C.C.P.C.

Newsletter.
April '98. No.57

Here we are 1998 and our first newsletter of the New Year. As usual I have been inundated with articles so if
yours hasn't been included it's either because there wasn't enough room (unlikely) or you simply made the usual
excuse and didn't write it. I'm sure that somewhere out there we have a budding Hemingway so how about
putting pen to paper (or sit down at your P.C.) and produce something for the next issue in about 3-4 months
time. It’ not that difficult once you try!!!

Here's the real reason for our being in business... Meets. Most of these you know about. The main points to|
note are the change to the "Mendip" trip on Whit Bank Holiday(*) and the notification of future suggestions to
"White River-Moosetrap" (Peak Cavern) and to Grotte de la Diau (Whit 99) and the Pyrennes (Summer 99).
‘That's if you can plan/think that far ahead!

April 12 Ogof Draenen(SW) 19 Hurell Moss(Y) 25 JH(D)

May 10 Vespers(¥) 16 Maskhill/Oxiow(D)*23/24 YORKSHIRE followed by SKYE*

June 6 Little Hull(Y) 14 Black Shiver(Y) 20 Slaughter Stream(SW) 28 Diccan(Y)

July 5 Pipikin(Y) 11Eldon(D) 25 Lost Johns(Y) Dan yr Ogof{SW) to be confirmed.

‘Aug | Whitescar(Y) 15 Penyghent(Y) 23 OFD(SW) 29/30 GB/Llongwood11(M)

Sept 12 Lancaster(Y) 20 Little Neath(SW) 26/27 Prov-Dow/Sell Gill(Y)

Oct 10 GG-Dis(Y) Aggy(SW) to be confirmed

Nov 8 Pant Mawr(NW) 21 Notts Pot(Y)

Dec 5 Tatham Wife(Y) 13 Darren Cilau(SW)

If this isn't enough or if you fancy something different get on to John.

Ps There is no truth whatsoever in the rumour circulating at present casting doubts on the ability of our current
and recent meets secretaries to find caves!!!

Access to the rear of Ralph's house (ie. the tackle store has been made "caver-proof" If you wish to
collect/return gear you will have to make prior arrangements. Edible tackle such as ropes, tackle sacks etc
should be suspended from the hooks provided and not left for the dog who has developed a taste for SRT rope!

THE WHALF MINE CLIMBING SHAFT PROJECT

Note: The mine generally known by cavers as ‘Hillocks Mine’ is now believed to be (almost certainly’) the
mine named in old documents and mining records as ‘Whalf Mine’, so it has seemed approptiate to adopt the
original mine name for this shaft, to distinguish it from the usual Hillocks’ entrance, even though individual
shaft names cannot be identified. Most of the known workings in Hillocks Mine, and the south-eastern part of
Knotlow Mine also, are on the line of the Whalf Pipe vein, while the East Level and North-East Cross-cut in
Knotlow Mine have been driven through barren ground to intersect the Crimbo Pipe vein. From documentary
evidence itseoms Bel that ther are extensive workings not yet re-opened to modem caver.

Part 1: NOT The Whalf Mine Climbing Shaft Project

Way back on 27th. July 1974 John Preston and I were investigating shafis and surface features in the
Knotlow/Flillocks area. At that time we descended and surveyed a small shaft north-west of the Knotlow 210°
Engine shaft, finding it to be 20° deep, with ginging for the first 3’, supported at the top with a circular iron
band. It led to a short horizontal working, with a rubble floor throughout, which extended for 20° from the
shaft, following a narrow scrin of vein material. There was no indication that it had ever extended further.

Our second choice was much more interesting, it was an open shaft in Crimbo Hollow, in the same
field as Fourways shaft, but further to the north-east, The shaft was surrounded with barbed wire, and was
partially covered with old timbers, but we could see sound ginging below. Using the fence as a belay we
lowered 50° of wire ladder into the shaft and I went down. The shaft was oval, about 4° by 2°, with ginging
for the first 12’. The ginging was in excellent condition with protruding ‘climbing stones’ to enable the miners
to ascend or descend without using stemples or a timber ladder. Below, the shaft enlarged as it dropped
through a natural rift with fluted walls to a rubble ‘floor’ at 30° depth, where the rest of the wire ladder was
piled up. Stil lifelined, I looked down through a black hole to one side and discovered that the ‘floor’ was a set
of timber boards wedged across the rift, with loose material on top. The real floor was still a long way down,
well beyond the reach of my light. John added our two remaining ladders to the top, while I fed the end
carefully down through the hole and hoped they would be long enough. The rift finished at 44° depth, where a
low bedding plane led off to the cast, but the shaft continued vertically downwards, about 4° by 3°, with shot
holes clearly drilled downwards. At 55’ depth the character of the shaft changed, as it became a narrow
rectangle in cross-section, 4” by 2’, with obvious signs that it had been hand-picked upwards. The bottom was
a rubble fill, with animal bones, and no indication of how far we would need to dig in order to reach any
passages below. I climbed out, and John had his tum to the bottom, then we collected our survey data and
packed up.

Later research revealed that John Robey had opened and descended this shaft in an attempt to locate
Crimbo Sough and the Crimbo Hollow Swallow, and had written about it in 1963, in the Bulletin of The Peak
District Mines Historical Society, Volume 2, No. 1, Page 56: ‘The Mines North-West of Monyash, Part 3.
Also, on 2st. June 1970, Clive Westlake and Steve Hoyle (Eldon P.C.), on a trip round the lower levels of
Knotlow, discovered a crawl off to the left near Crimbo Swallow, which led into a rift. They climbed the rift
and found a 29° hand-picked shaft leading upwards to a 4° high coflin level which ended in a choke of rocks
and bones. Bones removed on a later surveying trip were identified as belonging to a heifer, hence the name
Heifer Rift, and survey data placed the blockage directly below John Robey’s shaft.(see: Eldon Pothole Club
Journal, Volume 7, No. 3, 1970, Pages 50-52.).

John and I always intended to go back and have a go at digging through the blockage, cither from
Heifer Rift, or from above, but what with one thing and another we never quite got round to re-visiting the site
until it was too late. Not too late because someone else had dug it out first, quite the opposite. Our return visit
was on 30th. January 1997, part of my slow recovery from N.R.T. (No Rope Technique) in Knotlow four
wecks before. We were definitely in the right field, and everything was just where it was supposed to be, but
there was no shaft, not even a hint of where the shaft used to be ! It seems that the farmer has ‘tidied’ the site,
as the spoil-tips that had been obvious before, are now spread out, to make a featureless, flat area. I wonder if
the shaft was capped before it was obliterated, perhaps with concrete sleepers, or was the waste material bull-
dozed into the opening until it became blocked ?

Part 2: The Hillock’s Mine Climbing Shaft.

Back to 1974 for just a little longer. As part of our investigation, on 31st August John Preston and I
descended Hillocks Mine by the normal route and crawled up all the passages that were accessible at that time,
including a passage which dropped in through the roof of an ascending branch a short distance east of the base
of the capped engine shaft. We were able to climb a couple of steps into the base of a mined shaft, which I
then climbed, using back and foot technique, for about twenty-five feet into a horizontal passage. The passage
was 3" high and about 15" long to a blockage of rocks and mud which seemed to be spilling out from the base
of another rising shaft, but it looked very solid and permanent so we left it. When we retumed to the surface
we had a look at the tumbled stones in the little copse on the top of the hill close to Hillock’s Mine entrance. It
was obvious that it was the remains of a miners’ coe (a small hut, usually of stone, used for storing tools or
clothing, and often with a climbing shaft under a trap door in the floor), and was probably associated with the
capped engine shaft (190° deep) only about twenty feet away on the other side of the wall. There was litle to
indicate the presence of a shaft among the piles of loose rocks, however due to the terrible smell it was obvious
that ‘something’ was buried and decomposing there. John and I agreed to retum at a later date and have a
proper look when conditions were more pleasant.

Note: ‘Lead Mining in The Peak District’ by T.D.F.ord and J.H.Rieuwerts (1968) states that a climbing shafi
visible in the lowest level of Hillock’s Mine ‘ascends to the surface in 20 to 30 feet stages separated by short
horizontal sections’, but this was clearly supposition as there was no opening at the surface, and the
underground route was blocked.

Part 3: The Whalf Mine Climbing Shaft Project.

Saturday, 10th. January 1998

John and I were back as promised ! This time accompanied by Paul Nixon (was he born when this
story began 9), We were just going to have a simple trip down Hillocks Mine, but found the flat out craw!
through to the top of the first pitch was (a) very wet due to a large puddle in the entrance, and (b) a lot tighter
than it used to be, duc to the amount of tailings from the entrance chamber that has washed down the slope
and set in the crawl like concrete ! Having got Paul suitably wet by sending him through, working on the
sponge principle to clear the worst of the puddle, we then spent the next hour and a half removing about an
inch from the floor through the tightest part to make it passable for the more ‘mature’ caver. About this time
we decided we were wet and cold and didn’t really want to go down Hillocks anyway so we retreated to the
surface intending to indulge in light refreshments instead. Then we made a mistake. We took Paul to see where
the climbing shaft was supposed to reach the surface in the little copse, and without really intending to, we
started poking about to see if there was any sign of the shaft top.

Following my well-intentioned advice John started to clear rocks from the western (left) end of the arca
which had obviously once been the interior of the coe, but after a while he gave up (no staying power) and we
tried the other end instead, About two feet down, the top of the ginging of a small diameter shaft began to
appear as we pulled the tumbled stones out of the crater we had excavated. There was no stopping John now,
and as he pulled the rocks out Paul and I stacked them to make a protective wall around the work site. Most of
the rocks came out easily, but there were also tangles of fibrous wee roots to contend with, and plenty of black
soil. The shaft was oval in cross section, about three fect long by two feet wide, and lined with unmortared
ginging. Gradually John worked deeper, until he was passing cach stone up to us from his position in the shaft,
but even then we were not expecting any instant success, At about this time we noticed that the black soil,
which we had up to now been shovelling out with an entrenching tool, seemed to be disappearing down a
small gap between two blocks. Even little stones would disappear down another gap which suddenly appeared
without any encouragement at all. Good sense prevailed and John climbed out of the hole for a break while I
rigged a rope to the nearest convenient tree so he could be clipped on while he continued to work in the shaft.
‘Very soon afterwards we reached a large stone block which completely blocked the base at the western side of
the shaft, with the ginging resting on it, and next to it two slabs of rock had been set across to close the shaft
opening where the base of the ginging finished on ledges cut into what seemed to be the parallel cheeks of a
rift or vein. Holes between the slabs and the block revealed blackness below, and even with a good beam of
light it was impossible to see the bottom, duc to the gently curving walls. With John on a second rope, we were
able to lift and remove one of the slabs, but the other was too heavy and awkward and had to be persuaded,
with much hammering, to drop through into the shaft. The noise was incredible, and itis likely that it dislodged
some other material on its way to the bottom, but at last the shaft was open to the surface!

We were able to usc two adjacent trees to rig a “Y" hang about four feet above the top of the ginging.
and we carefully threaded our longest rope down the shaft and through the opening next to the stone block.
now christened ‘The Step’ , ensuring there was a good knot on the end ! John was elected chief explorer and
he carefully descended to the step, pushing ‘Hovis’, an annoyingty loose block that insisted on creeping out of
its niche every time someone passed, back into place. He then slid casily down through the gap at the side, into
the continuation of the shaft below. From that position he could see that the ginging immediately above him
was unsupported where it crossed from one side of the vein to the other, so he waited while we rigged a
deviation to a pine tree some distance away, which pulled the S.R.T. rope further back from the dangerous
section. On the move again, John gradually dropped between the walls of the vein, which was about two feet
wide and stretched away on cach side for up to twenty feet where the miners had extracted material, until he
was about sixty feet down and only just above the knot, still with no sign of the bottom. There was nothing
else to be done so John came back up, and Paul and I were both relieved when he reappeared and easily
passed the gap by the step, back into the ‘safe’ zone. From his filthy appearance it was obvious that the soil we
had dislodged during digging has coated the walls of the vein below, but hopefully that will soon olear with the
passage of more bodies ! We de-rigged and covered the shaft with a metal sheet, from Hillocks Mine entrance
chamber, and a layer of rocks and went home.

Saturday, 17th. January 1998

‘We were back, having spent all week fantasising about what we were going to find at the bottom of the
shaft. This time we had come prepared for anything, and had a two-hundred foot rope for the main drop as.
well as the Club Bosch electric drill and a bag of spits and hangers. The covering was undisturbed, and we
quickly cleared it away and rigged the S.R.T. rope as before. John set off once again, this time burdened with
all the extra kit for fitting bolts, but had no difficulty passing the gap, and was soon busy placing a spit for a
deviation about a metre below the step. (This ended up as a krab clipped to a maillon on the hanger.) As he
continued his descent, Paul and I found it impossible to communicate with John, perhaps because of the
constriction at the step and the slight curves in the walls of the vein, so we waited and shivered on the surface,
as we listened to the distant sound of the drill from far below. The rope suddenly went slack, but we could
only pull up a couple of feet so we assumed (correctly) that John had rigged a re-belay. Some time later we
realised he was back on the rope and was prussiking up, and it wasn’t long before he regained the surface and
was able to describe the shaft. It seemed that below the vein section, the shaft was rectangular in cross section,
sunk through sound rock, but still not truly vertical, having slight twists and changes of angle. Unfortunately it
ended at a rubble surface which completely filled the base of the shaft, at approximately one hundred feet
depth. Despite the ginging problem which remained unresolved, Paul was keen to visit the bottom and went
down and up without difficulty, so then it was my turn.

Thave to admit I'm a bit nervy on pitches just lately, and I really wanted to turn back at the step,
especially when I saw the base of the ginging close up, but there didn’t scem to be any way I could avoid going
down this one, anyway they wouldn't let me out as someone had to de-rig the re-belay about sixty-five feet
down. The gap at the step was not difficult, and you don’t actually have to touch the ginging very much; but
even so I was not happy and managed to crawl into a little alcove in the vein for a quiet shake before
completing the drop. That turned out to be a good move, as there were a number of artifacts among the loose
rocks, and I was able to recover substantial parts of three clay pipes with decorated bowls, a metal wedge, a
small can containing lamp oil, and a large metal door pivot which may have once been part of a trap-door or
the door to the coe. I took a few photographs and sent the camera box and the artefacts up on a spare rope
lowered from above. The rest of the shaft was as described by John, although I missed the grooves wom in a
bulge on one wall by hauling ropes, probably when the shaft was being sunk. There is no doubt this shaft was
driven downwards, as there are many clear remnant shot-holes visible inthe walls. Back in daylight we had a
council of war, and decided that there was no safe way of digging the rubble from inside the base of the shaft,
as anything falling as it was being hauled out was bound to hit the digger at the bottom. I had also noticed that
the air at the bottom was very stale, although the others had only remained there for a very short time. For the
second time we de-rigged and then covered the shaft with the metal sheet and a laver of rocks and went home.

