CCP.
Newsletter

April 2000. No 65

And now the news the whole world have
been waiting for!!! .. on 13 Jan while ona
"paramedic training trip" in Giants Paul H
persuaded Matt to leave Max and Ralph to get on
with the bottoming trip and to "take a look" at Rob's
Dig. Despite having the physique that almost got
him on to the "centre-fold spot” in Men's Fitness he
managed to squeeze through and to turn round
and get back! The passage awaits a further visit

's Latest "Through-Trip"

Steve Knox's dream has at last come to fruition! He's been going on for ages about the possibility of
‘opening up the Hillocks (or should that be Whalf) Engine Shaft. During a period of particularly bad
weather in February contractors (paid for by Derbyshire County Council) removed the old cap and
replaced it with new concrete beams suitably modified to accommodate a lid made by Nigel. The
project is now finished and looks very impressive. Hopefully everyone can now take a well earned
rest!

Knotlow Ventillation.
During a visit to photograph work on the above Steve and Mat fitted a ventilation grill (manufactured
by Paul N.) to the 210. On a good day clouds of steam billow out so the atmospheric conditions
underground can only get better. John Gunn of Limestone Research has been informed and tests are
due to take place shortly. Dave Nixon has also done some work at the foot of the 175 (Fourways) to
improve the drainage. Mark Lovatt is looking into the access situation on Fourways

Rescue Practice.
Our next practice is planned for Sat 14 May at Jug Holes and is to look at "Deep Shaft Hauling
Techniques.” The session is being run by Dave Edwards (DCRO) and an international male model
who wishes to remain anonymous. (Ladies-he will be available for autographs once the session is
over!) Everyone is welcome to attend and the day is as much a social event as it is a "technical" one.
Don't be over awed, come along and have a good, informative day out. You wont even be asked to go
underground, but if you want to bring your kit feel free!

BCRC Conference hosted by DCRO.
Since I landed the job of publicising this event (in my absencel) I've included a special plug here. The
conference takes [place at the Bull iTh' Thorn (Monyash) 16-18 June. Camping is free, there's a stomp
‘on the Saturday night and the ale is "real" and excellent. Details have not yet been finalised but you'll
be first to know (as soon as I receive them) All cavers are welcome-you can come along for the
conference (or part of it) or just the stomp. If you get bored you can simply go caving.
i arden Patl
As a result of getting involved with Whalf/Knotlow (Matt and Steve actually attended a DCA
meeting!) we were asked if we could have a look at the lid on Lathkill Head top entrance. Before
anyone could blink Paul had redesigned the locking mechanism which he and Steve (assisted by the
other Steve and Rob) had fitted managing to fit in a trip into the cave in the bargain. The next job is a
trip into Garden Path to do a "risk analysis" and inspection of the in situ ladders.

Riggin:
We are now on our fifth edition! These continue to sell well, as do the laminated topos, bringing in a
very useful source of income which includes a generous donation to DCRO. Thanks must go to all
who get dragged into the project from time to time either installing or checking bolts, redrawing or
rewriting the guides or checking for the inevitable error. It's surprising how little negative comment we
have received since beginning this project about 5 years ago.

Lottery Grant and Kit for Beginners.
The kit bought as a result of the lottery grant has been very useful in introducing a host of new and

potential beginners. Enquiries continue to pour in largely as a result of our new web-site put together
by Matt. Last weekend alone the village of Monyash was inundated by "Crewe" members and
potential members with Ed's' café being full even before he officially opened! Coddy and Neil even
brought along the contents of a primary school for a trip down Hillocks (with uncle Tony R) to keep
them all in order. Start em young seems to be their motto! Seriously now- if you have some colleagues
or friends who might be interested bring them along (or put them in touch with Matt), a club can only
survive with a regular influx of new members

