Ball Eye Mine Collapse!

[LarryFatcat]

There has been a collapse in Ball Eye which now cuts off access to the lower section with the water tank and spring. The shaft, above the water tank, is completely blocked, as is the usual bypass slither/climb, The top of the former shaft (c6m) is now a false floor, right in the main path.
Also, there is quite a bit of rubbish, inc beer cans, quite far into the complex. Next time we have a club meet there, we'll take a few bin bags but if anyone cleans it up before then, let me know.

 

[Brains]

Oh well, that's access to the sough at that end buggered up

 

[DJFRASER]

We may be headed here tomorrow. If we do I'll be sure to take some bags with me and check out this new collapse

 

[royfellows]

I am a bit puzzled, has access been restored? As I understood it, it was stopped when the quarry restarted, or has that ceased.

 

[AR]

There's been no official access to Ball Eye for a long time. I understand that the quarry was sold last year, and I've no idea what the new owners attitude is towards people going into the mine workings, so bear that in mind everyone...

 

[LarryFatcat]

There's been no official access to Ball Eye for a long time. I understand that the quarry was sold last year, and I've no idea what the new owners attitude is towards people going into the mine workings, so bear that in mind everyone...

yes there is no access agreement but not "no access". Parts of the workings and the quarry are fenced off and sign-posted with no access- there has been no attempt or impediment put in place to prevent access to the current entrance used by cavers.

 

[speleokitty3]

Some things are best not discussed on a public forum.

 

[AR]

yes there is no access agreement but not "no access". Parts of the workings and the quarry are fenced off and sign-posted with no access- there has been no attempt or impediment put in place to prevent access to the current entrance used by cavers.

one word to add to that - "yet"...

 

[royfellows]

I would really like to see the entry to the sough reinstated. It has been many years since last in there, probably 1990s. I remember really nice coffin level, picture taken on an Olympus OM1. My lady friend of the time sits by the forehead, look at the pick marks.

 

[AR]

Fountrabbey sough now has a very substantial concrete dam at its lower end, so no access from that end. It is possible to get into the upper end, but the route is a bit sketchy and it involves trusting some elderly hangers, so don't ask me for details on a public forum...

 

[LarryFatcat]

pic - the source of the water in the sough area-it is walled of behind Mitch- this side is now inaccessible = more pics/vid of the area here: Ball Eye Pics Vid and here: more Ball Eye Pics

 

[braveduck]

Is this water thermal 19C by any chance ?

 

[LarryFatcat]

Is this water thermal 19C by any chance ?

It's supposed to be a thermal spring, I think, but was only slightly warm, maybe. Perhaps it has already cooled the other side of the wall?

 

[DJFRASER]

Just saw photos of this new collapse. Looks like the pack wall to the side of the shaft with the pipe going down has given way and filled it up.

 

[Stoney Boy]

Looks like the sale has gone through. 2 machines at work in there today.

 

[LarryFatcat]

It now seems obvious that the two seperate collapses- 5m apart, blocking both ways down towards the sough, were deliberate

 

[Brains]

Ball Eye Mine

anyone got any surveys or descriptions of Ball Eye Mine, Bonsall

ukcaving.com

Link to the other thread with some pics of before and after of the shaft. My thoughts are it wasn't natural

 

[Stoney Boy]

Looks like the sale has gone through. 2 machines at work in there today.

Quarry has not been sold....Been leased to an earth moving company...

 

[LarryFatcat]

It was much cleaner this time, someone has had a good clean-up since December. We only managed to gather this: