Below 2009 3

B E L O W ! Quarterly Journal of the Shropshire Caving & Mining Club Autumn Issue No: 2009.3 Dog Rescue at Old Grit Monday, 20th July 2009 at 14:00, a two-year old black Patterdale terrier called Tess (owned by a Mr. Shaun Panter) chased a rabbit through the fence surrounding the Old Grit Pumping shaft and fell approximately 40m down the shaft into water. It appears the dog managed to climb out of the water into a small ledge/ inset and could be heard barking when her name was called. The alarm was raised and the RSPCA and Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service (from Minsterley) attended. Steve Holding, who was actually at Nenthead received the first call from Shropshire Fire & Rescue Control Above: Old Grit Pumping Engine house, in January 2009, with the Room informing him of the incident at open (but fenced) shaft on the left. 17:30 and then contacted Andy See page 21 for some background Harris and Andy Wood. on the shaft. In all 7 Club members attended the Right: View of the shaft top. incident; Andy Harris, Alan Pictures: Kelvin Lake - I.A.Recordings. Robinson, Vicky Robinson, Andy hear over the radio was the dog Wood, Peter Eggleston, Kelvin Lake, barking! and Nick Southwick. soon as she saw her owner Tess, Tess was very agitated and it took calmed down compeletly and after a Nick and Andy Wood’s Land Rovers Alan some time to get her into the few dog biscuits was back to normal, were used to ferry the kit across the bag - he suffered a few ‘nips’ for his looking around for rabbits!! fields to near the shaft. The pitch was trouble! then rigged with an SRT rope, a A successful, smooth, rescue, and it hauling rope (for a 1 ton builders bag Once safely in the bag, Alan only took us an hour from the time - to hold the dog) and a safety line sheltered in a shallow inset at water we arrived on site, to the dog manned by the Fire Brigade. level while the bag and Tess were reaching the surface. Although, due hauled to surface. Looking down the to the location of the incident, it did Alan Robinson drew the short straw shaft, Andy Harris said all he could take about 2 hours for all the team and made the descent into the shaft see was the dog’s eyes reflecting in members to arrive - a useful time with Andy Harris at the top of the the light of his cap lamp as it ran scale that’s worth remembering, since shaft liasing with him. The Fire round in circles inside the bag! we are unlikely to be able to reduce Brigade lent us a radio, but when this too much. Alan got near the bottom all we could Once back on the surface and as continued on page 3 ... “Below” 2009.3 1 News Round-Up 1 Ivor Brown Ifton Colliery Band Miner’s Sculptures It is understood that the Ifton The opportunity was taken during maintained, but holes are appearing Colliery Brass Band was reformed as the above weekend to inspect some in the metalwork. part of the recent celebrations to of the local mining sculptures. mark the 40th anniversary of the The “headstock” on the island at closure of Ifton Colliery. Events are The life-size “miner with pony and Woodside roundabout also needs a also planned to mark a similar tramway waggon” display on Asda little attention and some of the tiles anniversary at Highley Colliery roundabout, Donnington Wood was are coming off the walls in the Village later in the year. found to be in remarkable condition - massive “strata section structure” at except for a four foot high tree the Nabb. Coal Closure Events growing through the ‘penny’ wheels In the Coalbrookdale Coalfield three (it is a flanged track). Telford now has an interesting range events were held to mark the 30th of mining structures perhaps a leaflet Anniversary of the Granville Colliery The mine tub “coal on rails” exhibit at could be produced showing them to closure and the ‘final’ laying up of Horeshay is reasonably well mark the Club’s own anniversary the banner of the Miners Lodge: shortly? Talk: The talk by I.J.Brown was Tunnel attended by over 60 people. It is Re-opened hoped to publish parts of this as Heath Hill railway separate papers. tunnel has now been Walk: The walk, on Saturday 4th re-opened and trains July, was held in sunny weather can once again pass and about 15 attended. It included through it. several very knowledgable local miners. The sites of the pits called It is oval shaped, Barnyard, Barn, Lodgebank, constructed mainly of Waxhill, Muxton Bridge and brick and about 60 Lodge (Slaughter) and the metres long. Having Furnaces at the Lodge were been disused since visited. the 1950s it is now Church Service: On Sunday 5th July part of the Telford a Miners’ Reunion