4
Saturday, 7th. February 1998

After a couple of weeks doing other things, John and I returned to Hillocks Mine to take a fresh look at
the blocked climbing shaft route from below, taking the trusty drill, spits and digging tools with us. Following
the attention of John Martin’s party mid-week the crawl to the top of the first pitch was beginning to feel
positively roomy, and we were soon squelching through the mud in the lower levels to the foot of the capped
engine shaft. A few minutes later we reached the climbs to the bottom of the climbing-shaft route, and then
were able to look up the first short pitch, nearly twenty-four years after our previous visit ! I ascended the pitch
using back and foot technique (again), while trailing a rope. Near the top things were getting a little precarious,
and [ was glad to be able to haul up the tail of the rope and throw it over a very rusty scaffold tube lodged
across the shaft top, so John could life-line me for the last six feet and the scrabble over the edge into the
passage. Nothing seemed to have changed over the intervening years, the passage still finished in a slope of
mud and rocks after about fifteen feet, although I don’t remember the scaffold tube from before. As the walls
and floor of the passage were obscured by thick mud or by stacked ‘“deads’, I was forced to place spits for the
‘S.RT. rope in the roof of the passage, well back from the lip of the shaft, with the scaffold tube being used
for the main hang. Later I realised that doing so had the added advantage of keeping the rope out of the way
and out of the mud during digging operations. John joined me in the passage and, with the rope and tackle
bags slung out of the way on the scaffold tube, we started work. John dug at the blockage and pushed material
back so I could drag it to the shaft and tip it over. This worked well and during the next couple of hours we
probably removed a couple of cubic yards of loose rocks and black, granular soil, with occasional pieces of
Pottery and bone mixed in. Once or twice there were sudden, loud rumbling noises from beyond the blockage
as the disturbed material settled in the base of the filled shaft. By then we were ready to finish for the day, and
descended the pitch, to find the dumped material heaped on the steps below, and the air much cooler and
fresher. We were aware that tipping too much down the pitch, without further clearing on the steps, could
actually block our exit to the larger passage below, so we spent some time moving the spoil down-slope to
Jeave the arca ready for our next digging trip, before heading out.

Sunday, 15th February 1998

John and I retumed for a four-hour digging session with a three foot bar, which proved excellent for
prising rocks out from the jamming point where the top of the rubble slope disappeared into the base of the
blocked shaft. There were lots of rumbles, some quite frightening ! Obviously something was happening in the
shaft, and at least by working from the passage we were protected from falling material. We estimated three
cubic yards of spoil was cleared and dumped during this session. There were a number of other Club
members in Hillocks and Knotlow Mines on this day, and several came to visit us, invariably being persuaded
to clear dumped material from our exit route to save me a trip down from the digging site. Thanks to John
Martin, Paul Nixon and Brian Edmonds.

Friday, 20th. February, 1998
John had a solo trip to excavate the bottom of the rift at the entrance to the crawl to the first pitch in
Hillocks Mine, to make entry easier.

Saturday, 21st. February 1998
Paul Holdcoft, Ross Evans and Brian Edmonds had a digging trip and cleared a considerable amount
of debris from the cross-cut and the base of the blocked shaft, but fortunately (sorry lads) they didn't break

through.

Sunday, 22nd February 1998

After hearing how close the dig was to ‘going’, John and I had no choice and we were back. This had
to be the day | At first I worked on the steps, clearing accumulated debris, then after about an hour, suddenly
two things happened together, there was a very loud rumble from above and the temperature dropped
considerably. I was shouting up to John to make sure he was O.K. when I noticed that the air was rushing past
me up the shaft, hence the temperature change. I joined him in the passage above and after about an hour of
hard work John was able to push forward enough to look round the end of the passage roof into the open shaft
above. More excavation of the remaining rubble slope produced a body sized hole and John was able to

5
wriggle up into the base of the shaft. From the noise he was making, it obviously looked good, and after he
had pushed a few more rocks through to me, I persuaded him to come out so I could have a look.

The shaft is superb ! It is rectangular in cross section, with an obvious step sideways about twenty feet
up, forming a narrow ledge on one side of the shaft, and a matching overhang on the other. This situation
seems to be repeated about twenty feet further up, but with the ledge on the opposite side. It occured to me
that this may have been to accomodate a zig-zagging series of ladders with each ledge supporting the foot of a
timber ladder, and the overhang (inverted step) necessary to keep the centre-line of the shaft close to vertical.
A complete descent of the shaft will allow a closer look at these features, neither of which were noted when
we descended to the top of the rubbie fill on 17th. January. Looking up, it was impossible to decide to what
depth the shaft had been filled, but we believe we removed a minimum of thirty feet of fill, and again this can
be checked later. I did notice an area of hand-picking on the wall just above me, although this may just have
been ‘dressing’ after blasting the shaft, rather than evidence that an early hand-picked shaft had been enlarged
at a later date. Already drips and tiny trickles from above were washing clean lines through the thin soil coating
on the walls, and eventually it should become a ‘clean’ trip, and an excellent way into the mine. By this time
‘we were both getting cold in the draught, which was still very noticeable, so I slid back through into the cross-
cut, and we descended the scaffold-pole shaft and spent some time clearing rubble from the steps below, and
the slope down into the big chamber., before heading for the surface. We had just de-rigged the first pitch
when we met Brian Edmonds and Paul Nixon on their way in to help with the dig, so we explained the
situation and they decided to go to the bottom anyway and then clear the rabble that we had left.

‘On the surface we met Annie and Jenny, who told us that a farmer had been to the D.C.A. meeting to
report a shaft ‘running in’ near Hillocks. We searched the area but could find nothing obvious, and there was
no problem in the little copse, or around the coe.

