Nickergrove Mine Rigging

[tdobson]

Hey y'all

Does the rigging for Nickergrove mine on all the rigging diagrams result in rope rub, or am I being stupid?

https://www.ccpc.org.uk/rigging-guide/nickergrove.html
http://thedca.org.uk/images/dca/rigging-guides/nickergrove-mine.pdf

The pitch in question, is the main one off the adit entrance with the big log across it. The bolts I'm rigging a standard y-hang off are the bolts the pull-through ring is attached to. It rubs on the side wall about 3 metres below the bolts. It's not significant roperub, but I feel like maybe I'm rigging it wrong.

Somewhere I've seen a photo of someone rigging the y-hang using one of the traverse bolts, and this photo below potentially shows someone using the big log as a deviation.

Am I being stupid here? Please tell me if I'm doing something wrong.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/peaksandpaddles/8492547443/

[martinb]

When we were working on reopening the lower shaft (freeclimable but ladder recommended) to the Streamway, we rigged off the Y-hang (I think there was a big ring on the Y-hang), but put a deviation off the big log.

This we found better as our first attempt resulted in rope rub off some cherty nodules a couple of meters down, resulting in a quick chop of some rope to discard the frayed bit.

[pwhole]

Sounds like a(nother) job for DCA!

[Pete K]

A quick update of the rigging guide to suggest the use of a short deviation from the massive log is all that is needed I think. Been doing pull-through trips down there for fun and work for about 10 years and never knackered a rope, so it's not a killer issue.

[tdobson]

A quick update of the rigging guide to suggest the use of a short deviation from the massive log is all that is needed I think.

I suspect that'd be ideal.

Been doing pull-through trips down there for fun and work for about 10 years and never knackered a rope, so it's not a killer issue.

 

Glad to hear!

[martinb]

When we were working on reopening the lower shaft (freeclimable but ladder recommended) to the Streamway, we rigged off the Y-hang (I think there was a big ring on the Y-hang), but put a deviation off the big log.

This we found better as our first attempt resulted in rope rub off some cherty nodules a couple of meters down, resulting in a quick chop of some rope to discard the frayed bit.

Just remembered, theres a p-bolt in the wall of the passage just before you get to the shaft, I think we used to clip from there to the fixed Y-hang, the rig a deviation from the log.

It used to give use a tad more security with cows tails before clipping into the main drop.

[wellyjen]

We have also used a deviation too when rigging this pitch as a pitch. The CCPC Nickergrove rigging topo now has a note that a deviation at the top of the pull through pitch can prevent rope rub if you are rigging it to ascend, rather than as a pull through. Thanks for the suggestion.
https://www.ccpc.org.uk/rigging-guide/nickergrove.html
You may need to refresh the page to get the new topo, rather than the one in your gadgets cache.
Jen

[martinb]

Regards the Hillside entrance - there were bats roosting just inside the entrance, so perhaps best not to use that during hibernation season.

Didsbury entrance is also free climable WITH CARE - experienced idiots cavers only.

[wellyjen]

Regards the Hillside entrance - there were bats roosting just inside the entrance, so perhaps best not to use that during hibernation season.

Hillside entrance is a bit esoteric. I suspect the main reason it is in the Crewe rigging guide is because CreweCPC found it!

[al]

Hillside entrance is a bit esoteric. I suspect the main reason it is in the Crewe rigging guide is because CreweCPC found it!

The only time I've ever descended into Nickergrove via the Hillside entrance was when I was reviewing rope lengths there with Ralph Johnson and others from Crewe a few years back. It really did take quite a bit of finding too! A very small entrance at the foot of a tree, and the first few feet are very loose so I should imagine that it is seldom used. In the interest of all the wild life there (bats, moths, arachnids etc) it's probably best avoided.

If you really want an interesting entrance to Nickergrove, I'd recommend Pallet Shaft. Now that is a collector's item!!

[tdobson]

My first trip to Nickergrove involved a Adit entrance to Hillside entrance exchange trip with EUSS.

Prussiking out of the Hillside entrance whilst new to SRT was a memorable experience. Not sure I'd "recommend".

It is very loose at the top, and so much harder to find than the didsbury shaft. 

I think the rigging teams only had an old version of an ancient CCPC guide and very little information about the location of the entrances. I suspect we spent the night before drinking rather than researching