Congratulations to Matt! It looks as though Matt will be at Keele for
a while yet-he's been offered a phD. Even better news for CCPC, Matt has

only been with us about two years but has put a vast amount of effort ‘Not
into the club ,has risen through the ranks to become training officer in that
what must be record time and holds the world record for the distance —
driven for a pint of shandy! (High Wycombe to Pooles Cavern!) Some say .

he is a candidate for the "Wally Award"! The down side of all this is that
wwe are stuck with him for another 3 years!!
2

Have Yi

If not you should have! They are produced by Andy Sparrow and are compulsive viewing (for anyone
who wants to get it right!) There is no charge but it has become traditional to make a donation of a
pound for the privilege. Ralph also has a training video on ice climbing if anyone wants a look at it
They are guaranteed to give you a better nights viewing than that normally available on a Saturday
evening!!

Two Warmbac oversuits (One large, one extra large) £56.00

Free to members!-Oldham spares.

On
He's in a hurry to pay his subs!!! Have you fan
paid yours? Full £16.50, Associate £8.25. me

=
New Members -Hire of Ki
At a recent meeting it was decided that new members could use kit FREE on 5 occasions after which a
hire charge will apply, This means that you can use "basic" kit 5 times and "SRT" kit 5 times.
Somewhere like Knotlow would obviously score "double" (one basic life, one SRT life) Carlswark
would score "single" since no SRT kit is involved. A fee of £5 was suggested for basic kit, the same
for SRT kit. I'm not sure that's clear-if its not please ask!

Centrefold on Way to Film Stardom!?

A well known CCPC centrefold model (who wishes to remain anonymous!) took his first step to film
stardom today. Accompanied by another decrepit (founder) member of CCPC the pair were filmed
rambling on about their part in the Neil Moss incident in 1959. They rounded the day off with a trip to
the site of the "rescue" not bad since Brian had not been back there since the incident occurred and has
not caved for a good few years, Onlookers were impressed with his fitness and agility (they used to
breed 'em ‘ard in them days-have you heard this before-when men were men!! etc) I didn't mention that
he still leads "E something or other" and departs shortly for a "first ascent" in Alaska-and he's even
older than our "anonymous centrefold"!

‘Whalf Mine Engine Shaft, Monyash, Derbyshire.
Paul Nixon, John Preston and | made many visits in 1998 to Whalf Mine Climbing

Shaft during the project to open it, and, later, to repair the surface ginging. We were always interested
in the possibility of gaining access to the capped engine shaft, seven metres away on the other side of
the field wall, and the opportunity to take this idea further came when the landowner, Mr. John
Mycock, came up to see how things were going at the climbing shaft. During the conversation I asked
if he would have any objection to us opening the engine shaft, but he had no idea there was anything
there, and thought the cap was just a patch of rough concrete for his cattle trough to stand on ! Once I
‘explained the situation he was happy for us to open the shaft top, so as long as we took appropriate
care to make sure the site was always safe.

We left things until the repair work on the climbing shaft was completed, then in July 1999
Paul and I went out one Friday evening to try to carry out an inspection of the interior of the shaft
collar. I'd already tunnelled in on the day when we fitted the ‘P’ bolts at the bottom of Whalf Climbing
Shaft, but that was in order to pass a message to Brian, working with the drill far below (on a very long
extension cable from the surface generator). Paul and I removed enough stonework from the top layers
of the ginging to make a flat-out crawl under the edge of the concrete possible, then, with ground

3
anchors hammered in, plus extra belays on all the fence posts within reach, I pushed the end of a 10
metre electron ladder through into the shaft, followed by the SRT rope. the funny thing was, that the
rope didn’t really seem to be very long ! When I collected it from Ralph I thought I had picked up a 70
metre length, but it turned out to be a funny looking 4 not a 7, so we were about 30 metres short.
Remember the golden rule and always tie a decent knot in the end of the rope !