Wednesday, 25th. February 1998

I went to the address of the farmer with the ‘run-in’ shaft, and got clear details of the location from his
wife. It turned out to be the shafl, covered by concrete sleepers, very close to the normal Hillocks Mine
entrance. On inspection we discovered that the sleepers had been moved apart, and a small collapse had
occurred at one side. We were able to make the top safe, although it may require a better job at a later date.
Reporting back to the farmer's wife, we realised that the farmer had actually been concerned about the risk of
rocks falling on cavers passing below ! She was able to direct us to the owner of the little copse by Hillocks,
and we went to seek permission for our intended work on the surface: making the shaft top safe and
establishing an access route for cavers. Again it was the farmer's wife I dealt with, and she accepted our
proposals as long as we complied with our self-imposed conditions. I said that we wanted to make the shaft-
top safe by fitting a concrete cap with an access lid for cavers. We would instal] a stile in the wall between the
lane and the copse, and would establish a path line to the lid in order to preserve the vegetation. Finally we
agreed to make sure the site remained stock-proof and generally clean and litter free. Mrs. Mycock pointed out
that her husband was unlikely to object, but that he would ‘phone that evening if there was any problem.

It was quite a relief when several days passed with no ‘phone call, so we moved into the next phase of
the project: the construction and fitting of the cap and lid, the fitting of *P” bolts, and the final tidying up work
in the lower passages.

Paul Nixon took over as the key figure at this point, as he was able to get hold of a quantity of steel in
exchange for a donation to a company social fund, and more importantly, had the welding skill (and
enthusiasm) to tum it into a superb framework to support the opening lid. Unfortunately for Paul I kept turning,
up with modifications to the original design, but generally these were accepted without too much grumbling !
At last the whole structure was completed, even down to an ‘interesting’ colour scheme (based on whatever
paint we had left over from other jobs), and lay in solitary splendour on the garage floor. Then we found we
had a slight problem. It looks as if we will need the entire Club to LIFT IT, never mind getting it out to the site
and CARRYING IT up the slope to the shaft-top ! Perhaps the commemorative plaque was just a bit aver the
top (‘a plaque too far’ - wasn’t that a film ?).

In the next instalment leam how we sank a new shaft through the garage floor to fit the shaft cap
already in place !

Colin ‘Steve’ Knox, 17th. March 1998.
Brain Fodder

My first tip from Darren on planning trips for 1999 was to plan early as it always takes much longer to organise
than you think. Perhaps this is due to amount of time cavers spend in the pub! Anyway being frapped inside over
Christmas and New Year due to the bl... awful weather, I thought that a useful first step would be to see what
the Club had done over the last few years. Ric thought this was quite sad, but every time I sat down Carole
mentioned decorating, so I needed to keep busy.

First of all many thanks to Darren and Steve Knox for supplying some of the facts. I have looked at the period
for Jan 1992 to Dec 1998 thereby including this years list. I have drawn up a list of all the trips in alphabetical
rather than date order. From this I have analysed which were the most visited caves . As most of the caves
cropped up 2 or 3 times the graph shows only those where we had been on more than 3 occasions

There are obviously lots more caves we have not visited particularly some shorter ones which might be suitable
for beginners. So if you have any suggestions or ideas to help me plan for next year these would be gratefully
received. Please pass these comments on to me at the Monday club meetings or give me a call at home on 01625
428914. John.

Analysis of club trips 1992 -1998
Top 10

Cave No of Trips
Gaping Gill

Lancaster Hole
Penyghent Pot
Simpsons

Lost Johns

Notts Pot

Peak

Alum Pot

Birks Fell

Craig y Ffynnon

Dan Y Ogof

Link Pat/Pippikin

Little Hull Pot

Little Neath River Cave
Oxlow

Slaughter Stream
Tatham Wife

White Scar

ADDABAARRRRUUMUMOOADO

‘Simpsons
Lost Johns

White Sear

Note

‘Gaping Gill Includes Bar pot Food Ent Ete
‘Alum lncudes Long Chum & Diccan ete
(Oxlow includes some ex. with Maskil

Gaping Gill
Lancaster Hole
Penyghent Pot

Tatham Wife

Slaughter Stream

(Other trips done over this period include; Rowten, Rumbling, Sell Gill, Short Drop, Gavel, Streaks, Stump
Cross, Swildons, Top Sink, Rowter, JH, Long Rake, P8, Giants, Winnats Head, Water Icicle, Mandale,
Speedwell, Aggy, Aygill, Gagshaw, Black Shiver, Boxhead, Bull Pot, Bull Pot of W, Cherry Tree, Xmas, Craig y
F.. Diccan, Prov-Dow, Eldon, Magnetometer, Manor Farm, Mere Gill, Mongo Gill, OFD, D. Cilau, Ogof D,
OFD1+2, O. Hespe Alyn, Otter, Outsleets B., Pant Mawr, Gingling, Jingling, Grange Rig, Hammer, Hurnell
Moss, Ireby F , Juniper, King, Knotlow, Hillocks, Long Kin E+W, Pool Sink Rhino Rift, Goufre Berger, PSM,
Grotte de la Diau, Karhalzeta Ko Karbia, Reseau de la Bidouze, Couey Lodge, several Pyrenean Canyons and of

course Lumb Hole!! These are included to give you some idea of what we have been up to. ED. Thanks again to
Steve and Darren for details.) 7
Index to C.C.P.C. Newsletters
(Numbers indicate sides of A4 text.) Compiled by: Colin S. Knox 10.1,"97 - 18.3.'98
(* indicates substantial or noteworthy items)

New Seri st March 19!

(continued)

January 1996 (10): Lumb Hole, Derbyshire, update. - P8, Rescue Practice. - Hillocks Mine, Derbyshire,
trip (child's account). - *Building an FX2 lamp. - *Goufire de la Pierre Sainte-Martin
historical account and 1995 trip. - 1996 Mects list.

