Devonshire missing padlock
- Thread starter DJFRASER
- Start date
Chocolate fireguard
Active member
There are lots of other ungated places where people can do themselves or their kids in. Why the anxiety about this one?
If it's because the landowner might permanently block it if DCA doesn't keep banging it's head against a wall replacing padlocks/inventing new gating methods then let that happen. There are other entrances to the mine that don't give the same grief.
If the people taking instructed groups down there want the entrance maintained then they could take over.
Either way I suspect DCA have more than enough to do, and not nearly enough helpers to do it, without being expected repeatedly to fix this one.
If it's because the landowner might permanently block it if DCA doesn't keep banging it's head against a wall replacing padlocks/inventing new gating methods then let that happen. There are other entrances to the mine that don't give the same grief.
If the people taking instructed groups down there want the entrance maintained then they could take over.
Either way I suspect DCA have more than enough to do, and not nearly enough helpers to do it, without being expected repeatedly to fix this one.
Echoing some of Fireguard’s concerns, I don’t really understand the major concerns of locking up Devonshire tight, it’s always been easily accessible in the past, as for many of the Matlock Bath mines. And I remember my own adventures underground in the 70s, often without a torch, let alone a helmet, not sure I would be telling anyone that they shouldn’t enter Devonshire without a helmet!
The problem with the present set up at the top entrance is that, even if a padlock is fitted, there are gaps on either side of the gate that most people can squeeze through. It might be better to add some appropriate, large, signage suggesting the need for helmets and lights. As pointed out, many mines and caves in the area have no secured access.
pwhole
Well-known member
The other issue is, as Chocolate fireguard pointed out above, is that DCA are really stretched - we can only work with the constraints imposed by landowners, availability of volunteers and limited finances. Devonshire is one site that never seemingly stops causing problems, despite it being one of the easier and 'safer' mines out there - we really do have far more serious safety issues to deal with at other sites, of which there are many. And it's not 'our' mine either. PDMHS are literally at the bottom of the hill, and are far better-placed to do 'maintenance' work on Matlock Bath mines than DCA.