‘Wriggling in was intimidating but once inside the shaft I could see that the ginging was in good
condition, but the concrete cap itself was too small for the shaft, and was barely supported by the
stonework which protruded on all sides, except, of course, the side we had just removed to get in
(OOPS !). Part way down, on one side, I could see that the ginging was supported by a shallow stone
archway, and the shafi doubled in size below and plunged a further 15 metres (approximately) to a
massive ledge, directly below the roofed section. The direct route plummeted all the way to the main
chamber far below, as a single hauling shaft, but our rope barely reached halfway. Having been
suitably frightened by the experience I grovelled back out to daylight so that Paul could swing around
inside the shaft, making appreciative noises. Eventually we decided it was time for the pub so we
removed our gear and closed the access hole we had made, We could see that the existing cap was ina
precarious state, and would eventually end up in the main chamber if some thing wasn’t done, so we
started to make plans.

We were going to use concrete railway sleepers, with a steel frame and lid across the centre of
the shaft, but, in trying to scrounge the sleepers from a Derbyshire County Council stockpile other
people became involved. Ralph made contact with Mike Wright from D-C.C. and there suddenly
seemed to be the prospect of D.C.C. organising a contractor and materials to cap the shaft in the
interest of public safety! A site meeting had to be arranged with a representative from English Nature
(the shaft is within the Upper Lathkill Site of Special Scientific Interest) to ensure that there would be
no objections, and with Mike Wright. Luckily Ralph was able to cover this as it was mid-week.

Mike agreed that the shaft could be dealt with by his department, and that he would allow us to
incorporate a cavers’ access lid into the cap. Massive concrete beams would be used rather than
sleepers, to ensure a satisfactory overlap all around. The Millennium came and went while we waited
for the weather to improve so that the contractor could use heavy equipment on the site. Paul
scrounged the steel for the frame, but this was put together by Nigel to fit his existing surplus ‘Bang
Store’ door, and this went out to the site in mid February, so that the contractor could use it as a
pattern for cutting the access hole in the slab. The two ‘Tembo’ beams provided by D.C.C. were each
16 feet long by 4 feet wide, and 10 inches thick, and because of their weight could only be moved
using a J.C.B.. They were cut to 12 feet in length, and while the aperture was cut, the J.C.B. was used
to re-seat existing sleepers on other minor shafts in the neighbouring field. Mike had gained the
necessary approval for the work from Mr. Mycock. After a good start the weather turned, and snow
prevented the job being completed the next day, or for the rest of that week. Luckily that meant that I
could be on site for completion, as the following week was half term.

I went out to Monyash on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, but no-one turned up to finish
the job. We later discovered that the contractor had had an accident on another job and had to be
replaced. which delayed the work even more. Finally, on 25th. February, the alternative contractor
arrived on site, and by midday I had watched the old cap being removed, and the new beams swung
into place on the levelled ground around the exposed shaft collar. The cattle trough was relocated and
the ‘caver opening’ was covered for safety by a concrete ‘offcut’ until the lid and frame could be
fitted. (Incidentally, a conservative estimate of the cost of the project to this point was about £800.)

We couldn’t wait any longer, and with the concrete slabs in place, Paul, John Preston, Matthew
Ryan and I tumed up the following Saturday (4th. March 2000) for the grand first descent. We took a
length of steel tube as the belay bar, backed up to the concrete slab with the cattle trough on it, and
rigged the drop very carefully (and slowly) while Paul went in through the oil-drums to rig the first
pitch in Hillocks. Eventually, with Paul back, there was no more reason to delay, and I slipped
cautiously over the edge and started down. This is a stunning shaft, although I was probably too tense
to really enjoy it, especially as the rope turned out to be just a little faster than I like. It is a superb free-
hang, but lower down I was able to rest my back on the wall while I took a couple of photos (not too
terrified for that). About two thirds of the way down ( later measured at 19 metres up) I spotted a
horizontal opening, partially blocked by rubble, in one wall, but I was more interested in getting to the
bottom of the shaft than in airy acrobatics, so I took a quick snap of it and continued my descent. The
shaft was later measured at 58 metres deep. John came down next, equally disconcerted by the speedy
rope, followed by Paul, and finally Matt, who by that time was well frozen waiting on the surface

4
I wanted to have a look at a series of small climbs and flat-workings that begin on the buttress
to the right of the level with the ‘Old Man’s cross cut’ in the roof, and extend over the top of the main
chamber. I struggled up to the first level, followed by Matt, and we explored a couple of exposed
traverses while Paul prussiked back up the Engine shaft to look at the opening in the wall. He managed
a very difficult entry, the sort where you hook your ankle round a balanced boulder while attempting to
back-prussik horizontally into a body sized slot while 19 metres up in a shaft (think about where the
rope was hanging - not into the slot !). At about this time Matt and I realised that Paul now seemed to
be somewhere above us, both by the curses drifting down, and by the rocks rattling down around us
Paul was able to haul up the main S.R.T. rope in the shaft with a second rope attached, and feed it into
a space which he could see, but dared not crawl into, at the back of the ledge he was lying on. Surprise,
surprise the rope reappeared close to the highest ledge Matt had reached, then dropped directly through
another opening in the roof of the main chamber, to reach the floor below. Fortunately this also gave
Matt a safer way back, as once Matt had taken hold of it, Paul released the second rope from above and
‘Matt used it to abseil back to the ground. He dropped it around a rock bridge and John Preston acted as
a ground anchor while Matt came down the other side. Paul decided he had had enough and wriggled
back out and re-joined us below, then we made our way out via the normal route, free-climbing the
second pitch, and using the rope left earlier on the first pitch. Incidentally we also spotted and recorded
two previously unknown (by us anyway) miners” inscriptions.

‘The frame had gone back to Nigel so that he could continue the construction of the lid, and this
was finally finished by Paul, followed by a painting session while it sat on the trailer in Paul’s drive,
then Paul and I took it out early on Sunday, 12th. March and fitted it into the slab. We were finishing
off, and installing a stainless steel belay stake at the edge of the slab when a number of other members
arrived to descend Knotlow Mine. We managed to persuade Steve Evans and Rob Farmer that they
really needed to help us with some work at Lathkill Head top entrance, where we replaced the padlock
with a nut and bolt fastening, and installed another belay stake. Naturally we also needed to have a
quick trip down in order to check the P-bolts while we were there !

The following weekend I was back at Whalf for another painting session, and was able to
impress a group of Masson C.C,. members with the quality of the finished cap. Fortunately the wet
paint kept them out, and a week later Paul and I were back to add six steel clamps and bars to lock the
frame into the concrete, As we prepared to get started two of the Masson group arrived, but agreed to
descend Whalf Climbing Shaft instead, so we could finish the job. We later rigged their rope for them
as we expected them to come up the Engine Shaft, but they reappeared from over the wall having kept
clear at the bottom in case of falling tools, and then they had the pleasure of being the first to use the
new lid and the belays. (We wanted to make sure they were safe before we used them ourselves !!)

We were a little overburdened with rope, the electric drill and battery, a bolting kit, camera bag
etc., so we lowered the bags first, then Paul descended next, intending to re-enter the opening in the
shaft wall. I hung about on the surface, gradually getting colder and colder, until finally 1 decided to
use some brain power and follow Paul on the Masson rope. No problem getting in, apart from the usual
terror, and then off I went. I managed about ten metres before the horrible creaking sounds from the
rope had me completing the fastest ever (for me that is) change over, rope to rope, and abseil to
prussik, and then there I was back at the lid with everything possible clipped in. Once totally safe again
1 felt rather silly, so, as Paul's weight had come off our rope, I changed back to abseil and gently slid
down to join him, trying to look as if] wasn’t completely freaked.. The slot looked horrible, with lots
of loose debris all along the edge, and Paul peering at me from the other side. I tried the swinging in
bit but with little success but then Paul got hold of one foot and dragged me in with me screaming,
“Don’t let go! ..... DON’T BLOODY LET GO!!!"

Obviously I made it, and ended up lying on top of the rubble, wrapped in rope and clipped to
Paul. Make no mistake this was a tight slot. I had to remove my helmet so I could turn my head to see
what was on the inside of the slot. Paul was standing on two small ledges at the top of a superb shaft,
about 1.5 metres by 1 metre, which dropped vertically below him. There was little we dared do until
the Masson pair had prussiked back past us, hauling their rope up out of the way, then we dragged our
own bags up from the Engine Shaft bottom and managed to squeeze them onto the ledge somewhere.

~~“?

With no belays available, all this was really precarious, but at least with no people or kit below we
were at last able to start work making the space more comfortable. I pushed everything within reach of
feet or hands out into the Engine Shaft, while Paul kept his cows tails clipped to mine, The ledge is
only about 1.5 metres wide, between the two shafts, so if one of us started to go the other one had to
fall the opposite way ! Eventually there was enough space to sit up, so we were able to get organised
and put in our total stock of three spits, two for a “Y” hang for the new shaft, and one on the upper lip
of the ledge, in the Engine Shaft. More rubble clearing followed, then Paul rigged the new pitch and
set off down. It was another gem, rounded at the top, then changing to a more angular section where it
broke into a natural rift before reaching Matt’s high point of two weeks before, then straight down to
the floor of the main chamber. There are at least two rub points which will need deviations, easily
spotted by the polished surface and half-round grooves left by the miners’ hauling ropes as they passed
the same points, I followed Paul, making a few notes and measuring the new pitch at 19 metres. The
ledge is ‘Balcony’, and this is ‘Balcony Pitch’. Note: there are only three 8 mm. spits in place, all
currently fitted with hangers (which should be left), but “P’ bolts will be fitted as soon as possible. We
decided against reclimbing Balcony Pitch because of the rub points so Paul
de-rigged by climbing the Engine Shaft rope again, then we made our way out via Hillocks entrance.

‘Access to the Engine Shaft is either via the normal Knotlow stile from the parking area, then
turn right and walk up the field to the top left corner, or via the new stile in Blackwell Lane which
gives access to Whalf Mine Climbing Shaft, then over the timber rails at the back corner of the copse.
Anyone using the new Engine Shaft entrance must ensure that the shaft top is left in a clean and safe
condition, both during and after their visit, and they must be courteous to Mr. Mycock or any of his
staff. Please be particularly careful about leaving the lid open if there are any farm stock in any of the
adjacent fields (as these interconnect), until the inner safety gate is in place.

Colin ‘Steve’ Knox. 27th. March 2000

P-S.Our commiserations must go out to Nigel who was unable to attend the "topping out ceremony"
due to his "welding arm" needing a short stay in hospital for surgery!! Nigel put in a vast amount of
work not only in designing and constructing the lid but also in site visits were he was able to convince
DCC and English Nature as to our (ie. his!) ability to produce a product to meet their strict
specifications. It has been said that Nigel's erections are becoming famous! Hopefully he will make a
speedy recovery-before our next project is in need of his skills!!

for-Mi
4 April DCRO Pindale "Equipment
9 April Flood Entrance/Stream Passage 6 May Diccan/Alum
14 May Jug Holes. DCRO "Hauling" 27-29 May Yorks weekend
4 June DCRO Carlswark "Casualty Evacuation"
10 June Odin Mine 17/18 June BCRC Conference
24 June Pillar Hole 9 July Pindale
16 July Lost Johns 23 July Oxlow
6 Aug Chapel le Dale 26 Aug Stoney Middleton

10 Sept DCRO "Casualty Care."

Please bear in mind that this only represents a fraction of what really takes place. Trips are often
organised at short notice - the best policy is to attend the monthly meetings., if you cant do that ring
John, Matt or Ralph to see what is going on. There is normally something on every weekend and often
mid week as well.

STOP PRESS, He's Back!! One-armed caver accompanied by muscular bouncer(!) seen
carrying buckets of concrete in direction of Titan. I bet he can't build a lid that big!!

fin