequently throughout the area, as in Carn y Botel and Mynydd y Garn, and appears to be applied to natural rock outcrops. Extraction and processing sites during the Industrial Revolution are indicated by the elements odynau (‘kilns’) and cwar (‘quarry’). Routes of communication are indicated by the element rhyd (‘ford’). Abandoned settlements can be seen in the upper valley of the river Hepste at altitudes between 320m and 400m, extending into the tributary stream valleys of the Nant Hepste-fechan and onto the sheltered east-facing slopes of Mynydd y Garn and Waun Tincer. These lower-lying traces of land use and settlement appear to represent all-year-round settlement and agricultural activity during favourable climatic periods of the Prehistoric and Medieval eras. Visible remains include numerous Prehistoric drystone round huts, some of which are associated with irregular linear drystone walls and banks some forming irregular curvilinear enclosures. Sheepfolds also occur at convenient points for gathering sheep from the hills. There is a small amount of former industrial activity in

WSG Newsletter – January 2010 WSG 2010 Page 14 of 16 the area of the limestone outcrops, consisting of quarries and limekilns, and the Neath & Brecon railway followed the western boundary of the area.

Mynydd Y Garn The region under discussion is shown on Figure 1 (Right).

Figure 1. Mynydd y Garn and the Afon Hepste and Nant Hepste-fechan valleys 1. Llygad Hepste-fechan 2. Very deep shakehole on a hillslope below Waun Dywarch 3. Limestone monadnock, with shakeholes formed beneath a glacier 4. Short section of reaction, possibly related to cave drainage between Nant Hepste-fechan and Afon Hepste 5. Moss Rising System 6. Blaen Hepste Resurgence – 6a. Blaen Hepste Resurgence overflow 7. Sheepfold Sink 8. Llwyn y fedwen Sink (one of two, this one marked “Fall” on the OS map) 9. Tirmawr Rising

Mynydd y Garn (Figure 2) is of remote access, and without the use of a tractor or 4x4 it is necessary to walk from the road head at Llwyn y fedwen. Approaching the green oasis of Hepste-fechan farm (Figure 3) a short section of dowsing reaction was found (see 4 on Figure 1). There was not time to explore this further, but it is likely that it indicates underground drainage from a sink in Nant Hepste-fechan to a rising in or near the Afon Hepste. Hepste-fechan farm (Figure 3) is currently uninhabited, but the roof is in good condition. Farming here must be very marginal, based on sheep. Figure 2. (below left) Mynydd y Garn Figure 3. (below right) Hepste-fechan farm, courtesy of Google Earth

Approaching Llygad Hepste-fechan (Llygad = ‘eye’) a strong dowsing signal was obtained (see Figure 4, and 1 on Figure 1). Indeed this must be a major system. Drainage appears to be from the WSG Newsletter – January 2010 WSG 2010 Page 15 of 16 west, passing under the Nant Hepste-fechan. It includes a very large shakehole (2 on Figure 1) on a hillslope below Waun Dywarch. The bog of Waun Dywarch is obvious (a large brown area) on the Google Earth image. The large shakehole has a base of clean- washed Millstone Grit cobbles, and is equally obvious to the SE of Waun Dywarch. On the SW corner of the dowsing reaction there is a glacial monadnock, where the plucking of limestone boulders is obvious, and there are many shakeholes which probably indicate the initiation of drainage underneath the glacier (3 on Figure 1). Figure 4. (below) Llygad Hepste-fechan The southwestern corner of Figure 1 shows features previously located in the Afon Hepste (6 – 9).

Future Work This exercise completes the original commission to explore all the limestone of the North Crop between Pant Mawr and Mynydd y Garn. Thoughts must now be turned to where to go next. I must admit that my preference would be to go west of Pant Mawr. This is another remote region, perhaps best accessed from Penwyllt. A former link between Ogof Ffynnon Ddu, Pant Mawr and the Nedd Fechan risings cannot be ruled out.

All of the above results are naturally hypotheses that are entitled to stand until disproved. My technique is to publish and be damned. However, my dowsing work has had several successes proved by later exploration by cavers.

Last Gasp. Copy deadline for the next issue is 4 th April 2010. That empties the files for this issue. All contributions for the next one gratefully received. Writing for the Newsletter or Bulletin is simple - Just write down what you've been up to lately - in any format, then send it to…. Steve Lloyd. Over and out…Graham.

Thanks to this edition's contributors – Matthew Setchfield, Brian Bowell, Andy Ive (the old scrote!), Robyn Smith, Toby Clark, Dave Farey and John Wilcock.. Your name could should be here!

WSG Newsletter – January 2010 WSG 2010 Page 16 of 16