Stream Passage Pot July-August 2024

[Cavematt]

Very true Braveduck!

At one of our sites in the North York Moors, we remedied this by then taking a separate ~15cm diameter length of pipe, cutting it lengthways in half, and then seating each half over the two lines of footholds on the outside of the larger pipe before backfilling. I guess that some large guttering pipe would achieve the same.

However, we mainly did it to stop backfilled material clogging up or coming out of the footholds rather than to stop water. It certainly wouldn't create a watertight seal that Stream Passage Pot probably needs. Plus, this would add yet more cost and effort to an already difficult job.

The easier solution is for me to be less lazy and put a rope down it 😊

 

[alanw]

Today's progress. Lots of very large boulders moved, scaff and boarding started

 

[dougle89]

How does someone go about getting a couple of feet of that nice new tubing? Asking for a friend...

 

[alanw]

Just the five of us today. Almost another barrel's depth excavated. There's another, much bigger spoil heap out of sight to the left.

 

[Pitlamp]

How does someone go about getting a couple of feet of that nice new tubing? Asking for a friend...

I have a 400 mm long offcut of 600 mm internal diameter corrugated plastic pipe, which I could spare if you're stuck. It's 200 mm short of "a couple of feet" but if you think it would do for what you want PM me. It would need to be collected from the Dales or we'd need to ask for caver post help.

 

[alanw]

Five of us again today. Now down two and a bit drum heights, two more to go. However - lots of very large boulders both beneath our feet and in the sides of the pit. Lots of scaff and boards needed. We've now put up a tripod and pulley for hauling the spoil. A couple of photos today: one from the side showing the larger spoil heap, and one looking down. We've cut the original top drum in half to make it easier to work around it (the second one down had sharp edges) whilst stopping spoil (and ourselves) from dropping down the hole. P.S. the boards are 2.25m long.

 

[Alex]

Well done guys getting this sorting, glad its slightly wider.

How about climbing holds on the inside just to give something to get purchase on? Avoids putting holes in the side and letting the water in. Not that important though.

 

[alanw]

Not so much increase in depth today, but a lot of the larger boulders in the sides stabilised with more scaffolding and boards, a lot of noses of rocks in the sides broken off so the boards are vertical, and progress in the demolition of one huge boulder in the floor.

 

[alanw]

An excellent day today. Fine weather and lots of progress. We're now half way down the final oil-drum, the main issue now is trying to stop debris dropping down into the cave passage. Tuesday next week we should be offering up the new tube and seeing how it fits. We're trying to adjust the position a bit to try and reduce the awkward twisty squeeze if possible. Some Craven members will then be up at Gaping Gill, ready for their winch meet which opens to the public on Friday 9th.

 

[alanw]

Good news. We quickly cleared the last of the debris and had the bottom oil drum out. The new pipe is of both slightly larger internal dimensions and many cm greater overall diameter, since it is double walled - smooth on the inside and corrugated on the outside. We spent quite some time offering up the sample ring (see this post) and knocking off protuberances. After lunch we lowered the pipe in, only to discover still more obstructions that needed to be drilled, chiselled and hammered off before it was sitting vertically and snugly on the natural of the cave entrance (compare the two photos below). At last we were able to start back filling.

I'll leave it to the Craven to make the official announcement, but despite there being a lot of backfilling and removal of scaff and boards to do, the entrance may be rigged shortly.

 

[MJenkinson]

Thanks for all your efforts!

 

[alanw]

Today the new tube entrance to Stream Passage Pot is all but finished. There is a bit of concreting to be done at the bottom and all the scaff, boards, etc. need to be taken off the hill, but it's open for use, and several people have been down and up.

 

[Pegasus]

I've really enjoyed following this endeavour, thanks for all the updates and the hardwork - top effort 😁

 

[alanw]

And finally. Today all the scaff, boards, etc have been cleared.