Peak Expedition 2012 (credit crunch expedition)

[Pitlamp]

I'll have to leave it to you local folks to organise but if I can supply any information just ask.

By the way, given that a lot of the route between Halfway House and the Resurgence can reasonably be expected to be fairly small, this should minimise the overall volume of water needing to be pumped. The main Halfway House tube is the prize to aim for.

One further thought - if there's a possibility of trenching being done outside the Resurgence - would this be better done in advance in high flow, which might help carry the finer particles away? (Just musing out loud.)

 

[Rob]

...This suggests that either the bedding does indeed rejoin and then cross the main tube, or that the tube raises away from the sump before the bedding passes underneath. Both are good results...

Actually forgot one other option; that the main tube goes below the bedding = not good...  :thumbsdown:

 

[Pitlamp]

I'd have thought that'd be less likely as it's more mature, older - and probably went to a higher (now abandoned) resurgence. That's why Pindale crossed my mind as a possibility.

Only one way to find out - I'm not willing to stick my neck out any more by diving further in there. It's one of those that would be so much better if it were dried up.

Another advantage is that the pumping bit would be outside, in comfort. Near the ice cream shop!

 

[Mark]

will there be evening digging trips, and dates please.
Ta

Fairly sure evening trips can be arranged

John, is there an online survey of the resurgence area

 

[Cave_Troll]

not wanting to sound like a woolly hat wearing hippy, does anyone know the environmental and legal consequences of digging a trench in stream bed and then pumping the sump dry?

 

[Pitlamp]

It'd be sensible to run the idea by our allies in Natural England first. It might also be worth just informing the Environment Agency beforehand as well. (They like to know what's going on with rivers in case someone rings up.)

You're right to be thinking this way CT - this is why such projects are better planned well in advance of actually doing them. I'd have thought the first thing to do (assuming people want to have a go at this) is to chat to John Harrison. It'd be worth pointing out that it would give the chance to unblock the smaller (normally submerged) active route of the Peak Cavern stream - which can only help the water situation in the show cave in wet weather.

Hope these thoughts help . . .

 

[Pitlamp]

Mark - I'm not aware that the plan of that area is onlne (although it's certainly in the recent TSG journal). Maybe you'd be best having a word with the Eyam oracle?

 

[cavermark]

Could even be good PR for caving if someone is willing to explain to passing tourists that we hope to find unexplored cave (might even rope in a few helpers, on a hot summers day..... maybe in bikinis!... 8)...one can only hope...

 

[DAN]

How about comletely pumping it out useing a 110 pumps and peak cavern Electric if they agreed?

Dan

 

[Rob]

Dan, that was Pitlamp's original idea...

...Pumping out the resurgence would need some effort but there's several months before the CCE 2012 which gives a bit of time to try and source the necessary equipment....

Digging a trench was just to reduce the amount needed to pump.

 

[DAN]

I was under the impression that just the first couple of meters were being pumped!

 

[Pitlamp]

If you can lower the water a couple of metres this should easily dry up the whole Halfway House Sump in Peak Cavern.

I don't think there's anything significant likely to be gained from completely pumping out the Resurgence as the sump has been well checked throughout more than 60 years of regular visits by cave divers - but never say never . . . .

Incidentally one other spin-off benefit of lowering the Resurgence a bit is that it'd also give non diving access to the Schoolroom (a 20 m aven). It has been climbed to a choke by divers but, to my knowledge, this has never been inspected by non divers with a view to possible digging. I never went up the rope at the time so I can't comment as to potential there but it may be worth a look.

 

[bograt]

A bit of groundwork might pay off, back in the '70's and '80's Tunnel Tiger, Tim Nixon, Steve ?, and Brian? did fair middling of diving work here, anyone know where to find them?
Everything was logged in T.S.G. logbooks which went missing via Mad Ben Bentham, anyone know where to find Them?
Anyone willing to do a feasibility survey to suss out the possibility of setting up a heavy duty syphon before hand, could save a lot of pumping.
T.S.G. used to have a quite heavy duty Flygt pump and generator, anyone know where to find them?

 

[Mark]

A bit of groundwork might pay off, back in the '70's and '80's Tunnel Tiger, Tim Nixon, Steve ?, and Brian? did fair middling of diving work here, anyone know where to find them?
Everything was logged in T.S.G. logbooks which went missing via Mad Ben Bentham, anyone know where to find Them?
Anyone willing to do a feasibility survey to suss out the possibility of setting up a heavy duty syphon before hand, could save a lot of pumping.
T.S.G. used to have a quite heavy duty Flygt pump and generator, anyone know where to find them?

Kin el its Bograt

How you doing Boggy, we've got pumps sorted 3 x 110v 2inch, (shift 500ltrs per min each) Just need to sort it with the management (and pinch their electric)

T.S.G. used to have a quite heavy duty Flygt pump and generator, anyone know where to find them?

You would be hard pushed to find a shovel there these days

 

[Pitlamp]

Hello Terry - long time no see!

Mark - perhaps it's worth having a word with the TSG Technical Tackle Officer?

 

[DAN]

I have a petrol pump and Mark Noble has to which he might lend, they are bit loud but pump a hell of a lot of water. Maybe they would have to be run after opening hours because of noise.

 

[bograt]

Don't forget the echo effect of the entrance, could upset the locals!, anyone asked Ben Gunn about the flow rate, can you keep pace?

 

[Pitlamp]

Terry - slightly off topic but this is a good opportunity to ask - do you still have that superb slide collection of the Peak system which you put together in the early 80s? I don't need access to it - it's just that it'd be useful to know if it's still with you because I often get asked about photos of out of the way places in there. Also, because I know it was so good, I'd sleep easier if I knew it was still safely stored!

 

[bograt]

Is it a safe bet that Pitlamp is J.C. the bubbleblower?
The slide collection is very precious to me and I still have it, way out of date now but I am sorry that no-one has taken up the mantle to continue the project, 3 years of work and sooo many novices conned into firing flashguns!.
Still learning the technology to get some of them on weezit to test Moose, has he accepted the fact that it was me what opened up Speedwell from Peak for dry cavers?
I hope to survive long enough to catalogue the collection and donate it to the national library before my spine finally collapses.

 

[chockymike]

A bit of groundwork might pay off, back in the '70's and '80's Tunnel Tiger, Tim Nixon, Steve ?, and Brian? did fair middling of diving work here, anyone know where to find them?
Everything was logged in T.S.G. logbooks which went missing via Mad Ben Bentham, anyone know where to find Them?

lets see if i get this re quote bit rite. if its the same Brian, Brian Hague?, he's my uncle. i can arange a pub chat maybe, if it would help?