March 1996 (10): Editorial, - Notes from A.G.M.. - Water Icicle Close Cavern, Derbyshire, trip, with
survey. - Club rules. - Little Hull Pot anchors. - D.C.A. comment on Bolt Fund. - Sale
Items, - Rescue Practice arrangements, - Mandale Mine Rescue reconstruction and
filming event. - Meets list. - Internet items. - New Lighting System, 1988 (humorous). -
Christmas ‘do’ advert.

April 1996 (14): Editorial. - News. - Letter to B.B.C. (humorous). - *Bull Pot, Yorks., rigging topo. ~
Axe Hole, Derbyshire (humorous). - Underground to Surface Communications
(humorous), - Rescue Practice details. - Sale items. - Swinsto Hole, Yorkshire, trip. -
P8/Jackpot, Derbyshire, trip (child's account). - Meets ist + surveys of Gaping Gill. -
Photo page. - *Simpson's Pot, Yorkshire, trip. - Editorial comment,

November 1996 (3): Club rules. - Rope tests. - Sale items. - Meets list. - List of Members.

December 1996 (10): *Nickergrove Mine, Derbyshire, trip. - News. - “Mount Elbrus, Russia, climbing trip. -
Stream Passage Pot, Yorkshire, ip, - *Deaing with Hypothermia

February 1997 (12): Editorial. - Meets list. - “Accident in Knotlow Mine involving use of Petal ‘Stop Sale
items. - Holme Bank Chert Mine gate. - Appeal for journals, newsletters etc.. - Copy of
B.C.R.A. statement about Public Liability Insurance. - C.C.P.C. Constitution (amended
6/1/1997). - Copy of letter from B.C.R.A. about Public Liability Insurance. - List of
‘paid-up’ members (Nov. 1996) for checking details,

April 1997 (9): Editorial. - Meets list. - *Youd’s Level, Matlock, trip. - D.C.R.O. Events in 1997. -
“Reprints of P.D.M.HLS. surveys of Youd’s Level.
July 1997 (8): Editorial. - *Diagrams of hauling systems for rescue use. - Peak Cavern, Derbyshire,

trip. - Current membership list. - Newspaper item about the Nettle rescue. - D.C.R.O.
Training Sessions, - Mccts List. - Reprint of letter (re. mining), dated 9th. June 1828.

September 1997 (14): Meets List. - D.C.R.O. Training Sessions. - “Trekking in the Karakorum, Pakistan. -
Sales. - *Hauling diagrams.

January 1998 (14): Report on D.C.R.O. Training Day at Whitehall. - Letter of thanks from D.C.A. to
C.CP.C. re. bolting. - Sales. - D.C.R.O. Basic Information Sheet. - D.C.R.O.
Guidance for Team Members Shect. - D.C.R.O. Notes on Stretcher Loading, plus
diagrams. - French notes on knots and rope strength. - Cascade Cavern, Lathkill Dale,
trip. - Meets List. - Results of rope tests. - *Holme Bank Chert Mine, trip, with survey.
- Emergency Kit list. - Rescue practice report.

Note: We are supporting the national initiative to catalogue and index newsletters and journals produced by
caving clubs, in order to make the material more widely available, and more easily searched. Consequently
future C.C.P.C. Newsletters will be numbered, the sequence starting with the first of the ‘New Series’,
(produced in July 1983), which makes the issue for January 1998 (above): Newsletter No. $6 (New Series).

SALES. SRT gear, as new '% price Designer sweat shirts £11. See Ralph
‘Kev has a pair of Goretex mitts for sale.
Free to good home. Chubby wet suit!

