• Descent 302 is published on 15 February and it will soon be on its way to our subscribers.

    In the newsdesk, read a review of the underground events at Kendal Mountain Festival, plus tales of cannibalism and the Cavefish Asteroid.

    In regional news, we have three new connections in Ogof Agen Allwedd, a report on the iron mines of Anjou, an extension to Big Sink Cave in the Forest of Dean, a new dig in Yorkshire's Marble Steps Pot, student parties, an obituary for Tony Boycott, a tight find in the Peak District and a discovery in County Kerry with extensive formations.

    Click here for details of this edition

Shaft found next to house

Pretty horrible for the owners, I should say.

But it seems to be an ever-present risk in old mining areas.

We had to get a load of test holes drilled and put the building n a solid concrete raft when we had a new church built in Bradford because of the risk of old mine workings in the area.
 
Roger W said:
Now that could be a good use for 100 metres of Spanset Platinum 9mm....

Would this be a suitable test case for access under the Countryside Right of Way Act?

However, the air might be bad part way down and then you'd pass out and not be able to get back up again.

Even so, the horizontal levels at the bottom are probably flooded, which means you'd need to go down equipped with diving gear for use at the bottom of the rope - and diving gear should sort out any bad air problem.

But, the cone of earth at the top is probably pretty loose and might send down a whole load of rubbish on top of you, so you'd need to be in a capsule - to enable you to get out again like the Chilean miners . . .

Better still, send down a submersible drone helicopter instead, like the car in The Spy Who Loved Me! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeBqf6bYZak

Might be worth suggesting this hole to the two with the Welsh legal case . . .
 
"The shaft at Scorrier was discovered when surveyors were checking the site for the sale of the house."

So the surveyors made it fall in?
 
It says they are going to "re-cap" it, Tony.  That should take a bit less concrete than filling the whole hole.

I wonder how the surveyors found the shaft?

"These flagstones sound a bit hollow underneath" - (banging with walking stick) - "whoops!"
 
crickleymal said:
"The shaft at Scorrier was discovered when surveyors were checking the site for the sale of the house."

So the surveyors made it fall in?

The drillers were drilling the site when it opened. They were under the direction of someone making a survey based upon the results of drilling, so yes. I gather there were brown trousers all around.
 
Roger W said:
It says they are going to "re-cap" it, Tony.  That should take a bit less concrete than filling the whole hole.
Yes Roger, I'm sure that's what the report I read meant to say! Otherwise it'd require rather a lot.
 
I would want it capped with access and a glass panel, lights down the shaft, ladders and solars, etc Wonder if there is any scope for more discoverys?
 
The danger is that you might end up with bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom down the shaft...
 
Roger W said:
The danger is that you might end up with bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom down the shaft...
have to be a proper job with concrete from where the ground is good, and ensures you always know the state of the shaft - better than capping it or fillinf it and wondering if the fill is settling!
 
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