Quarterly Journal of the Shropshire Caving & Mining Club Spring Issue No: 2014.1 Sinkhole - the ‘IN’ word for 2014 The media seem to have discovered Caver Mark Noble provided the the word ‘Sinkhole’ this year, with photographs, but I think his wife almost every news report mentioning was taking a chance posing on the one opening up somewhere in collapsing edge in the one picture! Britain. While sinkholes are relatively rare in Broseley joined in with a hole The Broseley hole - covered with a Britain, they are regular occurrences opening up into old coal workings board. (Kelvin Lake - I.A.Recordings) in the USA where horror stories under the main road between However, this hole is small abound of people disappearing down Ironbridge and Broseley at compared to some of the holes holes while they sleep! Christmas. The Club’s Christmas that have been opening up in walk around Jackfield took a slight places such as Hemel Hempstead, The National Corvette Museum detour to view the hole - but it was Rickmansworth, Ripon and even in in Kentucky has been the latest cunningly hidden under a wooden the central reservation of the M2. victim. A sinkhole opened up inside panel. However we were assured that the museum on the 12th February it was much bigger underground, so All of these have occurred in chalk swallowing 8 vintage Corvettes - the road has been closed until the or gypsum areas and are probably including the historic 1 millionth Coal Authority can sort it out. natural solution holes caused by Corvette and rare cars on loan from General Motors. This has had some consequences for the heavy rain in recent months - although the one on the M2 has been the Jackfield stabilisation project as Take a look at: all the main road traffic is now being linked to a Denehole (a Chalk mine). diverted past the area where they www.corvettemuseum.org wanted to put in the main compound The largest sinkhole to open up access road. recently (so far!) in this country is probably the one in the Peak District Tankerville Mine at Eyam Edge, which appeared just English Heritage is funding major before Christmas and is at least 30m repair work at Tankerville Mine to across. the reservoir and walls. The void is near Slaters Engine Mine The owners; Shropshire Mines Trust shaft on the Hucklow Edge Vein. Ltd., have recently signed a contract The vein is currently being worked to allow the works to proceed. by the Milldam Mine, but the mine Accordingly, for safety reasons the owners say they are not working site will be closed to the public from anywhere near the collapse which 17th March 2014. it is thought might be due to long forgotten workings. It is expected that the works will be completed by mid-September, If you want to see the hole visit: however the exact end date is Neal Rushton explaining the geology entirely dependant upon the weather of the area, beside the Broseley hole, www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england- - it is not easy working with lime during the Club walk. derbyshire-25554549 mortar in torrential rain! (Kelvin Lake - I.A.Recordings) “Below” 2014.1 1 News Round-Up 1 Ivor Brown Blists Hill Inclined Lift This is now fully operational. The dispute between the Mines’ and the Factories Inspectors has been settled – the responsibility is to be shared and the lift treated as an inclined “cable way”. It differs from mine single track inclined direct haulage in that it has two haulage ropes powered from the engine at the top. There is no balance rope such as a lift might have but there is a communication cable which runs the length of the incline. Other unusual features are that it is passenger-operated and that “the Cable-way incline at Blists Hill in use 2013. (I.J.Brown Collection) energy stored in the descending car drives the motor as a generator and During the early 1960s the writer detonator case key, pithead baths the ‘regen’ unit returns the electric was a deputy and carried his watch locker keys (clean and dirty side), power to the main supply”. in a small tin used for “Children’s piece of chalk, two pencil stubs, 2 Cough Pastilles” with other essential Aspro tablets and 2 plasters. “treasures” (see photo below right). The manufacturer was When underground the box would W.G.H.Transportation of Doncaster The watch had been given to him also have contained the writer’s who formerly were specialist narrow by his father for “passing exams” obligatory metal identification check gauge suppliers to British Coal (see but was past its best. It was a with number. There is also a further W.G.H. website via Google). wind-up