The Old Ruminator
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Had a go at cropping in to " Helectite Salute " You cant get near it with the camera or light.
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The Mine Shafts Project. Hydrology.
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The Old Ruminator
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Well you do get two for the price of one. Yes I know. Off topic.
The Old Ruminator
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Today
Took a fourth load of very dry turfs to the field. Cows gone but everything trod in nicely to bloom again next year. Laid the load then drove the car back and forth over it. Water down the lane as usual. At the car park Brian was sat in the shade. We had a natter for a while. Trudged up to the shaft in the kit. Trudged back down again as I had left a glove behind. Water at 4.7m. 1.75m lower than this time last year. ( See graph ). Slogged and bashed all day filling 20 bags. Way on is still to the right and down. Probe went in 2 m. Another hole has appeared in the dig face next week we hope to join the two up. Still felt a cold draught. Seemingly inwards. Anywhere near the dig steamed the camera up. Brian emptied the bags whilst I tried to video the onward hole.Not enough room really. Next time maybe. Clambered out into the heat noting that a huge boulder on the slope above the top platform needs under pinning. We will do that first next week.Changed in 30 degrees. Brian went home so I called on Becky. She was in the garden in a micro bikini. Well I could have been hallucinating due to heat stroke and dehydration because after a cup of tea and a sit down she was in shorts and a T shirt. She topped the Mountain in Morocco. It was minus 18 degrees up there.She has recovered from her food poisoning. I had warned her to leave off the stewed goat. Her cat has had kittens.( Pussey Galore ! ). Drove home topping 31 degrees. Half hour queue at the railway bridge . Some sort of incident. Too bolloxed to sort any kit.
Took a fourth load of very dry turfs to the field. Cows gone but everything trod in nicely to bloom again next year. Laid the load then drove the car back and forth over it. Water down the lane as usual. At the car park Brian was sat in the shade. We had a natter for a while. Trudged up to the shaft in the kit. Trudged back down again as I had left a glove behind. Water at 4.7m. 1.75m lower than this time last year. ( See graph ). Slogged and bashed all day filling 20 bags. Way on is still to the right and down. Probe went in 2 m. Another hole has appeared in the dig face next week we hope to join the two up. Still felt a cold draught. Seemingly inwards. Anywhere near the dig steamed the camera up. Brian emptied the bags whilst I tried to video the onward hole.Not enough room really. Next time maybe. Clambered out into the heat noting that a huge boulder on the slope above the top platform needs under pinning. We will do that first next week.Changed in 30 degrees. Brian went home so I called on Becky. She was in the garden in a micro bikini. Well I could have been hallucinating due to heat stroke and dehydration because after a cup of tea and a sit down she was in shorts and a T shirt. She topped the Mountain in Morocco. It was minus 18 degrees up there.She has recovered from her food poisoning. I had warned her to leave off the stewed goat. Her cat has had kittens.( Pussey Galore ! ). Drove home topping 31 degrees. Half hour queue at the railway bridge . Some sort of incident. Too bolloxed to sort any kit.
The Old Ruminator
Well-known member
It does annoy me that I have only a short time to edit my posts.
Above. Copy of email to the group.
Video from yesterday. Hard going but always moving forward.
Above. Copy of email to the group.
Video from yesterday. Hard going but always moving forward.
The Old Ruminator
Well-known member
End of session. B.J. emptying bags down the shaft which goes much deeper than the adit level as it was originally pumped. On the floor. The poor deceased " Elephant ".
The Old Ruminator
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This years water level in green. Last year in purple. At the current trajectory we would reach the 8m marker which should open the adits up. We will have to wait and see as many factors are in play here.
The Old Ruminator
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Today At The Pit.
Took the fifth load of turf ( NB ) to the field and laid it. Now c %80 done. Al. came out for a chat. Wondered if we would do any more in the adit. I said almost certainly not. He is still unsure how to finish off the shaft head. Told him that we were all ill or too old anyway. Sorry to hear about Peter's issue and looking forward to a chat sometime though he is now back at work. Over to meet Brian who nearly did not come. Still has his issues. We discussed plans deciding to do a bit at a time. After some effort Brian got the support pole under the boulder and hammered in the wedges.We used stainless marine grade 12mm x 200mm threaded bar.( £10 ) I might add another clamp and short pole there but its all sound now. Went up for lunch and decided to carry on.
Water now at 4.9m against 4.8m last week. The bob chamber is nearly dry. Still 2m below last years graph. We had 15mm rain overnight in Taunton. I intend to add another guage at the site. Drilled a 12mm hole in the boulder in the floor. Added Mr S.which gave a great result. Three bags filled plus five rocks. That opened up the slot a metre across the floor. Drilled two 12mm holes 450mm deep then a third about 350mm deep. Distance end to end c 500mm. Third ought to go to 500mm if possible. Tidied up and packed up as neither of us felt too good. We really need more support here now. Brian tied Peter Goldie's hoe to the kit bag. On the rope the hoe caught in the ladder and tipped all my drill bits out. They sank down the shaft.The hoe was left in the little hut though I now have Peter's other two tools at home.
We cannot do more until M. has visited. He can liase with me if he can sort it out.
Yes. Its a struggle now. Essentially we are down to two old people now on a Tuesday.
The way on looks more inviting. About 100mm high at the back. Floor rocks and mud.. The stick went in nearly three metres without meeting an end.