YOUR SUBS ARE PROBABLY OVERDUE"! If your not paid up you're not insured
a

DERBYSHIRE CAVE RESCUE ORGANISATION

LOCATIONS FOR CALL OUT PURPOSES: =

‘CAVE MIE “GENERAL | ENTRANCE [NORMAL RENDEZVOUS PORT. RV.GRD
‘AREA _| GRO REF. REF.
[BAGSTIRWE CAVERN [CASTLETON] 177.8088 | CAVERN CARPARK, GRANBY RO. BRADWELL Tria soas
CARTSWARK CAVERN, EVA | “2164 7656] ATOR WR ELEC. SUB STN EVAMOALE (S852) EVAN Bo
[CASCADE CAVERN THORNS” | —TSEGEA | TAYEY ON BEOES AT HEAD OF LATHEIL OALE, EAST OF MORVAST Taree
CRTCHLOW ONE TWORVASH | ~TTTO°6553 | TAVBY ON BS0H5 AT HEAD OF LATHKILL DALE, EAST OF MONASH wre
| SONBERLAND CAVERN —|WATLOGK | S505 5775) SO. BEND N CLIFTON RD (GFF Aly MATLOCK BATH Baas
‘DEVONSHIRE CAVERN | WATLOGK | — 280.584 | FOOTPATH JUNCTION WITH UPPERWOOO RO. WATLOGK BATH Biss
(ery conatited. Park on AS aed walk)
(DA TAGRSONS CAVE | CASTLETON] —O585.8TIT | P. LAYBY ON G06) OPP. PERAYFOGT FARNT TOT
EIDONTIGLE CASTLETON] T1617 B03] TOP OF ELDON LANE, OFF PERRYDALE RO, PEAK FOREST Teme
TAUTRES HOE CASTLETON] T0vSBTaS_| PH LAVBY ON BEDET OPP. PERRYFOOT FART aT
‘ANTS HOLE ‘CASTLETON | 11648285 | H VALLEY BOTTOM OFF TRACK TO PEARSHILL FARM FROM BEOET Teas
FALLOCRS MANE WORYASH” | —TaS 672 | JUNCTION 08 MILES UP CROSS LANE (OFF BSOES WEST OF MONYASH Tae
TFONGER FILL SWALLET [EVA | ~2088.7695” | RUNGERFILL HSE, N. SIDE GF EVAN TO FOOLOW RDO EDGE OF EVA OTe
TOS HOLES “TTST SEES LAVEY N. SIDE OF SALTERS LANE, A NILE FROM GNITTERTON ROL IGT cy
RROTLOW CAVERN TWORTASH | TEIEGTSS_| JUNCTION OS MILES UP GROSS LANE (OFF BEISS WEST OF WONTASH aT]
TTATHIGLL READ CAVE | WORVASHT | 1707/6585 | LAYBY ON BSOBS AT HEAD OF LATHRILL OALE, EAST OF WONVASH Taree
TAVeY ROT EVER | “SESE TESS BND. LAVEY DOWN STONEY MODLETON DALE ON AESS TOE TBS
TONG RARE MANE CASTLETON] 183808 | ROADSIDE AT HEAD OF SWALLOALE, BRADWELL Te
ASL RE CASTIETON] 12245075 BEDE SG. SW GF GROW ROUSE FAR Tae
MERLING MANE EVAN | ~ZI77. 7881 [ATOR NA. ELEC. SUB STN EVAM DALE (B0821), EVAN Tisere
TETTEROT CASTLETON] 12879 | ROADSIDE BS0GT SOOM. GW OF OXLOW HOUSE FARM Tee
TICKERGROVE WANE EVAM | TSS.7E05 | ROADSIDE AGES AY ICT_OF DELPH & STONEY MOOLETON GALE Taree
COWTINE CASTLETON] —TEE8S4 | TURRING ARER AT ENO OF OLD MAW TORO. W. OF CASTLETON TRS
SRLOW CAVERNS CASTLETON] —T2AT SETS | ROADSIOE BBOET SOOM. SW OF ORLOW HOUSE FARM Tea
FE RERPOT ‘GASTIETON] “TO7@ETIS | ROABSIOE BGOS1 aOGH WEST OF ELDON GUARRY ENT Tosa
[PEAR CAVERIT CASTLETON] TaBSED0_| PEAK CAVERN CARPARK. OFF RGIS, CASTLETON Tae
BERRYFOOT GAVE ‘GASTIETON| BB0.T27_| PB LAVBY ON BROBT OPP. PERRYFOOT FAR Tora
ROWTER ROLE ‘GASTLETON| —TS3825_ | ROWTER FARM (TRACK ACCESS OFF G506i NFL WINRATS PASS RD. CT) THe
"SPEEDWVELL CAVERN | CASTLETON] 1002 6274 CAVERN CARPARK AT FOOT OF WRITS FASS TREES
STREARS POT LOWER) | EVAM | 21a0 755 IDE AEESAT IGT. OF DELPH & STONEY MIDDLETON DALE Taree
| STREAKS POT (BOTTOM | —EVAM —| Ti Toe6 | PULL OFF AIS BELOW FARNELEY LANE JUNCTION TS
‘SUGDE CAVE CASTLETON) 137827 | ROABSIGE AY ENTRANCE NA FOGT OF WANATS PASS THER
"TEAR GREECHES MINE | WRTLOGK [517 S800 TURKING SPACE AT END GF UPPERWOOO RO, NATIOGK GATT Ta
(Very constricted. Park an AB and walk)
WATERFALL HOLE EVAW | TG8E7TOE | BY HOLE OFF N. SIDE OF EVAM TO FOOLOW RO. OSMLES EOF FOOLGW | TEBE TIE
WATERTGGIE CLOSE | WONYASH | ~TETOE2E0[ ENO OF DERBY LANE 7 1LE SE OF MONTASH Tes
WINRATS HEAD CAVE WIRRATS FREAD FI. YARD, TOP OF WRNATS Pi

THES

GRO VAN

you have probes Tnding anyone Wight Ba Worth ying aha The allowing Obl phono numbers (ar re-canlacion soar called you Ga

BILL WHITEHOUSE ALAN GAMBLE

a taremy 0d CALLA
SHIRE CAVE RESCUE ORGANISATION

CONTROLLERS

LEADERS

EQUIPMENT PERSONNEL

Bill Whitehouse
‘Alan Gamble
Dave Edwards

Janet Miller
Huw Williams
Keith Joule
‘Alan Walker
Mik Starr
‘Chuck Hooley

Details Redacted

CHAIRMAN

SECRETARY
ASST, SECRETARY
‘TREASURER

ASST. TREASURER
EQUIPMENT OFFICER
ASST. EQUIP. OFFICER
ASST. EQUIP. OFFICER
TRAINING OFFICER

ASST. TRAINING OFFICER

COMMITTEE

Dave Edwards
Bill Whitehouse
‘Chuck Hooley

Ralph Johnson

Dave Gough
Janet Miller
Huw Williams
Keith Joule

Alan Gamble

Details

Dave Sims

Len Gee

Phil Gregson
Wendy Joule
Rick Lewthwaite
Mark Loftus
‘Andy Morrison
Mark Noble
Mik Starr
Howard Taylor
‘Alan Walker
Joha Wilmot
Brian Woodall

Redacted

Note: the committee also includes all controllers not already listed

The following were listed as ‘paid-up’ members in 1997, but have not paid their 1998 subscription yet. If your
name appears below please consider re-joining The Club !! This must be done by the end of the April meeting,
otherwise you will no longer be a member under the terms of the arrangements for insurance purposes.

