The Derbyshire Caver No

The

DERBYSHIRE CAVER

No 145 Summer 2017

Members of SUSS are lifelined by a nun down an entrance pitch In the Atlas Mountains of Morocco in 1967

IN THIS ISSUE – • Pete Knight – more thoughts on jet washing caving ropes • Dave Wear on SUSS in the 1960s • Devonshire Caverns – another successful DCA project

and much more . . . .

Published by the £2.00 DERBYSHIRE CAVING ASSOCIATION

£2.00 THE DERBYSHIRE CAVER

No 145 Summer 2017

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

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

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

CONTENTS:

Editorial ...... 3 DCRO call outs 2017 ...... 3

Can you Cut Rope With a Household Jet Washer?. . . . . 4 A Meeting With Dr Trevor Ford OBE...... 6 A Day in the Life of a Speleologist ...... 7 Kirkland Shaft – a New Entrance to Devonshire ...... 8 SUSS in the Sixties...... 10 Air Quality Readings 2017...... 14 Photographs from the archive of Dave Webb...... 16

Cover photograph courtesy of Mike Binns

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

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

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

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

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

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

Editorial DCRO call outs 2017

In this issue we have more details from Pete Knight, FRIDAY 2/6/2017 – MASSON CAVERN, MATLOCK DCA’s hardworking Projects Officer, of his work with BATH. The police called DCRO to Masson Cavern show ropes and jet washers, and another trip report from cave where a pregnant tourist had slipped and hurt long ago by Brian Thomas. There is an illustrated her ankle. The woman was treated and evacuated in a account of recent work by DCA volunteers on opening stretcher by members of DCRO and an Ambulance up and making safe a new shaft entrance to Devonshire Service Hazardous Area Response Team. Caverns – situated in the garden of the new owners! Dave Wear tells the fascinating story of the origins of WEDNESDAY 31/5/2017 – MINESHAFT NEAR ELTON. SUSS in the 1960s and Alan Brentnall continues to be DCRO were asked by the police to investigate a 50 out and about with the gas detector, including an metre deep shaft down which it was suspected a cow account of some very worrying carbon monoxide had fallen. A small team attended and prepared the readings. There is also a belated tribute to the late shaft for a descent. A gas monitor was first lowered Trevor Ford by way of an account of a 2015 meeting down the shaft and it recorded low oxygen levels and with him. also concentrations of carbon monoxide. Consequently it was deemed that a descent would be We are pleased to report that Bill Whitehouse, well- too hazardous. Blood on the rope that had been used known for his long service (over 52 years) in various to lower the monitor strongly indicated that the cow capacities with the Derbyshire Cave Rescue had indeed fallen down the shaft and due to its depth Organisation, was earlier this year awarded the MBE in it was concluded that the fall must have been fatal. the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. Bill was instrumental in setting up the Mountain and Cave SATURDAY 29/4/2017 – PEAK CAVERN, CASTLETON. A Rescue Benevolent Fund for volunteers experiencing novice caver on a trip in the Main Streamway physical or financial difficulties and he was also downstream of Surprise View dislocated his shoulder involved in the formation of the British Cave Rescue negotiating a constriction beneath a boulder. A team Council. Congratulations to Bill on this much-deserved of about thirty were involved in attending and treating honour. the injured man and then assisting him out to the surface in an operation which took five hours. Sadly, we have to report the death of Noel Christopher, who will be known to many older Derbyshire cavers. He SATURDAY 22/4/2017 – PEAK CAVERN, CASTLETON. A passed away after having suffered from Parkinson’s party on a through trip from JH (James Hall Mine) to Disease for several years. Dr Christopher was one of Peak Cavern were reported overdue. The team were Trevor Ford’s students and his PhD was on “The Karst activated but the overdue party surfaced safely while Hydrogeochemistry of the Carboniferous Limestone of the team was assembling. North Derbyshire”. Noel was also lead author of the hydrology chapter in “Limestones and Caves of the SATURDAY-SUNDAY 15-16/4/2017 – JUG HOLES, Peak District”. MATLOCK. Three cavers, two men and a woman from Matlock and Huddersfield, had gone underground Following reductions in the subsidy that DCA receives about 10:30am and the police were contacted when from the British Caving Association, The Derbyshire they had not resurfaced by late afternoon. Two of the Caver is facing an uncertain future as the cost of overdue party, a 70 year old man and a 26 year old printing and distribution has now become woman, were found quite quickly and were escorted unsustainable. DCA will be considering the options at safely from the cave unharmed. They had lost contact the next meeting in October – these may include, inter with the third member of the party, a very alia, increasing DCA subscription rates, moving to an experienced local caver in his sixties, at about electronic version, reducing the size to A5, giving 11:30am when he had left them to explore another members the option of electronic or print versions, part of the system. Jugholes is a very complex maze of publishing it as a download on the DCA website, ceasing passages on more than one level and it was not until publication altogether, etc. Should you like to make 3:00am on Sunday morning that he was found safe your views known, please don’t hesitate to contact the but hungry and conducted out to the surface. Editor or indeed any other DCA Officer.

