DCA
Active member
The gated entrances to Mandale Mine have once again been giving us grief. On several occasions over the last few month there have been reports of the gates not being secured shut. The finger of blame cannot be pointed to any particular user group, however it will be all explorers that will lose all access to this site if this keep occurring. Today DCA have had to go out and secure the entrances again. One of the NE managers was present in the dale too, and he is the person who can authorise welding the gates shut if he wants. NE have been superbly accommodating to cavers in the area, but with the dale being so busy with members of the public nowadays, they will not tolerate the mines being left unlocked. DCA was contacted today by a person who's small child had begun to open the Incline Level gate! Luckily, DCA installed small plaques with our contact details on a few years ago.
A new chain and locking nut has been fitted to the Incline Level gate. A spanner will still allow access. The original locking bolt still works on the right hand side, so we've no idea how people are failing to secure the gate, even if the left one no longer lines up with the hole. We also secured the Aqueduct level gate again, as someone had failed to put the nut back on the bolt to keep the chain in place.
Both the Incline and Aqueduct gates will require a 17mm spanner or adjustable Derbyshire key to access.
Make sure the gates are secured behind you when you enter and when you leave.
It would be great shame if NE ask us to go back to padlocks, or even worse, shut access entirely.
Pete Knight
DCA Projects Officer
A new chain and locking nut has been fitted to the Incline Level gate. A spanner will still allow access. The original locking bolt still works on the right hand side, so we've no idea how people are failing to secure the gate, even if the left one no longer lines up with the hole. We also secured the Aqueduct level gate again, as someone had failed to put the nut back on the bolt to keep the chain in place.
Both the Incline and Aqueduct gates will require a 17mm spanner or adjustable Derbyshire key to access.
Make sure the gates are secured behind you when you enter and when you leave.
It would be great shame if NE ask us to go back to padlocks, or even worse, shut access entirely.
Pete Knight
DCA Projects Officer
