Rampgill Norpex Door

[legendrider]

In recent weeks our group has noticed that one of the wooden uprights in the 1st Norpex dig on Rampgill Vein was looking increasingly bowed and rotten.
Last night we found that the upright was pretty much destroyed, with only a few strands of rotten timber holding back the badly decayed tin sheeting which forms the RH wall of the dig.

Fortunately, having noticed the incipient problem a little while ago, we had materials stockpiled nearby to effect a repair, which was now deemed urgent.
We cut and shaped a new galvanised roofing sheet to size to supplement the original rotten sheeting which had rusted through and was in danger of letting the loose wet fill spill out from behind. We then dug a footer hole and inserted a new treated 4x4" timber upright with the new sheeting behind, and pushed it into place with a scissor jack.
A new steel RSJ header span had been located some weeks previously, a spare from Norpex's digs further inbye (thank you Ian C!) and this was trimmed to correct length with the Bosch grinder (never travel without it!). This header was hammered and wedged into place with the LH end abutting the limestone hangingwall on LH side.
A timber floor spreader was hammered into place to prevent the foot of the upright kicking out. Job done!

There are a few other small jobs which need doing in this area to improve the structural integrity of the dig as a whole, as it is now 30 years old and much of the untreated timber is way past its sell-by date. If you are in the area please do have a look, but you are requested not to move or interfere with any gear or equipment we may have left for the job. Better yet, if you have any spare treated timber or scaff / steels we would be most grateful for it - just leave it in the cross-vein on the left.

Thanks MARK

 

[royfellows]

Excellent work.
Looking at the other end of the country with regret, the Polberro Adit was obviously going to run and nothing was done. Result was a major run in that took place back in 1993, about April. I remember it well.
Now the place is just memories, and it was one of Cornwalls most popular sites. Off topic but I have put it all into a paper.

 

[legendrider]

Actually, Roy, you are bang On-Topic. The Rampgill issue, albeit nipped in the bud, is symptomatic of wider problems in that old structures (both original and explorer work) are given to failure over time and there are precious few of us willing or able to do anything about it. Whilst opening new ground is always exciting and most welcome, there seems less 'glamour' in doing the work to consolidate and preserve access, and it would be great to see more level-headed and experienced explorers take up picks and shovels and assist in this vital enterprise.

MARK

 

[tomferry]

 

[ChrisJC]

Preserving access to the drainage level in an unnamed mine in an unnamed location!

Chris.

 

[legendrider]

Kudos!

 

[JAA]

Good effort!!

It would be brilliant if someone (not me as I don’t have the skills!) would investigate a way of securing the headgear in Sir Francis in Swaledale before the beam deteriorates any further and it falls and pulls the whole lot down the flooded sump. Maybe there’d be funding from YDNPA for it?
Sorry rather off topic admittedly!!

 

[LJR]

Having done this sort of work before, it would be a very expensive job to support the Sir Francis wheels. It would also be difficult to do without being very visible afterwards.
Some years ago we were asked to install something to prevent the Laxey man engine from disappearing downwards. That too sits on wood. In that case we installed some rockbolts and fitted chains around the castings with turnbuckles to tension up. It was supposed to be a temporary measure until a future scheme sorted the issue permanently. That scheme never happened but at least the engine is still there.
At Laxey you can get quite close to the engine for air lines etc. At Sir Francis, you are a very long way from home. It would really need the level clearing for access. Think of the scaffolding needed to safely work in the chamber, plus all the other materials and stuff.
By no means impossible but you would need a lottery win.

 

[undead crow]

In recent weeks our group has noticed that one of the wooden uprights in the 1st Norpex dig on Rampgill Vein was looking increasingly bowed and rotten.
Last night we found that the upright was pretty much destroyed, with only a few strands of rotten timber holding back the badly decayed tin sheeting which forms the RH wall of the dig.

Fortunately, having noticed the incipient problem a little while ago, we had materials stockpiled nearby to effect a repair, which was now deemed urgent.
We cut and shaped a new galvanised roofing sheet to size to supplement the original rotten sheeting which had rusted through and was in danger of letting the loose wet fill spill out from behind. We then dug a footer hole and inserted a new treated 4x4" timber upright with the new sheeting behind, and pushed it into place with a scissor jack.
A new steel RSJ header span had been located some weeks previously, a spare from Norpex's digs further inbye (thank you Ian C!) and this was trimmed to correct length with the Bosch grinder (never travel without it!). This header was hammered and wedged into place with the LH end abutting the limestone hangingwall on LH side.
A timber floor spreader was hammered into place to prevent the foot of the upright kicking out. Job done!

There are a few other small jobs which need doing in this area to improve the structural integrity of the dig as a whole, as it is now 30 years old and much of the untreated timber is way past its sell-by date. If you are in the area please do have a look, but you are requested not to move or interfere with any gear or equipment we may have left for the job. Better yet, if you have any spare treated timber or scaff / steels we would be most grateful for it - just leave it in the cross-vein on the left.

Thanks MARK

cracking job lads as always great team at work

 

[legendrider]

Just the tip of the iceberg!

 

[legendrider]

Had another couple of work evenings in Rampgill.
Firstly deepened and widened the channel through the shale spill between Brewery Shaft and Scaleburn Vein, thereby dropping the inbye water another 3", if only to stop Colin grumbling about getting wet feet! Now significantly below welly-deep. 🩴🩴
Moving inbye along Rampgill Vein, we have beefed up further sections of the 1st Norpex dig, most especially that one bit of rusty Dexion - added 2 braced tub rails as uprights, and some extra sections of galv roof sheeting, so should be good for years, now.
And installed a bit of treated timber floor decking which helps brace the new and existing uprights.
Will keep picking away at things as time permits

MARK

 

[royfellows]

I was up there Easter and went through everything without even thinking to look!
What I do look at is the cracking in the walls in the region of Rampgill Shaft. People have been down there mooching about. I would bet money that the 'bottom' is not a solid fill but muck supported by collapsed timber, in fact, the old story.
I think that everyhting in that area is very slowly moving into the shaft, and that over a few centuries, it will.get there.

 

[legendrider]

Yes, we have noticed the cracking in the GL near the shaft top, probably the vein gradually settling into the understope.
There's about 15m of choke to the inset at the next horizon, could be dug in theory, but the distance thru all the digs makes hauling materiel extremely hard work!
We'll finish the buttress work in the junction area then off to pastures new.