Mike Higgins Information courtesy of DCRO

Can you cut rope with a household jet washer?

After the article in the last issue of The Derbyshire Caver where I tried to compare washing a caving rope in a washing machine to jet washing I thought I’d try to see how much damage I could do to a rope with a jet washer.

This photo was from the previous test where I exposed the rope to a full power, fine jet for approximately 30 seconds.

I hypothesised that the worst case scenario was a rope being jet washed up against a solid surface whilst under moderate tension. The tension would keep the rope in the jet longer and the solid backing would provide a surface for the fibres to be crushed against or even abraded. It had occurred to me the damage could come from the power of the jet rubbing the rope against a coarse material.

I could not see any evidence to say that the The backing for this test was a piece of rope had been damaged by the jet wash porcelain tile, almost completely smooth to exclusively. The longer fibres shown here the touch. The tile sat between the rope fibre could have been the result of the already cut and the wood in the test device I knocked up. fibres in the sheath (short cut sections showing) being forced out from under another braid. Of course, the damage may be down to the jet wash alone. I think the only real way to progress with this test is to take a piece of brand new rope and jet wash it. I don’t have any lying about right now so I did some more testing with the leftover Beal Antipodes 9mm from the previous testing.

I split the rope down into various grades, from single bundles to cotton size filaments, as shown compared side by side in the following photograph.

I tested each size of bundle on both full power Conclusions? and the normal setting that I use for washing. Both jet setting were fired at point blank As before, I need to state that this back garden range into the fibres for 60 seconds. This test test does not give a statistically sound result was repeated at least twice for each sample and as such only serves to show what after it was checked close up. occurred in this one instance of testing.

This sample had been washed on high I could not get my jet washer to cut any size of power/very tight jet for 120 seconds. The jet sample on this test. In both high was directed at the same area of the sample power/confined and low power/wide spread for all the test time. For scale, the fibre here is modes, I saw no damage to the rope fibres. No about size of that very tough cotton used for doubt individual filaments of the fibres may stitching canvas and kit bags together. well cut very easily but they break with the slightest of effort in the hands anyway so I doubt the value of that observation. The cotton size sample was the smallest test size and even that could be broken by hand with little effort.

It is also worth noting that this experiment was done on a 7 year old rope that had seen high use in very abrasive environments over its life.

Challenge:

I’d really like for other cavers to go out and try The fibre bundles became so small that I could this experiment for themselves. Take a small easily break them in my hands. This one was piece of old or new semi-static caving rope no bigger than a piece of cotton. and split it down to various sample sizes. Use a domestic jet washer / pressure washer on its highest setting and see if you can cut or damage the sample. For consistency, do it in 60 second, point blank range bursts. Let me know the results via the contact address on my website - [email protected] - or via the DCA at [email protected] . Failures to cut are just as important as actual cuts, so let me know either way.

I figured that if my jet wash could not cut through a piece of sample that was thin enough to break easily with my hands then I would not need to progress onto smaller Pete Knight samples. DCA Projects Officer