Service was Steam Railway line. held at the Madeley Fletcher Methodist Church, some 80 people attended. Four former mine workers and the daughter of the Left: The newly re- Madeley Lodge Secretary and opened tunnel at Heath Hill, Horsehay check weighman (1938-1964) took part. The original shaft-section scrolls for both Granville and Stafford Pits dating from the 1860s were on show. The promised return from the Ironbridge Gorge Museum of the Shropshire Miners’ Banner did not take place Bill Bennetts Cottage - an explanation for this is given The site of Bill Bennetts cottage has on page 21 ! After the service tea recently been visited - only a heap of and cakes were available. An rubble and the base of the walls can exhibition of photos provided by be seen. IJB sketched it about 1960. the Club proved a great attraction. The events were made possible The cottage is up the hill at the top of through the kindness of the Perkins Beach. When sketched the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, cottage was about to be abandoned Birse Construction (the Museum’s by Bill, an old barytes miner with Contractors ), the Church Stewards, ‘dust disease’, as he moved downhill the Madeley Local History Project to live in a caravan behind the The cottage, sketched (quickly) by and the Club. Stiperstones Inn. IJB, 1960. 2 “Below” 2009.3 Dog Rescue at Old Grit 20th July 2009 Both the RSPCA and Fire Brigade seemed pleased with our preformance. One side effect has been the establishment of better relations with the Fire Brigade - this will take a more concrete form with them observing at the rescue practice on the 3rd October at Huglith. Right: Rigging the pitch - the farmer’s 4x4 was used as a belay for the haulage bag. Picture: Kelvin Lake - I.A.Recordings. Left: Alan Robinson, Andy Harris and Vicky Robinson rigging the pitch. Right: Andy Harris directing the hauling and life- lining from the pitch head. Picture: Andy Wood. Left: View from the pitch head, showing the hauling ropes, safety line and Below: Tess safe and sound back SRT rope on the surface. (belayed to the Picture: Andy Wood. farmers truck), with Club members and Firefighters ready to haul. Picture: Andy Wood. Left: Alan Robinson makes it back to the surface, slightly bitten! Picture: Andy Wood. See page 21 for some background on the shaft. >> “Below” 2009.3 3 Blists Hill Mining Displays - how are they coming on? Ivor Brown In 1969 the writer was asked by the The Cinderhills area near the railway too rotten for immediate re-erection Group developing the Blists Hill tunnel by the old entrance to Blists and the cast iron winch was badly Open Air Museum to write a short Hill. Alternatively it could be damaged when it fell from the lorry. note on the then, “Mining History of constructed on a site adjoining Blists Hill, Madeley” and to put Shawfield Pit with it’s historic Heslop Plans were also afoot to transfer the down some ideas as to what should engine house just outside the timber headframe previously used or could be displayed on site to proposed limits of the site. This with a gin from Shrubbery Mine near represent it’s past mining history. At would represent an ironstone and Ketley and the electric winder from the time reports were also being coal mine. the Rock Mine which had been prepared on other aspects of the site donated by it’s owner Isiah Jones, such as the iron industry, (and Deputy Chairman of the New brickmaking, canals and railways and Town Corporation). By 1973 all the it’s natural history. above had been completed and the As far as the writer is aware only the winder was provided with a more reports on the mining history and, substantial brick engine-house (see later the Tar Tunnel were ever Map). published. ‘The Tar Tunnel’ by the During 1973-5 the SMC, the Borstal Museum in “Forge”, 1971, and the Boys and the NCB (using a tractor “site history” by the Club in the designed for underground use, with a Shropshire Mining Club Journal, tub on rails) cleared out the first 110 1976. Above: Mock Adit, Blists Hill nearing completion, 1970. yards of the Tar Tunnel and Messrs. Thyssens removed the top 45ft. of fill The short report on possible mining Below: Shortly after completion, 1970 from the Blists Hill Clay Mine shaft. displays pointed out how the Tar Pictures: Ivor Brown Tunnel and Shawfield Colliery sites The Club, with other (both of which where just outside the volunteers and proposed Museum site) should be museum staff treated separately as they were transferred the unique sites of considerable Milburgh Pit steam historical interest.

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