Backup stakes for shafts

DCA

Active member
I made up some shiny new ground stakes from a 6m section of stainless steel T bar donated to us by Natural England. They are 1m long, about 10mm thick, and will probably last forever.
I have already placed one near the 1981 shaft up at Snelslow, ready to use when we get a new shaft top fitted (we're awaiting a quote). That leaves 5 currently sat in my garden without a home. Not wishing to stick them back in the storage container, I'm looking for suggestions on where else could benefit from a new ground stake or backup belay.
If you can think of a shaft that does not have a backup, or has one but it has seen better days, then I am open to suggestions.
My current thinking:
Knotlow Engine
Knotlow Climber
Hillocks Engine
....
All suggestions considered. I guess we should probably only do shafts with 'legit' access or where we've never had any bother. I have enough T section to probably make up 6 more stakes in future if the list gets really long.

Pete Knight
DCA Projects Officer
 

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Pete K

Well-known member
Oxlow has also been mentioned.
For the Nickergrove Didsbury shaft I tend to run a rope down from the nearest tree and rebelay it to the shaft top metalwork. A stake could go in, but for an extra 5m of rope a tree is available above.
Lathkill Top is a possible. Annoyingly I was up there checking the keys worked at Garden Path yesterday but didn't go over to Lathkill Top for a look as the rain was starting to head back in.
 

SamT

Moderator
Pete K said:
Oxlow has also been mentioned.

:-\

Isn't there a gert big wall round it already with easily accessible P bolts to clip to before you climb over it ??
 

wellyjen

Well-known member
Day Shaft, AKA Deep Shaft, that drops in to Youds' Level, sorry, Ringing Rake Sough. This has a scaff bar main belay, but the backup is rather marginal and rusty. A popular trip.
If/when we get access to Long Rake Founders Shaft again, I believe that has no backup to the bar belay at the top. A long time since I've seen it, but the Crewe rigging guide reckons it was like that back in the twenty naughties.
Snake Mine in Hopton Wood. The main shaft could probably do with a more confidence inspiring back up than it currently has.
That's all I can think of right now.
Jen
 

al

Member
Lathkill Head Upper Entrance does have a decent metal backup stake, similar to the one at Water Icicle, but I've known some folk failing to find it in the long grass!

Robin's Shaft could do with a decent backup (instead of using the ancient angle) and I've always thought that a couple of bolts on the wall just below the lid for the main Y-hang would improve matters.
 

Pete K

Well-known member
SamT said:
Pete K said:
Oxlow has also been mentioned.

:-\

Isn't there a gert big wall round it already with easily accessible P bolts to clip to before you climb over it ??
Agree that not all suggestions will actually need one, just updating the thread with replies I have had via FB.
 

Pete K

Well-known member
wellyjen said:
Day Shaft, AKA Deep Shaft, that drops in to Youds' Level, sorry, Ringing Rake Sough. This has a scaff bar main belay, but the backup is rather marginal and rusty. A popular trip.
If/when we get access to Long Rake Founders Shaft again, I believe that has no backup to the bar belay at the top. A long time since I've seen it, but the Crewe rigging guide reckons it was like that back in the twenty naughties.
Snake Mine in Hopton Wood. The main shaft could probably do with a more confidence inspiring back up than it currently has.
That's all I can think of right now.
Jen
Good suggestions. Long Rake is still a work in progress access-wise, but it can be looked at in future if we ever manage to get that sorted. DCA are working on it but so far it is still a no go.
 

rm128

Active member
al said:
Robin's Shaft could do with a decent backup (instead of using the ancient angle) and I've always thought that a couple of bolts on the wall just below the lid for the main Y-hang would improve matters.

I would second Robin's Shaft.
 

wellyjen

Well-known member
Brains said:
IIRC Snake has a backup but it is hard to find in the jungle round the lid...
It does, but it could use one of those nice big stainless ones instead. I didn't think the existing one was terribly substantial.
 

Stu

Active member
As an aside where would you go about getting hold of this stuff (the 10mm T bar)? Is it regular stock and easy to buy in small lengths (one metre)?
 

Pete K

Well-known member
Stuart Anderson said:
As an aside where would you go about getting hold of this stuff (the 10mm T bar)? Is it regular stock and easy to buy in small lengths (one metre)?
I have no idea to be honest. NE bought a load of steelwork for DCA about 7/8 years ago. We gave them a list and they sorted the order. I bet the two 6m lengths of this stuff were eye wateringly expensive.
 

AR

Well-known member
Try Ebay - there's always a lot of metal offcuts up for sale there, and sooner or later you may see a suitable bit of heavy gauge stainless T-bar. There's also steel merchants who'll cut you lengths but of course, that tends to be less cost effective, especially for shorter lengths.
 
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