BRATT Melvyn

BROOKES Jane

CAMPBELL Dan

CAMPBELL Tim

CONDE Neil

EVANS Ross

*EVENDEN Duncan

FAULKNER Keith

FOSTER Mick Detail
HIGGINSON Max

HIGGIN ues etails Redacted
*JOSE Andy

LOVATT Mark

MOBLEY Nigel

PARKINSON Lionel

RABINOWITZ — Ruth

SMITH John

SMITH Terry

*TEMPLEMAN Andrew

* WILLIAMS Gareth

If your details are not correct or are incomplete, (or you have actually paid !), please let Steve Knox know as
soon as possible.

Membership subscriptions for 1998:
Entrance Fee £2.00, Full Membership £16.50, Associate Membership £8.25, Temporary Membership £2.00.

ie
Crewe Climbing and Pot-holing Club : Membership List - March 1998

Life members, and members recorded as having paid-their 1998 membership subscription by the end of
the meeting held on the 2nd. March 1998 at the ‘Bleeding Wolf’, Scholar Green. ( * = associate member).

SURNAME First Address Town Post Code Home Phone Work Phone Mobile Phone
ADAMS Margaret

BRANDWOOD Sharon

CONDE Darren

CONDE Tracey

COOPER Nigel

CRANE George

EDMONDS Brian

GAMBLE Paul

GAMBLE Tony

GRINDEY Tan

HANDLEY Emma

HOLDCROFT Paul

JOHNSON __ Marguerite ;
JOHNSON. Ralph Details Redacted
KNOX Steve

LEAR Gordon

MARTIN John

*MARTIN Rick

MORRIS Colin

MOUNTFORD Kevin

NIXON Paul

PRESTON John

RABINOWITZ Gideon

REYNOLDS Tony

SHENTON. John

STEADMAN __Pete

WALKER ‘Alan

Total: 27 members.

poeeenenunnnNnDmnnnerenrrrr Tarr rt rrertrrrrtrtrttrtetritetrtrrtrt tritici tt oc

12
journey that had taken two whole days on our outward journey. The city was as hot and humid as | expected
but at least the terminal was less crowded than the international arrivals.

Day 24 . In order to fill the day several of us took a taxi to tour the ancient city of Taxilla Certainly very
interesting for those into ancient history but it was incredibly hot and the guides are NEVER satisfied with
their baksheesh. Those selling “genuine” antiques are also a pain to get rid of and wont take no for an answer.
The irrigation ditches were full of children and youths swimming in the cold water. The closest I saw girls get
was when they came to collect water for the household, what a pity they couldn't join in the fun

In the afternoon several of us caught a taxi to the famous Raj bazaar, it was incredible. The main street is
packed with people and vehicles, The only thing on them guaranteed to work is the hom which is sounded
incessantly, Down each side of the street runs an open ditch/sewer carrying water and effluent that defies
description. Arcades and little allies no more then 2m wide lead off this street and these are packed with
hundreds of tiny shops measuring in many cases no more than 3m by 2m selling everything from false teeth to
live animals and tractor gear boxes. The animals are of course slaughtered on the spot and the evidence litters
the pavement and shop floor, often the remains of say a goat or chicken end up in the "stream" running either
side of the main road, I also saw this same stream being used as a urinal and for rinsing cups for use in one of
the many tea-houses.

Evening was spent having a Chinese meal cooked in a very upmarket Pakistani restaurant, a passable affair
but they hadn't got the cuisine quite right, We finished the night off with a few bottles of Hunza Water
obtained by Ali

Day 25 An early departure in the pouring rain to the airport where as usual chaos reigned, I dont know how
they ever get anything off the ground at all. On the flight we watched the same home made video repeatedly
until someone decided top change the tape for "Evita" ... unfortunately without sound since none of the
headsets worked

JRJ_AUG., 97.

FOR SALE.

Rugby Tops, Sweat shirts with club logo. £9.00

Goretex bivvy bags. £40.00

Petzl Stop. (brand new) £ 23.

‘Mark Wilson (ex. member now living in Oman) has left his caving gear with Ralph to sell in aid of club funds.
It includes a Petzl carbide/electric light(old model) with Fisma generator, Pigtail rack and undersuit. Anyone|
wishing to make a serious offer should see Ralph. Apparently there are caves in Oman which is a "friendly"
Arab state. Contact Ralph if you are interested in visiting.

STOP PRESS. Lathkill upper entrance is locked at present due to access problems. Please be patient.

By the time you read this Holme Bank Chert Mine should have a new gate.(courtesy Nigel et al.)

Oxlow Caverns may be “on the move" again

"New" caves now bolted with “Eco” hangers, Ireby,GG{mainshaft), Deaths Head, Box Head, Gavel, Marble
Steps(all routes), County (first pitch)

Several farmers have offered to sell laminated guides. Profits are in aid of DCRO.

Volunteers required.

‘Oxlow (slope and second pitch) and Nettle Pot are still in need of bolting. If you feel like volunteering don't
be shy.

13