Great Stoney Traverse Trip Report

[Alex]

I think the final straw for the owner was that he blocked an opening in the adit gate that the metal thieves had made resulting in a party of 6 explorers being "trapped", when he returned later in the day he had to let the 6 guys out. The owner was concerned about being held accountable if anyone got injured, that and people damaging his property.

I heard they sealed it back up for him at-least. Again an official access agreement with a BCA insurance proof would have stopped this, as provides liability insurance. A good sturdy gate which can be opened from the inside would stop the other issue of people being trapped.

 

[Stevie5tapes]

They did seal it back up for the owner after the owner told them they had to seal it back up. I've been underground many times at Mill Dam, the sad thing is that the mine has been vandalised, extinguishers let off, first aid kits opened and scattered everywhere, quite a lot of litter left behind. The few have spoiled it for the many.

 

[TheOriginalPiglet]

This quote is incorrect please ignore

Apologies, must have miss remembered our convo.

 

[Tangent_tracker]

Yes we indeed go through the mine ventilation fan housing into the main drag then on to ladywash visiting the wet west, loco battery charging house, fitting and electrcians shops, the winch house down to sub one, up the main level to the bottom of ladywood shaft and beyond. Then to the boil up at glebe where in the event of flood the loco's would be lifted above the flood zone.
Onto the bottom of glebe mineshaft to look up to daylight, back to metal grill seperating glebe and moorwood sough, down the metal ladder and into the sough proper.
Going with the flow of the cold water we plodded on until we came the Victory level, on reaching its end and made our way back to the sough and out to Stoney Middleton brook. Total trip hours 9.5.
As an aside i assisted in the removal of the Glebe mine headstocks while the site was cleared. I also fabricated and installed the metal shaft cap that seals the top of Ladywash mine, if you happen to visit you may see my name and date welded into the metal ( T pot 1981 ).

When was Glebe shaft covered?

 

[T pot 2]

When was Glebe shaft covered?

Late eighties when Laporte minerals ceased trading

 

[Tangent_tracker]

Late eighties when Laporte minerals ceased trading

Is it true it sits below someone's drive now?

 

[Mark]

Is it true it sits below someone's drive now?

 

[Tangent_tracker]

View attachment 25100

I bet that was some serious engineering to satisfy the local planning department! Is that an inspection shaft too?

 

[tdobson]

There's a conversation - I think on this forum - about it - that I read it a number of years ago.

I seem to remember the late John Beck felt the access was well and truly lost - but I do remember that the post included some details about how it had been topped.

 

[LJR]

Here is the shaft top in 1991 when we cleared out the guide ropes and winding ropes to allow access by Laporte staff.