Took the fifth load of turf ( NB ) to the field and laid it. Now c %80 done. Al. came out for a chat. Wondered if we would do any more in the adit. I said almost certainly not. He is still unsure how to finish off the shaft head. Told him that we were all ill or too old anyway. Sorry to hear about Peter's issue and looking forward to a chat sometime though he is now back at work. Over to meet Brian who nearly did not come. Still has his issues. We discussed plans deciding to do a bit at a time. After some effort Brian got the support pole under the boulder and hammered in the wedges.We used stainless marine grade 12mm x 200mm threaded bar.( £10 ) I might add another clamp and short pole there but its all sound now. Went up for lunch and decided to carry on.
Water now at 4.9m against 4.8m last week. The bob chamber is nearly dry. Still 2m below last years graph. We had 15mm rain overnight in Taunton. I intend to add another guage at the site. Drilled a 12mm hole in the boulder in the floor. Added Mr S.which gave a great result. Three bags filled plus five rocks. That opened up the slot a metre across the floor. Drilled two 12mm holes 450mm deep then a third about 350mm deep. Distance end to end c 500mm. Third ought to go to 500mm if possible. Tidied up and packed up as neither of us felt too good. We really need more support here now. Brian tied Peter Goldie's hoe to the kit bag. On the rope the hoe caught in the ladder and tipped all my drill bits out. They sank down the shaft.The hoe was left in the little hut though I now have Peter's other two tools at home.
We cannot do more until M. has visited. He can liase with me if he can sort it out.
Yes. Its a struggle now. Essentially we are down to two old people now on a Tuesday.
The way on looks more inviting. About 100mm high at the back. Floor rocks and mud.. The stick went in nearly three metres without meeting an end.
The Old Ruminator
Well-known member
The support for the slab on the wall. Its been there for 200 years but you never know.
The Old Ruminator
Well-known member
The bob chamber. Here would be a counter weight on a beam. That would pivot up and down connected to the pump rods.
The Old Ruminator
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The " way on ".
The Old Ruminator
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27/ 06 With Brian and Peter Goldie. Matt visiting. Got the custom made support in place and measured up for the hardwood plate. Perfect fit. Dropped the spanner down the shaft to meet up with my drill bits.Water today at 5m 4cm still ahead of last years curve. Filled eight bags and struggled with a big bit of jammed roof which came out when I lost my temper. Cleared some mud and rocks inside the low section. The floor can be dug down to about 170mm further in so in a sense its getting bigger. There seems to be a sort of arch at the furthest visible point. The probe goes 2m beyond that. Next week will depend on issues in between but at worst I will be pattern drilling in the field whilst Brian tidies up the path. So about 500mm further on. About 1m from the " arch ". A smoking match showed a slight outward draught.
The Old Ruminator
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Upright support jammed in and clipped to the top piece. The bracket will carry a hardwood plate to support the underside.
The Old Ruminator
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Bags on the 20m platform.
The Old Ruminator
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At shaft base camp. ( The Alcove ). This part of the mine is natural.
Same image cropped with the torch cloned out. TG on programme with fill in flash but the torch is the primary light. A very quick way of setting up shots .
Same image cropped with the torch cloned out. TG on programme with fill in flash but the torch is the primary light. A very quick way of setting up shots .
The Old Ruminator
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Swinging over the lunch bags. The caver is standing on " The Elephant ".
The Old Ruminator
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Lunch. Best time of the day. Sandwiches hot coffee and time for a yarn.
The Old Ruminator
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Whats for pudding ?
The Old Ruminator
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The " arch " a metre in. The probe goes 2m beyond here. Rock and mud floor.
The Old Ruminator
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Inside the continuation looking back to the dig face.
The Old Ruminator
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04/07
Drove up with Peter. Brian not very well again. Up to the Shaft after meeting Matt. Tried to hammer in the spacer but the ruddy head fell off the mallet. Why do they make such shite ? A to do next week but best off the SRT line. Water at 5m 25cm thats 21cm lower than last week. A huge amount of rubble and large rocks were removed by dinner time. Some big bits of fallen roof were capped in the afternoon, We are right in to the furthest point seen so far still with a rock jammed in the floor. Peter found that the floor was going down considerably. Mud and boulders and also rising on the left. So many boulders were being dug out of the floor that we could not leave the site tidy. Two loads did go down the shaft but the 17 full bags were stacked.. Still boulders back at the dig. Throughly knackered we called it a day and visited Becky and Simon for refreshments.
Easy digging for the moment. Mud and boulders. " Way on view blocked by that last remaining rock.
Peter should be OK for next week.I will ring Brian as usual.
Photos
1 The huge pile by lunchtime.
2 Buried rocks coming out from the end.
3 Peter has had enough. So have I.
4 The last rock obscuring the way on. Good space on left.
5 The spacer to knock in next week.
Thank you and goodnight.
Drove up with Peter. Brian not very well again. Up to the Shaft after meeting Matt. Tried to hammer in the spacer but the ruddy head fell off the mallet. Why do they make such shite ? A to do next week but best off the SRT line. Water at 5m 25cm thats 21cm lower than last week. A huge amount of rubble and large rocks were removed by dinner time. Some big bits of fallen roof were capped in the afternoon, We are right in to the furthest point seen so far still with a rock jammed in the floor. Peter found that the floor was going down considerably. Mud and boulders and also rising on the left. So many boulders were being dug out of the floor that we could not leave the site tidy. Two loads did go down the shaft but the 17 full bags were stacked.. Still boulders back at the dig. Throughly knackered we called it a day and visited Becky and Simon for refreshments.
Easy digging for the moment. Mud and boulders. " Way on view blocked by that last remaining rock.
Peter should be OK for next week.I will ring Brian as usual.
Photos
1 The huge pile by lunchtime.
2 Buried rocks coming out from the end.
3 Peter has had enough. So have I.
4 The last rock obscuring the way on. Good space on left.
5 The spacer to knock in next week.
Thank you and goodnight.