Scaleburn Firestone Level - Surface Exploration (10/09/05)

Along the 'banks' of Gillgill Burn are a number of spoil heaps, these are from the Scaleburn Firestone Level. I found the level adit in the woods around the burn, a small amount of water was flowing out and the level was gated. The entrance was over grown and even though I did not go inside I had the feeling that the level would be collapsed shortly in, as there were a number of hollows in the ground which lined up with the levels direction.

From the cross section of the Scaleburn Mine Plan there are supposed to be 4 shafts that follow the vein up the moor, after spending about an hour or so I managed to found all four. I was sure they where the correct ones as they all roughly aligned, however only one was open, the other had all fallen in at the surface. To proceed further we need to see if the level is blocked and whether it could be dug out. Also the single open shaft needs to be investigated, being the last one of the series it is the deepest so we have the prospect of looking at a 50m or so SRT trip.

Click on the thumbnails for a full picture and description.

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