A Meeting with Dr Trevor Ford OBE

The first time that I met Trevor Ford was when Trevor was born in 1925 in Essex, but his he gave a talk to the university caving club parents subsequently moved to Sheffield that I belonged to in 1958. Trevor Ford was where he was brought up and went to school. something of a legend even then, but in During World War II he worked in a bank and subsequent years he gained many honours occasionally acted as a guide to show caves and achieved many successes in the fields of and mines in the Peak District until he was geology and speleology. He is now probably called up in 1944. He eventually joined the most famous for his identification of the Royal Navy and served in Ceylon, India, Precambrian fossil charnia masoni as well as Burma, Singapore and Hong Kong. He was for his expertise in Carboniferous and demobbed in 1946, decided that the bank was limestone geology. He is also well-known for no place for him and read geology at Sheffield his work on the fluorite ‘Blue John’, for his University. He obtained a PhD on the Ingleton research in the Peak District limestone and for Coalfield and then lectured at the University holding important posts in speleological of Leicester where he was appointed as societies. Associate Dean for Combined Studies in Science before he retired as an Honorary Trevor is now ninety years of age and living in Research Fellow. He held posts at other Leicester. I have always wanted to meet him universities overseas and led projects in the again and, as my family living in Leicester Grand Canyon as a result of his discovery of know him through the Leicester Literary and Precambrian fossils. He has written many Philosophical Society, asked to have an books and publications. Most experienced audience with him. This was kindly arranged cavers will have read those on limestones, this December when I went to Leicester for cave science and the Peak District as valuable the annual family Christmas present aids to their activities. He was awarded an exchange. OBE for ‘Services to Geology and Cave Science’ in 1997. The Derbyshire Caving Association Trevor is unable to go caving any more, but his awarded him a medal ‘Champion of British mind and spirit are still those of a young caver Sport’ in 1998. This year (2015), he was and he seems quite tireless for a man of his awarded an Honorary Doctorate by The age. We had a most enjoyable and sometimes University of Derby for ‘His exceptional nostalgic conversation about his life and services to cave science and outstanding caving exploits. His ninetieth birthday had contributions to the knowledge of cave been celebrated in style with countless friends systems, geology and lead mining history in and family at the Leicester Botanical Gardens Derbyshire and the Peak District over more as his photo album revealed. There is much than sixty years’. This citation sums up the information about Trevor’s lifetime achievements of a caving legend succinctly achievements on the internet, so that anyone and honourably. It was a privilege to have had interested in researching the history of a the opportunity to meet him after a life of caving legend could access this easily. such achievements. However, I thought that I would summarise the salient points that I gathered in conversation with him for those who do not wish to consult the archives. John Gillett 16/12/2015

A Day in the Life of a Speleologist

Brian Thomas brings this unique event alive for and Thomas had tied up the bottoms of the you, right now – a Giants Hole Filthy Five ladders, so pulling them up was OK. Exchange trip from Sunday 19th February 1967. Reviewed after only 50 years. Excludes details Incredible thronx up through glutinous mud and about a normal Giant’s trip. squeeze through the Dog Kennel. Brian C got his foot stuck here and we reached the bottom of Bailing, "Down" Party: Jeff Phillips, Dave Wear, the 3rd pitch - only 15 feet, not 30 feet. A 7 feet Pete Lord (Fly), Bob Fowle and Tim Brett-Holt. climb brought us panting to a chamber, after (first two on carbide; all members of Sheffield which Dave Prime and Brian C de-laddered. 2nd University Speleological Society). pitch was mastered by Brians Thomas and Geology Pot, "Up" Party: Brian Thomas, Dave Dobson, although the former’s butty-box got Prime, Brian Chadwick and Brian Dobson (first wedged. A little crawl forced us right to the two not in wetsuits – all in SUSS). bottom of Pitch l, in 2 halves. BT went to the top Other concurrent parties- and into the inviting Valentine's Sump (writer's Eating House Round Trip Party: Michael Binns note - please tell me the origin of "Valentine" in (Snibb), Joan Graham-Guthrie, Bob Smith, Keith this context – was the Filthy Five discovered on Dennis, 2 of Dave Prime's mates and "Carole" (all February 14th ?). except 2 mates and “Carole” in SUSS). Pegging in Ghost Rift Party: Bob Dearman and BT met Tim and Fly having a go at the slippery rift Bob Toogood (EPC. What a duo! And in a cave!) (where Jeff exhausted himself last time). We all came through Valentine’s where Dave Wear and Jeff Phillips took his party down at 11.40 am. Bob Fowle had just arrived. We all waited for Tim Snibb's group vanished into Giant's entrance at and Fly, plus buckets and those 2 then continued 12 noon. Brian Thomas’ quartet entered at 12.55 up the Crabwalk. Our crowd were going to do the pm, already in overdrive and highly expectant at same but the "adrenalin-high" members wanted the epic journey ahead. They passed the Snibb to "do the lot” - which meant, after messing round-trippers as the latter were climbing up to about at the waterfall, ascending. lnvolved a the North East Swallet Series. BT shouted painful crawl too. Brian C and Dave had gone "Banzai"; JG-G riposted "Shut up". ahead with 2 ladders, whilst the rest of us lifelined down to the Crabwalk. We Giants was wetter than usual; no hitches yet; the exited/excited Giant’s at 7.30 pm. Mike Binns "Up" party reached East Canal after 90 minutes. was waiting for us; all the others had departed 30 They sang for 1 hour and heard the Filthy Five minutes beforehand. crew after 45 minutes. Smooth exchange, but they covered BT in mud en passant. Chest-deep Snibb and Tim drove our party back to Sheffield, walk/wade across the canal then the almighty where we all attended at the Curry Inn - 7 thrutch, for the “UP” party, began into the Filthy shillings (35p in modern money) for a full Five. meal.

