Found - Spreader - Swildon's Hole

[JohnMCooper]

Short spreader and krab in stream at top of Twenty. Green tape on spreader which may indicate MNRC (provided it's colour coded properly!). Will go in Wessex Cave Club Lost Property Locker until claimed.

 

[Alex]

Does it look like this?

 

[darkandmuddy]

Off topic, but I think I need one off those in my life

Sent from my SM-T290 using Tapatalk

 

[mikem]

Alex, are you sure that's safe for cavers:
"Warning: Not suitable for children under 4 years. For use under adult supervision"

 

[paul]

[warning]Can we please keep on topic? It's not helping anyone who lost the item.[/warning]

 

[Maj]

Checked out the found spreader. It is not one I recognise as belonging to MNRC. I think green tape on MNRC kit was possibly from a bygone age, I don't think any of our kit has green tape on these days, well our spreaders don't at least.

Thanks,
Dave.

 

[JohnMCooper]

Colour Coding of Caving Tackle used on Mendip

To enable cavers to recognise their club tackle, a colour code was agreed in 1960.  The colour code is still in use today.

Axbridge Caving Group - Yellow

Bristol Exploration Club - Blue

Cerberus Speleo.Society - Grey

Mendip Caving Group - Pink

Mendip Nature Research Committee - Green

Shepton Mallet Caving Club - Black

University of Bristol Speleo. Society - Orange

Wessex Cave Club - Red

Westminster Speleo.Group - Brown

 

[andrewmcleod]

I did not know that when I put ToughTags on all the BEC gear a few years ago... fortunately (or maybe I asked and someone told me) I chose blue anyway
All the BEC ladders/spreaders have an engraved metal tag attached to them rather than tape, I think.

I would suggest that coloured tape on gear is pretty useless these days and ToughTags are worth the money. People have a lot more personal gear (and probably travel more) than they did in the 1960s. It's bad enough even _with_ the tough tags - I chose pink for mine, and so did my girlfriend (before we met). And then we go to the Belfry and Reading Uni also use pink... good thing we can read the writing!

Oops, off topic sorry...

 

[Shapatti]

There were quite a few student clubs on Mendip the weekend that that Spreader was found, perhaps one of those is missing it and they do not realise?
Cambridge were one group staying at Upper Pitts, I believe there were also groups in at the Shepton?

(On the off-topic part, I believe the colour coding on the Wessex's part at least doesn't extend to coloured tape. As far as I am aware all of the ladders should have a red rung near the top/bottom which marks them? None of the other kit in the tackle store is marked with colours alone...)

 

[wormster]

I put the metal tags on the BEC ladders, along with Minty's indestructible Bec get everywhere labels, I did also spray some screwgate crabs pink back when I was tackle master.

 

[cap n chris]

Colour Coding of Caving Tackle used on Mendip

To enable cavers to recognise their club tackle, a colour code was agreed in 1960.  The colour code is still in use today.

Axbridge Caving Group - Yellow

Bristol Exploration Club - Blue

Cerberus Speleo.Society - Grey

Mendip Caving Group - Pink

Mendip Nature Research Committee - Green

Shepton Mallet Caving Club - Black

University of Bristol Speleo. Society - Orange

Wessex Cave Club - Red

Westminster Speleo.Group - Brown

Wow! The use of ladders is almost archaeological. That's, like, 62 years on.

 

[PeteHall]

To enable cavers to recognise their club tackle, a colour code was agreed in 1960.

Westminster Speleo.Group - Brown

By the end of most Mendip trips, I expect Westminster would be taking home all of the kit 

 

[mikem]

The pigments were generally added to the resin used to seal the rungs (it was pre the widespread use of electrical tape to mark kit). I think the Wessex is the only club still using the colour scheme (& making their own ladders)

 

[wormster]

Tommo did finish off some BEC ladders, I've got a feeling he used blue resin on them. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong