Longwood

[cap n chris]

I am trying to remember what the inside of the Longwood lid looks like

This is one of the most enduring mysteries in the universe.

 

[danthecavingman]

All the gates in OFD and the one on Aggy can be opened from the inside without needing a key - they seem pretty straightforward.

Dan.

 

[Hughie]

Can you imagine the media reponse to (in the unfortunate event of) a fatality in Longwood - possibly due to hypothermia, with one of the contributory factors cited as inability to open the lid from the inside. Hmm.

I would imagine a piece of rope strategically positioned & tied would sufficiently secure the cave whilst occupied.

Still think the lock itself is so bloody awkward to get at that a cheap replacement is more than adequate. I'm led to believe that "security" locks only retain their degree of security for a comparatively short period of time before the key blanks become generally available.

That said, I do understand the reasoning and the difficulties.

 

[Peter Burgess]

You can get good locks where you are issued with a security number. You can only get additional keys cut if you can quote the number to the locksmith. That minimises the risk of unauthorised keys going into circulation. The lock cannot be snapped shut. The keys are captured in the lock and can only be removed when the lock is shut. That way you cannot leave it unlocked accidentally.

What is the security issue at Longwood? Is it the lock being cut off, or keys being cut on the sly?

 

[graham]

Quote from many years ago:

Caver: "I've got a problem with this 'security' padlock."

Locksmith: "No problem, I'll cut you a key for that!"

Caver: "Yeeesss, that's the problem."

While what Peter says is quite true, you also need a lock that will stand up to mud and other "environmental" issues. The previous lock that we had on G.B. was recommended even for underwater usage but was completely and utterly shite from our point of view.

 

[Peter Burgess]

Can you imagine the media reponse to (in the unfortunate event of) a fatality in Longwood - possibly due to hypothermia, with one of the contributory factors cited as inability to open the lid from the inside. Hmm.

Isn't this one good reason why you should always leave a sensible rescue call-out time before your trip? Although I suppose you might call off a trip early because someone is feeling cold, and then find you can't get out.

Yes, I suppose you have a good point.

 

[paul]

How about getting the guy who installed the gate shown here http://www.caves.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1953&highlight= to do it? ;-)

 

[whitelackington]

Can you imagine the media reponse to (in the unfortunate event of) a fatality in Longwood - possibly due to hypothermia, with one of the contributory factors cited as inability to open the lid from the inside. Hmm.

I would imagine a piece of rope strategically positioned & tied would sufficiently secure the cave whilst occupied.

Still think the lock itself is so bloody awkward to get at that a cheap replacement is more than adequate. I'm led to believe that "security" locks only retain their degree of security for a comparatively short period of time before the key blanks become generally available.

That said, I do understand the reasoning and the difficulties.

I must very humbly admit, that one of my enduring fears, has been, not able to get out of a locked cave, once I was knackered and not all brain cells functioning on all cylinders.

 

[Otter]

We went to Longwood a couple of weeks ago and the lock opened after about 5 minutes. Not too bad.

It is not just locked gates that cause problems. Years ago I was in a party doing Dow Cave to Providence Pot and when we arrived at the Providence entrance we found that some low life had piled large rocks on top which we could not shift from the inside. The return trip back to Dow was through lots of very blue air!!

Has this ever occured at Longwood?

 

[Roger W]

. Years ago I was in a party doing Dow Cave to Providence Pot and when we arrived at the Providence entrance we found that some low life had piled large rocks on top which we could not shift from the inside. The return trip back to Dow was through lots of very blue air!!

Now that's really stupid and dangerous...

Luckily you seem to have been fit enough and strong enough to make your way back to Dow OK.  But it could so easily have been a different story if some of the group had been kn@ckered when they got to Providence...

Ack! Look at the time!  This site is addictive!  Must go work.. :wave:

 

[cap n chris]

Placing large rocks on a cave entrance isn't going to be attempted murder but it could certainly result in manslaughter charges (trapped inside, death from hypothermia). If you ever witness someone doing something simliar either (a) photograph them and say it's for the police/witness statement or (b) break their teeth and tell them to eff off.

 

[whitelackington]

Bracknell are attempting Longwood today, we will hear if the lock works :icon_321:

 

[bill chadwick]

Had a cracking trip on Sat 8th July. It took us a while to unlock the padlock. The key(!) seems to be to ensure that the key is pushed fully in before trying to turn it.

 

[Slick]

Had a good trip in Longwood last Thursday. The method to open - ensure the key is all the way in then easy. However, the problem was with getting the bloody key back out again. No leverage - take several crabs or mailons to create the initial shock and hence movement. Or a pair of pliers I guess.

Then again if your club key has a suitable tether then you might be ok 

 

[whitelackington]

When we were getting ready for Rhino, Saturday, two blokes were taking a load of girls into Longwood. (Cambridge U.)
Just after we had done our trip, walking back, up past Longwood, we wondered if they would get out and the lid popped open, so YES, the got out, took them quite a while to undo it though, apparently but as they were girls they were quite polite! :halo:

 

[Cave monster]

Polite?? ...

 

[whitelackington]

Wel;l, I didn't hear them farting.

 

[Stupot]

That bloody lock 

35 f**king minutes last night , my hands were nearly bleeding, I was knackered before I even went down.
We met a group from Swindon down there and they kindly left some  2 in 1 at the entrance, so
after abit of oiling up it's now 100 times better and only takes 10 minutes to unlock.


Stu.

 

[Les W]

I think all you newcomers must be a bunch of tarts. Just back from Longwood now, less than 1 minute to open the lock, you either got it or you aint. :ras:

I don't believe the lock has got any worse since I first started caving there (more years ago than I care to remember )
The trick is to push the the key all the way home, when you think it is in it needs to go a further few millimetres, quarter turn and hey presto

I soaked the lock in 3 in 1 oil but it didn't really need it.

Had a superb trip down to Longwood Main Chamber and through to Christmas Crawl to Swing Pitch. Down to the Main Streamway and downstream to the start of Reynolds Passage. Out via August Streamway and the wet chimney

The Main Stream is the finest  streamway on Mendip and worth all the hassle early on. I still fit through the Letter Box (both ways) but id does seem to have got smaller over the last couple of years :-[

 

[graham]

Thanks les, on the basis of teh previous report I was going to fettle the lock tomorrow. I obviously don't have to now.