The Geology "Up" party went up a steep muddy NB: using my 5 assessment factors the trip slope for 30 feet, then a 5 feet slide into a hole scored 37 out of 50. QED. A Top 10 trip for with water in the bottom. The 5th pitch was climbed in a narrow awkward rift. Hardly able to me – in at No 5. stand at the top, horizontal for 5 feet then we faced out onto the fourth pitch - half way up it - we had to swing out to the other wall, clutching the ladder, then climb 10 feet. Brians Dobson and Brian Thomas

A New Shaft Entrance to Devonshire Caverns

The whole project started for me with a Facebook so of course I was going to volunteer myself and post in early December 2016. Having posted that I my caving team mates. A date was arranged for a was a few caving trips short of the magic 100 for further clean-up of the shaft and a more formal the year, I received a Facebook message from measure-up. Extra victims/volunteers were found Nigel Atkins with nothing more specific than a and a date set for the work. time and place to meet him, he kept it secret what we were going to do. I invited my long term caving The day moved quickly and we soon got cracking buddy Roy Wood along. with work progressing swiftly. The team just sorted itself out in groups of mud mixers, stone On the morning of the meet Nige explained why it layers and material finders. There were plenty of had to be kept quiet until it was all done and decent stone and boulders to be found in the finished. We were to make safe a shaft in the back surrounding woods. Once again Amy sent out tea garden of the Kirkland family, the new owners of and biscuits for the entire crew – she really is a the land around Devonshire Caverns, and its great hostess and appreciates our efforts. A break position meant that it needed to be a secret until for lunch while a few popped out for more sand we had arranged full access and the shaft was and we cracked on pushing to get done. The secured. midges were beginning to bite, anyway me at least! We met Amy and her husband Glenn on the morning and tea and coffee for all were soon The new lid was placed on top which we got pretty provided. level at the first go (no surprise with the talent available) then all that was left was to pretty it up. The shaft was found to be in a rather dangerous Lots of rocks and stones were found that were state; it was half covered with soil and woodland "ready mossed" and there was a brief session of debris and nothing more than a rusty old bit of landscape work with a few of the team getting cage was covering half of the shaft, so we jumped very picky about weeds being in the wrong place. straight in and got cracking. It was heavy going The shaft now looks like it's been there like that with tree roots through the cage slowing the for a long time. The land owners’ family name was progress but a few hours into the work and we scratched in the cement while it was still wet and managed to get the cage off. their eldest son stuck his thumb print in as well.

We quickly dragged away the loose boulders and I think on the quiet there was a lot of pride in the soil from around the shaft making it safe to job with everyone gladly posing for a picture descend. We rigged a rope off a nearby tree and I afterwards. I for one will popping over again in a was quick to jump in. I descended slowly checking few weeks’ time to have a look once the shuttering all the sides of the shaft on the way down. There's is removed and descend the shaft again. I'm sure I some nice natural flow stone on one side and a can talk the land owners into coming with me this fully ginged wall on the opposite side and now the time. shaft is open it will make a usable through trip. I would like to say a big thanks to the all the guys Roy and Nige followed me down the shaft and we we met and everyone that helped in the project exited the mine by the front door. We returned to and to the Kirkland family for their hospitality. the top of the shaft where we met Amy again. We explained what would happen next and a report would be sent in to the DCA.

