Anyone know the details of the pitch at the West end of Taylor's level. There are loads of bolts. Any one know what's down there ? Thanks

It leads down to part of the workings on Lefel Fawr which are not directly accessible due to a fall. Pitch is about 80 feet if memory severs correct. Not a lot down there.

If memory serves, it is best descended from most inbye option of descent. There was quite a lot of old rotting timber from division boarding.
On level can't go very far to East, but West leads to a bit of stoping and would have connected into main Lefel Fawr workings originally.
There is a further descent to water? via a small winze, but i have never descended this. CATMHS attempted to find route over via a bolted rise, but i think this proved unsuccesful.

We did ascend a rise, which went from hading to vertical, so you can't see the top from the level. We found it to be blind!

Chris.

Thanks all, that's great

This is one we need to do , anybody body free in July to introduce us to the place ? as we are in South Wales and could drive up for the day .

Paul

My plans are uncertain or would offer.
Trouble with the place is that Lefel Fawr if anything suffers from over exposure. Good stuff down the skipway but its SRT. Pughes Mine is inaccessible and was SRT anyway, leaves Taylors, Aldersons, and Herberts up Nant yr Onnen. Plus a lot of odd 'bits'.

We never even thought about using SRT for the skipway. Climbing it on the rails and timbers just seemed the obvious and fun way of doing it. I guess it could have decayed some more over the last 30 years though.

Fishes said:

We never even thought about using SRT for the skipway. Climbing it on the rails and timbers just seemed the obvious and fun way of doing it. I guess it could have decayed some more over the last 30 years though.

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we did all sorts like that in the past - you only fall once. Albeit 30 years ago SRT was not really being used in mines and a lifeline would have been awkward in the skipway.

I fell off a ladder in the rift at ODB I had been life lining the main shaft my hands became very cold I still freeclimbed the ladder down the shaft and then free climbing down the rift my hands were just too cold fortunately it was tight and friction slowed me and I managed to get my foot into the last rung . After that never free climbed anything

Mike

Fishes said:

We never even thought about using SRT for the skipway. Climbing it on the rails and timbers just seemed the obvious and fun way of doing it. I guess it could have decayed some more over the last 30 years though.

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I seem to recall doing that 20 years ago.

moorebooks said:

Fishes said:

We never even thought about using SRT for the skipway. Climbing it on the rails and timbers just seemed the obvious and fun way of doing it. I guess it could have decayed some more over the last 30 years though.

Click to expand...

we did all sorts like that in the past - you only fall once. Albeit 30 years ago SRT was not really being used in mines and a lifeline would have been awkward in the skipway.

I fell off a ladder in the rift at ODB I had been life lining the main shaft my hands became very cold I still freeclimbed the ladder down the shaft and then free climbing down the rift my hands were just too cold fortunately it was tight and friction slowed me and I managed to get my foot into the last rung . After that never free climbed anything

Mike

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Thats true I had a nasty fall and damaged my shoulders, still paying the price now thats why I have stopped SRT, I just cant rely on them .   

Climbing into less/not visited parts of mines has always been part of the fun fore me.

That doesn't man I'm against using SRT though. We were regularly using it for mine exploration from the 1980's onwards.

Paul Marvin said:

Thats true I had a nasty fall and damaged my shoulders, still paying the price now thats why I have stopped SRT, I just cant rely on them .   

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Umm, as far as I know, SRT has a very good safety record. I am intrigued to know how it failed.

Chris.

Like ChrisJC, I'm intrigued by these remarks about SRT ? especially

thats why I have stopped SRT, I just cant rely on them .

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.

SRT has a very good safety record, much better than ladders.

Pre empting Pauls reply I think you are all second guessing, his fall and use of SRT are not necessarily related. He is saying that his shoulder is affected in such a way as to stop him using SRT.

Right Paul?

royfellows said:

Pre empting Pauls reply I think you are all second guessing, his fall and use of SRT are not necessarily related. He is saying that his shoulder is affected in such a way as to stop him using SRT.

Right Paul?

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Yes correct Roy the injuries to my shoulders are from work and believe it or not falling whilst walking our dog. They have not come from SRT practice itself

I have stopped the SRT now because I have had severe shoulder injuries to both shoulders with the full detachment of the Supraspinatus tendons, this is one of the main tendons in your shoulders and although they are OK Ish most of the time , there are times when they get in a certain position that my shoulders just give out, I can even drop the kettle if I dont pick it up correct . The strength in them is also greatly reduced,although I still workout at the gym and in pretty good shape, my wife can bench press and shoulder press more than me FFS. The decision was made about two years ago when going down the easy tiny pitch at Jug Holes when my left one went and I finished up in a very compromising and incredibly painful position almost having to call out cave rescue . Most of the time its just myself and wife underground I said to her its only a matter of time before something potentially very nasty will happen, I dont want to pout myself , wife or anybody that joins us in danger. I have also got a torn left bicep and a torn right pectoral all to add to bad right knee and F ed  up back. I have had one nasty fall in my life going underground and was very luck with that . So guys in a nutshell that is the reason, people who know me also think its a very wise decision. Yes indeed some trips are a bit compromised but there are plenty of places to go without SRT,I do still do a fairly steep hand line though. Anybody out there thats had bad shoulder injuries will know the pain is in a league of its own. Even now after 5 years I have to take strong pain meds ( dihydrocodeine ) almost every day to keep me at work and every now and again Morphine to be able get some sleep.