On our last trip we found four sumps in Middlecleugh which
corresponded with the area above the First Sun Vein, Great Cross Vein and the
Ballroom in Smallcleugh, with high hopes of possible being able to link into
Smallcleugh we set off with two 3m long poles to use as anchors for descending
the sumps.
The first one we reached was the camel sump, we positioned
the poles and rigged up, using some rail line further up the passage as back
up. Karli abseiled down, with mutterings which did not sound too encouraging.
At around 25m he called up - blocked, choked - disappointment all round, not a
great start. This looked like a major sump which we had hoped to be open. He
tried to look around the edges to see if the roof line of a level could be
seen, but the answer to this was no.
The next sumps we tried where along
the passage that parallels the one in Smallcleugh to the Ballroom. We carried
out some gardening work around the walled sump, but ended up leaving it till
last as it was going to be tricky. Moving further in we rigged up the next sump
along, which was the MH, Mark Hall sump. After rigging, lunch was had, then I
descended down to find it choked at about 8m. I climbed back up and Karli
derigged, as he derigged he dropped the rope down the sump - the emergency 8mm
washing line was rigged up and he retrieved it - Spoon Award No1. In the mean
time Pete went to the next sump located in some bad shale. He came back
concluding there was too much hanging death to rig it safely.
Returning
back to the walled sump we installed the poles across it. Popping over the wall
we could see that the wall was rather unsafe - part of it was built on rotten
stemples and the sump side seemed to be crumbling as it was made up from poor
rock - if you visit this sump DO NOT LEAN ON THE WALL! Using the poles as
supports we where able to get a better view down the sump and it looked like
there could be something down there. Karli suggested that we drop the camera
down in video mode along with the diffused spot lamp for illumination. Attempt
1: too much spin, whilst deleting the video I managed to delete all the
photographs taken so far - Spoon Award No2. Attempt 2: not enough light.
Attempt 3: using both lamps and the camera in the middle we managed to see a
level or stope half down the sump. At the bottom it looked like there was a
continuation of a level or working leading off - not bad for a very impromptu
'Mine Cam'.
The trip was disappointing with the sumps being blocked at
the bottoms, however the walled one does seem to be promising, but not really
for a link to Smallcleugh as there is little or no air movement in this part of
the mine. To descend this sump safely the wall needs to be brought down and
built up again half a metre or so away from the edge. Also the hanging death
sump should be investigated, if only by getting to the edge of it by rope to
look down. The only other sump to check out it the one along the main drive in,
where it intersects the Middlecleugh Second Sun Vein, this one has a lot of
water pouring down it and sounds flooded. |