A few weeks later I spotted a post on social media from Pete Knight asking for help to cap the shaft Phil Lilley

The shaft prior to work commencing Putting the frame together (Photo: Pete Knight) (Photo: Pete Knight)

The frame is manoeuvred into position The team hard at work (Photo: Martin Long) (Photo: Martin Long)

The capped shaft in its setting The team poses next to the completed cap (Photo: Martin Long) (Photo: Pete Knight)

SUSS IN THE SIXTIES: REFLECTIONS ON THE EARLY YEARS OF THE SOCIETY

In the sixties, the times they were a-changin', bright orange, could float, but had rather a as somebody once wrote. There were low melting point). certainly many changes in the caving world. To start with, SUSS (Sheffield University Braided rope replaced the hawser laid Speleological Society) came into existence. variety. Single rope techniques were rare, cavers generally used alloy ladders (which By 1960 there were enough people in the were often home-made — SUSS had quite a caving section of SUMC (the Mountaineering cottage industry making ladders. They sold a Club) that it became feasible to establish an modest number to the Whitehall Outdoor independent club, so in 1961 SUSS was Pursuits Centre near Buxton). Lighting formed. Before that, information is sparse, improved as ex-National Coal Board lamps though it is known that the SUMC cavers became available, though NiFe cells could be carried out exploration work in the vicinity of extremely dangerous if they were not Smoo Cave in Sutherland, in the far north of properly maintained, and leaked sodium Scotland, in 1948. SUMC and SUSS went their hydroxide. The skill of lighting a carbide light separate ways, but on good terms. At the with a flint declined. Cave diving, always a 25th SUSS dinner in 1986, members were niche occupation for a minority, became present who had been members of SUMC more popular as equipment improved. prior to independence. At the time of its formation, the Society possessed 35 feet of But what of changes specifically in the world 12 inch ladder and 400 feet of rope. It is of student cavers? The biggest change recorded in the early minutes that, because involved transport. At the beginning of the of the shortage of tackle, there were joint sixties it was virtually unknown for an meets with Crewe Caving Club, Eccles Caving undergraduate to have a car. This meant that Club, and the Northern Pennine Club. It is caving trips in Derbyshire had to be organised also known that in its second year, the around public transport, perhaps assisted by Society received its first grant from the an older post-graduate student who owned a Students Union, £15 no less. car. Carlswark Cavern was popular for Freshers' Meets because it was possible to By the mid-sixties, wetsuits were commonly get a bus to Stoney Middleton almost to the used; before that, most people just had cave entrance. For a trip to Giants or Nettle, layers of old clothing and a boiler suit. Early it was necessary to catch the 10.20 am wetsuits were home-made from kits, using number 72 bus to Castleton, then walk sheets of neoprene and evostik. The well-off (uphill, of course, via Winnats’ Pass) to the few had military surplus survival suits or cave and carrying the equipment if a car was "goon suits", which may have been fine for not available. For caves in the Monyash area, crashed aircrew but could be a positive then it was the number 40 to Bakewell and menace underground when they filled with walk (uphill again). The writer remembers in water; these disappeared from sale in the February 1964 (Leap Day in fact), being one early sixties. Helmets were made of some of a party of five walking back to Castleton sort of compressed cardboard material, and from Eldon Hole, with camping and caving were best painted to make them waterproof. gear. Materials available for ropes increased and improved (but not always: courlene was This also affected trips to Yorkshire caves, in 10 that such outings were usually limited to one was a valley with a lake, one of which had a a term, after someone with a driving licence waterfall descending into it and was a local hired a van of some sort, and a dozen cavers tourist attraction. The members of one of the could set off to stay in a Yorkshire club's hut expeditions were researching water tracing and sample the delights of such places as techniques using fluorescein, but Marble Steps or Alum Pot. However, by the applications of the stuff produced no results, end of the decade, mid-week trips to so in desperation a whole tin full was thrown Yorkshire caves were not unknown. into a sinkhole; the next day the tourist waterfall was flowing bright green to the By the time that SUSS was founded, the Peak amazement of the locals. The cavers kept District Mines Historical Society (PDMHS) quiet. had been in existence for a few years and the two organisations enjoyed a close In the late sixties, small groups of members relationship, with many students belonging had several holidays in the County Clare area to PDMHS as well. The long-serving secretary of Ireland (not official Society expeditions) of PDMHS worked in the University Geology and on one of these trips two members who Department which probably helped to foster were interested in biospeleology discovered this relationship. The fact that the Historical a snail that turned out to be new to science Society had a field centre at Magpie Mine (trichoniscoides thomasum). near Bakewell was very convenient for caving trips to places like Oxlow and Hillocks. It was also highly convenient for extremely raucous parties (no neighbours to disturb).