type, the “second” finger key for the metal ring holding a pick- was missing and the glass heavily shaft, hammer and shovel which was A Mine-Deputy’s Pocket scratched. Soon the glass fell out and hidden in his District underground. Watch now, 50 years later, the face is pitted These were to lend to any worker One of these has been found in and it no longer works. who might find himself working Shropshire (see photo below left). outside his normal District in place The other “original” items carried Prior to the mid 1960s no-one other of an absentee. (At Kemberton Pit all in this tin include a twisted wire than mine deputies normally carried men had to supply their own tools). “key-ring” with 6-shot firing battery a watch underground in Shropshire These were the writer’s tools when a key, lamp relighter, morphia box key, pits because they would have been so “workman”! easily damaged when crawling and working. This watch seems to have been made especially to over-come this by enclosing it in a metal case with thick rubber seals. The watch was made by Ingersoll Ltd. in their “Triumph” range. (see page 18 for more on Miner’s watches) Left: The deputy’s watch and case. Above: IJB’s Deputy’s tin with essential ‘treasures’. NCB 1960-62, actual size 3½in by 2¼in. (Pictures: I.J.Brown Collection) 2 “Below” 2014.1 Pitchcroft Reports & Lilleshall Well, December 2013 and January 2014, David Adams One area adjacent to the curved wall dwellings dated back at least to the December 2013 Dig th Members on site were David Adams, of site 3 which revealed part of a early part of the 17 century, and was John Hendy with his digger, David hard surface was left open for later believed to a have played a part in Poyner & Alan Taylor. Peter was inspection. the Parliamentary siege of Lilleshall found ‘fishing’ with a rod, reel and Manor/Abbey. It had been until the th line in Dog Shaft, very amusing – The Well at Lilleshall early 19 century the village pub deep sea fishing is one thing but deep An enquiry had been received from called the Red Lion, but had been shaft fishing? Newport History Society concerning closed due to the temperance of the an investigation into a well at a Duchess of Sutherland who did not In fact he was re-measuring the house called ‘Laneside’, in Church favour drinking establishments in her depths of all three shafts with the Road, Lilleshall, the householders villages. line marked at 5 metre intervals with being concerned about a proposal a lead fishing weight. His results that it should be filled in. There were apparently extensive were, with the 1967 measurements in cellars in which no doubt beer brackets: David Adams went to investigate was kept and brewing took place, Dog Shaft 136 metres (137), and have discussions with the owner a likely source of water being Twin Dog Shaft 125 metres (136), Helen Gibson and her father on the well to which they may have Water Shaft 125 metres (127). Sunday 12th January. Apparently been connected. Even of greater interest was the knowledge that The depths of Dog and Water Shaft her neighbour had acquired part of her garden and wishing to build a the grandmother(?) of George are pretty close allowing for the Washington, first President of the passage of 46 years, but there is an garage on the spot had been advised 11-metre difference in Twin Dog that to ensure the security of the Shaft, which Peter measured twice, foundations the nearby well should this may indicate an obstruction or be filled, hence the necessity for the collapse of some kind. Alan is in investigation. the process of designing a water and pressure proof box to protect The well top near the back wall of miniature video cameras for when the house was a simple 2’ x 2’6” an attempt can be made to lower it to manhole cover, which was lifted to extreme depths in the shafts. show the interior of the well. Steve aided by Peter attempted again This unexpectedly appeared most to deepen the pit at the spoil heap unusual, 8 to 10 feet in diameter, end of Site 2 finding a fairly heavy built in both brick and stone, being brick foundation, their attempts of irregular shape, with hollows in however were very limited by the the sides supported by brick pillars. lack of working space. As there was The remains of a timber platform little to be done on the previous could be seen about a foot below the water level. excavations without the removal of David Adams and Steve Holding large amounts of our own spoil and plumbing the depth of the ‘Laneside’ the services of a longer reach digger The house itself now split into two Well.