There were also fraternal relations with the Eldon Pothole Club of Buxton and some members of the Society joined EPC and went on their meets. SUSS also had long-standing membership of the Derbyshire Caving Association and during the decade some members were officials of the DCA (eg treasurer, auditor, librarian). Members went to the various annual meetings of the British Speleological Association and the Cave Research Group in the days before these two bodies merged. Sheffield hosted the annual meeting of the Cave Research Group in 1966 and the British Speleological Association in 1968.

The Sheffield students have a fine tradition of Dave Wear descending Alum Pot in 1964 journeys to foreign parts. In 1961 a party set (Photo: John Matthews) off in an ancient Jowett Bradford van (a make of vehicle long extinct) and visited the In 1964, the Society possessed, for a shortish International Speleological Congress in time, its own vehicle, a pensioned-off Vienna. In 1962/63/65 there were ambulance no less, still complete with expeditions to the Sligo area of the Irish darkened glass and a bell. In this, half a dozen Republic, with reports and surveys published. members visited caves in Austria, to the Here, on each side of Truskmore mountain amazement of various nationalities as they

The SUSS hut at Rowter Farm – Dave Wear 4th from right (photographer unknown)

Jackie Wood (L) and Joan Guthrie (R) changing for a trip into the Ecton Mines sometime in the sixties (Photo: Harry Parker) 12 travelled across Europe. The ambulance also had the distinction of getting their names went to OFD One and AA in South Wales. hideously mangled in the national press. Cave accidents could still make front-page There were expeditions to the Atlas news in the early sixties since the accident in Mountains of Morocco, in 1966 and 1967, Peak Cavern in 1959 was still in the public's and on one of them the cavers had the memory and the tragedy in Mossdale honour of being lifelined by local nuns on an Caverns in 1967 did nothing to convince the entrance pitch. public that caving was a worthwhile sport.

Closer to home, as the decade wore on, On the various Yorkshire trips, relations were members became more adventurous, and established with local clubs who were able to the Journal records such feats as camping provide accommodation. For example, the down Nettle Pot, and trips to the Mendips Burnley Caving Club had a superb hostel at and, as mentioned, South Wales. The Journal Selside. This led the Society to consider itself was a product of the sixties. It first having its own hut in Derbyshire and so it appeared in 1967, although the minutes came to pass that a second-hand railway book of 1961 states that the Journal will be goods van was bought at the end of 1966, out "next term". delivered to Rowter Farm, and work commenced to make it habitable. It was a very convenient location since, at the time, members were carrying out survey and exploration work on Bradwell Moor. By dint of very skilled DIY techniques, raiding demolition sites in Sheffield for timber, etc, the hut was fitted out with sleeping and cooking facilities, 8 sleeping comfortably or 12 a bit cramped. It proved very successful and was much used. During the great foot and mouth outbreak of 1967-68 when most of the British countryside was closed down,

Tribute to Norbert Casteret – Carlswark Cavern 1969. the hut was abandoned, but was found to be L-R Dave Wear, Brian Thomas, Jeff Phillips, Mike Binns in good shape when reopened after many (Photographer unknown) months. A few years ago a small party went to Rowter Farm to investigate, but alas, it was In the mid-sixties the Society was involved in derelict and disintegrating. cave rescue, at both ends of the spectrum. Members formed Team L of the DCRO and An interesting decade. After the Society's went on training meets. The late Dr Kidd of 21st dinner, a group of about 20 members Buxton, from the previous generation of the from the era started annual meets in Society, was the DCRO doctor for many years. Derbyshire, which persist to this day. If any Unfortunately some members were also on modern day members who could endure the the receiving end. Henry Mares was rescued ceaseless babblings of old age pensioners, from Oxlow after falling and suffering terrible senior citizens, old fogies, call them what you injuries, but went caving again as soon as he will, and would like to visit us, feel free, you could. Regrettably, he was later killed in a will be welcome. Happy Birthday SUSS! road accident. Chris Hay died in Meregill after falling. In 1966 eight members were trapped in Disappointment Pot by rising water and Dave Wear (Secretary 1963, Hut Warden 1968) were rescued the next day; some of them Written in 2011 for the Society's 50th birthday

DCA Cave Atmosphere Monitoring Report

No problems have been reported so far this The source of the CO is not known, but we year by cavers. were informed that, following the disappearance of the cow, sheets of Measurements have only been taken using newspaper were set on fire and dropped into borrowed kit from other cavers, or from the shaft, and it is likely that these actions DCRO. Some air quality measurements were could have resulted in the presence of CO, taken, however, at Slaley Sough, Water Icicle especially if there was any flammable material Close Cavern and at Robin's Shaft. These used already at the foot of the shaft. borrowed instruments for measurement and the findings, indicating the presence of carbon A final reading was taken with a meter dioxide, are given in the table below. lowered to the bottom of the shaft, and the rope used was quite blood-stained on Currently DCA have no meters, as reported at retrieval, evidence that something had fallen the AGM. However, should readings need to down the shaft. be taken of specific venues reported, I can borrow equipment and make the necessary Vertex, a company who have done robotic and measurements. Negotiations for replacing the aerial surveys of various shafts, were DCA monitors with a single 5-gas meter are considering visiting the shaft to provide a still continuing. video of the entire shaft and take gas readings.

With regard to air quality in other areas, notes The farmer having granted permission for this and readings from Cotterdale Colliery, Long to take place, Vertex visited the site on Meg Anhydrite Mine and Rampgill Lead Mine 14/06/17 and their Minion robot descended (all Northern Pennine locations) have been the shaft after some difficult manoeuvring received from Paul Thorne. past a slight constriction at the ginging level. They found and photographed several On 31 May 2017 I was called by the Police to horizontal passages on the way down the look into the possibility that a cow might have shaft, and photographed the corpse of the fallen down a newly opened mine shaft a mile cow where it had landed at a depth short of or so south of Elton. This shaft is on private 30m. During the proceedings, they took land, and, because of the fairly recent collapse carbon monoxide measurements and these of the cap, it is doubtful whether it has seen are worse than anticipated, bearing in mind much exploration since it ceased operation. that it is now two weeks since the original assay of the shaft by DCRO. Just below the After an initial examination of the site, I surface the reading was approximately collected a small team from DCRO and set 400ppm, at around 10-15m this rose to about about installing ropework to descend the 700ppm and below that it passed the shaft. However, the operation had to be monitor's maximum value of 2000ppm. The aborted due to gas (CO2 and CO) being source of the carbon monoxide is not known, detected within the shaft. The CO2 readings but is unlikely to be burning paper alone, and were between 2·5% and 3·5%, and CO levels is a worrying development. between 200ppm and 550ppm, with one odd reading of at least 1000ppm. Alan Brentnall

Date Surface Cave CO2 Location & Comments O2 O2 Slaley Sough 28/02/2017 20.90 Surface reading 28/02/2017 19.80 Most of the tramming level. 28/02/2017 19.70 The very end of the level.

Water Icicle 18/03/2017 20.90 Surface reading 18/03/2017 20.00 Foot of Shaft 18/03/2017 19.80 Top of ladder (North West Aven) 18/03/2017 19.50 Three Way Aven 18/03/2017 18.90 Elevator Junction 18/03/2017 18.70 End of Urchin Passage 18/03/2017 19.10 Cherty 2 Choke 18/03/2017 18.50 End of Cherty 2 Extensions

Robin's Shaft 02/05/2017 20.90 Surface reading 02/05/2017 18.70 3rd rebelay 02/05/2017 18.40 6th rebelay 02/05/2017 18.20 7th rebelay 02/05/2017 18.20 Foot of Shaft 02/05/2017 18.20 Lord's Chamber 02/05/2017 18.00 Lower part of Lord's Chamber

The shaft top with Vertex staff preparing to lower View down the shaft as the Minion is lowered into the Minion the depths (Photo: Phil Wolstenholme) (Photo: Phil Wolstenholme)

A COUPLE OF PHOTOGRAPHS KINDLY CONTRIBUTED BY DAVE WEBB FROM HIS ARCHIVES

The late John Beck examining sediments in Masson Cavern

Cave pearls in Merry Tom Level, Via Gellia